Vitamins That You Shouldn't Double Dose

Commercialism and plentiful over-the-counter choices encourage vitamin and supplement use to promote health and well-being. However, those readily available vitamins may do more harm than good if taken incorrectly. Reading the label and understanding daily allowances will stop a potential vitamin overdose. Certain vitamins should not be double-dosed, as doing so could cause organ damage. There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. The fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body for later release, creating a potential overdose with double dosing. The Harvard Public School of Health recommends obtaining vitamins from a healthy assortment of food choices, as it is difficult to overdose on vitamins in food.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is fat-soluble and should not be double-dosed. Vitamin A is taken to improve vision, skin, immune response and promote normal cell division. The Vitamins and Health Supplement Guide website states that a dose greater than 20,000 IU of vitamin A is toxic to the human body. Fatigue, nausea and vomiting may indicate an overdose of this supplement. Another harmful effect of a double-dose of this vitamin in pregnant women is potential damage to the fetus.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D can be toxic in double doses. This vitamin is produced by the body in response to sunlight, or UV, exposure and promotes the use of calcium for healthy, strong bones. MedlinePlus notes that headache, nausea, weakness, muscle pain and a metallic taste can all signify overdose of this vitamin. Toxic doses of vitamin D taken over a prolonged period can result in irreversible deposits of calcium crystals in the soft tissues; this can be damaging to the heart, lungs, and kidneys.

Vitamins C and E Although vitamins C and E are water soluble, meaning extra doses are usually eliminated harmlessly through the urine, double doses are not recommended. The National Institutes of Health claims that too much vitamin E, or dl-alpha-tocopherol, in amounts greater than 1000 mg a day can cause bleeding. Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant used to boost the immune system, can counteract some chemotherapy treatments and cause stomach problems if taken in excess according to MayoClinic.com. 


Multivitamins Beware of double dosing multivitamins, as many contain non-vitamins that are toxic in large doses. Specifically, iron and calcium, minerals that assist with bone density, are harmful if a double-dose of multivitamin is ingested, according to the Vitamins and Nutrition Center website. Double-dosing multivitamins may also provide excessive vitamin intake of A, D, C and E, all which are harmful in surplus. 

The Miracle Grass for Diabetes and Cholesterol

             

By 2030 it is expected that 438 million people will have diabetes worldwide. The most common strain is Type-2 and the disease, according to some, has reached global epidemic status. Many diabetic also experience cholesterol problems and face obesity.

Type-2 diabetes creates a number of problems for those suffering from it. Cholesterol problems create a greater risk for heart attack and heart disease, blood sugar levels are inconsistent and the body’s demand for insulin is not met because of high-resistance. And although increasing insulin through medication has often been the main source of refuge for diabetics, it does little to impact cholesterol problems or make any long-lasting impacts on blood sugar levels.

For a number of years, researchers have been looking at the impacts of barley grass supplementation to limit cholesterol problems and regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. Barley grass is a natural remedy that is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, while having shown to yield positive effects with regard to cholesterol problems and blood sugar and insulin levels associated with Type-2 diabetes.

Barley grass supplements are created using the young leaves of the barley plant, as opposed to grains that people often associate with the plant. The leaves are then ground up and can be taken in powder or capsule form.

Over the past decade numerous medical studies have shown that barley grass can help lower cholesterol, improve insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels. However, many in the scientific community still believe there is little objective evidence to support these findings. The properties found in barley grass, however, have been seen to improve conditions in diabetics.

A recent study has found that barley grass supplementation significantly decreased fasting blood sugar levels in an experiment group, while no change was found in a control group (levels were checked daily) The research looked at two groups of diabetics: one was given 15 g/per day (for 70 days) of a barley grass supplement; while the other was not. In addition to the drop in blood sugar levels, there was a 5.1% drop in cholesterol (in the experiment group) levels after only 2 months.

Other research has found similar results, and the studies are conducted on the basis that the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in barley grass can offer help. Cholesterol problems and Type-2 diabetes have shown to be slowed by antioxidants and monosaturated fats, of which the barley grass has plenty. In fact, the antioxidants in it have been noted to be “quite potent.”

Antioxidants are able to improve insulin resistance in diabetics and obese people. Research from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, Italy, found that obese patients who experimented with a diet high in antioxidants exhibited decreased insulin resistance compared to those who did not.

Although a number of small scale studies have been conducted regarding the use of barley grass to fight diabetes and cholesterol problems over the past decade, it is still not acknowledged as a viable treatment. More research on a larger scale must be conducted, and it must be confirmed by the scientific community at large.

However, based on the samples of existing research and what is already known about antioxidants, monosaturated fats and the vitamins found in barley grass, it appears that a dosage of 15 g per day will not harm users.

How Drinking Coffee Could Improve Your Health

If you rely on coffee to get through the day, or just to get it started, you might be lacking sleep or something in your diet. Nobody, after all, is ever going to mistake coffee for health food.

But like wine, chocolate and popcorn, coffee has joined the ranks of unlikely foods with health benefits. An increasing body of research has found that drinking coffee—even four or more cups per day in some instances—provides health benefits. And a 13-year study of 402,260 AARP members conducted by the National Cancer Institute, which was published May 17 in the "New England Journal of Medicine," concluded that devoted coffee drinkers were associated with a reduced risk of early death by up to 16 percent.

“This is perhaps the most compelling because the study was so large,” says Robert Davis, at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and author of “Coffee is Good for You: From Vitamin C and Organic Foods to Low-Carb and Detox Diets, The Truth About Diet and Nutrition Claims.” He noted that the study was observational, so it doesn’t prove cause and it effect.

Though drinking coffee excessively can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol and foster a dependence on caffeine, here are ten areas where coffee consumption just might be beneficial – if you limit the cream and sugar. 

1. Gallstone Prevention Harvard researchers in 2002 found that women who drank at least four cups of coffee a day were at a 25 percent lower risk of gallstones. An earlier study found similar results for men. 

2. Depression Prevention Women who drank two to three cups of daily coffee were 15 percent less likely to develop depression, and those drinking four cups were 20 percent less likely, according to a 2011 report in the "Archives of Internal Medicine."

3. Memory Improvement Coffee can help with both long- and short-term memory. In a 2005 study presented at the Radiological Society of North America, researchers found that consuming two cups of caffeinated coffee improved short-term memory and reaction times.

Interestingly, a 2007 study found that women -- but not men -- who were 65 or older who drank more than three cups of coffee each day performed better on memory tests and were less likely to show memory decline than those who drank just one cup a day.

Although researchers have known for some time that coffee can decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at the University of South Florida in 2011 found that a distinctive interaction between caffeine and coffee might be why. They recommend drinking four to five cups daily, starting in middle age, to increase GCSF, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, which is decreased in Alzheimer’s patients and improves memory in mice. 

4. Less Risk for Diabetes Studies suggest that coffee drinkers are less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, with those putting away four or more cups daily 50 percent less likely. A January 2012 report in the 'Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry" might explain why. It attributes the effect to compounds in coffee that block hIAPP, a polypeptide that can result in abnormal protein fibers, which are found in people with Type 2. 

5. Decreases Cancer Risk Coffee consumption has been associated with decreased risk of breast, endometrial, prostate and liver cancers, and those linked with obesity, estrogen and insulin. A 2008 Swedish study found that drinking at least two to three cups a day reduced the risk or delayed the onset of breast cancer.

A 2011 study in "Breast Cancer Research" found that drinking five or more cups could translate into a 20 percent less chance of developing estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer. And, citing research on coffee’s effect on diabetes, researches also found that drinking more than four cups a day was linked with a 25 percent reduced risk for endometrial cancer.But it’s not just the women who luck out. A recent study out of the Harvard School of Public Health found that both regular and decaf coffee resulted in reduced risk of prostate cancer. 


6. Metabolism Boost Coffee might help you maintain -- or even lose -- weight. A study as far back as 1980 found that the caffeine found in coffee stimulates the metabolism, but that only “normal,” rather than obese, subjects experienced greater oxidation of fat.

A 2006 study confirmed that the metabolism-boosting benefits of coffee were greater -- and lasted longer -- in lean women. More recently, researchers discovered that ground green coffee beans taken as a supplement seemed to promote weight loss -- an average of 17 pounds in obese adults during a 22-week period. Researchers didn’t think it was the caffeine; rather, they credited the chlorogenic acid, which might reduce glucose absorption. 

7. Lower Risk for Parkinson’s Disease The "Journal of the American Medical Association" in 2000 found that the caffeine intake associated with coffee translated into a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s. A 2010 study found that drinking two to three cups of coffee daily can mean up to a 25 percent less chance of developing the disease. 

8. Antioxidative Properties Harvard researcher Edward Giovannucci, in research published in "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention," noted that coffee has more antioxidants than most vegetables and fruits. In fact, a 2005 study found that coffee is the No. 1 source for antioxidants in the American diet. That’s a reflection of the volume of coffee consumed in this country, and how much is making it into the bloodstream is unclear. 

9. Performance-Enhancing Benefits Coffee -- and the caffeine in it -- has been shown in multiple studies to increase both endurance and short-term performance. A 2008 study concluded that the benefit of caffeine before exercise occurs during endurance events, stop-and-go events and long-term high-intensity activity. It also can help athletes perform better during strength training -- even when sleep-deprived -- if taken one hour before exercise at the rate of 4 mg for every kg of body weight.

10. Gout Prevention A 2007 study of men older than 40 linked long-term coffee consumption with a lower risk of gout, an inflammatory condition caused by elevated levels of uric acid. Decaf and regular both had an effect, and those drinking six cups a day experienced as much as a 60 percent lower risk of gout.

How Long Does Coffee Caffeine Stay in Your System?

Coffee is so popular that is only second to oil as a source of foreign exchange, according to the Coffee Science Information Centre. Coffee is consumed abundantly and valued by many. Besides savoring the bold, rich taste of freshly brewed coffee, many people consume it for its caffeine content. A hot cup of coffee in the morning to get you going, and a cup of coffee in the afternoon to keep you going, are often the job of the beverage--delivering caffeine reliably throughout the day.

History 

Coffee has been around for thousands of years, but may have been used originally as a food, as opposed to the popular beverage of today. Coffee beans may have originated from Kaffa, today known as Ethiopia, according to the Coffee Science Information Centre. Drinking coffee first started in Mecca, but became popular throughout the Arab world shortly thereafter. Coffeehouses opened in Mecca, then in Dutch colonies and eventually in Venice. They were favorite meeting places for social or business affairs. More recently, coffee has been touted as a potentially healthy drink.

Identification

The coffee tree, native to Africa, usually has two beans in each fruit. The fruit of the coffee tree looks like a red cherry. The two species that are cultivated are robustas and arabicas. Arabicas require little water, grow at high altitudes and have less caffeine than robustas. When the coffee tree is three to five years old, it begins to produce fruit, which is then harvested. The outer layer of the bean is removed to reveal a dry, green coffee bean. The beans then are processed in order to be exported around the world. 

Caffeine

Caffeine is the most widely consumed active substance stimulating the central nervous system, according to the Coffee Science Information Centre. It belongs to the alkaloid family and can be found in over 60 plant species--cocoa beans, tea and coffee being the most popular. Caffeine can have a positive or negative effect on mood, mental performance and sleep. It does not accumulate but is distributed throughout the body shortly after it is ingested, according to the International Coffee Organization. 

Function

Caffeine is fully absorbed by the digestive system in approximately 45 minutes, according to the Coffee Science Information website. Typically, the peak of concentration is 15 to 120 minutes after caffeine is consumed. Caffeine stays in the bodies of men for five to nine hours, but the amount of time is reduced by 30 to 50 percent in smokers. The length of stay for caffeine in women using oral contraceptives is approximately 12 to 15 hours, and can be as long as 15 hours in pregnant women as well, according to the Coffee Science Information Centre and the International Coffee Organization. 

Considerations

The caffeine in coffee may cause unwanted side effects. Too much caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, nausea, irregular heartbeat, muscle tremors, headaches or anxiety, according to the Mayo Clinic. The effects of caffeine are different for everyone, as is the amount of caffeine that may cause these problems.

Tips to Live to 100 Years Old

The average life expectancy in North America is 79, which is pretty good considering 100 years ago it was only 55 in most industrialized countries. Even better news however, is that the amount of centenarians (people who live past 100) has almost doubled in the U.S. over the past 20 years, and some scientists hypothesize that the total number of centenarians will increase a whopping 7-fold by 2020! Although aging and death are inevitable, the following lifestyle and anti-aging tips can help you increase your chances of aging gracefully and joining the centenarian club.
Reduce Stress to Reverse Aging
Stress increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, and it reduces both mental stamina and physical stamina. What’s more, chronic high stress levels are a massive contributor to aging and a high stress lifestyle can shave more than 5 years off of your life. Practicing deep breathing exercises, doing yoga, meditating and simply keeping things in perspective can all effectively reduce your stress levels. Taking regular vacations will give you something to look forward to and it will also help to reduce overall stress levels. Maintaining close, loving relationships, is another great way to reduce stress and increase your lifespan.
Maintain a Healthy Body Weight to Reverse Aging
Being overweight accelerates the aging process and it can reduce your life expectancy by as much as 4 years, while extreme obesity can reduce your life expectancy by a full decade.
Workout to Reverse Aging
Working out 5 days a week will not only increase your strength and stamina, studies suggest it will add between 2 and 5 years to your life! Working-out slows down the aging process in multiple ways–it reduces your risk for developing diseases such as diabetes, it decreases your stress levels, it helps you to maintain a healthy body weight and it helps to keep your heart strong and healthy.
Don’t Skimp on Sleep
Your body does the majority of its reparation while you are sleeping and chronic sleep deprivation, increases stress levels, reduces stamina, raises your risk for multiple diseases and it vastly reduces your life expectancy. Aim for between 7 and 9 hours per night, and try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
Floss Daily
Flossing daily may seem like a strange way to slow the aging process but studies have found this simple habit can increase your lifespan by as much as 6 years. Flossing is essential because it removes harmful bacteria from your mouth and prevents them from migrating to other parts of your body, where they can cause disease.
Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels
The sun is your body’s primary source of vitamin D. If you live in a sunny area, expose your skin to the sun daily for fifteen minutes, this will ensure adequate vitamin D levels. If you do not live in a sunny area, get your vitamin D levels checked by your doctor and consider taking a vitamin D supplement. Maintaining adequate bodily levels of vitamin D helps to strengthen your immune system and it can increase your lifespan by 2 years.
Consume a Healthy, Antioxidant Dense Diet
This is arguably, the most important, amongst all of the anti-aging tips. Free radicals are highly reactive and unstable atoms that attack the body on a cellular level; they damage and destroy your cells and DNA. According to Denham Harman, M.D., of the University of Nebraska, cancer, cardiovascular disease and many other degenerative disorders that we attribute to aging, are not a natural result of aging itself; they are caused by excessive free radical damage.Most fruits and vegetables are antioxidant dense and some of the richest sources include: berries, grapes, oranges, apricots, cantaloupe, cherries and peaches; broccoli, spinach, sprouts, beets, red peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots and tomatoes. Green and white teas are also great sources of antioxidants and their regular consumption is encouraged. Finally, avoid alcohol, cigarettes, junk foods and processed foods because they are full of toxins which encourage the formation of free radicals.

Baggy Eyes Remedies

Puffy eyes are one of the most commonly met problems of modern life. Large bags under the eyes may appear due to several factors such as stress, smoking, aging, health problems, water retention, lack of sleep, unhealthy diet or excess sun exposure. Baggy eye remedies will offer you some great methods in order to treat this frustrating beauty problem that appears right when you want to look your best.

Unattractive baggy eyes give you a tired look as if you haven’t been sleeping for three days. Who wants to look tired on a truly special day such as the day of wedding

or the first date? Of course, nobody wants to wake up with nasty, puffy eyes that can completely destroy a perfect look.

Bags under the eyes affect every age group, however they generally develop with aging, while skin looses its elasticity and becomes saggy. But nowadays this is a common problem with young women as well, mainly because of hereditary factors or due to an unhealthy lifestyle.

If you notice bags under your eyes, it is an evident sign that you need to pay more attention to the inner and outer health of your body. Check out the following natural home remedies to get rid of puffy eyes and have an attractive, wonderful look.

Get Enough Sleep and Avoid Stress

If you had a tiring, stressful day at work, or if you spent long hours in front of your computer or watched too much TV, your eyes get tired and you will most probably develop bags under your eyes. Always pay attention to get proper sleep, which means 7 or 8 hours. Sleeping is one of the most efficient beauty treatment you can give your skin in order to prevent red, puffy eyes and have a radiant, fresh face.

Improve Your Eating Habits

A well balanced diet is composed of natural ingredients that are highly important for baggy eye treatment Avoid fast food and pre-packaged meals that may contain many artificial additives.

Consume instead plenty of fruits and vegetables each day in order to provide your body with necessary minerals and vitamins that are essential to maintain your skin’s health. In order to reduce the puffiness under your eyes, include foods rich in potassium in your diet as well as tomatoes, cucumber, strawberries and watermelon.

Try to reduce the consumption of alcohol and salt as much as it is possible, and avoid smoking, which is one of the major triggering factors of skin problems, such as wrinkles and dark, puffy circles around the eyes. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water every day, as it helps your organism to get rid of excess salt that contributes to the development of baggy eyes.

Apply Cucumber Slices

One of the best instant remedies to reduce bags under your eyes is by applying fresh and cold cucumber slices. If you woke up with annoying puffy eyes, place cucumber slices on your closed upper and lower eyelids and leave them there for about 20 minutes. After a few minutes you can even replace them with fresh slices in order to provide more hydration and refreshment to your eyelids. Cucumber is very effective in fighting against dark circles as well. Apply it regularly and you will see a wonderful improvement in the aspect of the skin around your eyes.

Apply Tea Bags

Chilled green tea bags offer a very effective way to reduce swelling under your eyes. Tea is a wonderful natural substance with great anti-inflammatory properties for your skin. This simple and costless beauty treatment will immediately give your eyes a fresher, brighter look, calming the skin around your eyes. For this purpose take two green tea packs, dip them in water and then squeeze well.

Place them in the refrigerator and leave them there until they are slightly chilled. Lie down and place the frozen tea bags on your closed eyelids for about 5 minutes.

Splash With Cold Water

Give a fresh start to your days by washing your eyes each morning with cold water for a few minutes. You can even prepare a mixture with water and ice cubes that will reduce the bags around your eyes. Then you can massage your eyes with your fingers for 2 or 3 minutes using circular motion, starting from down and moving upwards.

Try out these great home remedies and get rid of unwanted baggy eyes and the tired aspect of your skin. Get a fresh, bright look and feel wonderful for every occasion. 

Grapeseed Extract & Hair Loss

Grape seed extract is known for its antioxidant properties and is used to treat a number of medical conditions, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Most of the studies on grape seed extract have been performed on animals. There is some evidence to support grape seed extract as a hair loss agent based on studies involving laboratory mice, but grape seed extract is not approved for hair loss by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

About Grape Seed Extract

Grape seed extract is typically made from the seeds of wine grapes. Grape seeds contain high amounts of oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes, flavonoids, Vitamin E and linoleic acid. The primary benefit of grape seed extract is its ability to prevent free radicals from damaging cells. Grape seed extract became popular in the 1970s due to what became known as the French Paradox, which studied the low percentage of heart disease in relation to high fat diets. The French ate a high fat diet but had low heart disease rates and credit was attributed to their daily wine consumption. 

Hair Loss

Little research has been done on grape seed extract as a hair loss treatment but there is some evidence to support the claim. One study performed by Tsukuba Research Laboratories that appeared in the November 1998 issue of the Swedish journal Acta Derm Venereol concluded that the proanthocyanidins extracted from grape seeds yielded an increase in the proliferation of hair follicle cells in mice. The study also concluded the proanthocyanidins quickened the transition of the resting phase to the growing in the hair growth cycle.

Usage

Grape seed extract comes in capsule and tablet forms and the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends you look for pills that are standardized to 40 to 80 percent proanthocyanidins or that posses greater than 95 percent oligomeric proanthocyanidin complex. Recommended doses will range from 75 to 450 mg per day and grape seed extract is considered safe for periods of two to three months as long as the recommended doses are followed.

Precautions

Grape seed extract has not been studied by the FDA for safety or effectiveness, so all potential side effects may not be known. Reported side effects include nausea, dizziness, high blood pressure and headaches. Grape seed extract should not be used by people taking blood thinners. Grape seed extract should not be taken by children or by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. As with all medications or supplements, speak to your physician before beginning any new treatment.

What Are the Benefits of Grapeseed Supplements?

Grapes contain a wide range of nutrients, including vitamin E, folic acid and iron. In addition, they contain potent antioxidants called oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes, which help destroy free radicals that harm healthy cells. Research indicates that adding grape seed extract to your current supplementation regimen might provide several health benefits. Consult your health care provider before consuming grape seed extract supplements. 

Cancer

Grape seed extract might help fight and treat hematological cancers such as leukemia, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Third Military Medical University and the University of Kentucky. Scientists found grape seed extract to be effective in killing leukemia cancer cells by forcing it to undergo apoptosis, or programmed cell death, according to research reported in the January 2009 issue of the journal "Clinical Cancer Research."
Wounds 

Researchers from Ohio State University investigated the impact of grape seed extract on wound healing. They discovered that wounded mice and human skin cells exposed to grape seed extract experienced a significant increase in vascular endothelial growth factor, a protein that helps repair damaged blood vessels and enhance healing. Scientists stated that grape seed extract's high levels of antioxidants were responsible for the results, according to the Science Daily website.

Blood Pressure

Grape seed might improve blood pressure, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of California Davis. They discovered that participants with metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors for heart disease, who consumed 150 mg or 300 mg of grape seed extract experienced decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, according to the Science Daily website.

Heart Disease

In research reported in the December 2008 issue of the journal "Nutrition Research," scientists from the Division of Human Nutrition in Australia examined the effects of grape seed extract on cardiovascular disease. They discovered that grape seed extract was associated with inhibiting cholesterol uptake and reducing proinflammatory 5-lipoxygenase, both of which may reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

Six Safe Food Practices

1. Use safe water and food. 
Certain foods are more frequently associated with foodborne illness. Get informed by knowing the source of your food. Doing so can help you make more informed decisions.

2. Clean. 
Cleaning food properly can be one of the most important ways to prevent foodborne pathogens. Though it might seem obvious, thorough hand washing before food handling is a must--and cooking and cutting surfaces should always be kept sanitary.

3. Separate. 
Separation helps prevent cross-contamination. Be careful to separate raw food (particularly meat, poultry, seafood and eggs) from other items when shopping and cooking. Use different cutting boards and utensils for raw and non-raw food.

4. Cook. 
Cooking food to prevent pathogens boils down to two Ts: temperature and time. Don't rely on your eye--a thermometer is the only proven performer in determining when food has been cooked to the proper temperature. Avoid raw or undercooked egg products--raw cookie dough is included!

5. Chill.
 It's all about the chill when it comes to slowing down the growth of bacteria (they traditionally love warm temperatures and can grow rapidly at room temperature). Refrigerate raw and perishable foods within two hours or within one hour in very hot weather.

6. Report foodborne illness. 
While foodborne illness affects millions of Americans each year, the vast majority of these cases are never reported to public health officials. The act of reporting foodborne illness will protect your friends, neighbors and the general public. Seek medical attention if you are sickened.

Can Drinking Too Much Juice With Vitamin C Give You a Kidney Infection?

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, so excess amounts normally wash out of the body in urine. But it's possible that consuming too much vitamin C could increase your risk of developing kidney stones. Kidney stones that block the flow of urine could increase your chance of developing a bladder infection, which can spread upward to the kidneys. The vitamin C itself doesn't cause a kidney infection, but the formation of stones might. On the other hand, vitamin C can also decrease bacterial growth in the bladder, decreasing the risk of kidney infection.

Vitamin C Doses

Most people who overdose on vitamin C get the excess amounts from dietary supplements, not from foods such as juice. The upper daily recommended dose of vitamin C is 2,000 mg. A 3/4-cup serving of orange juice supplies just 75 mg of orange juice, so you'd have to down more than 20 servings per day to exceed 2,000 mg. A study conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and published in the April 1996 "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" found that oxalate excretion, which increases the risk of kidney stone formation, increased when people increased their vitamin C intake from 200 to 1,000 mg per day. Researchers concluded that the upper limit for vitamin C intake should be 1,000 mg per day.

Kidney Stones and Oxalate More than 5 percent of Americans have kidney stones, which often cause no symptoms until they move and block vital structures in the urinary tract system, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The most common type of kidney stones contain calcium oxalate crystals that stick together to form stones in some people. Anything that increases oxalate excretion through the kidneys increases the risk of developing kidney stones. 

Kidney Stones and Infection If a kidney stone blocks the flow of urine out of the kidney, you may develop a kidney infection, sometimes medically termed pyelonephritis. Kidney infections are more serious than their cousins, bladder infections. Symptoms of kidney infection include flank or back pain, fever, chills, lethargy, nausea, vomiting and feeling generally unwell. Elderly people may not have significant symptoms with a kidney infection, delaying diagnosis. If a kidney stone has caused a kidney infection, both the stone and the infection need treatment for the infection to improve. 

Considerations You would have to drink a very large amount of juice to increase your vitamin C levels enough to increase oxalate in your urine. But if you already have high oxalate levels in your urine or if you have a tendency to develop kidney stones, talk to your doctor about your vitamin C intake. If you're prone to bladder infections, vitamin C in moderation may help prevent them. Vitamin C creates a more acidic environment in the bladder, which inhibits bacteria from clinging to the bladder wall and causing an infection.

Safflower Oil: Use a Fat to Lose Fat?

We have a real health problem in this country – generally speaking, we’re overweight, many of us are obese, and appropriate weight loss is simply not easy. Weight gain is often accompanied by the accumulation of abdominal fat. This becomes extremely problematic when that fat surrounds our organs (so called visceral fat) because it drives the vicious cycle of inflammation, insulin resistance, and further fat deposition. All this places us at great risk for heart disease, stroke and certain forms of cancer.

Considering this backdrop, it’s no wonder that many people got excited when news hit of research suggesting a possible “magic bullet” for losing abdominal fat in the form of readily available safflower oil.

So, should you go out and start taking safflower oil products for weight loss? The answer, for now, is no.

 And why not? Because the approach is based primarily on the results of a single small study, a study whose weaknesses are significant.

Keep in mind that good research is very hard to do. The researchers behind these data are applauded and honored for their efforts – they have generated a hypothesis that can (and should) be tested. That is not the same, however, as saying the results imply that anyone interested in losing abdominal fat should begin taking a safflower oil supplement.

In the study, the effects of taking conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, an agent promoted for weight loss) and safflower oil over two 16-week periods were compared. By trial’s end, the researchers found that subjects taking safflower oil experienced a significant loss of abdominal fat compared with those using CLA. Problems with the study begin with the small number of participants (55) and the number who dropped out (20). All the people involved were postmenopausal women with type II diabetes, begging the question of what the effects might be in men or younger women. Adverse effects occurred but were not specified. In addition, safflower oil was compared to CLA, an agent that has been reported to increase insulin resistance – the comparison may thus not be fair from the get-go.

9 Foods That Help Fight Belly Fat

Black Beans

All legumes are full of protein and fiber -- two well-known appetite crushers. And thanks to their dark color, black beans are also one of the highest in flavonoids of all the beans. And research shows that flavonoids may thwart the storage of excess tummy fat.

Pears

Fresh pears are so low in calories and high in fiber, you could eat one before every meal and still lose weight. But even better, pears are loaded with catechins and flavonols -- two antioxidants that appeared to hinder the storage of belly fat in a 14-year study. 

Popcorn
Go ahead. Pop up a bowl. Sans the butter and salt, popcorn is a real gut whittler. Why? Because popcorn is a whole grain -- and a study revealed that people who ate lots of whole grains had smaller middles compared with folks who ate mostly refined grains. So while you're waiting for yours to pop, clear all the white rice, pasta, and bread out of your cupboards

Cold Potatoes

Hate having to pass on the potatoes for the sake of your pants size? Well, you may not have to. Just eat them cold -- as in vinegar potato salad. If you chill potatoes overnight, they form something called resistant starch crystals -- a constituent of fiber that triggers the production of two hunger-halting hormones, according to research. And resistant starch helps the body incinerate more fat for fuel while making less fat available to stash away in fat cells.

Peanuts

Hard to believe that rich-tasting, calorie-packed peanuts could help you lose weight. But they just might. Seems the healthy fats in peanuts are burned more readily than the less-healthy fats found in cookies, chips, and creamy desserts. So make them your snack of choice.

Sunflower Seeds

Toss 'em into soups and salads, mix them into yogurt, or sprinkle them onto sandwiches for nutty crunch. Plus, sunflower seeds (unsalted, please) are high in monounsaturated fat -- a healthful type of fat that appeared to inhibit waist widening in a study of overweight people.

Tea

Seems the white version of this brew may be a veritable fat blaster. When human fat cells were treated with white tea extract in a lab study, the cells absorbed about 70% less fat than the untreated cells did. And those same tea compounds also triggered the breakdown of fat in existing cells.

Apple Cider Vinegar

As a fish condiment and tang-provider for sauces and salad dressings, nothing beats apple cider vinegar. But here's a big bonus: Apple cider vinegar also has a compound called acetic acid, which turbocharges the body's ability to burn fat and simultaneously hinders fat storage.

Safflower Oil 

This popular salad dressing ingredient could be a big boon to your belly-flattening efforts, thanks to the omega-6 fatty acid called linoleic acid. It may rev up metabolism. And in a study, just a couple of tablespoons a day appeared to encourage belly fat to take a hike.

An Active Approach 

Eating foods that seem to target belly fat is just a starter strategy for getting rid of that gut. You'll see better, faster results if you exercise, too. In fact, just being more active in general helps. In one study of office workers, just standing up more often helped melt 1½ inches from people's waists. It doesn't take much -- just a few extra hours a week of exercise may produce results.

Stress Less

Reducing stress may help with the battle of the bulge, too. Chronic stress boosts your blood levels of cortisol -- the "fight or flight" hormone. And cortisol encourages belly fat in two ways:

It triggers cravings for sugary, high-fat comfort foods.
It signals the body to store more fat in your abdomen.

Ten Steps to Feel Happier

Find out what makes you happy so you can keep it going.

Find Your Happy Place 
Are you happy? It's such an important question because happiness has such a huge impact on your health, from your arteries to your heart, from the glow in your skin to the pep in your step. Happy feelings influence your brain and body chemistry in ways that make you better able to cope with pain and stress and to fend off colds, flu, heart disease, and even cancer. Follow these steps to help make yourself happier, day in and day out and your RealAge up to 5.2 years younger! 
Believe in Yourself 
Finding true happiness requires taking a good hard look at yourself. The goal is to identify any off-the-wall beliefs about your self-worth and adjust them. When you're at ease with yourself and open to others, friendships seem to blossom naturally. Just acknowledging secret self-doubts may help you develop enough humor and compassion toward yourself to reach out to others, who, underneath, are probably just like you: sometimes unsure and shy. 
Hang Out with Happy Friends 
Having someone in your immediate social circle who is upbeat ups your chances of happiness by 15%. Why? It seems happy people have the power to spread their feel-good vibes far and wide the same way a ripple spreads through a pond. Not only do immediate friends matter, but friends of friends, too. So make plans to have lunch with a friend or go for a walk together. It could have far-reaching benefits for your mental health. 
Make Time for Play 
Swap your endless to-do list for some spontaneous playtime. It packs big benefits for your health, mood, mind, job, and even your relationships. When you're floating free, happy, and totally absorbed, you're taking a mini vacation from deadlines, bills, and your crazy-busy schedule. Anything counts, from enjoying a silly moment with your spouse to hosting an impromptu gathering, to cooking up a new recipe in the kitchen. 
Squash Negativity 
Is your inner voice quick to snap out things like, "How could you forget that, you idiot?" Sometimes the noise inside our own heads is our biggest stressor. When negative thoughts crop up, imagine a stop sign in your head, and tell yourself, "Stop!" To turn things around, trade in put-downs for positive thoughts and affirmations. For example, when you feel tired during a workout, think, "I am strong" or when you start work on a difficult task, think, "I can accomplish anything." Empower yourself to think positive. 
Connect with Others 
Make every effort to talk -- really talk -- to people you care about. If they're far away, stay in touch through e-mail, phone calls, video chat, and, when you can, face-to-face visits; you'll all benefit by connecting. Get physical, too; hugs stimulate oxytocin, the "cuddle hormone," spreading a feel-good boost. Lovemaking does, too, in steady relationships (those couples report the highest happiness levels). Plus, connecting with others may keep you healthier by providing a coping mechanism for stress 
Keep a Gratitude Journal 
Simply writing down what you're thankful for makes you healthier, happier and more optimistic. Feeling thankful comes, in part, from counting your blessings each day. If you're not sure how to journal, start by answering: What three things am I thankful for? You might find that journaling gives you a better, happier outlook for each day because you're looking for moments to include in your journal each night. 
Enjoy the Great Outdoors 
Spending time with awesome Mother Nature makes you feel alert, enthusiastic, energetic, and simply happy. Is it the fresh air, the sunshine, the greenery? No one knows for sure. But something about being al fresco appears to help people get even bigger benefits from their workouts and they're also more likely to stick to their outdoor sports be it walking, bicycling, kayaking or an outdoor fitness class 
Turn On Some Tunes 
If you want to feel happy, less stressed and more energetic, flip on your stereo. Whether you love Bach, Lady Gaga or The Beatles, music that makes you feel good increases your heart and breathing rates and makes your brain release dopamine, a lovely feel-good neurotransmitter. Plus, no matter whether you enjoy listening to your favorite music alone or with friends, it will more than likely give you the mood boost you're looking for. 
Meditate or Pray 
For some, being spiritual means going to church. For others, it means finding a quiet place to meditate and think about life. No matter how you do it or what you call it, meditation and prayer can help slow breathing and brain activity, and reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Plus, when you do pray or meditate, you're more likely to be filled with peace, joy, and other positive emotions that can also lead to positive physiological responses throughout your body. 
Be Realistic 
Being happy means facing the fact that life sometimes stinks and that there will definitely be times when you’ll be unhappy. This doesn't mean you have to lower your expectations. Instead, align them with reality by expecting to face challenges. A little unhappiness here and there forces you to work through problems and think about what gives you happiness so you can set new directions that may change your life. 

2 Grown-Up Beverages That Keep Your Mind Young

These two adult beverages -- one that wakes people up in the morning and another that relaxes them in the evening -- may help keep the mind young: coffee and red wine.
According to research, these two beverages -- if enjoyed in moderation -- might help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Staying Sharp
The recent news is no reason to start a coffee or wine habit. But if they're already part of your beverage repertoire, you might be interested to know that both seem to contain ingredients that could help ward off dementia. Animal studies show that something in coffee may help trigger the release of a special growth factor -- granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) -- that recruits cells from bone marrow to help sweep out beta-amyloid deposits. (Those are the pesky plaques that cause Alzheimer's symptoms.) And the polyphenols in red wine may have similar benefits, reducing levels of peptides that contribute to Alzheimer's plaques. 
The substances in coffee and wine may also help strengthen the brain, either by helping it forge new connections or protecting it from the neurotoxic effects of Alzheimer's plaques. Ready for a younger, sharper mind? Try these rules for the road if you're a coffee or red wine drinker:

• Make it fully leaded. In studies, decaf coffee didn't provide the same benefits. Of course, if you're caffeine sensitive, coffee probably isn't for you at all. 
• Enjoy responsibly. Heavy or binge drinking -- even with polyphenol-rich red wine -- is linked to worse cognitive performance. Limit yourself to one drink a day if you're a woman, or one to two drinks a day if you're a man. 

Zelia Chung Attempted the Morning Banana Diet

Zelia Chung noted that her body retains excess water, thus she will not eat rice nor noodles. She only eats vegetables and meat with her meals. She tries to eat a lot of broccoli, which contains plenty of Vitamins C, K, and A.
Zelia admitted that she has tried the Morning Banana Diet, which took Japan by storm two years ago.  For breakfast, Zelia ate a banana and drank a glass of warm water. “My waist slimmed down because my bowel movements improved. If my face is puffy with excessive fluid retention in the morning, then I will a cup of black coffee quickly. It does help me stay slim, but of course I will not drink it all the time.”
Excerpt from the Sun
Bananas contain pectin, a soluble fiber that can help normalize the digestive tract’s movement and ease constipation. By taking in more fiber, the increase in bowel movements also help remove excessive body waste and weight. Of course treat this diet fad with a grain of salt. You can incorporate bananas into your meals, but eating healthily is about balance of a variety of foods.

More info about the Morning Banana Diet, excerpted from Time. com:

The Morning Banana Diet regime is simple: A banana (or as many as you want) and room temperature water for breakfast; eat anything you like for lunch and dinner (by 8 p.m.). A  three o’clock snack is okay, but no desserts after meals, and you have to go to bed before midnight. Sumiko Watanabe, a pharmacist in Osaka designed this stress-free diet to help increase the metabolism of her husband Hitoshi Watanabe, who had been rather overweight. In due course, Mr. Watanabe lost 37 pounds and introduced the diet on mixi, one of Japan ‘s largest social networking services.

Good News for Coffee Lovers: It May Prevent Cancer

In the war against cancer, caffeine may turn out to be one of the most beneficial, surprising weapons you never suspected. And with at least one type of cancer, even decaf coffee may be just as powerful as the caffeinated stuff. Drinking coffee can help keep your mind young, too.
In some research, coffee -- often lots of it -- has been linked to lower rates of four kinds of cancer, including breast cancer. We've checked the list twice. In these studies, coffee seems to be anathema to:

• Endometrial cancer. Research indicates that women who drink lots of coffee are 25% less likely to develop endometrial cancer than women who don't finish even 1 cup. (Dr. Mike doesn't know how someone can't.) Dose: at least 4 cups a day.
• Prostate cancer. There's increasing evidence that prostate cancer detests coffee. Just weeks ago, new data came in showing that both high test and decaf coffee are particularly effective at shooing off the most dangerous kind of prostate cancer. Dose: 1 to 6 cups a day, with or without caffeine. 
• The most common skin cancer. If basal cell carcinoma has quietly gotten a toehold, coffee acts to shut it down, researchers say. Dose: more than 3 cups a day.
• Breast cancer. Women who drink lots of coffee also run a lower risk of certain types of breast cancer after menopause -- 20 to 50% lower versus women who have less than 1 cup a day. Dose: at least 5 cups a day of regular. Decaf coffee doesn't do it.

Coffee, anyone?

How to Choose a Good Slip

Great lingerie makes great look. This is the statement that is always true. Even the best and the most luxurious dress will look unflattering if you wear ill-fitting underwear. So, it’s essential to know how to choose lingerie and what to choose under a certain piece of clothing. Today I’ll speak about slips that are good to don under a sleek dress.

Slips are sexy and comfy. They help prevent chafing of dresses and skirts as well as protect fancy fabrics from perspiration. There are also slips that one wants to wear for warmth or protecting skin from wool and other coarse fabrics. And despite it seems so easy to choose a nice slip you do need to know a few tricks to invest money into a really good piece.

First, you should think about coordinating your dress fabric with the slip fabric. For half-tight silk dresses it is necessary to choose slips made from mesh. Nude slips go well for any light dress while black slips work ideally for black dresses.

The texture of the slip is also important to take into account. If you plan to wear a sleek and tight dress you need a sleek slip. Opt for solid materials with tightening properties to prevent bulking and unflattering silhouette. Such slips may also serve as bras providing great support. Keep in mind the neckline of the dress you are going to wear. You should find a slip with the same neckline.

 Slip can come in form of skirts or tops to be worn under shirts and blouses as well as fancy skirts. The best way to find the slip you want is to take the dress (skirt, blouse) with you for shopping. You can try different styles before you find something that fits and looks good.

There are a lot of slip designs that come in various sizes, from really small for skinny girls to bigger ones, for plus-size ladies. And those plus-size slips look very cute too, despite the fact plus-size lingerie in general doesn’t look very attractive. You can find some great-looking styles online.

HEALTHY WHITE WITH RICE FACIAL PEELING

Every Woman in the world wants their face skins are smooth, fair and healthy. Most of them prefer to try modern facial treatment than traditional treatment even the unnatural facial treatment contains a lot of skin trouble risks. “Instant” or quick is the answer they prefer it. That is why, our beauty tips today is about traditional healthy white by using rice facial peeling in order women knows natural facial peeling is safer than unnatural one. Moreover, don’t you know rice peeling can make your skin youthful and smooth looking?

I’m sure you are curious about why does the rice peeling work? The fact is rice contains a high concentration of PABA (para aminobenzoic acid) which is a very good sunscreen. PABA itself also raises the Vitamin C levels in our bodies if it taken internally.  Rice also contains two other sun protecting agents – ferulic acid and allantoin. According to scientist the sun protection ability will be doubled if  ferulic acid is added to Vitamin C and E. Thus, Ferulic acid is considered as an antioxidant besides allantoin is a good anti-inflammatory agent. Allantoin soothes sunburns and also promotes the skin’s repair.

How to make the rice facial peeling? It’s completely easy and quick. First, you just need to take a palm of rice and soak the rice in water for 10 minutes. Then, drain the water and mash the rice till shaped like fine sand.  After that, you clean your skin face first then you can peel your skin face by using the rice peeling softly. The last, you wash the peeling of with cold water.

FOUR FRUITS FOR BEAUTY SKIN WITH THE HIGHEST ANTIOXIDANT.

Our beauty tips today will talk about the crucial antioxidant in fresh fruit for our beauty skin. Why? Because antioxidant can decrease the free radical caused of aging. By consuming much antioxidant it decrease the wrinkle in face. Trying to plump out the skin and make it youthful. Either your skin or body will fresh and smooth. Moreover, antioxidant helps repair of sun damage. We know, too much sun is dangerous.

It will be drying the skin and damaging the cells. Therefore, we need to consume the fresh fruits contain a lot of antioxidant to evasive all skin damage. Thus, you should wonder what kind of fresh fruit which is contain a lot of antioxidant.

Then, do you know Berries contain super healthy antioxidants? For example; Blueberries, strawberry, raspberry and cherry are the first rank of the highest healthy antioxidants. For further evidence, just one cup of wild blueberries has 13,427 total antioxidants — vitamins A & C, plus flavonoids (a type of antioxidant) like querticin and anthocyanidin. How about more cups? What rich vitamins will we get!

LATEST KOREAN JEWELRY FOR WOMAN COLLECTION

Here are some pretty Korean necklaces. These accessories will speak volumes about your performance and make it more perfect than usual. Woman may often feel sick of their stuff and styles but it can prevent by collecting many accessories. You can mix and match it as you want.

                In addition, Korean style has been developing so fast recently. The style offers us something new and fresh due to women like different things. Look at these accessories collection. It’s so girly and glows.

Hopefully, it inspires you in choosing the beautiful necklace.