Southern Favorites Linked to a 41% Increase in Strokes

Omega-6 Fats in Processed- and Deep Fried Foods Can Massively Increase Your Heart Disease Risk

• Dietary advice about fats and risk of heart disease has been called into question by research showing that replacing saturated animal fats with omega-6 polyunsaturated vegetable fats is linked to an increased risk of death among patients with heart disease

• Recent research also found that people who regularly ate a traditional “Southern” diet, known for its many deep-fried foods, had a whopping 41 percent increased risk of stroke

• Limiting your intake of omega-6 fats and boosting intake of omega-3 during pregnancy can result in a healthier, more muscular baby, according to a new study. Levels of omega-6 in the mother’s blood during pregnancy was positively correlated with their child’s fat mass at ages four and six

• If you want to increase your overall health and energy level and prevent health conditions like heart disease, cancer, depression and Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, ulcerative colitis, and a host of other diseases, one of the most important strategies at your disposal is to increase your intake of omega-3 fats and reduce your intake of processed omega-6 fats

For more information: Deep Fried Foods Can Massively Increase Your Heart Disease Risk

Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel Workout Review

The following is the program:
Chest & Back
Legs & Abs
Arms & Shoulders

I’m on week two of the Man of Steel workout and I have to say, it’s very hard!  I have already gained some size and definition and am getting stronger as each week passes.  I’m getting more and more hungry as well lol.  With so many exercises hitting your muscles in different ways it’s hard not to start feeling like Superman.  I can’t wait to see how I end up looking after two or three months of this program.  I highly recommend it and will keep everyone posted on my progress!  Thanks for reading!

Spicy Foods Kill Cancer Cells

Scientists have discovered the key to the ability of spicy foods to kill cancer cells – BBC News

“We believe that we have in effect discovered a fundamental ‘Achilles heel’ for all cancers.” – Dr Timothy Bates

They found capsaicin, an ingredient of jalapeno peppers, triggers cancer cell death by attacking mitochondria – the cells’ energy-generating boiler rooms. The research raises the possibility that other cancer drugs could be developed to target mitochondria.

The Nottingham University study features in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. The study showed that the family of molecules to which capsaicin belongs, the vanilloids, bind to proteins in the cancer cell mitochondria to trigger apoptosis, or cell death, without harming surrounding healthy cells.

Continue reading: http://bbc.in/RPSQdg

Scoville scale: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale

How to grow chilli peppers: http://growtest.org/2012/11/20/chili-peppers/

Splenda

Sucralose (sold as Splenda) is the fastest growing artificial sweetener on the market. It is found in everything from frozen deserts, to sodas, to cookies, gum, and candies. It is also sold in bulk for baking and is in packets for sweetening coffee or tea. Many people on the low-sugar craze have switched to this dangerous toxin.

I hope everyone is avoiding artificial sweeteners, but if you still consume them, here is some important information:

Splenda is NOT natural, despite its deceptive marketing claims. Splenda is the trade name for sucralose, a synthetic compound stumbled upon in 1976 by scientists in Britain seeking a new PESTICIDE formula.

It is true that the Splenda molecule is comprised of sucrose (sugar) — except that 3 of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms. So the marketing gimmick of “Splenda is made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar.” is really deceptive because it leads some people to believe that Splenda is a natural sweetener and therefore healthier, which is obviously not true.

Sucralose is not metabolized by the body so it has no calories. And, the reason people use it in baking is that the chlorine that prevents it from being absorbed by the body also gives it the ability to withstand enough heat so it doesn’t lose its flavor.

Most independent scientific researchers have said that Sucralose has more in common with pesticides than sugar, because the bonds holding the carbon and chlorine atoms together are more characteristic of a chlorocarbon than a salt — and most pesticides are chlorocarbons.

In an interesting manipulation of facts, the FDA approved the sweetener in 1998, despite the fact that tests showed mutagenic carcinogens in sucralose that also caused shrunken thymus glands, enlarged livers, and kidney disorders. In approving sucralose, the FDA accepted the industry studies, claiming that the study was valid because it was done on rats, and rats metabolize sucralose more like humans than any other animals used for testing.

However, on a recent study that shows Splenda significantly decreases beneficial gut flora, the FDA decided that because these studies were not based on human tests, they were not conclusive and so they dismissed the negative findings because the study was done on rats.

10 toxic hotspots in the home

Kitchen: Oven Cleaner

For consumers without a self-cleaning oven, periodic scrub downs are mandatory. Unfortunately, commercially available oven cleaners can be just as onerous as the cleaning task at hand. “Oven cleaners are full of dangerous ingredients, including lye – also known as ‘caustic soda’ – ethers, ethylene glycol, methylene chloride and petroleum distillates,” says Walter Crinnion, a naturopathic physician and chair of the environmental medicine department at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona.
Because oven cleaners with these ingredients can burn the skin, it’s important to wear gloves while handling the item. Even spraying the aerosol contents involves releasing the neurotoxic solvent butane.
Fortunately, a simple paste of baking soda and water, applied to the mess, may be all you need to keep your oven clean. And to cut down on grease deposits, lay pans or foiled-lined receptacles at the bottom of the oven to help catch pan drippings.

Bathroom: Toothpaste

Having a favorite toothpaste may help ensure good dental hygiene. But the anti-bacterial and toxic ingredient triclosan, found in many dentifrices, may harm the rest of your body.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that triclosan has been found in everyone they’ve done toxicity testing on,” says Crinnion, the author of Clean, Green & Lean: Get Rid of the Toxins that Make You Fat. “Think of triclosan as a chlorinated pesticide, which means that it causes allergies and imbalances the immune system, just like other chlorinated pesticides.” In children the substance has been associated with high rates of hay fever. Because, says Crinnion, the substance has become part of our toxic burden, he advises against buying toothpaste and other products containing this ingredient.

Dining Room: Candles

Burning candles can add more than atmosphere to an event. Candlelight usually means the room is filling up with toxins. “To enhance slow burning, many candles on the market, mainly those that are scented, have metal wires that contain lead inside their wicks,” says Crinnion. “These wicks are responsible for a hazardous level of lead release, which has been associated with learning disabilities and Parkinson’s Disease. And the candles’ artificial fragrances contain plasticizers and other solvent-type mixtures.”
Crinnion underscores the toxic risk that occurs with all types of combustion, even when you’re burning natural beeswax candles. “Combustion involves the release of hydrocarbons which leads to oxidative damage and respiratory problems,” he says. His advice: “Burn candles only on special occasions and not for long periods of time.”

Source: 10 toxic hotspots in the home

During One of the Worst Flu Seasons, is the Flu Vaccine the Answer?

• The US is currently in the middle of at least three widespread outbreaks of influenza and flu-like illness, including an unusually aggressive influenza virus, a novel norovirus, whooping cough (pertussis), as well as an uptick in laryngitis, and strep with cough

• Apparently many flu shot recipients are coming down with influenza and flu-like illness despite having been vaccinated—a strong indication that flu vaccines are ineffective in keeping people well despite the fact that the vaccines available this year are a good match to the actual flu strains in circulation

• According to recent reviews of hundreds of studies on the effectiveness of flu vaccines in children and adults, flu shots were found to be quite ineffective. At best, the vaccines might be effective against influenza A and B viruses about half the time and the CDC admits that influenza viruses only represent about 20-30 percent of all circulating viruses in this and other “flu seasons.”

• The combined results of vaccine trials show that under ideal conditions (influenza vaccine completely matching circulating viral configuration) 33 healthy adults need to be vaccinated to avoid one set of influenza symptoms. In average conditions (partially matching vaccine) 100 people need to be vaccinated to avoid one set of influenza symptoms.

• Vaccine studies show influenza vaccine use does not affect the number of people hospitalized or working days lost, but were found to cause one case of Guillian-Barré syndrome for every one million vaccinations

For more information: During One of the Worst Flu Seasons, is the Flu Vaccine the Answer?

The Unsavory Truth of the McRib

• Sneaky “tricks of the trade” employed by the meat industry include “pink slime” made of otherwise unusable scraps, meat glue, and reconstituted meat—all of which fool you into thinking you’re buying something of higher quality than you are

• McDonald’s seasonally-available McRib sandwich contains more than 70 ingredients, including a chemical used in gym shoes and other items requiring a rubbery substance. And the pork is actually a restructured meat product made from the less expensive innards and scraps from the pig

• Russia has recently banned U.S. meat supplies after discovering it contains ractopamine—a beta agonist drug that increases protein synthesis, thereby making the animal more muscular. This reduces the fat content of the meat. Ractopamine is known to affect the human cardiovascular system, may cause food poisoning, and is thought to be responsible for hyperactivity, muscle breakdown, and increased death and disability in livestock

• As much as 20 percent of ractopamine remains in the meat you buy from the supermarket. Despite potential health risks, the drug is used in 45 percent of U.S. pigs, 30 percent of ration-fed cattle, and an unknown percentage of turkeys

For more information:  The Unsavory Truth of the McRib and Other Fake Foods, and Why Russia Banned US-Raised Meat

Do You Suffer From Headaches?

If you are having headaches all of the time, it’s probably from drinking diet drinks. The artificial ingredients in them are extremely dangerous and terrible for your body. If you are having extremely bad headaches that hit every few months it’s most likely from birth control pills. Loading your body up with synthetic hormones is a horrible idea and and can even lead to cancer later on.  If you are suffering from either type of headache, stop using those products and your headaches will be gone in no time.

What most people don’t realize is that headaches aren’t the problem, headaches are merely a symptom that something is wrong. It’s your body telling you there is a problem. That’s why when people just take another pill to help with their headaches, they aren’t curing what caused it, they are merely masking the symptom. It would be like if your oil was low in your car and instead of fixing the problem, you just turn off the low oil light.

Henry Cavill Man of Steel Workout 3: Arms & Shoulders

If you have not read the first two parts of this workout, you may do so here:
Henry Cavill Man of Steel Workout: Chest & Back
Henry Cavill Man of Steel Workout 2: Legs & Abs

Superset 1:  Bicep Curls/Tricep Extension
Superset 2:  Bent Over Delt Raise/Shoulder Shrugs
Superset 3:  Hammer Curls/Triceps Kickback
Superset 4:  Concentration Curls/Laying Triceps Press (One Arm)
Superset 5:  Reverse Curls/Triceps Pushdown
Superset 6:  Shoulder Press/Lateral Raise

Extreme Endurance Cardio Does More Harm than Good

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• Extreme endurance cardio, such as marathon running, actually damages your heart, and can negate the health benefits you’d otherwise reap from a regular fitness program. Research has shown that once you reach 40-50 minutes of vigorous exercise per day, the benefits from your efforts plateau, and further efforts do not convey further improvements in life expectancy.

• Extended extreme cardio sets in motion inflammatory mechanisms that damage your heart. So while your heart is indeed designed to work very hard, and will be strengthened from doing so, it’s only designed to do so intermittently, and for short periods—not for an hour or more at a time.

• Veteran endurance athletes have a five-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a dangerous irregular heart rhythm. Worse yet, some endurance athletes also present ventricular tachycardia, which can lead to ventricular fibrillation—a leading cause of sudden cardiac death.

• To optimize the health benefits from running, you’ll want to run 5-20 miles per week—the ideal amount being 10-15 miles per week. Once you reach 25 miles or more per week, the benefits actually disappear. Running too fast (faster than 8 miles per hour) or more than five times per week also negates the health benefits of running.

• The best survival rates among runners are in those who run at a slow to average pace for a total of 1 to 2.5 hours per week, divided between two to three runs per week.

For more information, check out: Extreme Endurance Cardio May Do More Harm than Good