TOP 7 FOODS THAT BUILD THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

TOP 7 FOODS THAT BUILD THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

  Kiwi and oranges—this is high in vitamin C which protects aginst infection. Morerover, vitamin C increase the production of infection fighting white blood cells and antibodies and increases levels of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of virus. Also, vitamin C reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by raising levels of HDL (good) cholesterol while lowering blood pressure and interfering with the process by which fat is converted to plague in the arteries. As an added perk, persons whose diets are higher in vitamin C have lower rates of colon, prostate, and breast cancer. So take note!

 Carrota and sweet potates—these contain beta carotene a phytonutrient. Beta carotene increases the number of infection fighting cells, natural killer cells and helper T-cells, as well as being a powerful antioxidant that mops up excess free radicals that accelerate aging. Like the other “big three” antioxidants, vitamins C and E, it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by interfering with how the fats and cholesterol in the bloodstream oxidize to form arterial plagues. Studies have shown that beta carotene can lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, especailly strokes and heart attacks , giving scientific credence to the belief that a carrot a day can keep the heart surgeon away. Beta carotene also protects against cancer by stimulating the immunecells called macrophages to produce tumor necrosis factor, which kills cancer cells.

GARLIC—this flavorful member of the onion family is a powerful immune booster that stimulates the multiplaction of infection fighting white cells, booster natural killer cell activity, and increases the efficiency of antibody production. Garlic may also play a part in getting rid of potential carinogens and other toxic substances. It is also a heart-friendly food since it  keeps platelets from sticking together and clogging tiny blood vessels. Cooking tip: peel, chop and let sit 15 to 20 minutes before cooking to activate immune-boosting enzymes.

  SPINACH—this is known to be super high in antioxtidants that boost the immune system. No wonder popeye the sailor man loved it! Popularly known as a “super food,” spinach is nutrient-rich. It has folate, which helps your body produce new cells and repair DNA. And it boasts fibre, antioxidants, such as vitamin C, and more. Eat spinach raw or lightly cooked to get the most benefit.

  SALMON---among the many benefits of this “super food”, omega 3 fatty acids in salmon aid the body to fight infection. A study found that children taking a half teaspoon of flax oil a day experienced fewer and less severe respiratory infections and fewer days of being absent from school. The omega 3 fatty acids in flax oil abd fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) act as immune boosters by increasing the activity of phagocytes, the white blood cells that eat up bacteria.

BUTTON MUSHROOM—don,t dismiss the lowlymushroom as nutrient poor: it has the mineral selenium and antioxidants. Low levels os selenium have been linked to increased risk of developing more severe flu. And the B vitamins riboflavin and niacin, found in these mushrooms, play a role in a healthy immune system. Animal studies have also shown mushroom to have antiviral, antibacteria, and anti-tumor effects.

OYSTERS—aphrodisaic? Immunes boosters? Maybe both, thanks to the mineral zinc that,s found in oysters. This valuable mineral increases the production of white blood cells that fight infection and helps them fight more aggressively. It also increases killer cells that fight against cancer and helps white cells release more antibodies. Additionally, zinc supplements have been shown to slow the growth of cancer.

Anatomy of an Ear Infection

Ear Infections: All Too Common

Ear infections are extremely common, especially in runny-nosed kids. The latest research indicates that when young children get colds, they end up with an ear infection 61% of the time. Keep reading to find out why.

Swimmer’s Ear

Swimmer's ear is an infection of the ear canal. It can occur when water or debris gets trapped in the ear canal. Bacteria breed in the water and cause pain, swelling, and itching of the outer ear. Although it's often associated with swimming, anyone can get swimmer's ear. Breaks in the skin of the ear canal, such as from scratching or using cotton swabs, can also increase risk for infection. The condition is usually treated with medicated ear drops and keeping the ear dry.

Ear Infections: All Too Common

Kids don't have to be in the pool to get ear infections. Ear infections are extremely common, especially in runny-nosed kids. The latest research indicates that when young children get colds, they end up with an ear infection 61% of the time. Keep reading to find out why.

Diagnosing an Ear Infection

Doctors usually diagnose an ear infection by examining the ear and the eardrum with a device called an otoscope. A healthy eardrum (shown here) appears translucent and pinkish-gray. An infected eardrum looks red and swollen.

Inside Your Ear

The Eustachian tube is a canal that connects the middle ear to the throat. It is lined with mucus, just like the nose and throat; it helps clear fluid out of the middle ear and maintain pressure levels in the ear. Colds, flu, and allergies can irritate the Eustachian tube and cause the lining of this passageway to become swollen.

Fluid in the Ear

If the Eustachian tube becomes blocked, fluid builds up in the middle ear. This creates a haven for bacteria and viruses, which can cause infection. Doctors can detect fluid in the middle ear with a pneumatic otoscope. This device blows a small amount of air at the eardrum, making the eardrum vibrate. If fluid is present, the eardrum will not move as much as it should.

Ruptured Eardrum

When too much fluid or pressure builds up in the middle ear, it can put pressure on the eardrum until it ruptures (shown here). Signs of a ruptured eardrum include yellow, brown, or white fluid draining from the ear. Pain may disappear suddenly because the pressure of the fluid on the eardrum is gone. Although a ruptured eardrum sounds frightening, it usually heals itself in a couple of weeks. Unless it happens repeatedly, ruptures have no permanent effect on hearing.

Ear Infection Symptoms

The hallmark of an acute ear infection is piercing pain in the ear. The pain may be worse when lying down, making it difficult to sleep. Other symptoms include:

• Trouble hearing
• Fever
• Fluid drainage from ears
• Dizziness
• Congestion

Ear Infection Symptoms: Babies

It can be tricky to identify an ear infection in babies or children who are too young to tell you where it hurts. Signs to watch for are tugging or pulling on an ear, crankiness, trouble sleeping, and loss of appetite. Babies may push their bottles away because pressure in the middle ear makes it painful to swallow.

Home Care for Ear Infections

Although the immune system puts up its fight, you can take steps to ease the pain of an ear infection. Applying a warm washcloth can be soothing. Ear drops provide rapid pain relief, but check with your doctor before using them. Over-the-counter painkillers and fever reducers, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, are also an option. DO NOT give aspirin to children.

Antibiotics for Ear Infections

Antibiotics can help a bacterial ear infection, but in most cases, children's immune systems can fight off the infection without help. In one study, parents were asked not to give their child antibiotics (just treat the pain) unless the infection was "not better, or worse" after 48 hours. The delay resulted in far fewer kids taking antibiotics.

Complications of Ear infections

Chronic or recurrent middle ear infections can have long-term complications. These include scarring of the eardrum with hearing loss, speech and language developmental problems, and meningitis. A hearing test may be needed if you child suffers from chronic or frequent ear infections.

Ear Tubes

If your child has recurrent ear infections or fluid that just won’t go away, hearing loss and a delay in speech may be a real concern. One solution is for your doctor to insert small tubes through the eardrum. Ear tubes let fluid drain out of the middle ear and prevent fluid from building back up. This can decrease pressure and pain, while restoring hearing. The tubes are usually left in for 8 to 18 months and most often fall out on their own.

Surgery to Remove the Adenoids

Adenoids are glands located high in the back of the throat. They can become enlarged and can affect the Eustachian tubes that connect the middle ears and the back of the throat. An adenoidectomy (removal of the adenoids) may be done when chronic or recurring ear infections continue despite antibiotic treatment or when enlarged glands cause a blockage that impairs breathing.

Preventing Ear Infections

The biggest cause of ear infections is the common cold, so one strategy for prevention is to keep cold viruses at bay. The most effective way to do this is frequent and meticulous hand washing. Other lines of defense against ear infections include avoiding secondhand smoke, vaccinating your children, and breastfeeding your baby for at least six months.

Allergies and Ear Infections

Like colds, allergies can irritate the Eustachian tubes and contribute to middle ear infections. Getting allergies under control can help reduce the risk of ear infections

10 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

The Elusive Metabolism Boost

Boosting the metabolism is the holy grail of weight watchers everywhere, but how fast your body burns calories depends on several factors. Some people inherit a speedy metabolism. Men tend to burn more calories than women, even while resting. And for most people, metabolism slows steadily after age 40. Although you can't control your age, gender, or genetics, there are other ways to get a boost. Read on for 10 ways to rev up.

Build Muscle

Our bodies constantly burn calories, even when we’re doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. Every pound of muscle uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily. That small difference can add up over time. In addition, after a bout of resistance training, muscles are activated all over your body, increasing your average daily metabolic rate

Step Up Your Workout

Aerobic exercise may not build big muscles, but it can rev up your metabolism in the hours after a workout. The key is to push yourself. High-intensity exercise delivers a bigger, longer increase in resting metabolic rate than low- or moderate-intensity workouts. To get the benefits, try a more intense class at the gym or include short bursts of jogging during your regular walk.

Fuel Up with Water

The body needs water to process calories. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and snack. In addition, try munching on fresh fruits and vegetables, which are full of fluid, rather than pretzels or chips.

Energy Drinks

Some ingredients in energy drinks can give your metabolism a boost. They're full of caffeine which increases the amount of energy your body uses. They sometimes have taurine, an amino acid. Taurine can speed up your metabolism and may help burn fat. But using these drinks can cause problems like high blood pressure, anxiety, and sleep issues for some people. The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t recommend them for kids and teens.

Sinless Snacking

Eating more really can help you lose weight -- eating more often, that is. When you eat large meals with many hours in between, your metabolism slows down between meals. Having a small meal or snack every 3 to 4 hours keeps your metabolism cranking, so you burn more calories over the course of a day. Several studies have also shown that people who snack regularly eat less at meal time.

Spice Up Your Meals

Spicy foods contain chemical compounds that can kick the metabolism into a higher gear. Eating a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper can boost your metabolic rate. The effect is likely temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. For a quick boost, spice up pasta dishes, chili, and stews with red-pepper flakes.

Power Up with Protein

The body burns many more calories digesting protein as it uses for fat or carbohydrates. Although you want to eat a balanced diet, replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods can boost the metabolism at mealtime. Healthy sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.

Booster Shot: Black Coffee

If you're a coffee drinker, you probably enjoy the increased energy and concentration that follows your morning ritual. Taken in moderation, one of coffee's benefits may be a short-term increase in your metabolic rate.

Recharge with Green Tea

Drinking green tea or oolong tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances shown to rev up the metabolism for a couple hours. Research suggests that drinking two to four cups of either tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories than normal during moderately intense exercise for a short period of time.

Avoid Crash Diets

Crash diets -- those involving eating fewer than 1,000 calories a day -- are disastrous for anyone hoping to quicken their metabolism. Although these diets may help you drop pounds (at the expense of good nutrition), a high percentage of the loss comes from muscle. The lower your muscle mass, the slower your metabolism. The final result is a body that burns fewer calories (and gains weight faster) than the one you had before the diet.

Best Bets

The impact of different foods and drinks on the metabolism is small compared to what you need for sustained weight loss. Your best bet for creating a mean calorie-burning machine is to build muscle and stay active. The more you move during the day, the more calories you burn. And remember: working out in the morning has the benefit of revving up your metabolism for hours.

How Much Sugar Is In Your Drink? Be a Sugar Detective

How Much Sugar Is In Your Drink? Be a Sugar Detective.

Sugar -- the Extra Ingredient in Soda

You may be getting way more sugar than you think in your drink. A 20-ounce bottle of cola can have more sugar than three really big brownies! Sound good? Too much sugar can make you feel bad and is bad for your body. Most foods and drinks have some sugar. But sodas and other sweet drinks have extra, added sugars, just like candy and desserts. So be careful.

If You Want a Soda, Make It a Small

Don't make soda the only thing you drink -- just have it once in a while, and stick with a small amount. Some drinks are big enough for two people. That means double the sugar in your cup! And that's not good for your body. Stick with an 8-ounce amount -- the same size as the mini cans in the supermarket.

Fruit Punch Is Mostly Sugar

Watch out for juice drinks like fruit punch and lemonade. They have lots of added sugar. A bottle of fruit punch can have more sugar than four chocolate glazed doughnuts. Plus it may have only 5% or 10% real fruit juice. Other than that, it's mostly water and high fructose corn syrup -- a sugar your body doesn't need. Make your own fruity drink with sparkling water and fruit chunks.

A Little 100% Juice Is OK

If you are going to drink juice, 100% fruit juice is the best kind of juice for you because it has vitamins and nutrients that help your body. For example, 100% orange juice has lots of vitamin C. But even though it can be healthy, 100% juice has a lot of sugar, too. A glass of orange juice usually has more sugar than 10 graham crackers. So don't drink more than 1 cup or 8 ounces a day.

Eat Fruit, Don’t Drink It

You need fruit every day. The best way to get it is to eat real fruit. Juice can help you get your fruit for the day, but it can have too much sugar. Instead, eat 1 1/2 cups of fruit each day. How much is 1 1/2 cups? Try eating one banana and 1/2 cup of strawberries. Like grapes? Have 50. Eating a big, crunchy apple can also be enough fruit for a day.

Smoothies Aren't Always Healthy

Fruit blended in a cup sounds healthy -- but smoothies aren't always good for you. A store-bought orange sherbet smoothie has almost as much sugar as a milkshake! For less sugar, drink smoothies made from real fruit and plain yogurt or just fruit and ice. Say no to smoothies made of sherbet and flavored syrups.

Sports Drink = Sugar, Not Extra Energy

You need sports drinks if you're playing sports, right? Probably not. A popular 20-ounce sports drink has about the same amount of sugar as a cupcake with frosting. If you're playing hard for more than an hour, sports drinks can help replace electrolytes that your body loses when you sweat a lot. But for most kids, water and orange slices are all the post-game fuel you need.

Juice Boxes Can Be Sugary

Juice boxes and bags aren't all full of juice. Many are juice drinks with lots of sugar: A 6-ounce pouch of one grape juice drink has 4 teaspoons of sugar -- the same as about 13 gummy bears. If you like juice boxes, drink those labeled "100% juice." It's healthier and has vitamins. But 100% juice has sugar too, so don't have more than one box a day.                                              

Chocolate, Flavored Milk

Do you like flavored milk better than plain?  A 14-ounce bottle of chocolate milk has almost as much sugar as two scoops of vanilla ice cream. Ask your school if they have low-fat, low-sugar flavored milk. Or make a version at home that is better for you. Have a glass of milk and mix in 1 teaspoon of chocolate syrup.

Water: It’s Good for You

Your parents might tell you that you need eight glasses of water a day. But depending on how old you are and how active you are, you might need less -- or more. How do you know if you're getting enough water? Look in the toilet after you pee (really!). If it's pale yellow or clear, you're drinking enough water. If it's darker, drink more water.

High-Caffeine Sodas and Energy Drinks

Energy drinks and certain sodas have caffeine that some people use to stay awake, but they have sugar, and lots of it! A 20-ounce high-caffeine, citrus-flavored soda has about the same sugar as 11 peanut butter and chocolate chip granola bars! A 16-ounce can of a popular energy drink has about 54 grams of sugar -- almost 13 teaspoons.

What’s in My Drink? Read the Label.

Want to know what's inside your drink?  If you're drinking from a bottle or can, look at the label. Is one of the first two ingredients sugar, corn syrup, or some long word that ends in "-ose," like fructose? That means it has a lot of sugar. Only have one sugary drink a day. Try working your way down to having only one a week.

Those Drinks Add Up

Drink a soda, juice box, sports drink, and fruity drink in a day and you'd get as much sugar as you would eating about 38 chocolate chip cookies. Whoa! If you drank that every day, you'd have to burn off 62 pounds of fat each year! Drink water, seltzer, or low-fat milk instead.