chutung healthy blog

30Jan/10Off

Foods Without Gluten – A Simple Guide to a Gluten-Free Diet



If you cannot tolerate gluten in your diet because you are allergic to it or you are suffering from celiac disease, you can actually find healthy foods without gluten that you can enjoy. Of course, aside from knowing what foods have gluten and should be avoided, you may want to find out what are the safe foods you can eat.

Celiac disease is a disease of the digestive system where the villi of the intestines are damaged and absorption of nutrients from the food is made impossible. With this, the sufferer becomes malnourished even if how much food one would eat. People who have this disease do not tolerate gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, as this can damage the villi and will hinder proper absorption of nutrients.

If you are looking for foods without gluten to start your gluten-free diet, start first with foods not having wheat, rye and barley, so you may want to stay away from bread, bread rolls, cookies, biscuits, cakes, as well as those gravies, soups and sauces that use wheat as thickener.

Foods without gluten that can be safely included in your diet can include fresh meat and fish, vegetables and fruits, herbs, fried fruits, honey, cheese, fruit juice. You can also drink beer but those that are gluten-free. Corn tacos or tortillas are also safe. Popcorn is also free from gluten but you have to check however for any coatings that may contain gluten.

Although in some countries labeling foods with 'gluten-free' is mandated, it is also important that you check the product a little further. It may not contain gluten in its ingredients but make sure the preparation of the food does not contain any gluten like the fillers and binders and the preparation is not contaminated with gluten. To help you with this, you may need to research further on the specific brands or foods that is safe for those suffering celiac disease or get help from a nutritionist or dietician to guide you. Finding foods without gluten is also beneficial for those who are allergic to it.

It is also wise to check the labels of foods before buying them. It can be tricky that foods that you may think are free from wheat or gluten may actually have an ingredient that contain this protein, thus it is important to read labels and be aware on where you can find gluten.

Keep in mind that gluten may be 'hidden' in some foods such as luncheon meats having fillers that may contain gluten. Soups that may contain flour, meat and fish pastes that may contain flour as thickeners, and in some brands of chocolates.

Gluten is not just limited to foods. You can also find them in beverages and drinks, thus also try to check and avoid beverages especially those with malt. You can also find this protein in cosmetics such as lipsticks, lip gloss, lip balms and may be present in some toothpastes as well.

Start with these lists of foods without gluten but find more detailed guide to a healthier and nutritious food that you can include in your diet.

26Jan/10Off

Diabetes – Learning To Eat The Right Foods To Keep Your Blood Sugar Low



If you have been diagnosed with Diabetes than one of the most important things you can do is to have a good diet plan. Your blood sugar levels need to be stable in your body and having the right foods to eat will help maintain this. There are many different diets options available for you and it is a good idea to try several and see what your body reacts the best to. Getting the right nutrition can help slow down any damage that you can get to your body from diabetes.

One of the best things to do when getting involved with a diet that is favorable to a diabetic is to what the amount of sugar and carbohydrate intake that you have. The carbohydrates basically will turn to sugar once they are digested into the blood stream. It is also a good rule of thumb that food that is grown is usually ok to eat. You should also include more starches to your diet such as, cereal and bread.

One of the other important factors is weight control if you have diabetes. You should have a healthy lifestyle when deciding a diet plan. It is important to maintain a healthy weight so that it will keep your blood sugar in control. Alcohol consumption and smoking will complicate your condition and can cause further damage so it is always a good idea to stay away from these items.

It is always good to remember that if you have diabetes you can have a healthy lifestyle and a controlled diet to help you have control over your blood sugar and your life.

26Jan/10Off

Hemorrhoid Treatment Options – Is Hemorrhoid Surgery Your Only Option?



If you suffer from external hemorrhoids, there are many ways to treat them. Hemorrhoids make everyday actions like walking and even sitting painful, and relief from the pain that they cause is very important. Home treatments have proven to be effective, safe, and inexpensive. Petroleum jelly is one of the most frequent home treatments.

External hemorrhoids are generally caused by undue stress or pressure on the veins in the anus area. These hemorrhoids are highly sensitive, and cause burning and itching in the anal area. Petroleum jelly can help to relieve the symptoms, applied as needed.

A calculated change in lifestyle is another external hemorrhoid treatment option you can take and is perhaps the most important. Your choice of undergarments is a big factor as cotton will relieve some of the swelling and irritation of the anus area by allowing the effect area to "breath". Also fabric made from cotton will help keep the area free from excess moister. Though this may seem like a small or even insignificant change you can make it is important to do all that you can to combat this problem.

The types of physical activates you partake in also play a part. Picking up heavy items, coughing constantly, extended time of standing and sitting and constipation all can cause hemorrhoids. By just changing your lifestyle using some these ways can help you manage your hemorrhoids and perhaps destroy them for good.

Phenylephrine, also known as Preparation H, is the other method. The irritating and swelling near the area of concern is neutralized by the applying the phenylephrine, the active ingredient found in Preparation H. The hemorrhoids should be taken care of if the irritation and swelling is reduced. This procedure needs to be constantly repeated in order to confirm that your ailment is gone. The amount of time and application needed to cure the condition is dependent on how severe of the case.

These forms of treatment are preferred because they are effective and not as expensive as conventional treatment methods. While surgical procedures are sometimes considered, they are mostly reserved for the most serve causes. Other means of home treatment should be explored first, before considering surgery, because there is always an alternative without having to spend money, time and effort to surgery.

If you are suffering from hemorrhoids there are no doubts that you have to properly address this problem and fast. Though they may help alleviate some of the symptoms it is important to remember that topical solutions such as petroleum jelly and Preparation H do not get the root cause of the problem. Because no definitive treatment exists, the adoption of lifestyle changes in diet, including incorporating supplements and natural food that aid in digestion and circulatory health are important along with positive changes in one's physical activates may eliminate your external hemorrhoids and reduces your chances for developing them again.

25Jan/10Off

Gluten Containing Foods Undercover



Individuals with Celiac disease or non-Celiac gluten sensitivity must avoid all forms of gluten in even the smallest amount. Because gluten provokes their antibodies to attack their own intestinal wall, the consequences of consuming gluten-containing foods can be severe.

Some might think that sounds simple: Okay, just don't eat bread and baked goods, right? Unfortunately, it isn't that simple. Gluten can hide in vague ingredient descriptions as well as in common over-the-counter supplements and drugs.

Common Vague Ingredients

Some terms to watch include -- but are not limited to - spices, natural flavors, and artificial flavors. These are often groups of ingredients in such small quantities that manufacturers can get away without listing the exact name of each ingredient.

I am not implying that anytime a food item contains this on the ingredient list that the food is not truly gluten-free. But if the product is not labeled by the manufacturer or the grocery store as gluten-free, you should contact the manufacturer directly to verify that these vague ingredient descriptor do not harbor gluten.

The MSG Imitators

Other terms that can involve gluten include autolyzed yeast extract and hydrolyzed proteins. These are flavor enhancers that basically fulfill the same role as MSG (monosodium glutamate) without (arguably) the same dangerous level of glutamic acid. Again, they don't always include gluten, but gluten-containing foods are often part of the process used to create these flavor enhancers.

Those Pills You Pop

Another place you need to watch are supplements and over-the-counter drugs. This startled me when I first learned it and in fact it remains rare, but sometimes gluten is used as a filler or a binder in supplements and OTC drugs.

If you are eliminating gluten from your diet and attempting to recover your health, I recommend you look over your supplement and drug routine and contact the necessary manufacturers to make certain gluten isn't involved.

Being Gluten-Free Is Becoming Easier

I know trying to be gluten-free isn't easy when you first start down this necessary path. But rest assured that in recent years I've seen both the health and grocery industry make great strides in their understanding and labeling of this matter.

If you live near one of the gourmet, natural or organic grocery chains (such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, Sunflower Farmers Market or Henry's Farmers Market), they often go to great lengths to provide labels identifying gluten-free foods for you. I eagerly await for more stores to provide this labeling, but at least the industry does seem to be moving in the direction of helping you avoid gluten-containing foods.

23Jan/10Off

Home Teeth Whitening Tips



About a decade ago, people knew only one way of getting their teeth whitened- that was through dental in-office whitening. It was a wearisome procedure but slowly when people started showing a compulsive concern of having a whiter set of teeth, the impulsion goaded a number of different bleaching formulas and teeth whitening kits started flooding the every day market.

Nowadays, dental in-office teeth whitening aren't the only option. Numerous home teeth whitening kits are now dominating the market with unprecedented rate, as they are more beneficial products of teeth whitening treatments. Home teeth whitening system uses different teeth whitening kits like whitening strips, teeth whitening trays with whitening gels, and brush-on whitening.

Some of the basic home teeth whitening tip or methods of teeth whitening, used by people around the world are as follows:

1. Application of a paste of lemon juice and salt in the yellowish tint of the teeth is a wonderful way of eradicating that dull color of the teeth.

2. Rubbing the inner white part of an orange peel in the discolored teeth gives a lovely white shine.

3. Regular use of paste of bi-carbonate of soda with water removes the surface stain from the teeth.

4. Dried and powdered Bay leaves combined with dried orange peel also acts as an excellent whitener.

All these home teeth whitening methods when done regularly can give an excellent result.

Nowadays, people lack patience and time and so they frequent the chemist's shop to purchase teeth whitening kits. These kits include whitening strips, whitening sprays, brush-on gels and whitening toothpastes. But before using such teeth whitening kits, one should follow certain guidelines to get a perfecta teeth whitening. He should use oxygenating toothpaste to brush the teeth because it contains substances that strengthen gums and prevent sensitivity from occurring in the teeth. Before purchasing teeth whitening kits containing bleaching gel, one should confirm that the formula has 21 percent concentration and is carbamide peroxide based. After using Home teeth whitening kits, one should rinse their mouth with an oxygenating oral wash to get that perfecta teeth whitening.

19Jan/10Off

Surgery Can Sometimes Be Avoided For Men With Hernias



Many men with an inguinal hernia, which is the most common type of hernia, occurring near the groin, often have very few, or even no symptoms. In these cases the men and their doctors sometimes delay hernia repair surgery until symptoms of pain or severe discomfort appear.

Little is known of the natural course of untreated inguinal hernia as there has been no critical testing of whether delaying surgery and of "watchful waiting" is actually a valid option. Surgical repair, while it is generally safe and effective, still carries the possibility of long-term risks of the hernia recurring, and of continued pain and discomfort.

By opting to delay or avoid surgery, men with little or no symptoms associated with their inguinal hernia can avoid the risks, the pain, the discomfort and the temporary immobility following surgery.

The Journal of the American Medical Association [January 18, 2006] reports that Dr. Fitzgibbons and colleagues from Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska studied 720 men with inguinal hernia over five years to December 2004. Half received surgical repair to their hernia and the others received the 'wait and watch' procedure.

The research showed that:

acute hernia problems rarely occurred with the men who had not had surgery; after two years there was no significant difference in the measured degree of pain and discomfort of the two groups; the small number of men in the 'wait and see' group who did have surgical repair if their hernia pain or discomfort increased were at no disadvantage following their surgery. The researchers concluded that a strategy of watchful waiting is a safe and acceptable option for men with inguinal hernia who have minimal or no symptoms.