Anemia and a Healthy Diet

By CH Woods

Anemia develops whenever a person’s red blood cell level is below the normal amount and the hemoglobin amount in the bloodstream drops below normal. Hemoglobin is made of protein and iron. Both of which are needed for providing nutrients and oxygen to all areas of the body.

Signs and symptoms of anemia include a memory loss, exhaustion, depressive symptoms, and overall weakness. Your physician can identify the problem with a simple blood examination. A balanced and healthy diet is essential if you are anemic. You should have foods that have folic acid, vitamin B12, and iron.


Listed below are the best foods you can add to your diet to help with anemia.

Peanut butter is a great way to get some iron into your body. The best way to eat it is to have a peanut butter sandwich with a cup of orange juice. The orange juice is necessary because the vitamin C which will boost the intake of iron in the peanut butter.

Beetroot, either in salad or cooked vegetable, is among the most effective ways to get that extra bit of iron. You can also drink beetroot juice. Beetroot has many detoxing qualities in addition to a fair amount of iron.

Red meat, like pork and beef, has a large quantity of heme iron, which is much easier for your body to take in compared to non-heme iron, which is gained from plants. Heme iron is the deep red, nonprotein portion of hemoglobin that contains iron. Liver is said to be the most effective choice for improving your blood with vitamin B and iron.

Eggs have a lot of antioxidants along with proteins which can help replace missing vitamins loss due to anemia. Eggs supply your body with a good amount of nutrients and have hardly any calories.

Whole grain bread is a great food for iron, which the body must have to prevent or combat iron deficiency anemia.

Spinach: Leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale are a wonderful way to get iron along with vitamin C. Spinach, kale, and similar vegetables are also made up of other important nutrients for our body such as beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin B9, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and vitamin E.

Pomegranates have iron, fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin A which are all needed to keep the body healthy. It is possible to maintain healthy blood circulation in your body by consuming pomegranates in just about any form, even juice.

Soybeans: All the various types of beans are an excellent source of iron, however you must make them correctly to get the benefits. It is necessary to soak the beans overnight for maximum effectiveness.

Tomatoes, which are loaded with vitamin C, can also help fight anemia. The vitamin C in tomatoes can help your body process iron. Make an effort to consume a cup of raw tomato juice at least once a day. Stay away from caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea since they can hinder iron intake. Tomatoes also have vitamin E and beta-carotene, which can improve the condition of your hair and skin.

Oatmeal: Despite the fact that oats are full of iron, they also contain phytic acid which stops iron absorption. On the other hand, you can purchase oatmeal fortified with iron. Normal oatmeal does not usually have iron added to them; while countless brands of instant oatmeal do. This type of oatmeal also includes various forms of vitamin B.

Extra Tips Including these foods into your diet can help you fight anemia and improve your health. Furthermore, make sure you drink a lot of water, exercise, and go outside for sunlight on a daily basis.

Be sure to speak to your doctor before making any changes 

to your diet to ensure that you are not allergic to any of them.

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CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic & Environmental Products.
We provide organic and natural products with informative articles and free ebooks on health and environmental solutions.

An Overview on High Blood Pressure

By CH Woods

Free Ebook on High Blood Pressure - Link Below

Your heart has the ability to pump blood into the arteries with enough power to drive it all throughout your entire body and back to the heart. The blood pressure can be thought as the speed of blood as it flows through the body. Blood pressure is at its highest while its leaves the heart and slowly lessens as it moves through your body.

Hypertension is the clinical name for high blood pressure. This condition has no early symptoms and can become a long-term condition and other problems. Most people who have high blood pressure don't even realize it.

Problems brought on by unchecked high blood pressure include conditions such as kidney failure, stroke, heart attack, and congestive heart failure; a form of heart failure in which the heart is unable to pump away the blood returning to it fast enough, causing congestion in the veins.

Causes of High Blood Pressure 
In many people with high blood pressure, the cause of it is not clearly known and is termed as essential hypertension. Although the precise cause is not known, there are many risk factors that can play a role in developing high blood pressure such as:

• Old Age
• Thyroid Disorders
• Chronic Kidney Disease
• Genetics
• Stress
• Lack of Exercise
• Excessive Salt
• Heavy Alcohol Consumption
• Being Overweight
• Smoking

Most of the above factors can be changed by making simple changes to your life.

A few of the lifestyle changes you could make are:

1. Lose Weight: As weight increases, blood pressure does as well. Carrying excess fat adds to the risk of high blood pressure. Medical professionals suggest that all overweight people who have high blood pressure slim down until they are at least fifteen percent of their recommended body fat.
2. Exercise More: An inactive lifestyle plays a part in the development of obesity as well as high blood pressure. Working out will help to increase blood circulation and get rid of that extra weight.
3. Reduce Alcohol: Drinking one or more drinks of alcohol daily is likely to increase blood pressure in people who are sensitive to alcohol. It is suggested that women stick to one drink while men should only have two.
4. Stop Certain Medications: Specific drugs, like stimulants, birth control, weight loss supplements, and some medicines for colds are likely to increase blood pressure.
5. Lower Sodium Intake: Your body might not react well to salt which may cause your blood pressure to soar. Lowering sodium intake will lower blood pressure levels. Refined and processed foods have especially large levels of sodium. Many over-the-counter medications also have a lot of sodium as well.

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure 
High blood pressure usually has no symptoms in the beginning. Those who have high blood pressure usually are clueless about it until their blood pressure is measured when they get a physical.

Occasionally, people who have noticeably increased blood pressure may develop symptoms like:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Blurred Vision
• Chest Pain
• Shortness of Breath
• Headache

People do not often seek medical treatment right up until they have organ problems as a result of high blood pressure.
The organ conditions below are typically seen in people who have long-term high blood pressure:

• Eye Damage
• Heart Failure
• Heart Attack
• Stroke
• Kidney Failure

Treatment for High Blood Pressure 
Many signs and symptoms occur slowly after many years of bad blood pressure management. Often, the first signs of high blood pressure happen when a patient complains about chest pain or has symptoms similar to a stroke. Blood pressure can be checked at most drug stores or when you visit your doctor. 

Speak with your physician if you believe you have high blood pressure and before making any lifestyle changes. Your doctor will tell you exactly what to do and how to handle high blood pressure.
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CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic & Environmental Products
We provide organic and natural products with informative articles on health and environmental solutions.
We offer many Free eBooks on Health and Possible Natural Remedies

A Quick Look at Gallbladder Disease: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

By CH Woods

Your gallbladder found underneath the liver. It is responsible for storing bile created in your liver. The is a small muscular sac on the right underside of the liver, in which bile secreted by the liver is stored and concentrated until needed for the digestion of foods, fats in particular. 

There are two main types of gallbladder disease:

1. Cholelithiasis: Causes gallstones.
2. Cholecystitis: Inflamed gallbladder.

You may develop gallstones with no signs or symptoms at all. On the other hand, if the stones are big then they can obstruct the duct that leads from your gallbladder. This may result in discomfort and will need professional treatment to take care of it. 

 In the beginning the gallstones might obstruct the bile pathways and then shift aside which results in a slight pain. Constant congestion can be deadly. 



Signs and Symptoms of Gallbladder Disease

• Less Hungry
• Vomiting
• Abdominal Pain in Upper Right Side
• Pain After Eating Foods High in Fat
• Nausea

Causes of Gallbladder Problems
Gallbladder problems typically develop due to blocked pathways in the gallbladder from gallstones. Gallstones are produced in your gallbladder when the chemicals in bile create hard substances. Females are at a much higher risk of having gallstones as compared to males. Obesity as well as fat loss accompanied by putting on weight can be other factors that can increase the risk of gallstones. 

Nutritional Tips for Gallbladder Problems: The suggestions below can help minimize the symptoms of gallbladder disease:

1. Stay away from alcoholic beverages and tobacco products
2. Exercise 3-5 days per week.
3. Consume more fiber. 
4. Only use vegetable-based cooking oils.
5. Avoid all foods that may cause allergic reactions. Your doctor will be able to perform a few tests to find out if you are allergic to anything.
6. Stop eating any foods with trans-fatty acid (a fatty acid of a type occurring in margarine and manufactured cooking, consumption of such acids is thought to increase the risk of atherosclerosis) which is present in refined and junk foods.
7. Consume foods rich in iron and vitamin B.
8. Stay away from processed foods like white pasta and sugar.

Herbs for Your Gallbladder
There are many herbs that can help with gallbladder disease naturally and boost your health overall. Gallbladder problems may be a sign of an even worse problem, so do not use this as a substitute for treatment. Use the herbs to help in coordination with professional treatment. 

The herbs below are very popular for those with gallbladder diseases.

• Turmeric: This herb is best used to improve your liver function. Large amounts of turmeric can thin your blood however, so you should keep this in mind if you are on medications that thin your blood as well.
• Milk Thistle: Milk thistle is great for detoxifying your gallbladder as well as your liver. Those who are allergic to ragweed should use milk thistle with care.
• Artichoke: This vegetable can help assist the performance of your liver and gallbladder. Because of the artichoke's effect of increased bile production, there is a possibility that it can cause gallbladder pain if you have problems with blockage of the bile pathways in your body.
• Green Tea: Green tea is well-known for its antioxidant benefits and weight loss properties, though you might not have known that it can help improve your gallbladder and liver function as well. It is best to drink decaffeinated green tea.

The Importance of Professional Medical Advice
Do not try any type of treatment without first talking with your doctor. The natural remedies listed above are meant to help along with medical treatment and should not be used as a substitute. Gallbladder disease is a serious health condition and if you show any signs or symptoms of it then you should schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.
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CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic and Environmental Products
We provide organic and natural products with informative articles on health and environmental solutions.

A Quick Guide to the West Nile Virus

By CH Woods

West Nile virus is the result of being infected with a virus carried by mosquitoes.

The majority of people infected with the West Nile virus do not usually suffer from any symptoms, though in uncommon cases a person may suffer from minor conditions like a headache or low fever.

On the other hand, there are rare cases where people who are infected with West Nile virus end up with a deadly condition that involves the inflammation of their brain. Minor symptoms of the West Nile virus infection typically start to disappear without any type of treatment, however severe symptoms, like a high fever, overall weakness, and migraines, will need instant medical attention or else death might become a possibility.

Needless to say, being bitten by mosquitoes where West Nile virus is found raises your chances of being infected with it. Make sure you properly protect yourself from mosquitoes with mosquito repellent and by putting on clothing that covers most of your skin in order lower your risk.

Signs of the West Nile Virus
As mentioned, typically there are no signs or symptoms that come with West Nile virus. Roughly one out of five people will develop a condition known as West Nile fever, which includes several symptoms apart from a fever, such as:

• Skin Rashes
• Headaches
• Body Aches
• Back Pain
• Swollen Lymph Glands
• Eye Pain
• Fatigue

It is estimated that one out of one hundred people infected with the West Nile virus will suffer from severe brain infections. This kind of infection can include brain inflammation along with swelling of the membranes around the brain.

Severe infections might also include problems such as inflammation and contamination of the membranes around your spinal cord and severe flaccid (soft, limp, or lacking firmness) paralysis.

Indications of these complications can include:

• Partial Paralysis
• Pain
• Migraines
• Stiff Neck
• Confusion
• Convulsions
• Coma
• Loss of Balance
• Tremors
• Muscle Spasms
• Muscle Weakness
• High Fever

Symptoms of West Nile fever typically keep going for a couple of days, however the signs of brain inflammation along with similar conditions can stick around for weeks at a time. There are cases where certain symptoms, mainly muscle weakness, last for the rest of your life.

West Nile Virus Prevention Tips
The best way to protect against West Nile virus along with other mosquito-related diseases would be to steer clear of them entirely. In order to prevent the West Nile virus, you need to eliminate any breeding grounds nearby.

To reduce your risk one should:

• Do away with any used tires or old containers that can hold water which act as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
• Get rid of any standing water in your yard since mosquitoes reproduce in standing water. 
• Regularly change the water in your birdbaths.
• Empty out your swimming pool if it is no longer in use.
• Clean out your roof gutters to prevent breeding.

In order to reduce your chances of coming in contact with mosquitoes, you should: 

• Put on fully sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are traveling through mosquito-infested areas.
• Wear mosquito repellent approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Select the concentration according to the length of time you need the protection for. 
• Refrain from taking part in avoidable outdoor pastimes during times when mosquitoes are out which includes dawn, dusk and the evening. 
• Whenever you are outside, protect your infant's baby stroller or playpen with a mosquito netting to keep them out.

When to See A Medical Professional
Minor symptoms of the West Nile fever typically get better by themselves. In the event you suffer from symptoms like a stiff neck, loss of balance, confusion, or a severe headache then make sure you seek professional medical care as quickly as possible. 
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CH Woods is the Executive Director of Organic and Environmental Products
We provide organic and natural products with informative articles on health and environmental solutions.