Super Fruits For Good Health

We all know that we are advised to eat at least 5 per day fruits/veggies in order to be in optimum good health but my question is .....

Just how many of us do this every single day?

Come on now be totally honest do you?

Well, if you do I reckon you will be in the minority rather than the majority.

So that being said it does make good sense to maximise what we do eat so that we get the maximum nutritious benefit from what we do eat.

So lets take a look at some 'super fruits' that we can eat ....

• The Acai Berry - Native to central and south America and it has been a tradtional food source for hundreds of years.  The Acai berry is claimed to boost energy, help digestion processes, to improve the skin and heart and to also help in detoxification and weight loss.  Lots of claims and plenty of evidence to show that it really can make a big difference.  It contains Anthocyanins and Flavinoids which are antioxidants which help to protect the body from the damage caused by free radicals.
• The Blueberry is native to north America and it is also found here in europe.  Blueberries have high levels of the minerals Manganese,  vitamin B6, and Vitamins C and K and are high in anti oxidants.
• The Goji Berry - Found in Cina, Mongolia and the Himalayas.  They are rich in antioxidants which particularly help the eyesight, longevity, liver and fertility/sexual function.
• The Mangosteen - Native to Thailand and Burma.  Mangosteens are rich in anti oxidants collectively known as Xanthones which are thought to have effects against cancer and also anti inflammatory and anti microbial properties.  The only downside to mangosteen is that it is the rind that contains most of these properties so in order to get the most out of this fruit you need to be consuming a puree/juice of the whole fruit not just the inner fleshy part.
• The Cranberry - As most people know the Cranberry is well documented at being very helpful in the treatment of urinary/bladder conditions.  The Cranberry is a major crop in many parts of north America.  They are eaten fresh, dried, juiced, added to sauces ......  Cranberries contain some of the highest levels of anti oxidants and they are currently under much investigation and trial work to ascertain just how useful they can be.

Good diet is a major part in the quest for good health and coupled with general good care of ourselves and added to complementary therapies they provide a good all round part of well being.

Back Pain Tips - For Once You've Got It

As we all know it is far easier to prevent something from happening in the first place rather than dealing with the problem once it becomes one.

Back pain is a classic example of this because once we have got it boy do we wish we had done something ... anything  to stop it starting in the first place.

However, as most of us know actually being proactive in looking after our backs is not something we give a whole lot of energy and attention to.  In the west we only tend to give attention to our backs once they become a problem.  We are 'crisis managers' - and not that good at it either :(

I have been a therapist for almost 18 years and the majority of clients that I treat only ever seek treatment when they have got a problem.  Getting regular massage or Reflexology is usually regarded as a luxury not to be afforded very often and only in a dire emergency.

Once we have got a problem we spring into action (or as much as we can in the circumstances given we have got a lot of pain) and demand immediate relief from our pain.

Here are a few top tips to help you through this purgatory ....

• For severe pain always go and seek expert advice before taking any other steps.  See the Dr, Physiotherapist, Osteopath or Chiropractor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan and then follow their advice as best you can.
• Whilst waiting to see the above then you can always seek advice on pain relief from the pharmacy, put ice onto the affected area and elevate and feet or legs to help reduce inflammation and/or swelling.
• Once past the acute immediate phase then the addition of heat to the affected area usually helps.  Heat warms the muscle and brings fresh clean blood with glucose and oxygen and it takes away the inflammatory chemicals and carbon dioxide and lactic acid etc.  The heat also encourages the muscle to relax and this in turn helps they blood flow to increase.  The feeling of the heat is also very soothing.
• Keep the area as mobile as possible to stop the affected muscles from seizing up completely 
• Eat plenty of good healthy food and drink plenty of water - repairing cells need to right sort of fuel to regenerate.
• If you are recommended to do exercises then make sure you do them and do them regularly. 
• Therapies such as Massage, Reflexology, Accupuncture, Reiki can all help so it may be worth trying these to see what helps.  As a therapist with a lot of experience I have found that all of these can be helpful and it is a matter of finding our which one will be the best one for you.  Take a look at www.footreflexologytips.com to find out more about reflexology.
• Take a good look at your bed as this is a major cause of back problems over the long term.  Traditional flat beds do not give the support the human body with all of it's curves the support it needs in the places it needs to have it.  Adjustable beds are the best way to sleep as the 5 fold adjustable bases give support to all of the 5 critical areas of the head, neck, spine, hips and knees.  The quality of sleep you get from these beds is second to none.  there is a great review site over at www.adjustablebedsreviews.org take a look and see what they say.

Looking after your back and joints should be something that is ongoing throughout life and more so when we are in good health not just waiting until we have a problem.  By investing some time and money in ourselves in this way should ensure that we are fitter and healthier and more able to enjoy the fun things in life.