Medical Information

Fruits, vegetables, whole foods, natural foods, organic, GMO free, grass fed, free range, super foods, raw foods, seeds, nuts, clean water, alkaline water and everything else you can think of when eating healthy is mentioned. Can all this be done on a budget or low income? Are there hidden cost's? Should it be considered?




We have all walked into a grocery store to find all the choices available to you. The variety to choose from can be intimidating when not understood, especially when it comes to price. Where to start, in the fruits and vegetables section, the healthy section if you will or in the convenience processed food isles. Let's be honest, the choice is entirely yours to make and that choice will play a part in what you pay, both in the price of the food itself, the way it makes you feel, and another hidden cost you may not be aware of.



Now let's talk about price: is it a factor in what we choose to eat? Research shows several points to consider about junk food being much cheaper than whole food. Really? Many well written articles mentioned that junk food is cheaper than fresh whole food. How can this be and why does it not make sense to me? Stronger arguments were also made that the true price of junk food is actually much higher when taken the subsidies; our government pays to the farmers who grow this food, into account. An idea was mentioned, that would put mathematicians and economists in a room and have them figure out what all the junk food produced with subsidized crops should really cost if there were no subsidies. Then make retailers include the real price on the price tag along with the actual selling price. Maybe it's time to implement truth in pricing policies; to take out the mystery, that junk food, is actually cheaper than whole food?



Think about this, take the Twinkie for example, a food like substance with some kind of synthetic cream like substance inside, involving no fewer than 39 ingredient's, and those ingredient's must be grown somewhere, harvested, trucked to the plant, and this is only the first step. Once at the manufacture they must then be handled, blended, baked, packaged which also has ingredient's in the packaging itself and then shipped, again, to the store where the lucky recipient can make his or her purchase.



Now consider, say a bunch of carrots, a whole food that is good for you. What is involved with getting them to market? Yes they must be planted and cared for and then grown, harvested and washed off, and then trucked to the grocery store. There is also the cost of, are they organically grown or not. Pesticides also cost money. Compare 39 ingredients in a Twinkie, probably not all grown in the same spot, with a bunch of whole real food carrots, grown in one spot ready to go to market. Can you see that something is wrong with the price we pay?



Subsidies are hidden costs to the real price, we all pay, for the food we eat but it's not the biggest hidden cost of all. Here is another, I believe, that all this subsidized, pesticide laced, GMO altered food is really doing to our bodies, and that is making us sick? Take a look on the shelves of the medicine cabinet and in the draws and on the counter tops in your homes. Look at all that "prescription medication" could this also play a part in total cost of the food we eat? How about the doctor's visits for the high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and everything else with the food we eat? And let's not forget all the time off, being sick or for the doctors' visits could this also play a part in the total cost of that same food? Look at how much money is being spent after the fact, in an attempt to get well, from the food eaten in the first place?



Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. Was quoted by Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, in about 460 B.C. Isn't it time we returned to this advice, stop thinking that junk foods are cheaper, pay the price for the whole real foods we should be eating and use this amazing real food as the only medicine we really need, for in the long run, it really is all about the price we pay?



Today I am a living example of what whole foods can do for your fitness and lifestyle needs with the energy and the years younger look that is often commented upon, but it was not always that way. When my best friend was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease a few years ago, I decided to do something about it, What to do I was unsure of. Looking in the mirror convinced me that I to needed to work on myself as well. Out of shape, overweight, unhappy and depressed, I went to work not only on myself but started reading about nutrition,whole foods and the effects they have on your body and seeing if they could help my best friend.



Now as I write this I am a whole new person, 76 pounds released and more confident then ever and with knowledge and information about whole food that people need to know about. Unfortunately my friend has since passed but in his memory and honor I created a web site to help bring this knowledge to those who wish to use it. My web site is http://www.mymiracleoflifenetwork.com.



Have a look, see if this information would be helpful to you or someone you know. All the resources on my site gave me my life back and I believe can also play a part in your wellness plan for your mind,body and sole. Like me on face book at http://www.facebook.com/wholefoodmedicine



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_J_Smith

I got rid of my arthritis and arthritis pain naturally by drastically changing my diet. I stopped eating the standard American diet (SAD.)




Arthritis sufferers today are continually seeking relief from their arthritis pain.



Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease of the joint cartilage and bone, often thought to result from "wear and tear" on a joint, although there are other causes of arthritis such as congenital defects, trauma and metabolic disorders. Unlike some other types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis is not systemic - it does not spread through the entire body. The pain in arthritis can be moderate to severe.



Damaged joints cause pain and sufferers are constantly looking for ways to relieve the pain. Cartilage contains chondrocytes, water, proteoglycans and collagen; chondrocytes are the basic cartilage cells and are necessary for balance and function. The ability to make repairs to cartilage becomes limited as cartilage cells age.



One possible cause of arthritis is the inflammatory response due to the over-reaction of the immune system to an injury or other assault in the body, like an infection. Although osteoarthritis generally accompanies aging, osteoarthritic cartilage is chemically different from normal aged cartilage. As chondrocytes (the cells that make up cartilage) age, they lose their ability to make repairs and produce more cartilage; this process may play an important role in the development and progression of osteoarthritis.



Nutrition experts say it takes a combination of supplements, that no one supplement can relieve arthritis pain, build cartilage, etc. One natural approach is to consume foods that are known to help relieve arthritis pain or prevent arthritis. One natural treatment method involves avoiding all inflammatory foods.



If you're not already doing so, make a big effort to watch your diet. Try avoiding the eight most allergic foods, wheat being the most allergenic; they are wheat, corn, eggs, milk, peanuts, fish, shellfish and some nuts, not all. Natural treatment for arthritis is usually a better choice because it's non-invasive to the body.



Some foods and beverages to avoid that are inflammatory are: caffeine, salt, sugar, meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, white rice, alcoholic beverages, fast food, processed vegetable oils, refined, packaged and processed food. Gluten may be a culprit in arthritic diseases including fibromyalgia; avoid wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, kamut and oats (although not a gluten grain it gets contaminated at the wheat mills).



The first step in managing your arthritis is to change your diet; I think all experts would agree on this. With natural treatments there will be fewer, if any, side effects or adverse reactions.



Whatever you do, keep moving; don't sit when you can stand, don't stand when you can walk. Exercise is good for joints affected by osteoarthritis. Keep a bedside basket of arthritic aids for arthritic hands (Thera-putty, hand grips, Taiji chime balls, etc.) to be used at bedtime or while watching television. A good exercise routine is the key to beating arthritis and arthritis pain.



Use Taiji health balls, with the chimes, to strengthen the finger joints: hold two balls, move in a clockwise circle with your fingers to rotate them, then try counterclockwise and do throughout the day. To be on the safe side always seek your doctor's advice before starting or changing your exercise program. Fight arthritis through proper exercise!



If you're going to go the conventional treatment route and take medications, ask your pharmacist for drug inserts so you can read up on the drugs and understand any side effects or adverse reactions, before taking them. At the very least, understand what the side effects and adverse reactions are for any drug you take. If you're planning to take any of the non-prescription NSAIDS for arthritis, make sure you understand what bad effects they can have on the stomach, liver and/or kidneys and discuss this with your doctor.



Changing your diet to predominately fruits, raw veggies, nuts, and seeds like I did, can turn your arthritis pain around almost overnight. More and more doctors are investigating the benefits of alternative therapies and most don't object to patients trying them. One should not only search for relief of arthritis pain but work on preventing it.



For more information on arthritis pain relief and arthritis treatments go to http://www.FastArthritisPainRelief.com Helen Hecker R.N.'s website specializing in arthritis pain relief with tips, advice and resources, including information on arthritis diets and natural arthritis treatments



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helen_Hecker