China has longevity licked

Generally speaking, you would think China would be an unhealthy place to live given all the bad press they have received about their lack of food standards, dangerous lead-laced toys, environmental abuses, exorbitant pollution, and widespread poverty. However, there are two surprising facts that have emerged recently: China boasts a life expectancy surprisingly close to that of the United States and perhaps not surprisingly they do this by spending a lot less money.

The US life expectancy is about 78 years, compared to China’s of 73 years overall, though it rises to around 80 years in cities like Beijing and Shanghai and Hong Kong is out in front with over 82 years. What do the Chinese pay for these extra years of life? Just $277 a head on healthcare in a year, compared to the United States where it is a staggering $6,100 a head each year.

The Chinese are great smokers, live with the many health hazards inherent with living in hugely over-crowded cities and in one of the most polluted countries on earth. So what is their secret? Well it is very simple and down to the fact that daily exercise is widespread and woven into the Chinese culture, offering more than just a way to burn calories. It also enforces social interaction, limiting the isolation that so often comes with old age in the West. Any visitor to China is struck by the way masses of people can be seen practicing tai-chi, aerobics, games, and even open air ballroom dancing. Every day exercise is vital for health and longevity and if you want to try something different from your usual morning or evening walk, then studies have pinpointed several benefits of Tai Chi, as it stimulates your central nervous system, lowers your blood pressure, relieves stress, tones muscles and helps with digestion and waste elimination. If you want to find a teacher locally, then ask at your local alternative health centre or shop for a personal recommendation or visit www.taichifinder.co.uk and just search your postcode.

Almonds in your tea?

If you are trying to cut down on dairy and have been buying substitute milks from the supermarket such as soya, rice, oat or almond milks then I thought you might like to try making your own almond milk as it is a great health treat. Almonds are a good source of calcium, protein, vitamins D and E, and is cholesterol-free and packed with omega-3 fatty acids.You can buy the milk ready-made, but it often contains a lot of sugar, so this way you can make it to your own taste. It is very simple to do and it can be used in place of milk in hot drinks as well as in desserts.

Almond milk is not new, it has been in use since medieval times as it is simple to make and keeps without the need for any refrigeration. It is still a popular drink on its own, and in Spain is widely available in cafes, just ask for horchata.

It could not be simpler, you just need 4 cups of filtered or bottled water, 1 cup of almonds (raw, not blanched) and any sweetener of your choice such as vanilla, honey or nutmeg.

Method:

1. Soak almonds 4 hours, strain off water and discard.

2. Place filtered water and soaked almonds in a blender.

3. Blend on high speed for 1 minute.

4. Pour contents from blender through a fine mesh stainless steel strainer or cheesecloth or similar straining bag.

5. Use a wooden spoon to mash the contents in the sieve to get more liquid out, or if using a bag close it and strain almond milk by squeezing milk through it.

6. Add any sweetener you might want to use to taste.

Although it keeps a couple of days without refrigeration, it is more refreshing to drink cold.

Keeping it raw

There are several reasons we are usually healthier in the summer, but one of the prime ones is that we tend to eat more raw food. Salads are easy when the weather is warm, but it could help your health enormously if you carried that habit through to the winter months. The reason? Cooked food weakens your immune system, and this was discovered in 1930 when Dr Paul Kouchakoff observed that after eating a cooked meal, a person’s white blood cells (leukocytes) would increase.

An increase in white blood cell count usually indicates a stress reaction by the body, which means basically that your immune system is finishing your digestion process for you, which is a function that it is not meant to do, and that puts a strain on it. Eating a raw meal does not produce this immune suppressing effect, so with every cooked meal you have try to include some fresh, raw vegetables to go with it and try to maintain that healthy salad habit through the winter.

Cooking also can take away the antioxidants, and reduce the amount of bio available vitamins, so you are doubling your benefits when you eat raw – although there are a few vegetables that are more difficult for some to digest raw, such as broccoli so you may need to experiment to see what suits you. If you want to know a whole lot more, then visit http://www.totalrawfood.com/

How to cut eczema rates in babies

You can’t turn on the television without endless ads promoting products that encourage us to eradicate every single germ I the vicinity with a variety of chemical products. My mother’s favourite dictum of ‘you’ve got to eat some dirt before you die’ is now deeply unfashionable, but there was a lot of sense in it. For children to build up immunity they need some exposure, so a completely sterile environment is not the answer. WE are now seeing a huge increase in cases of eczema – in fact the number of children suffering from it has doubled in a generation. It wasn’t widely reported, but Dr Chris Steele spoke up on television on the This Morning programme and suggested that one reason why at least 35% of babies now suffer from sore, flaking and itchy skin be in part due to the fact that our drive for cleanliness means babies are being washed too often and this causes damage.

Nor is it just children who are affected; eczema affects more than 5% of adults and many skin experts agree that a lot of it is down to our over use of artificial cleaning agents, solvents and detergents. If you want to try some natural solutions for dry, itchy skin and eczema then first look at your diet and increase the amount of essential fatty acids. A Danish study showed a 58% success rate when patients were given fish oil supplements over a 4 month period and every time you add oily fish like mackerel to your diet you are giving yourself a dose of Omega-3 oil and also vitamin D, both of which are good for the skin. Zinc is an essential trace element for healthy skin and natural sources include oysters, red meat, poultry, pumpkin seeds, dairy products, beans and lentils, yeast, nuts, seeds and wholegrain cereals.

For more help with skin conditions like eczema there is a useful website at Skin Care Campaign

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