Hitung Darah Lengkap (HDL)

Tes laboratorium yang paling umum adalah hitung darah lengkap (HDL) atau complete blood count (CBC). Tes ini memeriksa jenis sel dalam darah, termasuk sel darah merah, sel darah putih dan trombosit (platelet). Hasil tes menyebutkan jumlahnya dalam darah (misalnya jumlah sel per millimeter kubik) atau persentasenya. Tes laboratorium lain dibahas pada Lembaran Informasi (LI) 107 dan 108.
Semua sel darah dibuat di sumsum tulang. Beberapa obat dan penyakit dapat merusak sumsum tulang sehingga menyebabkan berkurangnya jumlah sel darah merah dan putih.
Setiap laboratorium mempunyai ‘nilai rujukan’ untuk semua hasil tes. Biasanya, tes laboratorium akan memperlihatkan hasil tes yang berada di luar nilai normal. Untuk informasi lebih lanjut mengenai hasil tes laboratorium, lihat LI 105.
Laporan hasil sering sulit ditafsirkan. Beberapa angka dilaporkan dengan satuan ‘x10.e3’ atau ‘x103’. Ini berarti jumlah yang dicatat harus dikalikan 1.000. Contohnya, bila hasil adalah 8,77 dengan unit ‘x10.e3’, jumlah sebenarnya adalah 8.770.

Tes Sel Darah Merah

Sel darah merah, yang juga disebut sebagai eritrosit, bertugas mengangkut oksigen dari paru ke seluruh tubuh. Fungsi ini dapat diukur melalui tiga macam tes. Hitung Sel Darah Merah (red blood cell count/RBC) yang menghitung jumlah total sel darah merah; hemoglobin (Hb) yaitu protein dalam sel darah merah yang bertugas mengangkut oksigen dari paru ke bagian tubuh lainnya; dan hematokrit (Ht atau HCT) yang mengukur persentase sel darah merah dalam seluruh volume darah.
Orang yang tinggal di dataran tinggi umumnya mempunyai lebih banyak sel darah merah. Ini merupakan upaya tubuh mengatasi kekurangan oksigen. Eritrosit, Hb dan Ht yang sangat rendah menunjukkan adanya anemia, yaitu sel tidak mendapat cukup oksigen untuk berfungsi secara normal. Jika kita anemia, kita sering merasa lelah dan terlihat pucat. Tentang kelelahan, lihat LI 551 dan anemia, LI 552.
Volume Eritrosit Rata-Rata (VER) atau mean corpuscular volume (MCV) mengukur besar rata-rata sel darah merah. MCV yang kecil berarti ukuran sel darah merahnya lebih kecil dari ukuran normal. Biasanya hal ini disebabkan oleh kekurangan zat besi atau penyakit kronis. MCV yang besar dapat disebabkan oleh obat HIV, terutama AZT dan d4T. Ini tidak berbahaya. MCV yang besar menunjukkan adanya anemia megaloblastik, dengan sel darah merahnya besar dan berwarna muda. Biasanya hal ini disebabkan oleh kekurangan asam folat.
Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) mengukur lebar sel darah merah. Hasil tes ini dapat membantu mendiagnosis jenis anemia dan kekurangan beberapa vitamin.
Hemoglobin Eritrosit Rata-Rata (HER) atau mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) dan Konsentrasi Hemoglobin Eritrosit Rata-Rata (KHER) atau mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC atau CHCM) masing-masing mengukur jumlah dan kepekatan hemoglobin. MCH dihitung dengan membagi hemoglobin total dengan jumlah sel darah merah total.
Trombosit atau platelet (PT atau PLT) berfungsi membantu menghentikan perdarahan dengan membentuk gumpalan dan keropeng. Jika trombosit kita kurang, kita mudah mengalami perdarahan atau memar. Orang HIV-positif kadang trombositnya rendah (disebut trombositopenia). Obat HIV dapat mengatasi keadaan ini. Trombosit tinggi biasanya tidak punya pengaruh besar pada kesehatan.

Tes Sel Darah Putih

Sel darah putih (disebut juga leukosit) membantu melawan infeksi dalam tubuh kita.
Hitung Sel Darah Putih (white blood cell count/WBC) adalah jumlah total sel darah putih. Leukosit tinggi (hitung sel darah putih yang tinggi) artinya tubuh kita sedang melawan infeksi. Leukosit rendah artinya ada masalah dengan sumsum tulang. Leukosit rendah disebut leukopenia atau sitopenia yang berarti tubuh kurang mampu melawan infeksi. Neutrofil berfungsi melawan infeksi bakteri, dan dilaporkan sebagai persentase leukosit atau %NEUT. Biasa jumlahnya 55-70 persen. Jika neutrofil kita rendah (disebut neutropenia), kita lebih mudah terkena infeksi bakteri. Penyakit HIV lanjut, obat HIV seperti gansiklovir (untuk mengatasi virus sitomegalo, lihat LI 501) dan AZT (obat antiretroviral; lihat LI 420) dapat menyebabkan neutropenia.
Ada dua jenis utama limfosit: sel-B untuk membuat antibodi, protein khusus yang menyerang kuman; dan sel-T untuk menyerang dan membunuh kuman, serta membantu mengatur sistem kekebalan tubuh. Salah satu jenis sel-T adalah sel CD4, yang diinfeksi dan dibunuh oleh HIV (lihat LI 412). Jumlah limfosit umumnya 20-40 persen leukosit. Hitung darah lengkap biasanya tidak termasuk tes CD4. Tes CD4 ini harus diminta sebagai tambahan. Hasil hitung darah lengkap tetap dibutuhkan untuk menghitung jumlah CD4, sehingga dua tes ini umumnya dilakukan sekaligus.
Monosit atau makrofag diukur sebagai persentase leukosit (%MONO) dan biasanya 2-8 persen. Sel ini melawan infeksi dengan ‘memakan’ kuman dan memberi tahu sistem kekebalan tubuh mengenai kuman apa yang ditemukan. Monosit beredar dalam darah. Bila monosit ada di jaringan tubuh, mereka disebut makrofag. Jumlah monosit yang tinggi menunjukkan adanya infeksi bakteri.
Eosinofil (%EOS) biasanya 1-3 persen leukosit. Sel ini terlibat dengan alergi dan tanggapan terhadap parasit. Kadang kala penyakit HIV dapat menyebabkan jumlah eosinofil yang tinggi. Jumlah meningkat terutama jika kita diare, kentut, atau perut kembung. Hal ini menandai adanya parasit.
Fungsi basofil (%BASO) tidak begitu dipahami, namun sel ini terlibat dalam reaksi alergi jangka panjang, misalnya asma atau alergi kulit. Sel ini jumlahnya kurang dari 1 persen leukosit.
Persentase limfosit (%LYMP) mengukur lima jenis sel darah putih: neutrofil, limfosit, monosit, eosinofil dan basofil, dalam bentuk persentase leukosit. Untuk memperoleh limfosit total, nilai ini dikalikan dengan leukosit. Misalnya, bila limfosit 30,2 persen dan leukosit 8.770, limfosit totalnya adalah 0,302 x 8.770 = 2.648.

Seri Lembaran Informasi ini berdasarkan terbitan The AIDS InfoNet. Lihat http:// www.aidsinfonet.org

Hitung Darah Lengkap (HDL)

Tes laboratorium yang paling umum adalah hitung darah lengkap (HDL) atau complete blood count (CBC). Tes ini memeriksa jenis sel dalam darah, termasuk sel darah merah, sel darah putih dan trombosit (platelet). Hasil tes menyebutkan jumlahnya dalam darah (misalnya jumlah sel per millimeter kubik) atau persentasenya. Tes laboratorium lain dibahas pada Lembaran Informasi (LI) 107 dan 108.
Semua sel darah dibuat di sumsum tulang. Beberapa obat dan penyakit dapat merusak sumsum tulang sehingga menyebabkan berkurangnya jumlah sel darah merah dan putih.
Setiap laboratorium mempunyai ‘nilai rujukan’ untuk semua hasil tes. Biasanya, tes laboratorium akan memperlihatkan hasil tes yang berada di luar nilai normal. Untuk informasi lebih lanjut mengenai hasil tes laboratorium, lihat LI 105.
Laporan hasil sering sulit ditafsirkan. Beberapa angka dilaporkan dengan satuan ‘x10.e3’ atau ‘x103’. Ini berarti jumlah yang dicatat harus dikalikan 1.000. Contohnya, bila hasil adalah 8,77 dengan unit ‘x10.e3’, jumlah sebenarnya adalah 8.770.

Tes Sel Darah Merah

Sel darah merah, yang juga disebut sebagai eritrosit, bertugas mengangkut oksigen dari paru ke seluruh tubuh. Fungsi ini dapat diukur melalui tiga macam tes. Hitung Sel Darah Merah (red blood cell count/RBC) yang menghitung jumlah total sel darah merah; hemoglobin (Hb) yaitu protein dalam sel darah merah yang bertugas mengangkut oksigen dari paru ke bagian tubuh lainnya; dan hematokrit (Ht atau HCT) yang mengukur persentase sel darah merah dalam seluruh volume darah.
Orang yang tinggal di dataran tinggi umumnya mempunyai lebih banyak sel darah merah. Ini merupakan upaya tubuh mengatasi kekurangan oksigen. Eritrosit, Hb dan Ht yang sangat rendah menunjukkan adanya anemia, yaitu sel tidak mendapat cukup oksigen untuk berfungsi secara normal. Jika kita anemia, kita sering merasa lelah dan terlihat pucat. Tentang kelelahan, lihat LI 551 dan anemia, LI 552.
Volume Eritrosit Rata-Rata (VER) atau mean corpuscular volume (MCV) mengukur besar rata-rata sel darah merah. MCV yang kecil berarti ukuran sel darah merahnya lebih kecil dari ukuran normal. Biasanya hal ini disebabkan oleh kekurangan zat besi atau penyakit kronis. MCV yang besar dapat disebabkan oleh obat HIV, terutama AZT dan d4T. Ini tidak berbahaya. MCV yang besar menunjukkan adanya anemia megaloblastik, dengan sel darah merahnya besar dan berwarna muda. Biasanya hal ini disebabkan oleh kekurangan asam folat.
Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW) mengukur lebar sel darah merah. Hasil tes ini dapat membantu mendiagnosis jenis anemia dan kekurangan beberapa vitamin.
Hemoglobin Eritrosit Rata-Rata (HER) atau mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) dan Konsentrasi Hemoglobin Eritrosit Rata-Rata (KHER) atau mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC atau CHCM) masing-masing mengukur jumlah dan kepekatan hemoglobin. MCH dihitung dengan membagi hemoglobin total dengan jumlah sel darah merah total.
Trombosit atau platelet (PT atau PLT) berfungsi membantu menghentikan perdarahan dengan membentuk gumpalan dan keropeng. Jika trombosit kita kurang, kita mudah mengalami perdarahan atau memar. Orang HIV-positif kadang trombositnya rendah (disebut trombositopenia). Obat HIV dapat mengatasi keadaan ini. Trombosit tinggi biasanya tidak punya pengaruh besar pada kesehatan.

Tes Sel Darah Putih

Sel darah putih (disebut juga leukosit) membantu melawan infeksi dalam tubuh kita.
Hitung Sel Darah Putih (white blood cell count/WBC) adalah jumlah total sel darah putih. Leukosit tinggi (hitung sel darah putih yang tinggi) artinya tubuh kita sedang melawan infeksi. Leukosit rendah artinya ada masalah dengan sumsum tulang. Leukosit rendah disebut leukopenia atau sitopenia yang berarti tubuh kurang mampu melawan infeksi. Neutrofil berfungsi melawan infeksi bakteri, dan dilaporkan sebagai persentase leukosit atau %NEUT. Biasa jumlahnya 55-70 persen. Jika neutrofil kita rendah (disebut neutropenia), kita lebih mudah terkena infeksi bakteri. Penyakit HIV lanjut, obat HIV seperti gansiklovir (untuk mengatasi virus sitomegalo, lihat LI 501) dan AZT (obat antiretroviral; lihat LI 420) dapat menyebabkan neutropenia.
Ada dua jenis utama limfosit: sel-B untuk membuat antibodi, protein khusus yang menyerang kuman; dan sel-T untuk menyerang dan membunuh kuman, serta membantu mengatur sistem kekebalan tubuh. Salah satu jenis sel-T adalah sel CD4, yang diinfeksi dan dibunuh oleh HIV (lihat LI 412). Jumlah limfosit umumnya 20-40 persen leukosit. Hitung darah lengkap biasanya tidak termasuk tes CD4. Tes CD4 ini harus diminta sebagai tambahan. Hasil hitung darah lengkap tetap dibutuhkan untuk menghitung jumlah CD4, sehingga dua tes ini umumnya dilakukan sekaligus.
Monosit atau makrofag diukur sebagai persentase leukosit (%MONO) dan biasanya 2-8 persen. Sel ini melawan infeksi dengan ‘memakan’ kuman dan memberi tahu sistem kekebalan tubuh mengenai kuman apa yang ditemukan. Monosit beredar dalam darah. Bila monosit ada di jaringan tubuh, mereka disebut makrofag. Jumlah monosit yang tinggi menunjukkan adanya infeksi bakteri.
Eosinofil (%EOS) biasanya 1-3 persen leukosit. Sel ini terlibat dengan alergi dan tanggapan terhadap parasit. Kadang kala penyakit HIV dapat menyebabkan jumlah eosinofil yang tinggi. Jumlah meningkat terutama jika kita diare, kentut, atau perut kembung. Hal ini menandai adanya parasit.
Fungsi basofil (%BASO) tidak begitu dipahami, namun sel ini terlibat dalam reaksi alergi jangka panjang, misalnya asma atau alergi kulit. Sel ini jumlahnya kurang dari 1 persen leukosit.
Persentase limfosit (%LYMP) mengukur lima jenis sel darah putih: neutrofil, limfosit, monosit, eosinofil dan basofil, dalam bentuk persentase leukosit. Untuk memperoleh limfosit total, nilai ini dikalikan dengan leukosit. Misalnya, bila limfosit 30,2 persen dan leukosit 8.770, limfosit totalnya adalah 0,302 x 8.770 = 2.648.

Seri Lembaran Informasi ini berdasarkan terbitan The AIDS InfoNet. Lihat http:// www.aidsinfonet.org

Hypertension - How To Reduce Your Blood Pressure

By Nicolle Mitchell

This is the medical name for high blood pressure. It can be caused by many things including stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, anxiety & smoking.

There are a number of things you can do to help reduce your blood pressure; I recommend that you do this with support of your doctor or qualified health practitioner:

· Eat a more balanced diet, with less dairy & full fat products; less red meat (6oz a week is a good guide), & definitely cut out sugar. Read the labels of everything you buy to be aware of hidden sugars.

· Replace your usual cooking oil with organic, cold pressed olive oil.

· Reduce your intake of salt, including peanuts, crisps, crackers & processed or junk foods.

· Some people have found that taking co-enzyme Q10 can help reduce high blood pressure, especially if they are on statins. Speak to your GP & health food shop for advice.

· Others also find that ensuring they get enough B complex vitamins is helpful. So either eat plenty of organic green leafy vegetables, or obtain a good quality supplement from your health food shop. Liquid vitamins are the best; followed by capsules, tablet form being the least effective & healthy option.

· Ensure you are absorbing enough calcium & eat plenty of raw green vegetables, artichokes & parsley. In one study conducted by DR McCarron, 45% of the subjects who were given a 1000mg/day calcium supplement normalised their blood pressure.

· Australian researchers have discovered that blood pressure can be reduced by increasing the fibre & protein in your diet. So long as you do not have a kidney disorder, increasing your intake of (organic where possible) fresh fruit & vegetables, & soya protein in particular, you may well be able to get your blood pressure under control.

· Quit smoking! There are support measures that can help, e.g. counselling, hypnotherapy, help lines, etc. see your GP, health practitioner or local library for details.

· Get fit. Again seek out local facilities which suit you for taking up exercise you enjoy. Go with a friend to give you both support. Reward yourself with something appropriate when you achieve goals & make these reasonable, i.e. start off with small steps & build up to a routine you enjoy. 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, 3 times a week is the current government recommendation, but anything is an improvement.

· Get de-stressed! Research shows that if you counteract stressful situations with de-stressing activity, you will be less fraught, function better, & be healthier. So indulge in time out or a therapy that suits you on a regular basis. No need to feel guilty; everyone around you will prefer the more relaxed you, & you will be more healthy & have more energy to spend on yourself & others. Massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture, homeopathy, reflexology to name but a few are all therapies that can help.

· Increase your consumption of garlic, cherries, strawberries, oranges, grapes, olives, wholegrain rice & rye.

· Cut down or cut out salt. Check all your food labels for hidden salt.

· Garlic & hawthorn are excellent & natural ways of controlling your blood pressure.

· Lavender, may chang & sweet marjoram essential oils all have hypotensive qualities, which means they help lower your blood pressure as well as reducing anxiety. Use them in a relaxing bath, burn them in an oil diffuser, or add them to an oil/cream & massage it into your body as part of your daily body care routine.

· Grapes may help reduce high blood pressure due to the flavenoids they contain. However, you would need to eat a large bunch daily, so as part of a balanced diet they would be a wise inclusion.
Based on a study at Michigan University (Journal of Gerontology & Biological Science Medical Science)

Source : www. healthandgoodness.com

Hypertension - How To Reduce Your Blood Pressure

By Nicolle Mitchell

This is the medical name for high blood pressure. It can be caused by many things including stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, anxiety & smoking.

There are a number of things you can do to help reduce your blood pressure; I recommend that you do this with support of your doctor or qualified health practitioner:

· Eat a more balanced diet, with less dairy & full fat products; less red meat (6oz a week is a good guide), & definitely cut out sugar. Read the labels of everything you buy to be aware of hidden sugars.

· Replace your usual cooking oil with organic, cold pressed olive oil.

· Reduce your intake of salt, including peanuts, crisps, crackers & processed or junk foods.

· Some people have found that taking co-enzyme Q10 can help reduce high blood pressure, especially if they are on statins. Speak to your GP & health food shop for advice.

· Others also find that ensuring they get enough B complex vitamins is helpful. So either eat plenty of organic green leafy vegetables, or obtain a good quality supplement from your health food shop. Liquid vitamins are the best; followed by capsules, tablet form being the least effective & healthy option.

· Ensure you are absorbing enough calcium & eat plenty of raw green vegetables, artichokes & parsley. In one study conducted by DR McCarron, 45% of the subjects who were given a 1000mg/day calcium supplement normalised their blood pressure.

· Australian researchers have discovered that blood pressure can be reduced by increasing the fibre & protein in your diet. So long as you do not have a kidney disorder, increasing your intake of (organic where possible) fresh fruit & vegetables, & soya protein in particular, you may well be able to get your blood pressure under control.

· Quit smoking! There are support measures that can help, e.g. counselling, hypnotherapy, help lines, etc. see your GP, health practitioner or local library for details.

· Get fit. Again seek out local facilities which suit you for taking up exercise you enjoy. Go with a friend to give you both support. Reward yourself with something appropriate when you achieve goals & make these reasonable, i.e. start off with small steps & build up to a routine you enjoy. 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, 3 times a week is the current government recommendation, but anything is an improvement.

· Get de-stressed! Research shows that if you counteract stressful situations with de-stressing activity, you will be less fraught, function better, & be healthier. So indulge in time out or a therapy that suits you on a regular basis. No need to feel guilty; everyone around you will prefer the more relaxed you, & you will be more healthy & have more energy to spend on yourself & others. Massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture, homeopathy, reflexology to name but a few are all therapies that can help.

· Increase your consumption of garlic, cherries, strawberries, oranges, grapes, olives, wholegrain rice & rye.

· Cut down or cut out salt. Check all your food labels for hidden salt.

· Garlic & hawthorn are excellent & natural ways of controlling your blood pressure.

· Lavender, may chang & sweet marjoram essential oils all have hypotensive qualities, which means they help lower your blood pressure as well as reducing anxiety. Use them in a relaxing bath, burn them in an oil diffuser, or add them to an oil/cream & massage it into your body as part of your daily body care routine.

· Grapes may help reduce high blood pressure due to the flavenoids they contain. However, you would need to eat a large bunch daily, so as part of a balanced diet they would be a wise inclusion.
Based on a study at Michigan University (Journal of Gerontology & Biological Science Medical Science)

Source : www. healthandgoodness.com

Trail Mix...

So, my husband LOVES to have something to snack on with him at all times of the day, BUT it has to be filling and have some protein to keep the headaches at bay- so we have come up with our homemade trail mix. I find it super easy to make a huge batch so that it lasts a long time, plus, when you make your own, you only put your favorite things in it and for-go picking around those weird little unidentified objects! So, here's what we put in ours, but again, if you have a different preference, change it up a bit and just use this as a guide/idea!

(I go to Trader Joe's for my trail mix ingredients because of their quality, variety, and prices... but you can go anywhere YOU like!)

Ingredients:

1 bag raw almonds

1 bag raw cashews

1 bay raw sunflower seeds

1 bag golden raisins

1 bag Thompson raisins (dark)

1 bag dried cranberries

1 bag roasted peanuts (no or low salt)

1 bag roasted pepitas (greenish in color)

1/2 bag dried apricots (cut in half or thirds)

If your taste buds like any of the following, you can also use/substitute:

dried pineapple

dried mango

dried papaya

dried apples

dried peaches

dried cherries or blueberries (more expensive, but full of flavor!)

walnuts 

peans

macademia nuts

brazilian nuts (soooooooooo good for you!)

Directions:

I just get a huge bowl and start dumping! If I am tossing in dried fruit, I cut mine to make the pieces smaller and more bite sized. After I have everything in the bowl, I mix it up well, and start scooping into sandwich sized ziplock bags. Then, in the pantry they go, and we take them as we need one. My husband and I always leave a bag in our cars because it is a healthy and filling alternative when a "snack attack" strikes!

WHY RAW NUTS??? I choose raw nuts because they have great flavor, are better for you and your heart and they last longer than roasted nuts!

Taco Salad

This is an old classic for me, tried and true. It's a yummy way to get some good nutrients- lots of beans and fresh veggies- and you choose ground turkey, shredded chicken, or ground beef!

Ingredients:

Romaine lettuce, chopped

red bellpepper, chopped

kidney beans, rinsed and drained

black beans, rinsed and drained

1 - 2 lb. ground/shredded meat w/ taco seasoning

avocado, sliced

* tomatoes

* green onion

* olives

* corn, drained

*cilantro

Cheddar cheese, shredded

tortilla chips, crushed

(All of the * ingredients are optional ideas, depending on your taste buds and depending on what's in your fridge! The other ingredients are a must in my opinion!)

Directions:

Pretty straight forward, depending on how many you are serving (this is a great recipe for big groups) but you just need to wash and chop your lettuce, add your bell pepper, rinse your beans, and cook your meat. Shred some cheese, slice your avocado, and crush some chips on top and then add your favorite dressing and your done! Easy as that! Sometimes I just drizzle some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder before serving and other times I use the Balsamic Vinegar Dressing, then I toss it all together. You can get away with a simple dressing on this salad because there are so many different flavors with the wide variety of ingredients!

Society For Animals In Distress

Ukash in association with Afrigator is currently running a competition where bloggers can choose which charity, listed at The Trust, inspires them the most and do a post on it. The blogger and the charity which wins will each receive R3000.

I was pleased to see one of my favorite animal charities listed, the Society For Animals In Distress, whose mission is to protect animals, healing their sickness, fighting ignorance, empowering others to do the same. For over 50 years, without governmental assistance, they have worked to create a safe and healthy environment for all animals by administering professional veterinary care to animals belonging to low and no income earners both on site and in their farm hospital.

Teams of animal welfare assistants are dispatched daily to Tembisa, Winnie Mandela Park, Ivory and Ebony Parks, Diepsloot, Olievenhoutbosch, Mooiplaas, Zevenfontein and Cosmo City in vehicles equipped with two-way radios and veterinary supplies.

They have an ongoing initiative in 14 local coal-yards overseeing the health and wellbeing of some 365 working horses and donkeys and they have now also introduced a voluntary skills’ development programme, which has seen the graduation of two coal-yard residents, who are now self-employed, in the disciplines of farriery and harness-making.

Education is extremely important to them and almost 10,000 children in 53 disadvantaged learning centres have already benefited from their basic animal care classes. Children are taught the importance of nutrition, vaccination, disease-prevention, and the basic needs of domestic animals with huge emphasis placed on sterilisation.

Thankfully they are also making people, in all income brackets, aware of the living hell that battery chickens go through to provide eggs. 18 million laying hens in SA live their lives in huge sheds filled with rows and rows of tiny cages. Five hens occupy each small cage. The hen is de- beaked so that when she goes crazy in this little space, she does not peck her cage mates to death. Remember if you still buy battery eggs, you might as well have put her there yourself.

The Society for Animals in Distress well deserves our help so if you feel that you would like to make a donation via credit card to this charity or any other, visit The Trust Website.

Note: If you intended putting in an entry for your favorite charity, today 20th February is your last chance to do so :)

Cancer Prevention

An excerpt from the book A Living Miracle

This truly is the way to go! Though I wrote this book principally for people who have recently been diagnosed with this serious health challenge and those that care for them – I would also hope that many more interested readers will incorporate my prevention techniques into their daily lives – especially if cancer has been the cause of death of a family member, which greatly accentuates one’s risk:

1. Eat a variety of organically produced foods – no single foodstuff provides all the nutrients that a person requires. It is important, therefore, to eat a wide variety of foods every day of your lives, including lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, nuts and seeds.

2. Maintain not just an ‘average’ bodyweight, but strive for an optimum weight and lean to fat ratio, to minimise strain on organs and joints and possible future health problems.

3. Avoid too much fat in general and saturated fat from animal products in particular. A diet low in total fat may reduce the risk for cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, and rectum. Such a diet will likely be low in saturated fat and cholesterol and may also reduce risk of heart disease.

4. Eat foods with adequate amounts of complex carbohydrate and fibre. In my practice, I find most people following a Western based diet eat inadequate amounts of natural whole grains in their natural sprouted state. I recommend an increase in the amount of these foods within your daily prevention plan by eating more fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, whole grains and pulses. A high natural-fibre diet may reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancer.

5. Avoid too much sugar. How sugar feeds cancer is explained a little further on. A diet high in sugar promotes tooth decay.Sugary foods are also often high in fat and calories and low in vitamins and minerals.

6. Avoid too much sodium. Too much sodium in the diet may contribute to high blood pressure, especially for people with a family history of high blood pressure. Untreated high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease.

7. I do not advocate the use of alcohol, when one is considering preventing cancer. However, if you do drink alcoholic beverages, please restrict to one or two small glasses of organically produced red wine once or twice each week. This will provide a few antioxidant compounds. Drinking too much can lead to many health problems. Heavy drinking is associated with cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus and liver. Cancer risk is especially high for heavy drinkers who also smoke. Alcoholic drinks are also high in calories and deplete your vitamin and mineral status.

Copyright 2008 Pat Reeves. This is an excerpt from Pat's Book A Living Miracle www.foodalive.org

Cancer Prevention

An excerpt from the book A Living Miracle

This truly is the way to go! Though I wrote this book principally for people who have recently been diagnosed with this serious health challenge and those that care for them – I would also hope that many more interested readers will incorporate my prevention techniques into their daily lives – especially if cancer has been the cause of death of a family member, which greatly accentuates one’s risk:

1. Eat a variety of organically produced foods – no single foodstuff provides all the nutrients that a person requires. It is important, therefore, to eat a wide variety of foods every day of your lives, including lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses, nuts and seeds.

2. Maintain not just an ‘average’ bodyweight, but strive for an optimum weight and lean to fat ratio, to minimise strain on organs and joints and possible future health problems.

3. Avoid too much fat in general and saturated fat from animal products in particular. A diet low in total fat may reduce the risk for cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, and rectum. Such a diet will likely be low in saturated fat and cholesterol and may also reduce risk of heart disease.

4. Eat foods with adequate amounts of complex carbohydrate and fibre. In my practice, I find most people following a Western based diet eat inadequate amounts of natural whole grains in their natural sprouted state. I recommend an increase in the amount of these foods within your daily prevention plan by eating more fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, whole grains and pulses. A high natural-fibre diet may reduce the risk of colon and rectal cancer.

5. Avoid too much sugar. How sugar feeds cancer is explained a little further on. A diet high in sugar promotes tooth decay.Sugary foods are also often high in fat and calories and low in vitamins and minerals.

6. Avoid too much sodium. Too much sodium in the diet may contribute to high blood pressure, especially for people with a family history of high blood pressure. Untreated high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease.

7. I do not advocate the use of alcohol, when one is considering preventing cancer. However, if you do drink alcoholic beverages, please restrict to one or two small glasses of organically produced red wine once or twice each week. This will provide a few antioxidant compounds. Drinking too much can lead to many health problems. Heavy drinking is associated with cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus and liver. Cancer risk is especially high for heavy drinkers who also smoke. Alcoholic drinks are also high in calories and deplete your vitamin and mineral status.

Copyright 2008 Pat Reeves. This is an excerpt from Pat's Book A Living Miracle www.foodalive.org

KE KENTALAN DARAH DALAM TUBUH, MENGAPA TERJADI???

Ada satu pertanyaan yang masuk ke mailbox saya, yaitu "Mengapa harus minum air putih banyak-banyak. .?"
Sebenarnya jawabannya cukup "mengerikan" tetapi karena sebuah pertanyaan jujur harus dijawab dengan jujur, maka topik tersebut bisa dijelaskan sbb:

Kira-kira 80% tubuh manusia terdiri dari air. Malah ada beberapa bagian tubuh kita yang memiliki kadar air di atas 80%. Dua organ paling penting dengan kadar air di atas 80% adalah : Otak dan Darah. !!

Otak memiliki komponen air sebanyak 90%, sementara darah memiliki Komponen air 95%. Jatah minum manusia normal sedikitnya adalah 2 liter sehari atau 8 gelas sehari.Jumlah di atas harus ditambah bila anda seorang perokok. Air sebanyak itu diperlukan untuk mengganti cairan yang keluar dari tubuh kita lewat air seni, keringat, pernapasan, dan sekresi.

Apa yang terjadi bila kita mengkonsumsi kurang dari 2 liter sehari...?

Tentu tubuh akan menyeimbangkan diri. Caranya...?

Dengan jalan "menyedot" air dari komponen tubuh sendiri. Dari otak...?

Belum sampai segitunya (wihh...bayangkan otak kering gimana jadinya...), melainkan dari sumber terdekat : Darah. !!

Darah yang disedot airnya akan menjadi kental. Akibat pengentalan darah ini, maka perjalanannya akan kurang lancar ketimbang yang encer.

Saat melewati ginjal (tempat menyaring racun dari darah), ginjal akan bekerja extra keras menyaring darah. Dan karena saringan dalam ginjal halus, tidak jarang darah yang kentalbisa menyebabkan perobekan pada glomerulus ginjal. Akibatnya, air seni anda berwarna kemerahan, tanda mulai bocornya saringan ginjal. Bila dibiarkan terus menerus, anda mungkin suatu saat harus menghabiskan 400.000 rupiah seminggu untuk cuci darah.

Eh, tadi saya sudah bicara tentang otak kan...? Nah saat darah kental meng alir lewat otak, perjalanannya agak terhambat. Otak tidak lagi "encer", dan karena sel-sel otak adalah yang paling boros mengkonsumsi makanan dan oksigen. Lambatnya aliran darah ini bisa menyebabkan sel-sel otak cepat mati atau tidak berfungsi sebagaimana mestinya..(ya wajarlah namanya juga kurang makan...)

Bila ini ditambah dengan penyakit jantung (yang juga kerjanya tambah berat bila darah mengental... ), maka serangan stroke bisa lebih lekas datang.

Sekarang tinggal anda pilih: melakukan "investasi" dengan minum sedikitnya 8 gelas sehari -atau- "membayar bunga" lewat sakit ginjal atau stroke.

Anda yang pilih...!

KE KENTALAN DARAH DALAM TUBUH, MENGAPA TERJADI???

Ada satu pertanyaan yang masuk ke mailbox saya, yaitu "Mengapa harus minum air putih banyak-banyak. .?"
Sebenarnya jawabannya cukup "mengerikan" tetapi karena sebuah pertanyaan jujur harus dijawab dengan jujur, maka topik tersebut bisa dijelaskan sbb:

Kira-kira 80% tubuh manusia terdiri dari air. Malah ada beberapa bagian tubuh kita yang memiliki kadar air di atas 80%. Dua organ paling penting dengan kadar air di atas 80% adalah : Otak dan Darah. !!

Otak memiliki komponen air sebanyak 90%, sementara darah memiliki Komponen air 95%. Jatah minum manusia normal sedikitnya adalah 2 liter sehari atau 8 gelas sehari.Jumlah di atas harus ditambah bila anda seorang perokok. Air sebanyak itu diperlukan untuk mengganti cairan yang keluar dari tubuh kita lewat air seni, keringat, pernapasan, dan sekresi.

Apa yang terjadi bila kita mengkonsumsi kurang dari 2 liter sehari...?

Tentu tubuh akan menyeimbangkan diri. Caranya...?

Dengan jalan "menyedot" air dari komponen tubuh sendiri. Dari otak...?

Belum sampai segitunya (wihh...bayangkan otak kering gimana jadinya...), melainkan dari sumber terdekat : Darah. !!

Darah yang disedot airnya akan menjadi kental. Akibat pengentalan darah ini, maka perjalanannya akan kurang lancar ketimbang yang encer.

Saat melewati ginjal (tempat menyaring racun dari darah), ginjal akan bekerja extra keras menyaring darah. Dan karena saringan dalam ginjal halus, tidak jarang darah yang kentalbisa menyebabkan perobekan pada glomerulus ginjal. Akibatnya, air seni anda berwarna kemerahan, tanda mulai bocornya saringan ginjal. Bila dibiarkan terus menerus, anda mungkin suatu saat harus menghabiskan 400.000 rupiah seminggu untuk cuci darah.

Eh, tadi saya sudah bicara tentang otak kan...? Nah saat darah kental meng alir lewat otak, perjalanannya agak terhambat. Otak tidak lagi "encer", dan karena sel-sel otak adalah yang paling boros mengkonsumsi makanan dan oksigen. Lambatnya aliran darah ini bisa menyebabkan sel-sel otak cepat mati atau tidak berfungsi sebagaimana mestinya..(ya wajarlah namanya juga kurang makan...)

Bila ini ditambah dengan penyakit jantung (yang juga kerjanya tambah berat bila darah mengental... ), maka serangan stroke bisa lebih lekas datang.

Sekarang tinggal anda pilih: melakukan "investasi" dengan minum sedikitnya 8 gelas sehari -atau- "membayar bunga" lewat sakit ginjal atau stroke.

Anda yang pilih...!

Kale Smoothie = Calcium

Ok, I can't help it, I have to launch off--- I try not to do this too often because I know my dietary beliefs are sometimes very different than others, but his one is near and dear to my heart. Since nursing my daughter, I have become even more concerned about getting more calcium in my diet because I know when you don't get enough calcium through your diet, your body will start leaching it from your bones. So, because I am not really a fan of dairy, for more reasons than just flavor, I look to my greens to increase my intake. You have to be careful when looking into calcium concumption because there is more there than meets the eye. For instance, it's not just the amount of mg/per serving, but it's the amount of mg that are actually useable and absorable to your body. An example, one cup of kale yeilds 170 mg of calcium while 1 cup of milk yeilds 302 mg of calcium. BUT- here's where is gets interesting- your body can absorb/use 50-70% of the calcium from kale (107 mg) while it can only absorb/use 30% of the calcium from milk (91mg). So, in short, greens (to me) seem to be like the wiser choice for concumption- especially because they are also LOADED with a ton of other vitamins and minerals- like vitamin A, C, folic acid, and fiber. (** Note: calcium requirements for 1 day are 800-1200 mg for an adult, and increase to 1600 when your prego). Here are some really interesting pages if you are interested in reading more. Calcium1 and Calcium2. Oh, and one more side note while we're here- a major component in ABSORBING calcium is Vitamin D3- which comes from the sunshine. You MUST have Vitamin D3 in order to be able to absorb dietary calcium, which means you should have AT LEAST 30 minutes of sunshine per day. On days when I know don't get this, I take this great suppliment called Osteo-sun. OK, so should I get to the recipe now??? HA! I try to make a kale smoothie 4 times a week, if not everyday- of course it's easier in the summer when you have more fresh fruits, but it's do-able with frozen fruit too. I use my Vitamix (my favorite kitchen appliance because it makes smoothies, soups, ice cream, sorbets, hummus, nut butters, sauces, fruit juice, baby food.... need I go on???!!) to make my smoothies, but you can also use a blender. I add a combination of the following depending on what I have on hand: 1 banana 1 orange 1 handful of frozen mango 1 handful of frozen pineapple 1 shake of frozen blueberries 4-5 frozen or fresh strawberries (with green tops!) 1 handful of frozen raspberries and/or blackberries 4-5 stems of raw kale (I pull the follage off the stem because the stems are bitter) 1 inch of juice (cranberry, orange, pomegranet, pineapple, whatever you have, of course, I think juice NOT from concentrate is better, although it's more expensive) ** If your blender gets stuck or your smoothie is too thick, add more juice. If you don't use frozen fruits, add some ice to the mixture.)

Here's what I start with, an estimation of the amount of fruit:

Then I add my Kale ( and or red cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes) juice, and flax seed:

Finished product:

See, even Emery like it!
Like I said above, I use a combination of these ingredients depending on what I have- with the exception of the kale- I always use kale!!! (You can use spinach, but your body doesn't absorb as much calcium from it due to the high concentrate of oxalate, kale has a low concentrate of oxalate). Anyways, have fun with the combinations, try different flavors and experiment! No two smoothies ever taste the same in my house- and try them on your kids, my 11 month old loves them!

GREAT CALCIUM SUPPLYING SNACK to have on hand: raw almonds! They have 750 mg of calcuim per cup! Wow-zers!

The Best Way to Treat Acne - Without Using Any Creams Or Medication

If you suffer from Acne you know what an annoying condition it is. Acne's target is young adolescents and teenagers which are more prone to suffer from acne due to their social status.
If you have acne and had to deal with it yourself, you most probably now how difficult it is to get rid of it. You might have tried numerous amounts of different products, ranging from pills to creams, but to no avail.

This happens because the education in how to treat acne revolves around these different types of medication, without talking too much about the most elementary things to do in order to treat the problem.

What are the elementary factors then?

Keep Skin Clean

It is of utmost importance to keep your skin clean. It does not mean that a dirty face causes acne because it is the bacteria inside the skin that starts acne.

Cleaning you skin regularly will not cure acne but will help it stop from spreading on the rest of your skin and reducing the chances of becoming more severe.

It is advisable to wash skin thoroughly even if you are using ant-acne cream.

Right Choice of Food

The market is full of products helping you out in reducing the amount of sebum produced by sebaceous glands. Using these treatments alone will not help you ease the problem. Consider eating food containing Vitamin A and B.

Foods containing a lot of Vitamin A like spinach, sweet potatoes, apricots and carrots and Vitamin B, like vegetables, cereals, sweet corn, rice and berries help in regulating your hormones and sebum production.

Avoiding Over Production of hormones

Increase in the production of hormones will encourage acne growth. If you are under stress because of work, school or social problems you might need some form of relaxation to help you out.

Any sort of exercise like yoga or walking will help ease your stress and eventually your acne.
It is of utmost importance to avoid food and drinks that increase hormonal increase. This type of food includes caffeine, dairy products, carbohydrates and meat eventually produce toxins that will need to get out through your skin. When their path is blocked with a hair follicle toxins build up and together with sebum trigger acne.

It is a fact that most of the acne treatments that we try will not stop it completely.

Source : http://treating-acne-naturally.blogspot.com

The Best Way to Treat Acne - Without Using Any Creams Or Medication

If you suffer from Acne you know what an annoying condition it is. Acne's target is young adolescents and teenagers which are more prone to suffer from acne due to their social status.
If you have acne and had to deal with it yourself, you most probably now how difficult it is to get rid of it. You might have tried numerous amounts of different products, ranging from pills to creams, but to no avail.

This happens because the education in how to treat acne revolves around these different types of medication, without talking too much about the most elementary things to do in order to treat the problem.

What are the elementary factors then?

Keep Skin Clean

It is of utmost importance to keep your skin clean. It does not mean that a dirty face causes acne because it is the bacteria inside the skin that starts acne.

Cleaning you skin regularly will not cure acne but will help it stop from spreading on the rest of your skin and reducing the chances of becoming more severe.

It is advisable to wash skin thoroughly even if you are using ant-acne cream.

Right Choice of Food

The market is full of products helping you out in reducing the amount of sebum produced by sebaceous glands. Using these treatments alone will not help you ease the problem. Consider eating food containing Vitamin A and B.

Foods containing a lot of Vitamin A like spinach, sweet potatoes, apricots and carrots and Vitamin B, like vegetables, cereals, sweet corn, rice and berries help in regulating your hormones and sebum production.

Avoiding Over Production of hormones

Increase in the production of hormones will encourage acne growth. If you are under stress because of work, school or social problems you might need some form of relaxation to help you out.

Any sort of exercise like yoga or walking will help ease your stress and eventually your acne.
It is of utmost importance to avoid food and drinks that increase hormonal increase. This type of food includes caffeine, dairy products, carbohydrates and meat eventually produce toxins that will need to get out through your skin. When their path is blocked with a hair follicle toxins build up and together with sebum trigger acne.

It is a fact that most of the acne treatments that we try will not stop it completely.

Source : http://treating-acne-naturally.blogspot.com

The Exotic Kiwifruit

Kiwifruit or as it was known previously the Chinese gooseberry is indigenous to S.E. Asia. It was brought to the West and New Zealand by returning missionaries and agents of the Royal Horticultural Society of Britain around the end of the 19th Century. Kiwifruit was looked on more as an exotic garden plant and it was only in the 1960's that it was farmed commercially.

It's unique flavor, described as giving a hint of strawberries, bananas, pineapple and melons, immediately made it a favorite of the public and chefs alike whether raw or cooked in sweet and savory dishes.

It is actually a berry and grows on the vine rather like grapes. Out of the many varieties available the most common, seen in the shops and markets, are the green fleshed deliciosa and the sweeter, yellow fleshed, golden kiwifruit. The skin of the kiwifruit is edible but most people tend to peel it.

A kiwifruit is very nutritious as it contains more vitamin C per weight than an orange, more potassium than a banana, is an excellent low-fat source of vitamin E and contains more lutein than spinach. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, copper, magnesium, manganese, folate (folic acid), and chromium with a variety of flavonoids and carotenoids.

Heath wise research has shown that eating kiwifruit with it's excellent combination of nutrients helps the body guard against free radicals, lowers risk of blood clots, speeds the repair of DNA damage, aids in prevention of constipation, maintains fluid balance in the body, and assists in the formation of red blood corpuscles. Plus the lutein, an antioxidant, is said to decrease the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration. The riper the kiwifruit the more antioxidents it contains.

Warning: Kiwifruit contains oxalates so should be avoided by those with existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems.

When purchasing fresh kiwifruits, preferably pick organic ones, check to see that the skin has no soft spots, is not wrinkled and the fruit is plump and slightly soft to touch. Unripe kiwifruit can also be purchased as they can easily be ripened at home by placing in a paper bag with an apple or banana and storing at room temperature for a couple of days. When ripe they can be stored in the fridge up to two weeks and they also freeze well.

Kiwifruit contains an enzyme, actinidin, which breaks down protein and also prevent jellies and gelatines from setting. It is best to peel and add the kiwifruit at the very last moment to dishes. Once cooked the enzyme is no longer effective. Fresh and raw they are wonderful to eat as they are or they can add something special to breakfast cereals, vegetable and fruit salads, flans and as cake decorations.

***************
Someone once threw me a small, brown, hairy kiwi fruit,
and I threw a wastebasket over it until it was dead.
Erma Bombeck (1927-1996)
***************

Fresh Kiwifruit Pie
California Kiwifruit Commission

4 cups kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
3 tbls quick cooking tapioca
1 tbls lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbls margarine
pastry for two crust pie, 9" / 23cm

In mixing bowl, stir together sugar, tapioca and nutmeg. Add kiwi slices and lemon juice. Toss gently. Let stand 15 minutes. Prepare and roll out half of pastry. Line pie pan; trim pastry to edge of pan. Turn kiwi mixture into pastry lined pan. Dot with marg. Roll out remaining pastry and cut slit in shape of "K" in center for vent. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. To prevent over-browning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake at 375F/190C for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 25-30 minutes more until crust is golden brown.


Jewelled Sweet Couscous
Matt Golinski, Ready Steady Cook

1/3 cup boiling water
1/3 cup couscous
½ medium orange, chopped finely
1 tbsp raisins
2 tbsps coarsely chopped pistachios
2 tbsps finely shredded mint
1 small kiwi fruit, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon dairy-free sour cream

Combine the water and couscous in a small bowl, cover; stand about 5 minutes or until liquid has absorbed. Fluff with a fork; cool. Stir in orange, raisins, nuts and mint. Serve jewelled couscous topped with kiwifruit and sour cream; drizzle with orange syrup.

Orange Syrup
¼ cup / 60ml orange juice
2 tbsps caster sugar
½ tsp Masterfoods ground cardamom

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly.


Coriander Kiwi Salsa
Recipes4us

4 kiwifruit, peeled and diced
1 orange, peeled and diced
200g/7oz/1cup tinned water chestnuts or fresh jicama, diced
1 small red capsicum (sweet pepper ), chopped
1 heaped tbsp freshly chopped coriander (cilantro )
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp cold pressed vegetable oil
1 chilli pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
salt

Place all the ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl and blend well. Chill until ready to serve.
Makes approx 600ml/20fl.oz.


Kiwifruit Ginger Spiced Squash
Recipes4us

1 whole acorn squash, halved widthways and deseeded
3 kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp melted margarine
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ teasp ground ginger
2 tbsp chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Place the squash cut sides down in shallow ovenproof dish and add enough boiling water to come to a depth of 1/2" / 1cm. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 25 minutes. Peel and chop 2 of the kiwifruit, place in a food processor or liquidiser and process until smooth. Add the melted marg, brown sugar, and ginger and pulse to blend. Set aside. Remove the squash from the oven, carefully pour off the water from the baking tin containing and turn the squash cut sides up. Fill the hollows with the kiwifruit mixture then return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the squash is just tender. Slice the remaining kiwifruit and arrange over the squash. Sprinkle with the nuts and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

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