Green Health

Top Twenty Sources of Iron

Men and post-menopausal women need about 10 milligrams of iron daily, and pre-menopausal women need 15 milligrams. It's not a large number, but it is an important mineral. There are two basic sources of iron: heme and non-heme. "Heme" sources are those of animal origin. "Non-heme" refers to vegetable sources of iron. Some experts say that the iron in vegetables and fruits is not as easily absorbed by the body. Here are two lists of the top sources of iron - a list of ten heme sources and ten non-heme sources. Heme Sources 1. Oysters - One-half cup of oysters has 8 milligrams of iron. 2. Steamed Clams - Four ounces of steamed clams have 3 milligrams of iron. 3. Venison - A 4-ounce serving of venison has 8 milligrams of iron. 4. Liver - Both chicken and beef liver are high in iron. Four ounces of chicken liver has 10 milligrams of iron, and the same amount of beef liver has 6.5 milligrams. Calf's liver has 16 milligrams per 4-ounce serving. 5. Beef - In a 4-ounce serving, beef contains 3.5 milligrams of iron. 6. Lamb - Cooked lamb has almost 2 milligrams of iron per 4-ounce serving. 7. Eggs - One whole chicken egg has 1 milligram of ...

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Top Ten Sources of Calcium

Health professionals emphasize the importance of calcium in our diets, especially for women. There are good reasons for this emphasis - calcium is essential for strong bones (especially in post-menopausal women), proper muscle and nerve function, and proper blood clotting. Food sources are best for obtaining this mineral. Supplements may not be "bioavailable," or easily absorbed by the body. Adult men and pre-menopausal women need about 1000 milligrams of calcium a day, and women need about 1200 milligrams after menopause. Here are ten of the top foods that are good sources of calcium. 1. Plain Yogurt One 8-ounce cup of plain yogurt contains anywhere from 415 to 452 milligrams of calcium. Because of the live cultures in yogurt, the calcium is absorbed better than the calcium in 8 ounces of milk. Low-fat, not fat-free yogurt is the best choice. Vitamin D, which is essential to calcium absorption, is fat-soluble. Thus, the fat content in yogurt may help with the absorption of calcium. 2. Sardines This tiny fish still contains its bones. Three ounces of this tasty snack contains 325 milligrams of calcium. Their fatty acid content may also aid absorption. 3. Cheese Cheese is a very popular food, and it is okay to indulge (in moderation of ...

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Healing Powers of Breast Milk

Breast milk is absolutely amazing stuff. It can't be duplicated in formulas, and it has components whose relevance modern science has still not figured out. You may have heard that breast milk is healthy for your baby, but did you know it could also heal? Breast milk has antibacterial properties. Thus, it can be applied to various types of topical and even internal infections. Here are some things to think about regarding the healing power of breast milk. * Eye or eyelid infections in baby, child or adult can be cleared up with breast milk. A few drops in each eye several times a day will fight the infection. * Ear infections have been effectively treated with breast milk. Treat the breast milk like an antibiotic eardrop (which it is!) - a few drops in each ear several times a day. * Breast milk provides antibodies to boost baby's immunity every time he or she nurses. Sick babies often need to nurse more, so be sure to follow your baby's cues and give his or her immune system what it needs. * The suckling action of breastfeeding helps develop the muscles in the face and jaw, encouraging correct alignment and strength. Bottle-feeding does not produce ...

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How Cranial Osteopathy Can Ease Your Migraine Pain

Cranial osteopathy, as the name implies, involves the manipulation and flexing of the bones of the skull.  However, it is not exclusive to the head.  Cranial osteopathy also includes adjustment and flexing of the sacral vertebrae and the pelvis.  The sacral vertebrae, or sacrum, join the spine to the pelvis. When Dr. William Sutherland developed the theory and practice of cranial osteopathy in the late 1890s and early 1900s, he discovered that the bones of the skull do, in fact, have some flexibility and movement between them in adulthood.  These joints between skull bones were usually considered flexible only in infants, when the infant skull's softness helps in the birth process. The skull's joints eventually close up and the bone hardens.  But some flexibility remains - quite a bit, Dr. Sutherland discovered.  Dr. Sutherland experimented extensively on himself, and then applied his methods to his patients, often with miraculous results. For migraine sufferers, cranial osteopathy holds great promise.  Cranial osteopaths recognize that no body system is isolated, and while the head is the focus of migraine pain, cranial osteopathy is, ultimately, a whole-body treatment.  Some osteopaths look at jaw misalignment, dental work, and tension as possible causes for migraines. Cranial osteopaths have successfully treated ...

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Color Therapy – What Is It and How Does It Work

What's your favorite color? Most of us get asked that question at various points throughout our lives.  It is worth considering why we ask this - could it be that what color we associate with the most has some sort of effect on us, or says something about our personality? Color therapy taps into the psychological effects of color.  Participants are exposed to a range of colors via food, massage oils, colored lights, crystals or stones, etc.  Some practitioners of color therapy use visualization techniques to help their patients.  Different colors are said to affect different body systems or energies.  Patients who undergo color therapy do so in order to experience restoration and/or healing. Color and Light If you've seen a rainbow, you have seen the colors present in light.  White light, or full-spectrum light, is made of all the colors of the rainbow, and when light is broken up by rain droplets, prisms, or other means, the colors become visible. Light itself, and a lack of it, has been shown to have psychological effects.  For example, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is caused by the decreased light that comes with the change of seasons from summer to fall and winter.  People affected by SAD have ...

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