Monday, October 19, 2009

What Happens When You Get Too Little Protein in Your Diet

Proteins are composed of long chain like forms of amino acids. Amino acids are basic and fundamental to life. As a chemical compound, it is made of amine and carbonyl functional groups. To put it simply, they are made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen and on some rare occasions, sulfur. These four or five materials build themselves into various chain-like structures and form different types of protein. Protein is the life line of human health.

Human cells, muscle tissue, and the organs of the body are made up of protein. Long chains of amino acids are structured to make different types of proteins. There are 22 types of amino acids and the human body needs all of them to be healthy.

Different types of proteins in our body execute different body functions. Our body's strength, its flexibility and elasticity are taken care of by a protein called collagen, and our hair and skin are composed of the same protein.

Proteins we consume through food are broken down into amino acids in the process of digestion and absorbed by the body only to be rebuilt into different types of proteins that are the requirement of the body. There are twenty two kinds of amino acids essential for the human body. And in that 14 are produced by the body and the remaining 8 are to be obtained though food.

Complete and incomplete Proteins

A protein that can be obtained through one food source like a meat or dairy product is called a complete protein. A complete protein is obtained generally though meat, diary products, eggs, fish and poultry. Vegetables, fruits and nuts do not contain all the essential proteins in one food items and so it is termed as incomplete.

Importance of Proteins

For proper growth, sustenance and repair of body cells, for the health of muscles, tissues, organs and for body function like metabolism, digestion, transportation of nutrients and oxygen through blood circulation, proteins are imperative.

Apart from that more importantly for the production of antibodies, or in other words, antibodies are little soldiers who fight any infection that invades into our body and fights diseases and makes us healthy. The healthy skin and shining hair of which we are proud of is due to the proteins.

Too little Protein means ill health

Like our grand mothers say often, 'anything too much or too little is harmful' is absolute truth in case of protein. Too much protein intake leads to many uncomfortable physical complications just as too little of protein intake can lead to complications.

Protein is needed to repair and create new cells, tissues, hormones, enzymes and muscles and lack of protein would impair these important body functions leading to grave situations. Many foods which supply protein do contain certain other minerals and vitamins like iron, a lack of which creates an eternal tiredness and fatigue. The person who lacks iron feels weak and becomes listless with lack of energy.

Physical activities consume protein daily, and so it is essential to give regular supply of protein to the body daily. And too little protein can cause severe skin ailments and would make you look lusterless and pale.

Children need a lot of protein as they are in the phase of growing and insufficient protein in children hampers their growth very much.

For a period of time if the body fails to get sufficient amount of protein through food, it starts breaking the muscles which contain large amount of protein to fulfill its need. This means eroding of the muscle and it is generally known as muscle wasting. And prolonged such situation leads to a vicious cycle of protein energy malnutrition where in when the body does not get any other source of energy, body's muscles and organs a re broken down for energy. The digestive system suffers with the loss of cell lining which is important for absorption of nutrients from the digested food. Thus a vicious cycle of poor diet and insufficient absorption of nutrients from food lead to severe body wasting.

So, too little protein intake is dangerous and very harmful to health.

Liveleantoday.com offers low prices on protein bars, low carb protein, and more.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

What is Organic Coffee and how is it Grown

Organic is a new word used in the context of coffee, tea, cocoa and other food materials in recent times around local shops and super markets. Every year the word is being used by buying public more than the previous year and its use is growing year after year resulting in higher sale proportion of tea or coffee marked as 100% organically grown.

What is organically grown?

To simply put it, organic farming methods leave least or no harmful impact on the surrounding environment. Organic agricultural production systems are mostly traditional methods evolved through learning from nature. In the organic farming methods no synthetic chemical fertilizer or pesticide is used. So that organic production means natural, pure and healthy.

How coffee grows in nature

The coffee plant does not need much direct sun light and so it grows under the shade of large trees. The ground is never sprayed with any chemical insecticide or fertilizer and so the ground water remains pure and uncontaminated. From the canopy of trees leaves fall steadily and the ground is covered by fallen leaves layer on layer. The layers of fallen leaves work as a blanket and protect the moisture of the ground. The moisture in turn help the process of compost to turn the bottom layers of leaves into natural manure to nourish the land.

The thick foliage of shade trees over the coffee bushes house many varieties of birds and also attracts the migratory birds. The birds live on small insects and pests. So they work as natural pest controllers and keep the coffee plants healthy.

The coffee that grows in the shade of other local trees become original and pure in taste and flavor Organic Coffee.

The proposed plantation site is selected carefully. And if the site was being used to grow some other crop using chemical fertilizer or chemical insecticides, then a minimum period of three years are given as conversion years for the proposed site to get over the effects of the harmful chemicals.

After the conversion years coffee bushes are planted along with local shade trees. Care is given equally to the coffee bushes and shade trees and effort is put in to leave bird population to grow undisturbed.

The fallen leaves are left undisturbed to convert into manure to nourish the land and keep it fertile. The bird population effectively controls the pests and harmful insect and protects the coffee bushes. And finally for decaffeinating, approved processes are employed including the Swiss Water process. The coffee thus produced is organic coffee.

Organic vs. commercial production

Organic production methods along with producing coffee intend to protect environment. In this process of growing coffee, more and more trees are grown due to that local biodiversity is achieved. In this method, soil fertility and nutrients are sustained. No chemical pollution is created to harm the human health.

In contrast in commercial profit oriented method of growing coffee, the trees are felled and the cumulative effect is deforestation. Deforestation leads to soil erosion and severe depletion. The commercial grower cuts trees to allow direct sun light which increases production. As there are no birds to control pests and due to the absence of trees and its natural manure, farmers are forced to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides severely harming the environment.

Organic coffee - lifeline of future

Organic production process is eco friendly and helps to repair the environment spoilt by the greedy profit oriented approach of commercial growers of coffee through growing more and more shade trees.

Protecting environment locally helps to enhance the eco system. Rejuvenation and eco system alone can help the planet from disaster and help to sustain life on this planet.

Organic coffee is our responsibility, almost a human duty and life line to healthy future of mankind.


Naturesorganicmarket.com offers low prices on organic coffee, organic baby clothes, and more.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

What is Organic Farming and is it Important

Organic farming is a broad concept with extreme application. It is well appreciated on a large scale by the people as now with the help of it they can easily grow their own food. If you have a little bit of free time with you then you need not to face any kind of problem. You can prepare and serve good quality delicious food by doing organic farming at your home.

It is not true that organic farming is practiced at a small scale only. By having a trip of farming sector you can easily understand how much vast this sector actually is. This is not the case some time before. Few years back it was not a highly thriving and demanding sector but now the case has totally changed. It is now not limited to a small scale industry as day by day more corporate sectors are taking interest in this field. Large corporate farming is taking keen interest in the concept of organic farming. Continuous research is going on to find out the way by which huge fields of a single crop can be grown. No one can deny the fact that in the process of organic farming, pests are believed to be the major threat. Due to harmful impact on the biodiversity unnatural pesticides are not much preferred to use.

If you are going for the natural pesticides for controlling the pests then it is certainly an eco friendly approach but believed to be much expensive in contrast to unnatural ones. Some time before, due to expensive nature they were not much preferred in the process of organic farming. After the entrance of large scale industries with huge budget this can be achieved now very easily. Natural pesticides can be a good option when it is about the large scale organic farming but if you are going for it at your home or at a small scale in a separate piece of land then it is advisable to look for any other good option. This is because like other kinds of farming organic farming also requires the process of sowing, cultivating and harvesting. If you do not have proper arrangement of water for the purpose of irrigation then you require depending largely on the rain water. If you are concluding the process of organic farming at your home then irrigation is not a big issue but even at a small scale proper arrangement of water is very essential. If you do not have a huge budget with you then it can be a difficult work for you. You require investing a good amount on purchase of seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, harvesting, etc.

There is much debate till now on the use of unnatural pesticides in the process of organic farming. Several environmentalists and consumer protection organization have claimed that the use of unnatural pesticides not only damage the environment but also have an adverse impact on the quality of food. For killing the insects and pests these pesticides are used but they are not considered helpful after sometime. It is so because these insects as well as the pests easily get adapted to the effects of the chemicals involved in them and so these pesticides looses their worth. Sooner or later it damages the health of the final consumer who without knowing consumes a large amount of lethal chemicals and synthesized materials along with the natural food. Thus it is injurious for the health of the human being as well.

Thus there are several ways by which you can have your favorite vegetables as well as fruits and that too with the help of inorganic as well as organic farming. As there are several pros as well as cons of both it is up to you to decide the one that is best for you. You can make use of organic farming to turn your dreams into reality and the best part is it is already benefiting millions of people so you are not at all required to worry for it as well.


NaturesOrganicMarket.com offers discount prices on organic baby clothes, organic coffee, and more.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Canon - PowerShot 10.0-Megapixel Digital ELPH Camera - Silver

With a DIGIC III image processor, high ISO 1600 sensitivity and an array of scene modes, this digital camera makes it easy to snap digital photos and video in a variety of light and scene conditions. Face detection technology autofocuses on faces in a frame for improved portrait captures.

What's Included

  • Canon PowerShot 10.0MP Digital ELPH Camera
  • Lithium battery pack, charger
  • USB cable, A/V cable
  • SD memory card, wrist strap, Digital camera solution CD-ROM
  • Owner's manual

Product Features

  • From our expanded online assortment; not available in all Best Buy stores
  • 10.0-megapixel 1/2.3" CCD
    Captures high-resolution images up to 3648 x 2736 pixels.
  • 3x optical/4x digital/12x total zoom
    For sharp, highly detailed long shots.
  • 3" PureColor LCD II screen
    Lets you set up your shot, review it and share it even in bright sunshine. Night display for easy viewing in low-light conditions.
  • DIGIC III image processor
    Provides improved picture quality, fast processing speed and accurate autofocus, auto exposure, auto red-eye correction and auto white balance.
  • Face detection technology
    Sets the focus, exposure and flash automatically for great looking portraits and group shots.
  • Motion detection technology
    Automatically detects subject movement and improves exposure control and ISO settings to reduce image blur. Optical image stabilization reduces camera shake and vibration distortion for enhanced image clarity.
  • 19 shooting modes
    Include portrait, foliage, snow, beach, sunset, fireworks, aquarium, underwater, indoor, kids and pets, night snapshot, color accent, color swap, digital macro and stitch assist for beautiful images in all conditions.
  • Through-the-lens (TTL) autofocus
    For hassle-free, clearer close ups.
  • Continuous shooting
    Shoots at 1.4 fps so you can capture fast-paced action images and never miss an important photo opportunity.
  • High ISO sensitivity
    Up to ISO 1600 ensures clear, vibrant image captures in areas with minimal light.
  • White balance controls
    Include auto, daylight, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent, fluorescent H and custom to achieve natural tones under different lighting conditions.
  • Built-in flash
    Auto, auto with red-eye correction, flash-on, flash-on with red-eye reduction, flash-off, FE lock and slow synchro modes.
  • Movie mode
    Shoots 640 x 480 and 320 x 240 videos at 30fps and 160 x 120 videos at 15 fps.
  • Memory card slot
    Supports Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, MultiMediaCard, MultiMediaCard Plus and High Capacity MultiMediaCard Plus formats (Secure Digital Card included).
  • Playback modes
    Include magnification, auto rotate, rotate, my colors, histogram, index, sound memos, slideshow, red-eye correction, RAW playback, resize and image inspection. Movie modes include normal and special playback and editing.
  • Print/Share button
    For easy direct printing and downloading.
  • USB 2.0 interface and A/V outputs
    Direct-print support with a compatible Canon direct photo printer or any PictBridge-enabled printer to print photos without a PC.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Cheap Price SIRIUS Boombox for Select Satellite Radio Receivers

Go to Live Auction for Sirius Boombox

Play your favorite satellite radio broadcasts with this boombox that is designed for use with select SIRIUS satellite radio receivers and features 2-way speakers for rich sounding audio.

Product Features

  • Compatible with Sportster 4, Starmate 4 and Stratus SIRIUS Satellite Radio receivers
  • 2-way speakers deliver full-sounding audio
  • 3-channel amplifier
  • Auxiliary input for MP3 player or other peripheral audio devices
  • Plug-and-play design for a quick and easy connection
  • Compact design for easy portability
  • SIRIUS Satellite Radio subscription required to receive SIRIUS Satellite Radio

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Great Deal on Apple - iPod shuffle 1GB* MP3 Player

Go to LIVE Auction for iPod Shuffle

Apple® - iPod® shuffle 1GB* MP3 Player - Blue

With the same size circular control pad as the previous model on a much more compact case with a built-in clip, the updated shuffle is ready to rock and easily tags along when you're on the go.

Product Features

  • 1GB* internal flash memory stores up to 240 songs (128 Kbps AAC)
  • Ultracompact player measures just 0.4" thin and weighs only 0.6 ounces
  • Supports MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, AAC, Protected AAC, WAV and AIFF formats
  • Thumb-friendly, ergonomic, circular control pad
  • Anodized silver aluminum case with rounded edges stands up to wear and tear; built-in clip easily attaches to a belt loop, lapel, pocket or bag so your shuffle goes where you go
  • Play in Order and Mix-On-the-Move shuffle modes; Autofill an iTunes playlist and rate songs; shuffles automatically while syncing
  • Charge and sync simultaneously through the headphone jack with the included iPod shuffle dock; connects directly to your Mac or PC via USB 1.1 and 2.0 through dock
  • Rechargeable lithium-polymer battery provides up to 12 hours of playback; fully charges in 4 hours
  • PC and Mac compatible
  • Apple, the Apple logo and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPod is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
  • *Formatted capacity may vary.**Results will vary based on file size and format, settings, features, software and other factors.