November in Blue

Blue, Blue and Blue!!!

Do you know why?

This month is all in blue because of World Diabetic Day (WDD). November in Blue is a campaing from Iternational Diabetes Federation to give more information about this desease.

Diabetic is a silent desease that appears suddenly without cause pain. There are three common types of diabetic:

Type 1:

• It is an auto-immune reaction where the body defense system attacks the insulin-producing cells;
• It could affect any age, but is usual in children and young adults;  
• It is not cured by insulin, but people with this type need take it daily;
• It is not contagius;
• It is not caused by unhealthy lifestyle or diet;
• It is not preventable;

Type 2:

• It is 90% of all case of diabetic;
• It is insuline resistent and relative insuline deficiency;
• It usually occurs after 40 years old, but could occur early;
• It is often associated with obesity (but not always); 

Gestational Diabetes (GDM):

• It is a high blood glucose levels during pregnancy;
• It is associated with complications in period immediately after or before birth;
• It usually disappears after pregnancy but there is a risk of development of diabetes type2 later;

Well, the most important thing to understand is the control of glucose in blood, because it can cause complications, such as: cardiovascular, kidney, nerve, and eye diseases.

The common symptoms are: loss of weight, dizziness; thirst and fatigue. If you feel it check your glycemia (level of glucose in blood). If you have some history in your family and have more than 40 years, check your plasma glucose levels periodically.

If you want to prevent type 2 diabetes try achieve a healthy body weight and moderate physical activity.

"IDF recommends a goal of at least 30 minutes of daily exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling or dancing. Regular walking for at least 30 minutes per day, for example, has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 35-40%." 

Another tip: information is everything to live better! Protec your future! Help others! Help you!

STEVIA! A good friend from the south!

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni from south America to the world!

This plant it´s native to the Amambay region in the north east of Paraguay and also occurs in the neighboring parts of Brazil and Argentina. Nowadays, its cultivation is spread to some regions of the world such Canada, Asia and Europe.

What makes stevia sweet is a chemical compound called stevioside established as a diterpene glycoside in 1952. Years after, in 1970s, other compounds were isolated, including rebaudioside A, with a sweetening potency even higher than stevioside.

One of the characteristic about steviside is it´s 300 times sweeter than saccarose and it also offer a therapeutic benefits, because it shows an anti-hyperglycemic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, anti-diarrhoeal, diuretic, and immunomodulatory effects.

Up to this moment, several studies were made about stevioside toxicity and all of them showed that this chemical does not have mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects. And more, completed studies showed its safety at high dietary intake levels.

Stevia biochemical nutritional aspects are described below:

•  Low calorie sweeten;
• Shows an adequate fat absorption capacity;
•  It´s reasonably thermally stable under elevated temperatures, that make it useful in food processing;
•  Good source of carbohydrates, protein and crude fibres; 
• Roots and leaves show inulin-type fructooligasaccharides with functional properties related to prebiotics, dietary fibre, role lipid metabolis and diabetes control;
• Contained almost all of indispensable amino acids, including tyrosine and cysteine;
•  It shows a reasonable amount of potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium. It also shows high amount of iron that helps the maintenance of normal hemoglobin level in the body;
•  It contains folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin B2;

Stevia just show benefits for health. Studies show that regular consumption decrease the sugar in body, radionuclides, and cholesterol in the blood, and also improves cell regeneration and blood coagulation.

And more! It also exhibit choleretic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties. Prevent ulceration in the gastrointestinal tract; it is antihyperglycemic; acts as anti human rota-virus activities; controls glucose metabolism and renal function.

Stevia and stevioside have been used in treatment of cancer and substitutes of sacarosis in the treatment of diabetes, obesity and hypertension

Now if you want get all these advantage you can drink stevia tea instea of sweetener. You could choose the best way for you.

Stevia plant it already used from native people from Paraguay and Brazil in the past. They already know all these benefits a long time a go!

Then, what are you waiting for?

Enjoy! With stevia!!

References:

Mondaca, R. L.; Veja-Gálvez, A.; Zura-Bravo; Ah-Hen K. (2012); Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, source of a high-potency natural sweetener: A comprehensive review on the biochemical, nutritional and functional aspects. Food Chemistry 132, 1121–1132.

http://emporioalecrim.blogspot.com.br/2011/02/beneficios-e-usos-stevia.html

VITAMIN C!!!

After talked about vitamins soluble in fat, I am going to talk about vitamins soluble in water.

Vitamins belong to this group we can found vitamin C and vitamins B (complex B vitamin).

Today I will show you something about C vitamin or Ascorbic acid.

Vitamin C is very important for our body and we need take it daily because it soluble in water, then we can store it for very long and we can manufacture it.

Ascorbic acid is needed to:

ü  Make the strong connective tissue (collagen) that holds your skeleton together, attaches your bones, builds strong blood vessels, and keeps yours organs and skin place;

ü  It is a powerful antioxidant because it mop up free radicals and helps others antioxidants do their work better;

ü  It helps immune system work better and manufacture many of your body´s hormones;  

ü  It helps avoid cardiovascular disease, because it decrease blood pressure;

ü  Vitamin C helps who has allergies and asthma. It happens because when you exposure by an agent could cause allergy your immune system will produce histamine, and all symptoms of allergy and asthma appears. Then when you take vitamin C, it keeps your immune system from making as many histamines to begin with and helps you get them out of your bloodstream faster;

We could find vitamin C in citrus fruits, such as grapefruit, lemon, orange, tangerine, you could find it in acerola (80 times more vitamin C than orange), apple, banana, guava, kiwi, mango, papaya, pepper, pineapple, tomato, for example!

Therefore, vitamin C is very important: for athletics, for recovery surgery, for babies, for diabetic type 2 and even prevent cancer. So if I were you, I will take some of it!

Enjoy! 

Reference:

Pressman, A. H., Vitamins and Minerals.

Vitamin K _ Good for Koagulation!

Vitamin K from koagulation!!!

I will explain you!

In late 1920s and early 1930s, Danish researches discovered a substance that avoid blooding, because it is essential for forming blood clots and make it fastly whenever you injure yourself. It´s vitamin K.

Vitamin K has your family too:

ü  K₁ = phylloquinone : found in plant foods;

ü  K₂ = menaquinone : is made from bacteria in your intestines;

ü  K₃ = medadione: artificial form;

All kinds of vitamin K ends up in your liver, where it is used to make some of substances that make your blood clot.

This vitamin is good to building your bones because it helps hold on calcium in your bones and make it is getting in the right place. Then, women in menopause should take more this vitamin to avoid fractures.

The vitamin K bone protection happens in two processes;

1)    One process is related to osteoclasts that are bone cells in charge of bone demineralization. In other words, they take minerals out of the bone and make their available for other body functions. However this process should be balanced because it can cause excess bone demineralization.

 Vitamin k makes this balance and keep this process in check, because of menaquinone forms that blocks formation of too many osteoclasts.

2)    The second process is called carboxylation that is a chemical reaction in which a carboxylic acid group is introduced in a substrate.

There is a protein called osteocalcin needs to be chemically altered through the process of carboxylation. When too few of this osteocalcin proteins in our bone are carboxilated, our bones have increased risk for fracture. Then vitamin K (MK-$ menaquinone) can restore these bone proteins to their proper place in our bone structure and strengthen the composition of the bone.  

Others functions of vitamin K are:

ü  Prevents calcifications of blood vessels or heart valves;

ü  Protect against oxidative damage;

ü  Regulates inflammatory response;

ü  Supports of brain and nervous system structure;

Vitamin K is found in beef liver, raw broccoli, raw cabbage, raw cauliflower, egg, milk, baked potato, soybean oil, raw spinach, strawberries, raw tomato, wheat germ, spinach, mustard greens and romain lettuce.

Do you know more? Ask me!

Barbara Bruna

References:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=112

PRESSMAN A. H., BUFF S. Vitamins and minerals. 2007. 3^rd ed.

VITAMIN E...

And now an Excellent vitamin!!!

            Why this vitamin is so important?

            Because it protects our cell membranes against free radicals. And when our cells are protected, diseases and health problems are avoided.

It could be explained considering that vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and our cell membranes are made up mainly of fat. Then, when vitamin E gets into the membrane, it avoids that any free radical get through.

It was isolated at first time, by the scientists, at 1936, and it called tocopherol, from the Greek words tokos, “offspring” and pheros, “to bear”. Afterwards, this substance it was called vitamin E.

Vitamin E has a big family that is divided in two groups: tocopherols and tocotrienols.

Tocopherols are formed by four members: alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocopherol. Alfatocopherol is the most common and the most active form. Gammatocopherol protects you from free radicals from nitrogen oxides.

Tocotrienols are also called alpha, beta, gamma, and delta and are found in some plant foods like rice and barley. They are less active than tocopherol but all they have antioxidant powers, help in cancer prevention and keeping down your cholesterol.

Nowadays, there are some researches that explain some functions of vitamin E such as: acts against inflammation, regulates  blood cells and helps the genetic control of cell division.

If you are athlete this vitamin is a good friend  before and after intensive exercise because, it decreases the oxidative cell damage caused by free radicals. This vitamin is responsible for tissues body regeneration such as blood, skin, bones and nerves. In other words, vitamin E could avoid the overtraining symptoms.

The antioxidant vitamin E power is improved when it is intake together with others antioxidants such as vitamin C.

Vitamin E is found at in oils like: almond, corn, olive, peanut, safflower, sunflower; it is found in apple, asparagus, avocado, mango, peanuts, wheat germ, almond, nuts, kiwi, fish and milk.

Do you like to know it? Do you want to know more? 

Let your question here! ;)

            

VITAMIN D! GO OUT AND ENJOY!

Good morning day!

Good morning SUN!

Today we are going know little more about VITAMIN D!

This vitamin is essential for bones and for immune system. And more, it helps to avoid colon and other types of cancer. It is recommended for treatment of rheumatic and autoimmune diseases and even diabetes.

We need vitamin D to regulate calcium you absorb from your food and this calcium going to build strong bones and teeth.

Calcium is important for send messages along your nerves and to help your muscles contract, as your heart beats for example.

And do you know how to get this vitamin?

It´s easy. Go out and get some sun! Yes!

The ultraviolet light in the sunshine makes a type of cholesterol that´s found just under our skin turn into something called vitamin D₃ or cholecalciferol. Let´s check the picture below:

Basically, Vitamin D₃ gets carried to liver that changes into more active form called 25-hydrovitamin D₃. This molecule goes to kidneys and becomes more reactive form than before called 1,25-hydrovitamin D₃.   

We can found vitamin D in some foods as beef liver, egg yolks, milk, salmon, sardines and shrimp. However, it´s showed in a slightly different form called Vitamin D2 or ergocalciferol. In supplements we can found cholecalciferol or ergocalciferol.

Doctors suggest that we have to be exposure sun light before 10 am, around 15 to 20 minutes, three times in a week. Let exposure your face, neck, arms and legs. Use t-shirts and shorts at this period.

So, what are you waiting for?

Enjoy!

Let you message here!

References:

http://g1.globo.com/bemestar/noticia/2011/03/tomar-sol-e-fundamental-para-o-corpo-obter-vitamina-d-explica-especialista.html

http://www.google.com.br/imgres?q=vitamina+d3&num=10&um=1&hl=pt-PT&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&tbnid=dNSA_N3p3pn2WM:&imgrefurl=http://gorduraetal.blogspot.com/2012/05/vitamina-d.

VITAMIN A

Today I will begin vitamins cycle!

Do you know that we need around 13 different vitamins to keep our body healthy?

Don´t worry!  I will show you vitamins that are very important for our body in chemistry way of course.

But, do you know what is vitamin mean?

Vitamin is an organic chemical compound, because it is formed by carbon. We need this substance in small amounts for growth, metabolism, health and wellness.

The best way of get vitamins is from food, but you can get them by supplements too.

The most important message here is we must get them all day because our body use in many chemical reactions and we can´t make them inside our body.

Before begin our vitamins cycle we have to understand that vitamins are divide in two subcategories: fat-soluble and water-soluble.

Fat-soluble vitamins are stored mostly in our fatty tissues and liver and it will released when is needed. Vitamins belong in this group are A, E, D and K.

Water-soluble vitamins can not be stored in our body. This is the mainly reason that we should get them every day. Vitamins that represents this group are: B complex and C.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is known as Retinol and your oxidized state is retinol acid. The function of retinol is listed below:

ü  Avoid infections because it works together with epithelial tissues. These cells make up: skin, eyes, mouth, nose, throat, lungs, digestive and urinary tract. Vitamin A grows and repairs them;

If you don´t take retinol these cells could be stiff, dry and vulnerable to germs. Then, this vitamin is good for immune system;

ü  Vitamin A fights cancer because inhibits DNA production of cancer cells and also slows tumor growth.

You can found vitamin A in meat, liver, oil fish and yolk. However there are others food that don´t have retinol ready. They have pre-formed vitamin A like carotenes.

Carotenes

They are natural pigments in red, orange, and yellow. They called pre-formed vitamin A, because some enzymes that there are in our body could help chemical reactions that change a b-carotene in retinol.

We can found pre-formed vitamin A in spinach, pumpkin, carrot, mango and papaya.

Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency are: night blindness, sensitivity to light (photophobia), decrease of smell and taste, dryness and infection of skin and mucous membranes, stress, thickening of the corneal lesions cancer in the skin and eyes. 

However if you have a balance diet you don´t need worry get more vitamin A and carotenes.

I hope that information helps you. If you have any doubt, please contact me.

Barbara Bruna

References:

Pressman, A. H. Vitamins and minerals. The ABC of nutrition´s building blocks;

http://www.tuasaude.com/vitamina-a-retinol/

      http://vitaminas-sempre.blogspot.com.br/2011/11/o-que-sao-vitaminas.html

LYCOPENE

Do you know what is lycopene?

It is a red carotenoid, in other words, are fat-soluble pigments that gives colors red, yellow and orange in foods.

Lycopene can be found in fruits such as tomatoes, watermelon and guava. Its benefits are listed below:

• Prevents  fat plaques formation  in arteries and then improves the mobility of the blood flow;

• Prevents malignant transformation of cells in the body. By contacting the molecule with the cell there is a reduction of bad cell division. There are some studies that claim lycopene may prevent prostate, esophagus, skin, lung, pancreas, oral cavity, breast, cervix, colon and rectum, cancer;

• Decreases the damage caused by ultraviolet rays;

• Helps protect lipids, proteins and DNA;

• It is antioxidant;

I particularly emphasize the benefits of tomato, which is rich in vitamin A, potassium, fiber and folic acid. Aids digestion, preserves the health of the nervous system and muscles.


Raw tomatoes has on average 30 mg of lycopene per kilogram of fruit. Tomato juice is about 150 mg of lycopene per liter!


I hope this information has helped you! If you want more information contact me.

Enjoy!

LED lamps _ A good solution

Did you already cross street today? Did you already notice that the bulbs were replaced by a set of little luminous dots?

Yes! They are lamps with LED.  Do you know what LED means?

LED is acronym for Light Emitting Diode.

This system is formed by a electronic component semiconductor. Basically, semiconductors are substances that show electrical conductivity between conductor and insulator.

Lamps with LED have a semiconductor with two terminals: one called the anode and other called cathode. This system converts applied voltage to light and is used in lamps and digital displays.

It is recorded that the first LED was developed by an engineer at General Electric, Holoniak Nick Jr. in the 60s. The first LED, however, was only red and showed a low light intensity (1 mcd). Years later were developed in the colors yellow and then green.

This system was created to replace the use of a lamp in locations where its use is not desirable. A great example would be that "little light" of electronic devices such as TV, to indicate that is on or on standby.

Nowadays, LED lamps have been presented as a sustainable alternative for energy use because:

ü Low energy cost (less than 2 W);

ü Lifetime greater than incandescent and fluorescent lamp (approx 50,000 hours);

ü An LED lamp replaces four conventional lamp;

ü They produce less heat and greater efficiency;

ü Low power consumption;

ü Minimizes CO₂ emissions;

ü Lower maintenance costs;

ü Light source without using mercury;

ü Small Sizes (smaller than 2 mm);

ü Light up quickly;

ü Resistant to shocks, unlike incandescent and fluorescent bulbs;

However, these lamps may present some disadvantages such as:

• There are some fluorescent lamps more efficient;

• The initial cost of the system installation (or circuit) may be higher than for a conventional lamp;

• The temperature of the environment in which LED was installed may affects operation. If the temperature is too high and if there is efficient heat dissipation, overheating can be damages LED causing failures.

Therefore, despite the disadvantages, the use of LED lamps is still a sustained and efficient alternative to live better. Think about it!

Let your comment or your question!

Best regards,

Barbara Bruna

References:

http://www.mundoverde.com.br/Sustentabilidade/Artigo/2012/04/16/Lampadas-LED-+-Iluminacao-Consciente/

http://www.maquinasecia.com/lampadas-led/http://www.akarilampadas.com.br/aplicacoes/led-como-funciona.php