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You may have heard of fiber and might even have heard that’s its good for you but I’m willing to bet that you weren’t told why it’s so good for you.

Fiber is a way for you to give your diet and body a healthy boost and you might not be aware of that fact.

Here are some fiber facts to help you fuel your health:

1.) Fiber helps fight disease - A high fiber diet helps your body flush out waste, toxins and excess cholesterol which helps reduce the risk of heart disease, colon cancer and other ailments.

2.) Fiber helps prevent overeating – High fiber foods usually require you to take more time chewing them before you swallow. This time is very important because it takes the brain about 20 minutes to catch on that you are full. Foods that are high in fiber are usually more filling too because of the bulk they add to your diet. This bulk fills your stomach and helps you feel satisfied for a longer period of time.

3.) Many of the good tasting fast foods and other popular food items are low in fiber, high in calories and full of preservatives or artificial flavoring.

4.) Dietary fiber is best – Whole grains and other concentrated grain products are naturally high in this vital part of your diet.

5.) Everyone older than 2 needs fiber in their diet – Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and even fortified cereals should be part of your diet regardless of your age.

6.) A high fiber diet increases your need for water – Since fiber is meant to move through your system, you will need plenty of water so it doesn’t get bogged down and clog up the intestines its helping flush.

7.) Fiber is lost through cleaning, cooking or peeling – Many foods have nutrients lost when they are cleaned, peeled or cooked but fiber is throughout the food so it will remain regardless of the preparation process.

8.) Too much fiber is bad – If your diet contains too much fiber on any given day, you may experience bloating or diarrhea and it may hinder the absorption of minerals your body needs.

9.) Getting enough fiber doesn’t have to be an unpleasant chore – You can switch out some of the high calorie low fiber foods for more whole grain cereals, breads, fresh fruits, vegetables and a variety of tasty dishes made with fiber rich foods. Fresh fruits are especially good because they add fluids you need as well as fiber, minerals and vitamins.

Starting or maintaining a fiber rich diet is a great way to help control your weight, prevent cancer, reduce your cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and increase the chance that you’ll feel better while enjoying better health.

2007-2008 Copyright by the Natural Remedies Products Staff a.k.a. NRP - Fiber Facts You Should Know

You should not ignore the potential organic apple cider vinegar health benefits. This natural vinegar can and will provide your body the nutrients it needs.

Organic vinegar has been used for thousands of years and some real and verifiable benefits have been realized from its use.

There are people that wish to debunk the value of all natural remedies because people in history have not lived as long as humans do since the advent of modern medicine.

My take on this criticism is that people are living longer now because the industrial revolution brought about better education and transportation which meant more medical practitioners and the ability to get to them faster. This advancement also meant more work can be done with less physical labor which has helped our longevity in one way and increased the rate of obesity in another.

As we moved from the farm to the city, two things have happened.

1. We needed a food supply that could be transported longer distances AND stored for longer periods before being consumed. This meant preservatives, packaging, refrigeration and often the loss of some nutritional value of our food supply.
2. We started living longer which meant our population grew, cities expanded and the amount of farmland in production was reduced.

These two changes forced farmers to grow more in less space and this can only be done by over using the land and using fertilizers that don’t supply ALL of the nutrients we need to have in our bodies for optimal health.

As the quality of the nutrition in our food supply diminishes the need for supplemental nutrition from natural sources like organic apple cider vinegar increases. Some of the uses people have found for this natural remedy are:

• Acne
• Asthma
• Arthritis pain
• Blood clotting
• Blood Pressure
• Glucose Levels
• Potassium
• Weight Loss
• Colds
• Cramps
• Ear Discharge
• Colitis
• Gallstones
• Ulcers and more!

A friend of mine used organic apple cider vinegar and water to clear up the cataracts in his Chihuahua so you should not discount the organic apple cider health benefits.

There are many places online where you can find vinegar recipes that’ll help you regain control of your health with vinegar or other natural supplements. Rather than waste valuable time searching for hundreds of different ways to use organic apple cider vinegar for my health, I chose to pay $6.95 for a book that also includes vinegar cleaning recipes. Visit Apple Cider Vinegar Uses to find out more.

2007-2008 Copyright by the Natural Remedies Products Staff a.k.a. NRP - Organic Apple Cider Health Benefits

Some doctors approve a home cholesterol test in between office visits to help reduce medical costs for under insured or non insured patients.

You should always consult with your medical practitioner before self testing but getting some idea of your cholesterol is better than being completely uninformed.

Knowing your cholesterol level has never been more important for most people than it is right now. Our increasingly sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary choices have created an abundance of overweight and obese people.

For years, doctors recommended that every adult 20 or older have their cholesterol checked at least once every five years. Anyone on a cholesterol lowering diet or drugs are often tested several times a year. People whose family tree includes a history of high cholesterol need to know whether they inherited the traits of their ancestors.

A lipid profile is often the first experience you’ll have in testing your LDL (bad home cholesterol), HDL (good home cholesterol) and triglycerides.

It is in your best interest to know if you are at risk for heart disease, stroke or hardening of the arteries an a home cholesterol test will help you gain the knowledge you need.

Prevention is always the best medicine and this type of test helps you understand more about your overall health.

Interpreting Your Home Cholesterol Test Results

Many professionals differ on the exact numbers which are considered normal but a level below 200 mg/dl is considered an acceptable level that suggests the risk of heart disease is quite low.

A level between 200 and 240 mg/dl indicates you have a moderate risk of heart disease and your doctor may order a lipid profile to determine if your cholesterol level is due to the LDL (bad cholesterol) or the HDL (good cholesterol).

A level over 240 mg/dl puts you at high risk of acquiring heart disease.

You are taking control of your health a future by using a home cholesterol test kit and working with your medical professional to determine the best course of treatment for you IF one is necessary.

Do your testing when you are reasonably sure you are healthy. An acute illness, a recent heart attack, stress from surgery or serious stress due to an accident may alter the results. A pregnancy may also increase a woman’s cholesterol level.

High cholesterol at any age is dangerous and everyone needs to be aware of the problems that can arise from elevated levels and the best offense against the potential poor health is to use a home cholesterol test to reduce or eliminate the problem.

2007-2008 Copyright by the Natural Remedies Products Staff a.k.a. NRP - Why Take A Home Cholesterol Test?

Many people start seeking natural pain relief as soon as they feel the first sign of discomfort without even trying to determine the root cause.

Pain is a warning sign from your body that something isn’t quite right.

When you have a sore ankle, wrist, elbow or arm; you probably know exactly what caused the problem and usually know that the soreness will go away if you give the area the rest it needs for your body to heal itself.

Many migraine headaches are caused by low magnesium levels. The headache is your body’s way of telling you that you need more of this vital mineral in your system. Once you sufficiently increase your magnesium level, the migraines often lessen or are dramatically reduced.

Kidney stones hurt like crazy until they are passed and this is a constant reminder that your mineral and fluid levels haven’t been what they should be for quite some time. These stones are usually either excessive calcium that has built up enough to become stones or potassium based stones. Passing these stones naturally can be quite painful and using sound to break them up can damage the kidney. There may be other medical options but not necessarily natural pain relief options for this.

Smart people will drink more water and modify their diet so it doesn’t include too much of either mineral so future occurrences can be avoided.

There may be many causes of arthritis and the pain that often accompanies it but modern medicine often has trouble dealing with both the cause and the pain. Medical doctors rarely know enough about the full impact of nutrition on your overall health because it’s only a small part of their medical training.

The cause of the pain you or a loved one may be experiencing may be a sign of a minor short term problem or something that may be life threatening. Your medical professional may be needed to determine which. If there is an immediate danger, it must be handled first then you can work on prevention or a more permanent solution to your problem.

If your first health care professional says there is nothing wrong but you are still feeling discomfort or pain, seek out a second, third or even fourth opinion in search of the root cause rather than accepting the drugs offered during pain management treatments.

Many herbal remedies and other alternative treatments are available for both short term and permanent natural pain relief but the search for the right solution for you will often begin with an examination of your dietary and exercise habits.

2007-2008 Copyright by the Natural Remedies Products Staff a.k.a. NRP - Natural Pain Relief