Obesity is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in North America. In the UK, about 46% of men in England and 32% of women are overweight and these numbers are on the rise. The World Health Organization has even gone so far as to label obesity as an “epidemic”.

Though pumpkins are commonly associated with autumn and Halloween, this is not the only time to bring them out. Pumpkin seeds are extremely healthful and they are available year round. Their seeds and the oil they contain have long been used in medicine for a variety of different reasons.

Ginseng is a perennial plant that is harvested in many areas throughout the world. The Chinese coined the term ginseng from two words that mean “man plant” because of its phallic shape. It is the most commonly used herb of the Orient and many Native American tribes for a variety of different reasons.

Olive oil is one of the main staples of the Mediterranean diet. This healthy oil contains high amounts of monounsaturated fats and is believed to carry many health benefits for those that consume it.

Though people have been using spices for years, cinnamon is one of the oldest ones known. It was mentioned in the Bible and history suggests that Egyptians used it thousands of years ago. Though it was mainly used for flavour purposes in ancient times, current research proves that it not only tastes great but yields some amazing health benefits.

The nutritional benefits of grapes are well known throughout the world, even throughout history. Egyptians, Greeks, and the French have all been noted to have consumed this fruit for thousands of years, usually in the form of wine.

Walking is an excellent, easy, and low impact exercise that almost anyone can do to improve their health. Not only is a walking motion an extremely natural movement for the body, but walking consistently can get you into great shape, and provide all kinds of health advantages. Here are five benefits to walking on a regular basis.

If going vegetarian sounds doubtful to you, consider these facts. A pig is much smarter than a dog, and even smarter than a three year old child. Furthermore, eating meat products, especially pork , can be detrimental to your health meat contains high levels of bad cholesterol and saturated fat.

Although Easter is on the way, eggs can be used for more than just decorating. They are an excellent food choice for many reasons, three of which are listed below:

Before you reach for those French fries, you may want to consider exactly what is in them. Cholesterol can be extremely detrimental to your health-it is a waxy substance that is produced by the liver and found in some foods.

Strawberries are proof that your food doesn’t have to taste bad in order to be healthy. In fact, these berries have been proven to be more satisfying than most other foods, and lower bad cholesterol levels by up to thirteen percent over a period of eighteen weeks.

Although the focus has been on the benefits of green tea lately, black tea has also been found to be extremely beneficial to your health. This is good news for those that do not exactly love the acquired taste of green tea.

There aren’t too many sure things in life, However, death unfortunately is one of those sure things. Although there is no way to cheat death, there are definitely things you can do to extend your years.

Chocolate, for a long time, has been one of the most popular treats around the world. Surprisingly, you no longer have to feel guilty about eating this sweet treat, as recently it has been shown to provide many unexpected health benefits.

Green Tea isn’t only tasty –it’s also great for you! Green tea has been considered one of the more potent healers for over four thousand years in Chinese medicine. Now, with an insurgence of Eastern medicine into Western philosophy the healing properties of the plant are being discovered by the scientific world, which isn’t really a surprise to those who have been touting its benefits for years.

There is a lot of talk about reducing your cholesterol intake these days. Don’t eat this, or don’t eat that. But why do we want to lower our amount, and how does it help us in the long run?

Wine is as old as life, well, civilized life at least. The result of fermented grapes harvested after a year’s hard work, the product is as rich in culture as it is in health benefits. For thousands of year’s humans have enjoyed glasses filled with deep, earthy, alcoholic juices that have ranged from light colored white wines to almost black reds. And while our ancestors indulged in the pleasure for different reasons, one reason has caught on as the best: A glass or two of wine a day is good for your health.

Apart from it being considered one of the most sensual and craved foods in the world, chocolate also has some sweet health benefits.

Contrary to popular belief, chocolate has little effect on blood cholesterol because it's a plant product and thus cholesterol-free. Though it's high in saturated fat (10 grams per ounce, accounting for 60% of its calories), it doesn't boost blood cholesterol the way other saturated fats do.