The Health Benefits of Kale

When you mention kale, the majority will look up with raised eyebrows and mumble "What"? "What's that"? An old, hardly spoken of and powerful green food. Kale is a leafy green vegetable with a mild earthy flavor. The season for kale is between mid winter and early spring where it can be found in abundance in most produce sections of the local grocery store. However, one can find kale year round. Thankfully, kale is starting to garner well deserved attention due its nutrient rich phytochemical content which provides unparalleled health promoting benefits.

Kale absolutely rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention the much needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of processed food eating Americans. The "Icing on the Kale" are the natural occurring all important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let's not forget the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. Rest assured kale spares nothing in providing one with much needed nutrients and associated health benefits.

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The naturally rich sulfur content of kale deserves a bit more discussion. Science has discovered that sulforaphane, helps boost the body's detoxification enzymes, possibly by altering gene expression. This is turn is purported to help clear carcinogenic substances in a timely manner. Sulforaphane is formed when cruciferous vegetables like kale are chopped or chewed. This somehow triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer causing chemicals, of which we all are exposed on daily basis. A recently new study in the Journal of Nutrition (2004) demonstrates that sulforaphane helps stop breast cancer cell proliferation.

Kale descends from the wild cabbage which originated in Asia and is thought to have been brought to Europe by the Celtics. Kale was an important food item in early European history and a crop staple in ancient Rome. Kale was brought to the USA during the 17th century by English settlers.

A leafy green vegetable starting to gain widespread attention, kale belongs to the Brassica family, a group that also includes cabbage, collard greens and Brussels sprouts. Choose kale with small leaves as they will be tenderer and offer a sweeter taste. Make kale leaves a regular addition to your salads. A sautéed side dish of kale, onions, and garlic drizzled in olive oil is second to none. Enjoy your kale. You'll be glad did.

The Health Benefits of Kale

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Everybody Poops - What Your Poop May Be Trying to Tell You

I have to admit up front, this is going to be the crappiest article I've ever written.

You see, as I was walking my dogs Marty and Rosie the other day, it occurred to me that poop plays a huge role in my life. I'm not afraid to admit it. I pick up after my dogs every day, I scoop my cat's litter box every day (OK, not EVERY day, but it certainly feels that way), and I talk with my clients about their bowel movements. In fact, while I was in India this past summer, poop was actually the number one topic of conversation between my colleagues and me, as we compared notes on who had diarrhea and who was still healthy. I even remained on "poop watch," for several weeks after my return to the States, making sure that everything was OK (and thankfully, it was!)

Health

So, if you are a pet owner, parent, health care professional, or world traveler, you probably know what I mean!

But many people don't get to talk about poop as much as I do. I know this because when I ask people about their poop, I often get blank stares and uncomfortable looks. So, I let's talk about all of the questions that people want answered but are usually afraid to ask. After all, your poop is an important indicator of your overall health!

What is Poop?

Have you ever wondered what poop actually is? About 75% of your average poop is water, although this will vary depending on the person. Water is absorbed out of fecal material as it passes through the large intestine, so the longer you take to "go," the drier your poop will be.

The remaining 25% is comprised of dead bacteria that helped us digest our food, living bacteria, protein, undigested food residue (also known as fiber), waste material from food, cellular linings, fats, cholesterol, salts, protein, and substances released from the liver and the intestines (such as mucus).

What Makes a Healthy Poop?

Your feces are a clear indicator of the health of your gastrointestinal tract. Dr. Mehmet Oz says, "At the end of the day you can analyze your body really effectively by looking at what comes out of your body."

So what should you look for? A healthy poop will be:
Golden brown, which is due to pigments formed by the bacteria in the gut and bile from the liver. You want to make sure the color is normal because that tells you a lot about what's going on in your gastrointestinal tract (more on color below). Formed into one long shape. Dr. Michael Levitt, an Australian colorectal surgeon who has written a book called The Bowel Book, says that the healthy human stool resembles the shape and consistency (although not the same color) of an unripe banana. Dr. Oz says " You don't want [pieces]." Some experts disagree, saying they don't have to be well- formed. Patrick Donovan, N.D., a naturopath in Seattle, WA says "Stools don't have to be well- formed logs. They can disperse in the toilet water; they can break down." Nearly odorless. About 1 to 2 inches in diameter and 18 inches long.
What About Other Colors?

Sometimes we don't see that "golden guru," and are faced with something else instead. Here's some insight into what those other colors might mean.
Black: Feces can be black if dried blood is present in it from internal bleeding in the upper digestive tract. See a doctor if this is the case. Very Dark Brown: Drinking wine the night before may result in dark brown poop. This could also be the result of eating too much salt, or not enough vegetables. Yellow: One condition that can cause yellow poop is an infection known as giardia, a dangerous infection that can spread to others. Another cause of yellow poop may be a condition known as Gilbert's syndrome. See your doctor if you are consistently seeing yellow poop. Green: Babies often have green poop when they are given food for the first time. Children may have green or blue poop from certain illnesses or from ingesting food colorings. Adults may also have green poop if they eat large amounts of green, leafy vegetables or if they eat large amounts of foods with green food coloring. Light green poop may indicate excessive sugar in the diet. Green feces can also occur with diarrhea if bile salts pass through the intestine unchanged. Again, see a doctor if you are concerned! White/pale: Feces can appear white or pale after drinking barium sulfate, which is often given to patients getting an X-ray of the digestive tract. A white or pale stool may also be an indication of problems with the gallbladder or liver. Red: Bright red in the feces may be indicative of active bleeding, possibly the result of hemorrhoids. A magenta color may result form eating intense red food coloring, or red foods such as beets.
How Often Should I Poop?

Ah - the big question! Experts disagree on how often a person should poop. The National Institute for Diabetes, Kidney, and Digestive Diseases says three times a week is normal and healthy for some people. According to Ayurveda, an ancient Indian healing system, once a day is ideal. Other experts advocate once or twice a day, while still others say a person should have a bowel movement within two to three hours of a major meal- -or two to three times a day. So you can see that it really depends on who you talk to. My personal opinion is that you above all want to be regular in your pooping schedule, and that one poop a day is ideal.

When someone poops four times a day or more and the poop has a liquid consistency, this is referred to as diarrhea. When someone poops less than two or three days a week and the poop is hard, dry, and difficult to pass, this is known as constipation.

What's the Deal with Corn?

It's funny, so it's ok to laugh. But most people I know have experienced it and they ask why it is that when you eat corn, the next time you poop there it is again! There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that most of us do not thoroughly chew our food. Another interesting tidbit I've learned that there is an outer coating on corn that is made up of indigestible cellulose. This outer coating slips off the inner kernel and, since it's indigestible, passes through the gut intact. It then emerges looking like a whole kernel, even though it's just the outer skin. The inside of the kernel is starchy and digestible, and that is the part that we succeed in chewing and digesting.

Well, hopefully you know now a lot more about this important topic. And that's the scoop on poop!

Everybody Poops - What Your Poop May Be Trying to Tell You

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Grapes, Nuts, and Your Dogs Health - Foods that Fido should Avoid

"Magoo was a big, playful Labrador retriever who often got himself into sticky situations..."

So begins a story in the latest report from the ASPCA on foods that may be toxic to dogs. It turns out that Magoo got into the pantry and snagged himself about a pound of raisins. He ate the whole thing, of course.

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The ASPCA never mentions Magoo's fate. But they do tell us that as little as a handful of raisins can impair a dogs health and has been fatal for some. Ditto for the grape.

Who Knew?

Growing up, I regarded our family dogs as "the first cycle of the dishwasher". They were good about waiting their turn for whatever we left on our plates, and we weren't too concerned about offering them "people food". It never crossed our minds that our dogs health could be affected by a few measly table scraps. What was safe for us, we figured, was safe for our pets.

What's more, whenever I ate grapes, I liked to give one or two to our German Shepherd "Tiffany". The grapes always popped out of her mouth when she tried to bite into them and Tiffany, ever the good sport, refused to give up until she'd squashed each one into submission. It guaranteed at least 60 seconds of harmless fun.

Tiffany was also fond of chewing gum (she chewed it -- wrapper and all -- but didn't swallow it!) We had the sugarless kind, which is often sweetened these days with xylitol.

Little did I know that I might have been poisoning our family pet! (More on xylitol below).

Why are grapes harmful?

As far as grapes and raisins go, no one is sure why they're harmful. It's been confirmed that even grapes grown without fertilizers or pesticides can be toxic to dogs. But not to every dog, and not every time. It's also not known whether small amounts eaten over a long time period could have a cumulative effect.

What we do know is that the end result in nearly all reported cases of grape or raisin toxicity is acute kidney failure. (The term "acute" means that the condition is severe and comes on quickly.) The dog ultimately can't produce urine, which means they can't filter toxins out of their systems -- a process essential to life.

During the twelve-month period in which the effects of grapes were studied, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center handled 140 cases involving one or more dogs. Over a third of the dogs developed symptoms ranging from vomiting to kidney failure, and seven dogs died. The ASPCA based their study on reported cases, so naturally there may be cases where a dogs health is entirely unaffected by eating grapes. But until they know all the facts, the Society advises against feeding pets grapes or raisins in any amount.

An ounce of prevention

So, your dog just scored himself a big box of raisins. What's a pet owner to do?

The first line of defense, if the grapes or raisins were eaten recently, is to induce vomiting and administer activated charcoal (it absorbs toxins in the GI tract). Vomiting is also the first sign that your dog is in trouble, so skip right to the activated charcoal if vomiting has already occurred. (In a pinch you can make your own activated charcoal by charring a piece of toast until it's blackened and crumbles easily.) Then call your vet right away.

Can't reach the vet? Call ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435

The vet will keep your dog on intravenous fluids for at least 48 hours and monitor blood chemistry daily. Normal blood work after 3 days usually means your dog is in the clear.

Keeping a watchful eye out, of course, is the best way to keep your pet out of trouble. Like children, dogs (and other pets) have a knack for getting into mischief when we're not looking.

It's Not Just the Grapes...

There are other foods your dog should be kept away from, and some of them may surprise you.

Here are some other foods that can put a dogs health in harms way:

Chocolate

Who can resist chocolate? Like it your not, your dog.

Chocolate is made with cocoa beans and cocoa beans contain a chemical called Theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Different types of chocolate have varying effects on dogs health. Dark chocolate has the largest theobromine, coming in at a whopping 450mg (compared to 1mg for white chocolate). So on Valentine's Day, you're actually being kind to your best buddy if you eat all the chocolates yourself!

Cocoa Mulch

Cocoa bean shells are a by-product of chocolate production (which is how mulch made it into the "foods" category) and are popular as mulch for landscaping. Homeowners like the attractive color and scent, and the fact that the mulch breaks down into an organic fertilizer. However, some dogs like to eat it and it contains Theobromine.

Fatty foods

Fatty foods are hard for a dog to digest and can can overtax the pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. This can threaten your dogs health and is potentially fatal.

Nuts

Macadamia nuts should be avoided. In fact most nuts are not good for a dogs health since their high phosporus content is said to lead to bladder stones.

Mulch

Mulch isn't food, but there's one type tempting enough for dogs to eat. Some dogs are attracted to cocoa mulch, and will eat it in varying quantities. The coca bean shells can contain from 0.2% to 3% theobromine (the toxin ) as compaired to 1-4% in unprocessed beans.

Onions

Onions, especially raw onions, have been shown to trigger hemolytic anemia in dogs. (Stephen J Ettinger, D.V.M and Edward C. Fieldman, D.V.M. 's book: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine vol. 2 pg 1884.) Stay away from onion powder too.

Potatoes

Potato poisonings among people and dogs are rare but have occurred. The toxin, solanine, is poorly absorbed and is only found in green sprouts (these occur in tubers exposed to sunlight) and green potato skins. This explains why incidents seldom occur. Note that cooked, mashed potatoes are fine for a dogs health, actually quite nutritious and digestible.

Artificial Sweeteners

Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, especially sugarless gum and candies. Ingesting large amounts of products sweetened with xylitol may cause a sudden drop in blood sugar in dogs, resulting depression, loss of coordination, and seizures. According to Dr. Eric K. Dunayer, a consulting veterinarian in clinical toxicology for the poison control center, "These signs can develop quite rapidly, at times less than 30 minutes after ingestion of the product" states Dr. Dunayer, "...therefore, it is important that pet owners seek veterinary treatment immediately."

Turkey

Turkey skin is currently thought to cause acute pancreatis in dogs, partly due to it's high fat content.

Other foods listed by the ASPCA as harmful:

Alcoholic beverages

Avocado (the only "fatty" member of the vegetable family)

Coffee (all forms of coffee)

Moldy or spoiled foods

Salt

Yeast dough

Garlic

The Bottom Line

Thanks to a more educated public, fewer fatalities from foods like chocolate are being reported these days. But it's important to keep up with what's currently known about foods and their effects on dogs health. Grapes and cocoa mulch, for example, were only discovered very recently to have harmful effects.
Check frequently with sources like the ASPCA, or sign up for the "Cold Noses News" and we'll keep you informed. (You'll also get a bunch of cool dog stuff along with your free registration).

Of course, being alert and getting your pet to the vet promptly will help assure a happy outcome if something unfortunate should happen.
Here's to your dogs health and good nutrition!

Grapes, Nuts, and Your Dogs Health - Foods that Fido should Avoid

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How to Lose Weight and Burn Fat Drinking Green Smoothies!

The weight loss industry would like to sell you special herbs and vitamins that they claim can burn fat and help you to lose weight without dieting or exercise. They prefer that you continue to buy their expensive weight loss meal replacements than for you to make your own Green Smoothies.

When it comes to an easy and rapid way to lose weight and burn fat without hunger, drinking Green Smoothies is one of the best ways to achieve your weight loss goals. Green Smoothies are so easy to make! Green Smoothies also taste great and not only will they help you lose weight and burn fat but drinking Green Smoothies can help protect you from many diseases.

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It seems that every other month there is a new weight loss diet plan, program or book on the market that promises you can easily lose all of the weight you want if you will just buy and use their special fat burning herbs, vitamin supplements, meal replacement powders or diet book.

More often than not, most of those who do try the latest, greatest fad diet programs instead of drinking Green Smoothies will initially lose a few pounds and maybe even knock off a few inches of fat from their waistline due to the reduced caloric intake most of these programs require you to follow.

That's because in the short term all diets and weight loss reduction plans that require you to reduce the volume of food you are accustomed to eating will work to a certain degree and cause your body to drop a kilo or two. But then your body instinctively goes into protection mode because it perceives itself as starving and it slows your metabolism down to prevent further weight loss. Then when you finally grow tired of always being hungry because you have not been eating enough to feel full and stay hunger free you soon discover that the slightest increase in calories results in rapid weight gain.

Drinking Green Smoothies is a very delicious and highly nutritious and easy way to burn fat, lose weight and fool your body into speeding up your metabolism while decreasing your daily intake of calories all without ever having to feel hungry.

A Green Smoothie Diet is a great tasting way to lose weight and burn fat!

Talk about an easy weight loss program. This simple, fast and easy solution to weight loss will not only help burn fat and melt the pounds away reducing your BMI (Body Mass Index) but at the same time it will fill you up and deliver a flood of nutrients and antioxidants to your cells without having to purchase any expensive artificial supplements.

All you have to do is start your day off by making and drinking "Green Smoothies" that can fill you up while tricking your body into thinking its consuming more because of all the high quality natural nutrition and antioxidants its been craving for but can't get from a standard American (SAD) diet.

Don't confuse making Green Smoothies with juicing, You'll make these delicious energy boosters in your kitchen blender and once you try them and discover how super great you'll feel after drinking them you will want to make them a part of your weight loss routine.

If you want to lose weight try drinking Green Smoothies. You'll never again have to feel hungry and deprive your body of the real food and nutrition it needs. Try the "Green Smoothie Diet" for easy weight loss. Its free and tastes great too!

Imagine, now you can lose weight and burn fat without buying any weight loss pills or supplements because you can lose weight by making your own Green Smoothies whenever you want. But instead of drinking Green Smoothies to just burn fat and lose weight, why not drink them because doing so will make you feel great and live longer!

How to Lose Weight and Burn Fat Drinking Green Smoothies!

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Goji Berries Contain Glyconutrients What are the Health Benefits?

Glyconutriest are a essential for our bodies. Glyconutrients means sweet or sugar. Therefore this means sweet or sugar nutrient and this is a important role in our body. Scientific research has shown that eight simple dietary sugars mostly which are no longer found in abundance in the standard modem diet, are now the form of very words of life at the cellular level. These types of sugars are combined with proteins and fats to create glycoforms that coat the surface of the every cell in our bodies. Glycoforms function as cellular recognition molecules that communicate messages to the body that is needed to function in health. Scientific research has found glyconutritionals can have a vital part in our health.

Foods that contain Glyconutrients.

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A. Goji Berries

B. Carrots

C. Radishes

D. Tomatoes

E. Wheat

F. Pears

Goji Berries another name known as Lycium Barbarum. Doctor Earl Mindell met an
asian healer he was amazed by what he say that he dedicated the next 7 years to
unlock the secrets of this ancient himalayan remedy then found the four essential
bio active lycium polysaccharides. After his research Doctor Mindell excitedly said
"I believe that Goji juice will have more powerful benefits on health, well being
and anti aging than any other food, drug or supplement that I have seen in the last
40 years."

Goji polysaccharides were proved to be exceptional source of the essential sugars
like rhamnose, xylose, glucose, mannose, arabinose and galactose. These sugars
are highly regarded to be necessary in our immune system and in our proper
intercellular communication where in the cells in our body can work together
properly in fighting and resisting disease. Because of this Scientists were concluding
that Goji may be the richest source of GLYCONUTRIENTS yet found in the planet.

Goji Berries Contain Glyconutrients What are the Health Benefits?

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The Relationship Between Physical and Mental Health

It has been well accepted that health is not one-dimensional. The definition of health actually consists of physical health, mental health and social adaptability. Being physically fit doesn't mean you are totally healthy. It is also important to have mental health as well as social wellness. To adapt the society well means people have the abilities to form and maintain a complex network of friends and associates. But how do these components of health relate to each other? Especially, what is the relationship between physical and mental health and what meanings do healthy body and healthy mind really have?

People consider it commonly that components of health are interdependent, namely, aspects of health influence each other. When people using this type of health model are assessing health, they would focus on the balance among components of health. They believe an over-emphasis in one realm can be offset by activities in another realm. For instance, in order to keep the wellness system balanced, they may advise some people to take more physical exercises when they are working in offices for long hours consuming much mental energy. This is apparently a simple remedy, but it has profound meaning on wellness. A much more balanced health can be achieved even by making a small effort in a neglected realm. People would likely return to work energetic by spending some time out on physical exercises to rest their mind, for example, a small walk from time to time could make you feel refreshed and invigorated. Therefore, to keep your aspects of health balanced is worth to advocate while over-attention to one aspect of health is not.

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It is widely believed that physical health and mental health are related to each other. A lot of athletes sustain physical performance by taking much mental effort. You will see the relation between physical and mental aspects of sporting performance is so close just thinking of a momentary lapse in concentration in a game of tennis. It is generally acknowledged that mind has influences on physical activities. However, it is not as widely understood that physical exercises has impacts on mental health. Yet there are researches supporting the view that physical exercises do have a positive effect on the mental health. Physical exercises can contribute to positive mood and elevated concentration. Those outcomes mainly attribute to chemical changes within the body caused by physical activities.

Through physical activities do have positive influences on mental health, but that doesn't mean physical activities are necessary relevant for mental ill-health. For instance, if someone has a mental illness, exercises would be unlikely to act as a remedy. However, it is widely believed by health practitioners that physical activities are a useful adjunct to therapy for mild mental illness.

The Relationship Between Physical and Mental Health

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Affordable Health Insurance In New York - Low Cost Plans Online

Recent changes in our health care system will help many Americans to finally get affordable health insurance. Major insurance companies have developed new lower cost health plans available to everyone. Plans for personal, individual, group, family, college student, and small business health care insurance are available in New York.

Because of a new program made possible by the Federal Government, many new health insurance plans are being formed. High deductible health plans (HDHPs) joined with (HSAs) health savings accounts allow you to get complete medical coverage at a cost lower than you might think. Money put into the health savings account is tax deductible and is used to pay for insurance deductibles when you need care.

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This type of plan provides you with complete comprehensive health benefits for medical costs and a tax exempt savings account. Many such plans pay 100% of medical costs after you've reached your deductible amount. You can adjust the amount of your monthly premium by raising or lowering your deductible.

Preventive care up to 0 is also provided in many HSA health insurance policies. As with most health insurance policies, you get the most benefit at the lowest cost by using in-network care providers. Network providers give discounts of 35% to 45% to it's members for health care and hospital stays.

Health Insurance in New York Quotes

One of the best ways to find affordable New York health insurance is to go to an insurance quote website and request quotes. Immediately after you complete their short form, you'll get several low cost HSA, HMO, PPO, and POS quotes while still online. After you have your quotes, you can compare the different policies and see if one will work for you. It's that easy.

Affordable Health Insurance In New York - Low Cost Plans Online

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What Are the Health Benefits Of the Acai Berry?

The popularity of the Acai Berry keeps on growing, especially since it is already referred to as the Magical Fruit. It is already sold in a number of stores locally, especially in groceries and supermarkets. The ever powerful Acai Berry is already included in a number of products in the market, from cosmetic goods to fruit juices.

This berry was first discovered in Central and Southern America. The outcome of various tests and extensive research has revealed many of the excellent health benefits of the a
Acai berry.

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The Acai Berry is not only loaded with antioxidants but it also possess a wide range of essential vitamins, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, as well as the important B vitamins like thiamine and riboflavin. This berry also contains many minerals like phosphorus, potassium, iron, and calcium.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants are essential to people since it has been established that they build up the body's immune system and protect it from diseases and premature aging. Cell damage is also reversed through antioxidants.

Free radicals from pollution, poor diet, and stress can contribute to oxidative stress, damaging the cells and weakening the immune system.

The Acai Berry however, is able to neutralize the presence of free radicals in the body, thereby preventing the onset of threatening diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Free radicals also contribute to premature aging.

Therefore, if you want to preserve a youthful glow, you need to consume foods which are rich in antioxidants. Your skin can and will benefit from products which are filled with antioxidants from Acai Berry like facial creams and body washes, but you can also consume the natural fruit juice for optimal benefits. Today, there are also diet pills containing the well-renowned This Berry.

Is the this berry really effective in weight loss?
There have been quite a number of studies done in order to ascertain its weight loss properties.

Just like any other fruit, the item is loaded with fiber and contains no calories, saturated fats, sugars, and trans fats. Nonetheless, the ability of the berry to actually promote fat loss is yet to be determined. Notwithstanding, the Acai Berry is an appetite suppressant and an antioxidant, its wide-range of health benefits makes it one of the most valuable fruits in the market today.

So, if you want to improve your Health and Prevent Premature Aging, you should try a product like Acai Berry Pill, it's 100% natural and has all the Health and Beauty benefits along with its appetite suppressant characteristics.

What Are the Health Benefits Of the Acai Berry?

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