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Is Bottled Water Bad for Your Health?

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Dec 142011

The next time someone offers you a bottle of water, take a stand and say something clever like, “No thank you, I don’t believe in it.” This simple move will open up a conversation about the massive swindle that is bottled water … and possibly persuade one more person to give it up entirely.

Even beyond the issues of your health and the environment, bottled of water represents a novel form of privatization, in which private corporations have succeeded, and quite successfully I might add, at making water a commodity.

I would say, and I suspect you would agree, that water is more a “right” than it is a commodity. And private corporations should have no more control over the selling of water than they do the selling of our air supplies. Well, this is already occurring to some extent as corporations make a profit selling water — which at times even makes water less available to the people living in the area.

Vaccines

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Dec 142011

Vaccines protect against serious and potentially fatal infections. There are currently 12 vaccines recommended for children between birth and 18 years of age. However, vaccines aren?t just for children. There are a wide variety of vaccines that can help you stay healthy in your 20s, 30, 40s, and beyond. Vaccines can help your immune system to stay primed to fight off germs as you age, and can even prevent some types of cancer.

The Super Potent Cancer-Fighting Spice

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Dec 142011

Curcumin – a derivative of turmeric, and the pigment that gives the curry spice turmeric its yellow-orange color — is a natural compound that has been extensively researched, and has been found to have numerous health applications. As a result, turmeric is becoming increasingly popular as a supplement. Each 100 grams of turmeric contains an estimated three to five grams of curcumin.

The ancient Chinese and Indian systems of medicine have recognized curcumin’s beneficial properties for thousands of years. Most notably, curcumin is known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties, and as you may know, chronic inflammation is an underlying factor in many, if not most, chronic diseases. The compound has been shown to influence more than 700 genes, which may in part explain its numerous health benefits.

To learn more about these, please review my special report on this healing spice.

Here, I will review one of curcumin’s most exciting properties, as researchers are increasingly recognizing its potential as an anti-cancer agent. At the end of this article, you’ll also find a list of my other common-sense cancer-prevention strategies.

3 Foods That Can Trigger a Stroke

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Dec 152011

According to the national Stroke Association, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and is a rapidly growing health threat for middle-aged women in particular. The most common type of stroke is called “ischemic stroke,” which results from an obstruction in a blood vessel supplying blood to your brain.

A number of factors are likely behind the surprising rise in strokes in women, including:

Increasing rates of obesity (women’s waists have grown by nearly two inches in the last 10 years)
Vitamin D deficiency due to lack of sun exposure. Sun avoidance also increases your risk of vitamin D sulfate deficiency, which may be an underlying cause of arterial plaque buildup (a risk factor for stroke)
Rising prevalence of high blood sugar levels

Strokes Typically Occur Without ANY Warning

This is why prevention is so important. You simply will not have any warning signs indicating that you’re heading for a stroke in the future. And once you suffer a stroke, the damage, should you survive it, can be absolutely devastating.

I like to refer to most strokes as a brain attack, which is similar to a heart attack; the only difference is that the blood clot blocks blood flow to your brain instead of your heart. As a result, brain cells begin to die. Naturally, the longer your brain goes without oxygen, the greater your risk of lasting brain damage. This is one area where conventional emergency medicine excels, as there are emergency medications that can actually dissolve a blood clot that is blocking blood flow to your brain, and if done quickly enough can virtually reverse any permanent neurological damage.

In order to be effective, you typically need to get treated within one hour. This is clearly one of the miracles of modern science, however it all goes to waste if one does not address the underlying conditions after the stroke. However, if you notice any of these signs of stroke, you should get help right away:

Hold the Cheese, or Not: Is Cheese All That Bad For You?

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Dec 152011

There is an old-school bar in the theater district of Manhattan called Sardi’s, a place not utterly unique in the midtown watering hole landscape, but well patronized nonetheless. A few weeks ago Sardi’s was in the news (albeit the back page) because their longstanding practice of setting out communal pots of cheese on the bar, for anyone with a hunger that beer or a cocktail cannot quench, was frowned upon by health inspectors. Seems that the welcoming pot of cheese with the communal knife sticking out of it was a source of potential contamination and was therefore deemed highly undesirable. In essence, communal cheese is bad.

This was certainly not the first time cheese (whether communal or intimately served) was maligned by the press or even the health department. While cheese is, and will remain, a thoroughly enjoyed staple for many Americans, it has also been deemed somewhat unhealthy due to its high cholesterol and artery-clogging talents and has long been considered a food to avoid for heart health due to its high content of saturated fatty acids. But now comes word that cheese, for all of the slanderous criticism, is about to be redeemed. According to Danish researchers (wait a minute? Aren’t the Danish some of the more prolific cheese producers in Europe?) discovered some interesting, and predictably encouraging, news about the impact of cheese on cholesterol levels. They compared the effect of cheese and butter on heart health parameters and found that cheese did not increase LDL levels (which is widely regarded as the “bad cholesterol”), and in fact, lowered them when compared with butter intake of equal fat content. According to a report in the Atlantic, Julie Hjerpsted of the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Copenhagen said that cheese lowers LDL cholesterol when compared to an equal intake of butter, and cheese does not increase LDL cholesterol compared with one’s normal diet.

Depression: Could it Be Linked to Gluten?

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Dec 152011

A health clinic in California is using a unique approach to helping people stop taking antidepressants. Their gluten intolerance treatment might have some potential for helping depressed people. Gluten sensitivity could cause depression-like signs such as low energy, irritability and r insomnia. Dr. Vikki Petersen, also a clinical nutritionist, wrote a book called The Gluten Effect to explain the potential connection between the consumption of gluten, which is the protein in wheat products, and depression.

On the clinic’s website there is a quote from Dr. Mark Hyman, MD about the book, “The Gluten Effect is a remarkable window into the innumerable ways in which gluten – that sticky little molecule found in bread and hidden in so many other places – can cause everything from autism to dementia, from depression to psoriasis and so much more. If you have nagging symptoms that just don’t go away, and you have no idea where they come from, you may be suffering from the gluten effect.” Some research seems to indicate there could be a connection between gluten and mental health, such as a research study conducted in Finland that found youth in a gluten free diet showed fewer psychiatric symptoms after three months.

Of course, not all cases of depression will show an improvement on a gluten-free diet, because most people who are depressed are not experiencing sensitivity to gluten, or allergic reactions. Some percentage of depressed people might benefit from trying a gluten-free diet, however. The Gluten Free Society has published information indicating gluten could be linked to a number of health problems.

Feeling Stressed? Why You May Feel It in Your Gut

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Dec 152011

From butterflies in your stomach before giving a big speech at work to an ulcer that acts up whenever things get tough, our gastrointestinal health seems to be intimately connected to our emotions. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux is no exception, and heartburn symptoms can escalate right along with your workload.

However, the relationship between stress and heartburn is a tricky one; just as one man’s stress is another’s adrenalin rush, stress may sock in the gut some—but not all—people who have GERD.

And although stress may exacerbate GERD symptoms, it’s unlikely to be the underlying cause of your chronic heartburn. In the past, stress was thought to be the culprit in a variety of gastrointestinal problems, including ulcers and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease. Now it’s known that bacterial infections (in the case of ulcers) and underlying inflammation (in bowel diseases) are to blame, not stress.

Stomach acid may rise, but not everyone feels the burn
Even if excess weight, smoking, alcohol, or other GERD-triggering factors are the underlying cause of your heartburn, stress can make you feel the symptoms of acid reflux more acutely.

The Risks of Anti-Aging Medicine

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Dec 152011

Hanneke Hops wasn’t afraid of dying. What concerned her was growing old and not being able to run marathons, ride horses, or fly planes. So the 56-year-old Hayward, California, woman turned to Alan Mintz, MD—a radiologist who founded the Cenegenics Medical Institute in Las Vegas, which specializes in “age management medicine.” She was prescribed recombinant human growth hormone (HGH), a synthetic version of a pituitary hormone hawked as a miraculous fountain of youth. Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that taking HGH poses serious health risks, Hops—unaware there was any harm—began injecting it into her thigh six times a week.

She never did grow old. Six months later, in 2004, she was dead, her liver full of malignant tumors. While it is impossible to prove that HGH therapy contributed to Hops’s death, the use of HGH has been linked to an increased risk of cancer. (Dr. Mintz said at the time of Hops’s death that Hops would not have been treated if he knew she had cancer.)

Today, thousands of physicians are catering to the 78 million baby boomers who are hoping to feel younger, longer—and willing to pay for the privilege. The anti-aging industry is expected to gross more than $291 billion worldwide by 2015.

The problem is, many of these so-called anti-aging doctors are making empty promises. “They’re one step above snake oil salesmen,” says Steven R. Goldstein, MD, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University School of Medicine. They prey on women who have legitimate medical concerns such as poor sleep, flagging energy, and libido loss, he says, yet they often lack the training required to treat those problems. Even worse, they peddle therapies—most notably, the unapproved use of hormones like HGH and customized drug cocktails—which are unproven and can even be deadly.

What Is Ulcerative Colitis?

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Dec 152011

What is ulcerative colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation and sores (ulcers) in the lining of the large intestine . It usually affects the lower section (sigmoid colon) and the rectum. But it can affect the entire colon. In general, the more of the colon that’s affected, the worse the symptoms will be.

Ulcerative colitis can affect people of any age. But most people who have it are diagnosed before the age of 30.

What causes ulcerative colitis?

Experts are not sure what causes ulcerative colitis. They think it might be caused by the immune system overreacting to normal bacteria in the digestive tract. Or other kinds of bacteria and viruses may cause the disease.

You are more likely to get ulcerative colitis if other people in your family have it.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms are:

Belly pain or cramps.
Diarrhea.
Bleeding from the rectum.

Some people also may have a fever, may not feel hungry, and may lose weight. In severe cases, people may have diarrhea 10 to 20 times a day.

Ulcerative colitis can also cause other problems, such as joint pain, eye problems, or liver disease.

9 Proven Risk Factors for Cancer

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Dec 152011

Almost everyone is worried about cancer these days. While you can’t eliminate all risk factors for the disease, most are changeable. Here are nine proven risk factors for cancer, according to Cancer: Prevention and Politics:

Age. Most cancers strike over the age of 45. That doesn’t mean you’re immune if you’re younger than that, but it does mean as you age you should make sure to improve the factors you can change.

Bad habits–smoking (increases lung cancer), excessive alcohol consumption has been linked with cancer, using illicit drugs also plays a role in some types of cancer.

Geographical location. Industrialized countries have much higher rates of certain cancers than undeveloped countries. However, it is believed that environmental factors such as lifestyle, culture, diet, water, and air quality may play roles in cancers linked by geographical region.

Diet. High fat intake is linked to breast, colon, ovarian, kidney, lung, and endometrial cancers; low fiber intake is linked to higher rates of colon cancer; increased phytoestrogen intake may be linked with lower rates of breast cancer

What’s Your Melanoma Risk?

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Dec 152011

You may be aware of the usual suspects that’ll put you at a higher risk for melanoma: history of blistering sunburns; red or blonde hair; tanning beds; outdoor summer jobs as a teen; and a family history of melanoma, to name a few of the big ones. But new research shows there are other risk factors unrelated to sun exposure that should put everyone on alert, says Darrell S. Rigel, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center.

Women with a prior history of breast cancer have a twofold to threefold risk of developing melanoma.

Women with a prior history of thyroid cancer have a twofold risk of developing melanoma.

Women and men with a history of noncancerous moles and a family history of melanoma have a 50 percent greater risk of developing melanoma.

If you have one of these risk factors, be sure to see your dermatologist for a full-body scan at least once a year. It’s also smart to do self-exams each month to monitor changes in skin spots and moles.

Most importantly, don’t forget the toxin-free sunscreen! Even in non-summer months, it’s always important to use sun protection.

#1 Flu and Cold Medication Mistake

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Dec 152011

Cold and flu season has hit early this year, so it’s time for one of the most important warnings of the year. Beware of accidentally overdosing on acetominophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) by taking both the painkiller and an over-the-counter cold and flu remedy that also contains it.

According to doctors and pharmacists, this is the most common–and one of the most dangerous–medication errors people can make, and yet it happens every day.

To help make this clear, I’ve put together a list of common OTC cold and flu remedies that contain either acetominophen or ibuprofen as one of the main ingredients. These include:

Comtrex (325 mg acetominophen)
Nyquil (500 mg acetominophenl)
Dayquil (325 mg acetominophen)
Dristan cold (325 acetominophen)
Nurofen (200 mg ibuprofen)
Contac (500 mg acetominophen)
Alka Seltzer Plus (250 mg acetominophen)

As you can see, acetominophen (Tylenol) or acetominophen is in a lot of combo products. This makes it all too easy to take your regular dose of acetominophen for your headache or aches and pains, then double dose by taking a cold remedy as well

Heartburn

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Dec 152011

Do you have heartburn that just won’t quit? You may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which stomach acid routinely backs up in the esophagus. The most obvious and painful symptom of GERD is killer heartburn.

Because you can grab over-the-counter heartburn remedies quickly at a drugstore without a doctor’s visit or a prescription, these are often the first line of defense against GERD.

But a glance down the pharmacy aisle shows a vast array of choices, including Tums, Rolaids, Zantac, and Pepcid, to name just a few. (The latter two are also available in high-dose prescription versions.) Which product is the right one to help you quash the burning pain in your chest?

Fibromyalgia

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Dec 152011

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is widespread pain in the muscles and soft tissues above and below the waist and on both sides of the body. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome a set of symptoms that happen together but do not have a known cause. In this syndrome, the nervous system (nerves, spinal cord, and brain) is not able to control what it feels, so ordinary feelings from your muscles, joints, and soft tissues are experienced as pain. People with fibromyalgia feel pain and/or tenderness even when there is no injury or inflammation.

Fibromyalgia does not harm your muscles, joints, or organs. And there are many things you can do to control it. When it is not controlled, you may not have any energy. Or you may feel depressed or have trouble sleeping. These and other symptoms can be bad enough to cause problems with your work and home life. With treatment, most people with fibromyalgia are able to continue working and participating in daily activities. Some people change their work duties and lifestyle if their symptoms are severe.

Sleep Problems Triple Women’s Risk of Developing Fibromyalgia

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Dec 152011

Women plagued by sleep problems have more than triple the risk of developing the pain disorder fibromyalgia compared to their better-rested peers, a new study from Norway suggests.

The more often a woman experienced insomnia and other sleep problems, the more likely she was to have developed fibromyalgia 10 years later, according to the study, the largest to date to follow women who were initially free from chronic pain.

The findings imply that sleep problems may lead to fibromyalgia, but the researchers say the relationship isn’t so clear-cut. Although sleep deprivation has been shown in previous research to increase inflammation and reduce the body’s ability to manage pain, experts haven’t been able to draw a straight line from sleep difficulties to fibromyalgia.

“Sleep problems are just one factor that may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia,” says Paul J. Mork, PhD, a study coauthor and a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in Trondheim. “Fibromyalgia is a complex pain syndrome and there are numerous other factors that may contribute to the development of this illness.”

Bad Habits That Make You Fat

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Dec 152011

Being overweight can be caused by many things, one of which is food intake. To lose weight, most people only focus on the application of a good and healthy diet. In fact, increasing weight is not solely the fault of a diet.

Try to notice your everyday lifestyle. What you do already shows that you live better and healthier. If the answer is not, it might be one cause of weight gain.

According to Fit Sugar, researchers proved scientifically that bad lifestyle causes weight problem. Well, here are four bad habits that make you fat.

1. Never exercises
This is one of the important habits that prevent your weight to raise. In fact, researchers from Harvard found that during the study, participants who exercise were proven to reduce weight around 1 kg.

2. Less or excessive sleeping
Sleeping enough is one way to keep the body stay slim. Someone will have a weight problem when he sleeps less than 6 hours in a day or sleep more than eight hours a day. Less sleep is associated with overeating, while sleeping for too long makes you less excited to exercise. A study found that having trouble sleeping makes your have excess weight around 2 kg compared to those who gets enough sleep.

3. Watch TV too often
One’s lifestyle can be judged by how much time they spend watching TV on a couch. In the Harvard study, watching too much TV causes weight gain of about 1/2 kg.

4. Alcoholic beverages
In the Harvard study, habits of consuming alcoholic beverages can increase the weight about 1/4 kg. Alcoholic beverages are a source of calories that can ruin your diet.

Often Shouting Could Cause Vulnerability to Polyps on the Vocal Cords

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Dec 152011

Not are they noisy and can disturb people around them, people whose often shouts actually endanger their own vocal cords. Too often shouting can trigger the growth of polyps or dangerous bumps on the vocal cords.

“Lately I often treat patients with polyps on the vocal cords, which grew after cheering at a basketball game,” said David Rosow, MD, an Ear Nose and throat specialist from the University of Miami, according to Menshealth.

The same risks are faced by people who are conditioned to shout or talk loudly all the time, such as teachers while teaching. According to the Occupational Medicine journal, 53 percent of teachers had trouble with the vocal cords and one of them is the polyp.

In addition to polyps, vocal cord problems that often accompany the habit of shouting, among others are, bleeding vocal cords. Some singers like John Mayer also had agranuloma or a small lump on his vocal cords because he too often shouts.

Dr. Rosow warned, speaking in a firm tone is great but does not mean to overdo it. Talk a little slower would be safer for the vocal cords, especially if it is required to shout or sing all day.

Besides that, some types of beverages are also worth noting because it can increase the risk of damage to the vocal cords. Coffee and alcohol tends to make the throat dry, so the vocal cords more easily gets damaged when used to talk too long.

Meanwhile, if the voice sounds more hoarse than usual and lasted up to 2-3 weeks, Dr. Rosow advised to immediately contact an ENT doctor. Many factors makes a hoarse voice from polyp to cancer, so it would be much better if detected early.

What Is Postpartum Depression?

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Dec 162011

What is postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression is a serious illness that can occur in the first few months after childbirth. It also can happen after miscarriage and stillbirth.

Postpartum depression can make you feel very sad, hopeless, and worthless. You may have trouble caring for and bonding with your baby.

Postpartum depression is not the “baby blues,” which many women have in the first couple of weeks after childbirth. With the blues, you may have trouble sleeping and feel moody, teary, and overwhelmed. You may have these feelings along with being happy about your baby. But the “baby blues” usually go away within a couple of weeks. The symptoms of postpartum depression can last for months.

In rare cases, a woman may have a severe form of depression called postpartum psychosis. She may act strangely, see or hear things that aren’t there, and be a danger to herself and her baby. This is an emergency, because it can quickly get worse and put her or others in danger.

Soy Milk Can Also Prevent Osteoporosis

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Dec 162011

Milk is known to have good benefits for bones and can prevent osteoporosis. But if the milk comes from soy beans can it also prevent osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease where bone density starts to decrease. When someone has osteoporosis, then the connection between bone mineral becomes thinner which causes weak bones and increased risk of fractures (broken bones).

Soy milk is a beverage made from soy beans, some milk is sometimes fortified with calcium, vitamins B, E and D. Now a recent evidence suggests that soy milk can also help prevent osteoporosis.

Soy milk is known to contain healthy isoflavones known as phytoestrogen, which is a chemical compound that shows estrogen-like effects in the human body. Recently, the influence of soy milk to menopausal women was analyzed, according to Livestrong.

Based on research from the Linus Pauling Institute, it is known that estrogen effects of phytoestrogens may help preserve and maintain bone. This result was also revealed in a study conducted by LM Chiechi and colleagues and reported in the ‘Maturity: An International Journal of midlife Health and Beyond” in 2002.

The quality of these phytoestrogens have attracted attention of researchers to use it in preventing osteoporosis and help control bone fracture. Phytoestrogen in soy is believed to have an effect capable of stimulating the metabolism and build bone.

The process of bone building is coordinated by the cells known as osteoblastic, while bone damage is stimulated by osteoclastical cells. Starting from childhood until the age of 20, bone process is dominated by the osteoblastic cells so that bone experience growth.

Helping build bone up to any age and preventing osteoporosis can be done through diet and exercise. Drinking 2 cups of soy milk every day is enough to help the body build bone and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Activities which Can Prevent Osteoporosis

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Dec 162011

Don’t ever let osteoporosis steal your bones. To prevent osteoprosis there are some activities which can be done through fun hobbies.

Here some activities which can prevent osteoporosis:

Gardening
Lifting the pot, dragging sacks of soil, and digging holes are useful in forming bone mass.

Water sports
Many water sports can provide real exercise needed by the bone. For example, surfing which needs a lot of body movement. Maintaining body balance is also a very big task.

Dancing
All types of dance will be a good exercise for bone. Ball-room dance, swing, or hip-hop dance can help improve balance and posture, and probably will help prevent someone from falling.

Hiking
Hiking to the top of a hill gives a lot of load on the muscles and the way down will give a greater burden on the bones.

Cycling
Cycling is an exercise that requires skill. In addition to making the body more balanced, heart and lungs also works. Leg muscle movement, arms, abdomen, and back is enough to make the body move.

Best Foods for Strong Bones

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Dec 162011

Bones are the most important body part to support the body. Treatment of bones from an early age is important to prevent osteoporosis in the future.

Especially nowadays, osteoporosis does not only attack the elderly, but also young people. It happens because of poor nutrition for bones. Well, here are the best foods for bones, according to Times of India:

Milk
Milk is an important source of calcium and vitamin D which is an important element for the bones. Research shows that dairy-based processed products like cheese and ice cream can also be an alternative. But the derived products usually lacks vitamin D.

Nuts
Such as grains, nuts contain essential nutrients to strengthen bones. Almonds, pistachios, and sunflower seeds which contains calcium could be an option. Potassium content in almonds are also good to protect the body from loss of calcium which is an essential element for bones.

Chicken feet
The best nutrition for bone is derived from bones as well. Chicken feet contains hydroxyapatite, calcium, and collagen, which naturally helps strengthen bones.

Walnuts
The content of omega 3 in it has many benefits for the body. Walnuts also contain acidic alphalinoleic useful to strengthen the bone.

Carrots
This vegetable contain betacryptoxanthin alpha-carotene and beta-carotene which are good for bone health. You can eat it raw or in the form of a fresh salad.

Skin Wrinkles Are Signs of Fragile Bones

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Dec 162011

Facial wrinkles is one of the main enemy for women. Fine lines are more obvious as the age increases, is considered one of the most damaging thing of beauty.

The scientists warn that the wrinkles on the face not just marks the age. Wrinkles on the face also suggests that the bones are getting more fragile. Possibility of osteoporosis increases.

Researchers from Yale School of Medicine in the United States studied 114 women with ages in their 40’s and early 50’s who has gone through menopause. Not including those who use botox or other beauty procedures.

The researchers calculated the number of wrinkles in 11 points on the cheek and neck, and measured its depth. They also noted the firmness of skin on the forehead and cheeks, and measured bone density using X-rays.

As a result, women who have most wrinkles, have the most fragile bone. “We found that the wrinkles on the skin are associated with bone density,” said researcher Lubna Pal, an expert in sex hormones, according to the Daily Mail.

“The deeper the wrinkles, bone density decreases. Depending on the age that also affects bone mass,” she said.

According to Pal, bone and skin needs collagen to maintain its shape. Decrease in collagen production as you age will lead to sagging skin and wrinkles, also reduces the quality and quantity of bone.

“The intensity of the wrinkles on the skin can also identify the possibility of fractures in organs, especially the hips, and fatal injuries in the elderly.” she said.

Osteoporosis or bone loss affects approximately three million people in the UK. This condition leads to fragility of the spine, wrist, and hips.

Previous studies have found that the wrinkles begins to haunt when entering the age of 20 years old. Reaches its peak at the age of the 40s. At the age of 28 years, the wrinkles increases 56 percent compared to the age of 20 years. Wrinkles rose 73 percent at age of 48 years.

Having Many Children Can Reduce Stroke Risk

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Dec 162011

Good news for you who have four or more children. The reason is because a woman who have many children, are less likely to die from a stroke. Despite having lots of children is identified with high stress levels, it also has a positive impact on women’s health.

This is the result of a research done by a team from the University of California, in 1,300 women in California. It was known that women who have four children or more have a 50 percent reduced risk of dying from a stroke.

This, according to investigators, is probably because of the high circulation of hormones during pregnancy. The impact is very positive for the blood vessels. Then, families with many children, tend to support each other and are quite close to each other, which is very good for heart health.

“Women in the study, have a lower risk of death due to CVD (cardiovascular disease) if they are pregnant four times or more,” said Marni Jacoobs one researcher, according toTelegraph.co.uk.

The causal mechanism in detail, according to Jacoobs, is not yet clearly known. However, it is probably because fertility reflects a woman have a healthy body. As well, the positive effects of exposure to circulating estrogen and other hormones during pregnancy.

“The physiological changes of a woman because of pregnancy can cause lasting effects on health. However, related to significant lower risk of cardiovascular disease, further research is needed,” said Professor Donald Peebles, a spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Tips to Prevent Dry Eyes

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Dec 162011

If your eyes often feels itchy, accompanied by intense pain and redness, it may be in a dry condition. Triggers of this condition include allergies, pollution, too long in front of a computer or hot weather.

Hormones are also very influential. Women aged over 40 have a significant reduced production of tears, due to hormonal changes. To prevent or reduce the ‘torture’ of dry eyes, just do the following five steps according to Prevention.

1. Choose preservative free contact lens
If you use contact lenses, choose which does not contain preservatives. That’s because, preservatives can cause a reaction in the form of eye pains, dry and itchy. So, try to be more selective in choosing contact lenses.

2. Avoid using eye drops
Do not immediately use eye drops if your eyes feel dry, but not red. The drug containsdecongestan which could shrink the blood vessels of the eye.

“Moreover, the function of eye drops is to overcome the redness and irritation, not dry eyes,” said Silvia Orengo-Nania, assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicin, Houston, USA.

3. Create a more humid temperature
Air conditioning in the workspace can also trigger dry eyes. To that end, increase the humidity in the room with a tool to put a moisturizer or if possible, open windows occasionally.

4. Reduce consumption of alcoholic beverages
Drinking alcoholic beverages not only makes the mouth dry, but also your eyes. If indeed you like to drink alcoholic beverages, you should reduce the consumption in order to avoid the risk of dry eyes.

5. Treatment before bed
If you often wake in the morning and feels your eyes dry, sore and itchy, you can prevent it by wearing eye moisturizer ointment is widely available in pharmacies. Apply before bed. Since it makes the vision a bit unclear, it should only be used at night.

Cesarean Birth Triggers Child Obesity

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Dec 162011

Cesarean section had been an alternative for women who do not want to feel normal delivery pain. Over the past 30 years, an increase in the number of women who perform the method of anesthetic delivery was recorded by 250 percent.

Despite its popularity, a number of studies mentions that Caesarean potentially affect child development.

A research recently conducted at the Imperial College London say caesarean birth process tends to produce babies who are overweight compared to those born with a natural process.

Initial studies involving 62 infants revealed that babies born by Caesarean processes have more fat in their liver, compared to babies who are born with normal process.

“We have preliminary data showing shows the key processes that occur in the liver to cope with disturbed fat if the baby that is not born normally,” said researcher Professor Neena Modi, according to The Times, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Further experiments performed to test the theory that cesarean delivery can prevent the production of hormones that regulate metabolism during life. This method can also affect the balance of hormones and enzymes naturally.

“While a normal birth can trigger metabolic processes that can control the fat,” Modi added.

Nevertheless, the World Health Organization (WHO) has lifted the restrictions recommended by caesarean birth process around the world because it does not have enough evidence of negative impacts related to caesarean

Foot Care in a Rainy Season

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Dec 162011

Clean and smooth feet is a dream for most people. However, infection of the feet caused by standing water and moist air can make the owner lose confidence due to the unpleasant scent and pain.

Often, you can not avoid a puddle of dirty water during a rainy season. The dirty feet are at risk of contracting to infection. Extra care to maintain healthy feet away from problems such as itching and other foot diseases.

Skin expert Dr Jamuna Pai says, “Fungi and bacteria grow rapidly because of high humidity during the rainy season. So that it cause odor on the feet. Currently, the feet are also susceptible to fungal infections of skin, especially between the toes,” he said, accoriding to Idiva.

Itching, stinging sensation, skin softening (maceration) and exfoliation are common problems that affects the feet caused by fungus and bacteria.

Dr. Jamuna suggested, the simplest way of treating your feet is by washing it cleanly and dry it.

“Patients with diabetes have special foot care. Because if injury occurs, it takes a long time to heal. Including warts on the soles of the feet is more common among people who walk barefoot on wet surfaces. They should see a doctor if condition worsens.”

Here is a simple guideline on how to take care of your feet in a rainy season:

For foot protection
1. Do not wear closed shoes too long when it rains. Wet feet are more susceptible to fungal infections.

2. Always wash and dry feet when exposed to water or trapped in a puddle.

3. Do not apply a moisturizing cream between the toes.

4. Use an antifungal powder in the morning and anti-fungal cream at night.

5. Cut your toenails regularly to avoid accumulation of dirt.

For foot care, skin specialists from Blush Clinics in India, Dr. Sharmila Nai gives some tips:

Exfoliation
Soak your feet in warm water mixed with sea salt. Then, rub the dead skin on the feet with a pumice stone. Feet have a very high cell exfoliation so it is important to take care of this area in order to be able to do exfoliate regularly.

Massage
Massage feet with moisturizer around two-three nights in a week before bed. Wear a pair of cotton socks to keep it moist and soften feet.

Eat Three Bananas a Day to Avoid Stroke

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Dec 162011

Bananas have a lot of benefits for human health. Besides its ability to lower blood pressure and recover stamina, potassium contained in bananas can also reduce the risk of stroke.

According to scientists from the University of Warwick, UK and University of Naples, Italy, banana effectively reduce the risk of stroke as long as people consume it three times a day. You can consume bananas during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That amount is enough to lower about 21 percent chance of blood clot in the brain that causes stroke.

Based on the findings of the British and Italian scientists, consuming a certain amount of potassium can reduce the likelihood of stroke. Some examples of foods rich in potassium are spinach, beans, milk, and fish.

“This research suggests you to eat potassium-rich foods which can reduce your risk of stroke,” said a spokesman from Storke Association, according to the DailyMail. According to him, high blood pressure is the greatest risk of stroke, and this research has indicated that potassium can reduce blood pressure.

According to scientists in Britain, they advise people to consume 3,500 milligrams of potassium per day to reduce the risk of stroke. This is in contrast with a recent study conducted at the American College of Cardiology, which stated that only about 1,600 milligrams of potassium per day are needed to reduce the risk of stroke.

The average content of potassium in bananas are 500 milligrams, so that consuming three bananas per day can be a sufficient intake of potassium. According to the researchers in Britain and Italy, if people eat more foods containing potassium, and reduce the foods that contain salt, the number of deaths from stroke will drop by more than one million people per year

Male Sex Hormones Reduce Stroke Risk

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Dec 162011

The testosterone hormone is known to be responsible on a man’s sexual health. This hormone appears to have other benefits. Men who have high testosterone levels are less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke in an old age than those who have less of the hormone.

The recent findings was published in the ‘Journal of the American College of Cardiology’. Study of 2,400 Swedish men at age 70-80 years found that men withhigh testosterone levels experience the least heart attack or stroke over several years than men with low hormone levels.

Study leader, Ana Tivesten, from Sahlgrenska University in Goteborg, Sweden, said, “Elder men with high testosterone levels are relatively protected against cardiovascular events. And conversely, low testosterone is a marker for increased cardiovascular risk,” she said, according to Female First.

Nevertheless, these findings do not necessarily conclude that the hormone levels are the only thing that can prevent heart attacks and strokes.

According to researchers, serious health conditions can lower testosterone levels, such as obesity, and other unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking.

Sleep Deprivation Triggers Excessive Eating

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Dec 162011

Sleeping is very important for human, and a lack of sleep or sleep deprivation will give many disadvantages concerning human health. Another disadvantage of not getting enough sleep is weight gain, this certainly something that people want to avoid especially women.

People who have normal weight will eat more when they lack sleep. A new study from Columbia University found that adults who sleep less, eat almost 300 calories more than those who get enough sleep. This obesity is caused by extra calorie intake which is mostly from saturated fat.

Concerning this overeating problem, women appear to be most affected due to lack of sleep. They eat an average of 329 more calories a day if they lack sleep. While men eats an average of 263 calories more.

The researchers drew this conclusion after observing 13 men and 13 women who had normal body weight. They monitored their eating habits for 12 days. Participants spend six days with four hours sleep and then six days with nine hours of sleep.

The findings will be presented at the American Heart Association scientific sessions, in Atlanta. “If this research is studied more deeply, the choice of food consumed by those who lack of sleep can affect obesity and increase risk of cardiovascular disease,” the researchers wrote in a release of the American Heart Association, according toHealthday

Alcoholic Drinks Can Ruin Your Diet

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Dec 162011

Most dieters only pay attention to what they eat, but do not pay attention to the consumption of beverages that enter their bodies. In fact, a glass of champagne contains 95 calories or the same with a piece of cake.

Two out of three British women do not know the calories they get from drinking alcoholic beverages. They feel quite right at the time they refused a dessert and only eat salad and consume their favorite beverage.

A glass of wine is comparable to carbonated beverages which contain 134 calories. Then two glasses of Gin & Tonics are equivalent with two fruit pudding.

According to the Daily Mail, an agency that handles conscious consumption of alcohol,Drinkaware, said most dieters try to lose weight, but they do not reduce the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

From the survey that the agency did in 2000 adults in England found that 1 in 3 people want to regulate the intake of calories in their bodies. But only 1 in 10 people thought of counting how many alcoholic drinks intake.

While two-thirds are concerned with the balance of eating and drinking patterns and three-quarters of them would prefer to cut spending money, food money, or vacation rather than reduce the amount of alcohol they purchase.

Although alcohol contains calories as much as pure fat, most people are not aware of it. Less than a third of adults are aware that there are 134 calories in a 175ml glass of wine, but almost half knows that there are 337 calories in a cheeseburger.

The British government recommends men to drink no more than four cups per day and women no more than three. With two alcohol free days a week. Research shows relationship between drinking with obesity which in turn contribute to heart disease and diabetes.

Stress Triggers Excessive Eating

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Dec 162011

A person who is under stress sometimes will try to forget their pressure that they experience by eating a lot.

The idea of the link between stress and eating a lot of has been known for a long time. About two in five people believe that depressed people would eat fatty foods and sweet as much as possible. But, until now scientists have not found a connection.

However, researchers from the United States claimed that the behavior of a lot of eating when depressed occurs because of a stress hormonecalled ghrelin.

In experiments with rats, a team from the University of Texas examined the levels of ghrelin in rats affected by a variety of stress. The results, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, mentioned the increased levels of ghrelin occurs when under stress, increases the animal’s appetite.

“In our study, the desire to eat when stressed depends on the signal from the ghrelin hormone,” said study author, Dr. Jeffrey Zigman, according to the Daily Mail. According to Zigman, many people when stress divert it by eating high calorie foods.

Stress has been blamed for the worsening of obesity epidemic. In Britain, half of adults are classified as overweight and almost one in five people are obese.

French Fries, Best Food to Make You Fat

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Dec 162011

Most people wish to have an ideal body. One way to achieve this is by eating a healthy diet and taking the right nutritional composition.

Recently Harvard University conducted a research on the types of foods that makes a person fat. This extensive research was conducted on more than 120 thousand men and women.

Researchers tracked the dietary patterns of each person every four years starting from 1986-2006. In addition, the researchers also tracked the lifestyles and foods that made weight of the participants increased.

According to Fit Sugar, it is known that meat, sweet foods, fried foods, and all forms of potatoes gave bad contribution to the weight of the human body.

However, french fries is the most dangerous food for your body. Eating french fries in a day adds to your weight around more than 1.5 kg. For potato chips, it adds about 1 kg of body weight.

Here is a list of the top six types of foods that add your weight: french fries (1.5 kg), potato chips (1 kg), potatoes (3/4 kg), sugar or sweet drinks (1/2 kg), red meat (1/4 kg), and processed meat (1/4 kg).

Shampoo Can Make You Fat

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Dec 162011

All doctors and nutritionists would agree that the key to avoid obesity is a balanced diet and exercise. However, according to a recent research, there are other things that also plays an important role, namely the use of beauty products.

The findings by a team of researchers from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, indicated thatphthalates, a chemical substance that is widely available in beauty products, contribute to increased body weight. Phthalates are known to disturb endocrine and should be avoided whenever possible.

In fact, phthalates are found in almost 70 percent of shampoo, cosmetics and soaps. From a research it is known that the chemical can disrupt the natural weight control system.

That’s because, phthalates that disrupt the endocrine system, have an impact on the hormones and glands work that produce it. Researchers also warn other harmful compound is bisphenol-A. The substance is found in many plastic packaging containers, usually located under the container and marked with the number 7

Maida Galvez, a researcher who is a pediatrician, did the analysis on 330 children in East Harlem. Maida and her team of researchers tried to find out how exposure to phthalates is related one’s body weight.

“Although exposure to these chemicals only contribute a little to obesity, at least it can be avoided,” Galvez said, according to the Daily Mail.

To avoid exposure to phthalates, dr. Galvez advised to choose an organic beauty product or fragrance-free. The team from Mount Sinai, found a parallel of the research in 2002, which found an association between obesity and exposure to everyday chemicals. In fact, researchers from Stirling University in Scotland, called Bisphenol A and phthalates as ‘chemical calories’.

“The debate over childhood obesity has changed significantly over the last few decades. This is because the exponential production and use of synthetic organic and inorganic chemical compounds,” said Paula Baillie-Hamilton, head of the research.

A Handful of Nuts Can Beat Belly Fat

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Dec 162011

The latest research had proven that a handful ofnuts a day can keep you away from hunger while at the same beat the fat in the abdomen. This finding for the first time discovers the relationship between nut consumption and high levels of serotonin, a substance that reduces appetite, increases happiness, and heart health.

“The increase in disposal of serotonin metabolism for the first time is linked with the consumption of nuts,” said a team of researchers from the University of Barcelona, who were ??led by Cristina Andris-Lacueva, according to the Daily Mail.

The findings, which was published in the ‘Journal of Proteome Research’ is expected to provide benefits for people who suffers from metabolic disorders (Mets), which generally have symptoms of excess abdominal fat, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. Changes in diet which is accompanied with regular consumption of nuts consisting of healthy fats and antioxidants can help overweight patients reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart attacks.

Researchers from the University of Barcelona said it only takes one ounce of the combination of walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts a day to get the positive health effects. During the study the scientists put 22 people who have metabolic disorders in diet for 12 weeks and compared them with a group of 20 patients who had a diet without eating nuts. Urine produced by the pasein was then evaluated.

Those who consume 30 grams of a combination of nuts per day showed that they had higher levels of serotonin. Nearly 90 percent of serotonin is located in the intestine. While the reminder are found in the central nervous system that regulates appetite. Almost all drugs that are used to treat illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders and social phobias are usually intended to alter the serotonin levels.

Meanwhile, a study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is published in the British Journal of Nutrition earlier this year also revealed that pistachios can help lose weight and support cardiovascular health.

Lead researcher, David Bear, said, “Pistachios have many health benefits including weight management support and cardiovascular support.” He added that the findings of high levels of serotonin in nuts is contradictory with the false perception in society that generally believes that the consumption of nuts will only add calorie levels to the body.

Men with Severe Stress Have High Risks of Death

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Dec 162011

Men who are always stress in his life, at least twice a year, has a 50 percent chance to die sooner than other men their age. The result of a recent study also revealed that there are only three things that help lower levels of chronic stress. That is good health, marriage, and occasional drink.

“Being an alcohol drinker and a smoker increase risks of death,” says Carolyn Aldwin, professor of human development and family sciences at Oregon State University, who was involved in this study. “Therefore, suppress your stress to the lowest level, get married, and occasional drink of wine is the secret to long life.”

The scientists examined the patterns of stress for over 18 years, from 1985 to 2003. They also documented stress associated with older age groups, such as those dealing with loss of a spouse or elderly people.

“Most studies look at the type of stress that occurs in young people like newly graduated from college, lose jobs, or have children first,” Aldwin said, according to HealthDay. “I modify the stress measurements to look at different types of stress that we know the impact increases with age. And we were surprised to see the connection of stress with death rate. ”

The research results are published online in the ‘Journal of Aging Research’, surveyed nearly a thousand healthy men of the middle class and working class who enrolled at the Boston VA Normative Aging Study in the 1960s.

Men who only have a small stress level every year during his life remained in the low stress condition. While those in the moderate group had three times the incidence of severe stress and those who experience severe stress six times each year are included in the category of high level. Research results found that the risk of death in men in the moderate group are the same with those who are in a group of high levels of stress.

“It seems there’s a limit to the stress and the maximum is two times a year,” Aldwin said in a press release. “We were also surprised by the fact that the effect of stress was not linear and moderate groups have the same risk with a high level group.”

“Human beings are strong and they can cope with stress every time it happens every year,” Aldwin said. “But our research shows that in the long run, even moderate stress can effect mortality.”

Journey to the Office Can Disturb Health Condition

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Dec 192011

The journey to work, using either private or public vehicle, could potentially interfere with health. At least that is a result of a research conducted by Swedish scientists.

The researchers revealed that those who drove to their office, either by private car or public transportation, not only experience stress, but also more often get sick compared to those who go to work on a bicycle or on foot.

The Research conducted by Lund University involved 21 thousand people working full time and aged between 18 to 64 years old.

The scientists found that people who go to and get back from work by driving a car or sitting on a bus or train have disturbed sleep patterns and experience higher stress than those who move more actively.

“Generally, cars and public transport users suffer more daily stress, have a poorer quality of sleep, and have to fight more for their health rather than the active commuters,” said Professor Erik Hanssen who conducted the study, according to theHuffingtonPost.

The results of this study also revealed that the longer the trip, the worse your health. “The poor health from the use of public transport increases with the length of the trip,” said Professor Hanssen.

However, the length of the journey to and from the office does not fully contribute to poor health. The reason, the researchers also believe, is that there are other factors that contribute to the length of travel and level of health. Among them is the efficiency of transportation, personal conditions, and the territory traversed in traveling to and from the office.

What Causes Early Menopause In Women?

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Dec 192011

Normal menopause is a gradual process that starts between the ages of 45 and 55. It is defined as occurring in women who have at least one ovary, and takes 5 to 10 years, though it can take up to 13 years. Early menopause, on the other hand, can start in the 30’s or early 40’s, in women who have at least one ovary.

Premature menopause has the advantage that the whole process is usually quicker than regular menopause. 1% of women will have finished their mid life transition by the age of 40. On the whole, 1 to 3 years is shaved off.

There are a number of things that can lead to premature menopause. Sometimes these things are a result of lifestyle choices, that include:

* poor nutrition
* heavy smoking
* heavy drinking
* chronic stress to the body – this can include excessive athletic training

However, sometimes factors outside of a woman’s control lead to early menopause. For example, autoimmune disorders can affect menopause as well. Mumps and other serious viral infections can damage a woman’s eggs. Given that menopause is associated with fewer primary follicles being able to develop and ovulate, it is easy to see why a woman with fewer follicles, or damaged eggs unable to develop into an ovulatory egg, is prone to an earlier menopause

Stimulating Breast Milk of Women Who Do not Have Children

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Dec 192011

Every woman has an obligation to give breast milk to their babies exclusively for six months from birth. It is not difficult, because those who have passed through labor will have the ability to produce milk naturally.

The obligation applies without exception, including those who adopts their child. Besides being able to get it through breast milk donors, those who adopts babies can undergo therapy tostimulate breast milk production.

By mimicking the changes of a woman’s body during childbirth, a woman who do not have children can stimulate lactation and breastfeeding. In addition to meeting the baby’s right, it is also important to build an emotional bond with the baby who is adopted.

According to Today Moms, there are more women who are breastfeeding an adopted child. One of them is Anne Schaeffer. “It is impossible for me to understand the emotional bond with my baby, if I do not breastfeed him myself,” she said.

Schaeffer received help from Julie Bouchet-Horwitz, a practitioner and lactation consultant. “It was a relief, when I could feel a kind of physical bonding,” said the woman who decides to adopt a child after a four times miscarriage.

Playing Outdoors is Good for Eyes

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Dec 192011

Playing outdoors is very important for children. The analysis of eight research at the University of Cambridge revealed that in each additional hour of time spent outside the house every week, there is a decrease of the possibility of the children to suffer from myopia by two percent.

According to researchers, it could be that it is because the eyes are exposed to natural light and the amount of time spent searching for objects with long distance. A total of more than 10 thousand children and teenagers were involved in this study. These findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in Florida.

Dr. Justin Sherwin and his team of researchers concluded that children with limited sight distance on average spend 3.7 hours less per week outside their houses compared with those with normal sight. Still, he adds, the reason why is not clear.

The researchers are hoping to find a relationship between the children who spend more time outdoors and those who do less activity such as reading, studying, or playing games on the computer. But so far no relationship was found, at least two of the eight research that examines it.

But Dr. Sherwin said they need more accurate data to understand what factors – such as increased visibility, reduced visibility, exposure to ultraviolet light or physical activity – the most important. In addition, there are also other factors to consider.

“Any increase in playing time outside the house should be measured also by exposure to UV radiation exposure and increased risk of skin cancer, cataracts, or other types of cancers.” But on the other hand, continued Dr. Sherwin, “Increased physical activity outside the home can prevent things like diabetes, obesity, lack of vitamin D, and osteoporosis.”

Why Morning Exercise is Better

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Dec 192011

Exercising in the morning certainly have many challenges, like having to get up earlier. But you should start trying to exercise in the morning, because there are many benefits you can get from it.

Exercising in the morning provides many benefits both to health or daily schedule. You will also meet cleaner air so it is still fairly good for the lungs.

Besides sunlight that enters the retina of the eye in the morning will enter the nerve pathways to the brain as an early signal of bodily functions, and also help initiate the metabolic functions like triggering the release of hormones that affect appetite, blood pressure and sleep-wake cycle.

Well, here are other benefits that you can get by exercising in the morning, according toLivestrong, which are:

1. Helps people more consistent in exercising
Generally there a little problem that occurs in the morning so rarely meet obstacles, compared to if a person exercises in the evening or after come home fromwork. Also most people already feel tired of working so that the tendency to miss exercise is larger.

2. Get more energy
Exercising in the morning will improve your mood and energy for hours afterward. These conditions help people be better prepared to face the challenges of work or facing anything during the day. Exercising at night will make the body temperature rise and can disrupt sleep.

3. Better in burning calories
After exercising the body will still burn calories at a higher rate because it still does other physical activities. While working, the body will use energy more efficiently and will streamline the muscle mass.

4. The gym is not yet crowded
Most people go to the gym during the afternoon or evening so with more people sometimes make sa person have to queue to use the exercise equipment. But in the morning, there is no need to wait if you want to use the equipments and the exercise would be more effective.

People who Once Suffered from Heart Disease Can Live Longer

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Dec 192011

Some good news for people who have signs of heart disease. Because, people who have signs of heart disease is more likely to survive after a first heart attack than people whose medical history is fine. People who’ve got heart disease usually can keep a better life.

This conclusion is based on analysis of national data in the United States who signed up 500,000 cases of heart attack the first time from 1994 to 2006.

During hospitalization at the hospital, the doctor noted the standard risk factors for heart disease in patients such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and family history of heart disease.

Among all patients, more than 85% of whom had at least one risk factor and many of them got a first heart attack at a younger age. Among that number, by more than 50,000 patients died in hospital.

This study found that non-smokers patients who do not have diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure or without a history of heart disease in the family, was 50% more likely to die in hospital than those who have signs of heart disease.

For comparison, 1 in 7 people with no warning signs of heart disease died after suffering a heart attack. This figure is higher compared with 1 of 28 patients who had all risk factors for heart disease.

Researchers also noted that patients with risk factors for heart disease are also more likely to have a drug or cardiac surgery within the first 24 hours in hospital.

“After adjusting for age and other health factors, there is an inverse relationship between the number of risk factors for coronary heart disease mortality rates in hospitals,” said lead investigator, John Canto, according to Health24.com.

Researchers say that one plausible explanation is that one who had known heart disease will undergo treatment to protect the body after a heart attack.

“People really need to identify risk factors that could potentially be treated. The treatment will improve patient health,” added Canto.

Coffee Can Reduce Cancer Risks

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Dec 202011

A recent study published in the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, is surely great news for coffee lovers.

In the journal, it is mentioned that coffee drinkers who consume four cups of coffee per day have a 25 percent lower risk of endometrial cancerdevelopment. Presumably this is due to the antioxidant content of coffee which allows the mechanism.

Lead researcher and professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, Edward Giovannucci, says, coffee has begun to prove to act as a protective agent of cancer associated with obesity, estrogen, and insulin.

“Coffee has been shown to be protective against diabetes because of its effect on insulin. So we hypothesize that we will see a decrease in some cancers as well,” said Edward.

Edward and his colleagues, including Youjin Je, a doctoral candidate at the institute where Edward works, sees the cases of endometrial cancer in nearly 70 thousand women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study research. During the 26 years, they documented 672 cases of endometrial cancer. More than four cups of coffee is associated with a 25 percent reduction in risk, while two to three cups a 7 percent lower risk.

These results are expected to prevail also in coffee without caffeine, with a 22 percent decline for more than two cups of coffee per day.

Edward said he would like to see further research concerning the effects of coffee against cancers. Because in this study, intake of coffee is selected and not random.

“Coffee has long been associated with smoking. If you are drinking coffee and smoking, the positive effects of coffee would be more than proportional to the negative effects of smoking. However, laboratory tests found that coffee has more antioxidants than most vegetables and fruits,” said Edward .

Drink Coffee and Tea to Fight Dementia

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Dec 202011

Dementia disease will indeed be experienced by most people in line with age. But according to a study, with a cup of bitter coffee or tea each morning could slow down fight dementia.

Coffee and tea has become a favorite drink for many people around the world. But the beneficial effects of caffeine in coffee as a psychoactive drug that can preserve brain function began to be appreciated recently.

Recent research by international experts from the University of Lisbon and the University of Coimbra, Portugal, found that the caffeine in coffee and tea may protect us from cognitive decline seen in dementia (senility) and Alzheimer’s disease.

“The first epidemiological studies showed an inverse relationship between caffeine consumption with the incidence of Parkinson’s disease. Then some further epidemiological studies indicate that moderate amounts of caffeine consumption are also inversely related to cognitive decline associated with aging and the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Alexandre de Mendonca, of the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal.

Besides bitter coffee, bitter tea can also fight dementia. Laboratory tests found that drinking a cup of black and green tea regularly can inhibit the activity of certain enzymes in the brain which are in Alzheimer’s, a form of generative dementia that affects 10 million people around the world.

Based on the Phytotherapy Research journal, Alzheimer’s is characterized by a decrease of acetylcholine. Bitter coffee and tea can inhibit the activity of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE), which breaks down chemicals, or neurotransmitters, and acetylcholine.

Besides that, coffee, black tea and green tea also inhibits the activity of the butyrylcholinesterase enzyme (Buche), which is found in protein deposits in the brains of Alzheimer’s.

“Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, coffee and tea has the potential to become another weapon that is used to treat this disease and slow its growth,” said Dr Ed Okello, researcher from the Medicinal Plant Research Centre at Newcastle University, England.

But remember you should only have just enough bitter coffee or tea every morning. Because excessive coffee drinking can increase stroke due to damage to blood vessel walls. In pregnant women, it can increase heart rate, attack the placenta, enter the blood circulation and can even cause death

Dental Health is Related to Dementia

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Dec 202011

The latest research shows that people with fewer amount of teeth are more at risk of mild stagedementia (senility). Head of the British Dental Health Foundation Dr Nigel Carter said that he had tested 4,200 Japanese participant aged over 65 years old. All participants were then given dental and psychological examinations.

According to Carter, the study concludes the existence of a link between poor oral health and decrease of one’s ability to remember. “We already know that dental health affects health of the body as a whole,” said Carter, according to medical news today.

Carter pointed out heart disease, diabetes and lung disease which are all associated with poor dental health. “And this latest finding shows the existence of other factors which are at risk due to poor dental health,” said Carter.

Research Investigator Dr. Nozomi Okamoto explained that the infection of the gums that can result in teeth loss, produces a substance that can cause inflammation. “That in turn increases inflammation in the brain that causes nerves to die and accelerate senile,” said Okamoto.

Obesity Damage Brain Function

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Dec 202011

Fat that accumulates could be a source of disease. Not only can it damage the liver, joints, and arteries, or lead to heart disease and stroke, but also affects the brain functions. Being overweight can alter the physical structure of the brain and trigger a memory problem.

Being overweight can change the way people think. Like the addictive substance, the brain would want food with higher caloric content and higher. According to a research by Scripps Institute in Florida, foods increase levels of dopamine, triggering a sense of pleasure in the brain, like cocaine, and heroin.

“The problem is that we evolved in the view of food. Sugary and fatty foods is exciting because in periods of hunger or food shortage, they who saved us,” said Dr Tony Goldstone, endocrinologist consultant at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, according to the Daily Mail.

Last month, researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden say that the risk of dementia or cognitive function damage, happens 71 percent higher in people with obesity. According to the researchers, that is caused by brain shrinkage which is triggered by fat deposits.

In the study, it was found that people with obesity have a brain size 4-8 per cent smaller than those with normal weight.

Hypertension and High Cholesterol Causes Memory Loss

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Dec 202011

A new study found that high blood pressure (hypertension) and high cholesterol can lead to not just heart disease but also memory loss and other cognitive disorders.

The research result, which will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology in April 2011, involved 3,486 men and 1,314 women, with an average age of 55 years.

“We found that the risk of cardiovascular disease in middle age is closely related to reduced cognitive function,” said Sara Kaffashian, researcher from Paris, according toAolHealth.

In her research, she gave cognitive tests to all respondents during a 10-year study period. The test was conducted on the ability of memory, spelling and vocabulary skills of language. Then each individual was assessed by Framinghman risk scores.

Framinghman score is a research carried out to predict cardiovascular risk of someone in 10 years based on age, sex, cholesterol, total cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking habit or diabetes.

Low scores of cognitive ability will increase the risk of heart disease 10 times higher and the decline in cognitive function in men and women.

“The results of this study is important in terms of prevention because middle aged people can still improve their cardiovascular health to prevent dementia disease in old age,” said Kaffashian.

Prevention efforts conducted by behavior modification, such as stopping smoking, exercising regularly and maintaining diet

Women Who Have Sleep Apnea Have Risk of Dementia

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Dec 202011

Difficulty breathing disorders during sleep can lead to long-term problems, particularly in women. Women with obstructive sleep apneahave a higher risk of experiencing cognitive decline or dementia.

The new study found that older women have a 85 percent higher likelihood of experiencing mild cognitive impairment or dementia over the next 5 years if they suffer from obstructive sleep apnea 15 times or more during the first hours of sleep.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a serious sleep disorder that makes sufferers repeatedly stop breathing during sleep. This sleep disturbance potentially damages the brain.

“This is a prospective study of elderly women followed over time to understand the relationship of sleep apnea and cognitive impairment or dementia,” said Dr. Susan Redline, a researcher in the division of sleep medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, according to HealthDay.

The research conducted by Dr. Redline found a very high prevalence in women with untreated apnea.

“About a third of women have obstructive sleep apnea and women have about a 80 percent increased risk of developing cognitive impairment or dementia during the study,” explains Dr. Redline.

Although the study was not designed to uncover the mechanisms of recurrent lack of oxygen can cause dementia, Dr. Redline noted that it may harm the health of the brain by affecting how the brain continually recharge the cells.

The study involved 298 women who did not have dementia at the start of the study. Averagely participants was about 82 years of age. All participants underwent overnight sleep studies using sensors and computerized monitoring (polysomnography) between 2002 and 2004.

105 women were diagnosed with respiratory disorders during sleep. This means they have about 15 or more events per hour of sleep apnea. During apnea events of the brain deprived of oxygen.

Five years after the sleep study, female participants were given tests of cognitive function to assess the health of their brains. The result showed that breathing disorders during sleep significantly increases the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Researchers also adjusted the data to take into account other factors that may contribute to cognitive impairment or dementia, such as age, education, body mass index, diabetes, smoking, medication and basic value for brain health.

How to Stop Nail Biting Habit

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Dec 202011

Some people experience reflexes when they are nervous. Starting from the feet shaking, tapping fingers, until nail biting.

Penny Donnenfeld, PhD, a clinical psychologist in New York City and a spokesman for theAmerican Psychological Association, said, nail biting is the most frequent reflex. About 30 percent of adults have this bad habits, which may be carried since childhood.

The habit is not only is harmful for the nail, but also not good for health because it potentially can spread bad bacteria. Because of that, try to stop this bad habit slowly. Here are some possible solutions you can try in order to stop the habit, according toShine:

Using bitter nail polish
Use nail polish with a bitter taste. If it is difficult to get such nail polish on the market, try rubbing the nails with bitter liquids, such as brotowali herbs. Bitter taste will make you aware when you reflex bite nails. To start, try doing this for a week. It is quite effective to train you to fight the bad habit slowly.

Cut your nails
Nail biting will feel good when there are areas left on the tip of the fingers. Because of that, try cutting the nails regularly, so that the it would be difficult for the teeth to find areas to bite when the reflex happen. The sense of pleasure will be gone when you fail to find the nails.

Reduce stress
Nail biting reflex usually appears during stress or anxiety. Because of that, try to learn to control stress. Immediately look for ways to reduce stress as soon as possible with relaxation like a bubble bath, aromatherapy candles, take a fitness class, or taking a fun trip.

Artificial nails
Using fake nails at the tips of the fingers his could indeed damage the natural nail. That’s if it lasts for a long period. Use artificial nails during your program to stop the nail biting habit. Artificial nails will make the habit become less comfortable.

Gene That Triggers Short Sleep is Found

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Dec 202011

It is not just a matter of habit that someone can only sleep for four hours, then they are back to their activities. There is a role of genes that trigger it. Scientists discovered the secret of ‘body alarm’ that allows some people to sleep only for four hours.

The new gene was identified by a team fromLudwig Maximilians University, calledABCC9. This gene can reduce the duration of sleep of a person, which is also known to be associated with heart disease and diabetes.

This finding could explain why a person can stay focused in activities, like Margaret Thatcher, although only sleeping for four hours. The study involved 4,000 people from seven European Union countries. They were asked to fill out questionnaires related to sleep habits.

Researchers then analyzed the answers of the participants and also checked their genes. It was known that participants who have two copies of ABCC9 common variants, sleeps significantly shorter than those who had two copies of other gene variants.

“Apparently the relationship of sleep duration with other conditions such as heart disease and diabetes can be explained by a common molecular mechanism. ABCC9 gene is an ancient evolution, which also exist in fruit flies. Flies also exhibit behaviors such as sleep,” said Dr. Karla Allebrandt, from Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, according to the Daily Mail.

According to Professor Till Roenneberg, one of the researchers, this suggests that ABCC9 also have effects on nocturnal sleep period on the fly. In other words, there are genetic controls that affect sleep duration, in some species, not just in humans.

Easy Ways to Prevent Constipation

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Dec 212011

Constipation is surely an unpleasant condition which will push people to do anything they can to get rid of it. It is a change in bowel pattern which is not unusual that is different in everyone. Constipation can mean a person’s bowel movement is fewer than three times a week.

There are various causes of constipation like lack intake of fiber, lack of drinking that cause bowel movements more slowly, lack of exercise, taking certain medications, lifestyle changes, ignoring when wanting to defecate and some specific diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome and other diseases associated with digestive organs.

It is actually easier to prevent than to treat constipation. Before you experience constipation, its best that you prevent it with some easy ways, as quoted by the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide.

1. Eating enough fiber
Balanced diet with emphasis on high-fiber foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables can help prevent constipation.

2. Using laxatives
Type of bulk-forming agents laxative (laxatives that increase the volume of stools so that the stomach feels full) such as psyllium, methylcellulose and pectin which can be obtained without a prescription can also prevent the occurrence of constipation.

3. Drinking enough water
Fulfill your water needs at least 8 glasses each day.

Singing Can Lower Blood Pressure Before Surgery

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Dec 212011

Anxiety and tension usually attacks patients who will perform a surgery. The anxiety triggers increased blood pressure. But with singing an elderly patient is able to control nervousness and manage to lower blood pressure.

Doctors report that singing can lower blood pressure of a woman with 76 years of age who experience severe hypertension prior to total knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis (OA).

Patient’s blood pressure rises initially and could not be relieved by medication, but suddenly the patient’s blood pressure dropped dramatically when they sang some religious songs.

The case report have been published in the ‘Arthritis Care & Research journal’ April 2011 issue. Arthritis Care & Research is a journal published by Wiley Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

The doctors said that the standard therapy for hypertension involves drugs based preoperative therapy including diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.

The drugs used to lower blood pressure to the acceptable levels for the operation. However, some patients do not respond to treatment. In patients who are unresponsive to standard therapies, alternative hypertension interventions is necessary.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

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Dec 212011

Bipolar disorder is a mental problem that causes rapid and large mood swings, ranging fromdepression to manic or a great excitement that is not normal. The Journal of the American Medical Association calls the following symptoms as anindication of bipolar disorder:

Manic phase:
-Improved mood that is not normal
-Anger and feelings of irritability.
-Talking and thinking very fast
-Likes to switch subjects during conversation
-Tend to do things at high risk but also often makes the wrong decision.
-Feeling no need to sleep enough

Depression phase:
-Feeling very sad suddenly, lose interest in something that is very enjoyable.
-Feeling anxious, guilty, hopeless or cries.
-Sudden weight change
-Tend to take illegal drugs.
-Often thought of suicide.

There Are More Autistic Children in South Korea than in the U.S.

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Dec 212011

Children in South Korea shows higher characteristics of autism than children in the United States. In the country, the characteristic of autism was found in one of 38 children.

The researchers observed the children in general and more widely to find a higher level of autism characteristic. They also never thought that South Korea have an average autism rate higher than the United States. In the United States there is an average of one in 100 children.

Two-thirds of children in the study had never been diagnosed previously and had not received any special treatment. Many are not diagnosed may have mild social disorderrather than autism.

“They’re not new kids who suddenly appear. They have been there, but not counted in previous prevalence studies,” said Dr. Young Shin Kim, co-author of the Yale Child Study Center, according to AP

Another expert questioned whether these children need special care. “Maybe some can take advantage of intervention, but I think we all have the same benefits,” said Dr. Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, Head of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Development Disabilities.

Too Much Blood Tests Can Cause Anemia In Heart Disease Patients

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Dec 222011

Anemia is not included as a direct complication ofheart disease. But according to a study, 1 in 5 patients in the hospital with heart disease also have anemia because they have their blood taken for tests too often.

The more often the blood is drawn for various types of examinations at the hospital, the greater therisk of heart disease to a patient affected by anemia. Each blood sampling of 50 mL, patients experience an increased risk of anemia by 18 percent.

Dr. Mikhail Kosiborod, a cardiologist from St Luke’s Hospital Mid-America Heart &Vascular Institute revealed the average heart patient’s blood are taken as much as 173.8 mL during hospitalization. The longer treated, the more blood drawn.

In a study involving 18,000 patients in 57 hospitals as the United States, Dr. Kosiborod found that taking blood safely is 100 ml. When the blood is taken to that volume, the patient has not experienced an increased risk of anemia.

The results also revealed that 20 percent or about 1 in 5 patients with heart diseasehave anemia. Perceived symptoms include headaches usually last up to a month later, but in some cases even worsen.

In a research report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Dr. Kosiborod said that anemia can be fatal because it can lead to death. The function of red blood cells is to carry oxygen, so that if the amount decreases, then the organs will lack oxygen.

Late Night Sleep Can Cause Acne

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Dec 222011

Staying up late not only can make you sleep less and lower your stamina, but also can trigger and aggravate acne. How could this be?

Sleeping late at night is associated with acne in an indirect way. There is no clear evidence showing that sleep deprivation is directly related to the formation of acne. However, studies reveal that indirectly, lack of sleep cause acne and aggravate existing acne.

When often sleeping late at night, it means that you cut the amount of sleep you need to rejuvenate the body. According to Livestrong and Buzzle, lack of sleep can cause stress, increased inflammation, increased insulin resistance and depression.

Stress is an important factor that cause acne. Increased stress can stimulate the adrenal glands that is responsible to produce androgens. Expenditure of these hormones in the body triggers the formation of acne. Stress also affects the immune system, so that it can slow the healing of existing acne.

Drinking While Eating Can Inhibit Work of the Digestive System

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Dec 222011

Many drinks while they are eating because they can chew the food easier and also make it easier to swallow the food. What they don’t know is thatdrinking water during meals can inhibit the stomach and digestive power which causes an increase in insulin that can bind more fat.

“Most people drink water while eating. The theory is that it makes food goes down more quickly. But these people do not know how wrong this is and that this is bad for their digestive system” said Shonali Sabherwal, macrobiotic counselor from India, acccording to the timesofindia.

Shonali explains, drinking water while eating can inhibit the digestive system and cause a rise in insulin significantly. For people who suffer from digestive problems, the consequences can even be mixed.

“Our stomach has the ability to know when you will eat and immediately begin releasing digestive juices. If you start drinking water at the same time, all you do is scrape the digestive juices that have been released to digest food, so in the end it inhibits the work of the digestive system,” continued Shonali.

Water that is consumed while eating will be absorbed by the stomach wall. This absorption will continue to happen until the digestive juices are concentrated enough to begin digesting food.

“But with this, because digestive juices mixed with water, the concentration of substance now becomes thicker than the content of the food in the stomach. It causes fewer gastric fluid to be secreted to digest the food. As a result, the food is not digested will enter into the system because will be absorbed by the stomach wall. This will causeacid reflux and heart burn (heat sensation in the chest), “said Shonali.

Drinking during meals may also lead to elevate levels of insulin. The more insulin is released in the bloodstream, the more likely the body to store fat.

To avoid a lot of drinking during eating, Shonali give some advice, among others, do not eat foods that are too salty or can cause thirst and can make you eat a lot, and try to eat slowly.

Research shows that drinking a little water during a meal is not a big concern, butdrinking a glass or two more glasses of water can interfere with digestion.

“The best thing is to drink water before and about two hours after a meal because it helps in the absorption of nutrients,” said the researchers

Prevent Acne During Pregnancy

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Dec 222011

Hormonal changes during pregnancy often makes the prospective mother’s face looks happy. But often, pregnant women suffer from acne problems.

During pregnancy, there are a series of changes in body hormones, including androgens that triggersacne. Although you will never control the hormonal changes in your body, you can take steps that can help prevent and treat your acne.

Try following these tips given by Modern Mom:

Step 1
Wash your face every morning and afternoon with a mild soap that does not contain a lot of fragrance and additives. Pregnancy hormones can cause increased oil production, so always keep your face clean.

Routine face washing can help prevent acne. Using room temperature water is better than warm water. Avoid harsh exfoliants that can irritate your skin.

Step 2
Pat your face with a dry and clean towel. Then put a smear of light facial moisturizing cream. Using a moisturizer can help prevent skin produces excess oil.

Step 3
Change your makeup routine. Use make-up only at certain times only, and only if it is really necessary. Choose oil-free makeup that is safe to use, does not clog pores and use it sparingly. Avoid daily use of makeup only to cover acne, as some cosmetics can make it worse.

Step 4
Avoid touching your face with your hands. It is important to keep your face free of excess oils and bacteria that cause acne from outside sources.

Tie your hair if it feels greasy, especially if you use hair products that can irritate your skin. Wash your pillowcase regularly with hypoallergenic detergent. Clean your phone with an antibacterial cleanser. All these measures can help reduce oil production in the skin.

How Does Neurotransmitter Therapy Work For Depression?

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Dec 222011

Most prescription drugs used to treat depression either imitate a neurotransmitter or redistribute existing neurotransmitters. These medications provide relief by working with the existing neurotransmitters, but do not alter the overall neurotransmitter supply. Because they fail to bring neurotransmitter levels back into proper balance, their effectiveness is often limited.

When the body’s supply of neurotransmitters drops below a critical level, some drugs simply stop functioning. This prompts many doctors to switch patients to another type of drug or add supplemental drugs. Since the new drugs are not designed to address the chemical imbalance behind the disorder, they can also meet with limited success.

Neurotransmitter therapy works by increasing the overall supply of neurotransmitters with a combination of targeted amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that adjust your body’s production of specific neurotransmitters.

A simple urine test measures neurotransmitter levels in the body. The test results are used to design a specific targeted approach to restore the body’s neurotransmitter balance and health.

This is highly successful in helping individuals with depression and other mood disorders. This targeted approach can be used alone or in tandem with prescription medications as directed by your health care provider

Four Tiny Body Parts That Matter

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Dec 222011

It’s sometimes hard to know which parts of the human body serve a urpose and which parts don’t. Sometimes it’s obvious–feet and fingers are important, while evolutionary remnants like the appendix aren’t. Thumbs are an absolute necessity, while we could quite easily live without earlobes.

The purpose of some parts of the body, though, is a little less clear. Are they really contributing to our overall health and welfare, or are they just another bothersome area to scrub in the shower? These four body parts may seem trivial, but without them, things just wouldn’t be the same.

The Eyelashes Grab It
We may think of long, lush eyelashes as signs only of fertility and attractiveness, but they are important for eye health, too. Lashes trap debris and dirt, preventing it from coming in contact with our eyes, which could cause injuries. Eyelashes’ roots also have connections to nerve endings, and a foreign object brushing up against the lashes can trigger a neurological reflex to close the eye, keeping it protected. Even though eyelashes serve an important purpose, however, people can live without them. The size and thickness of lashes vary widely among people, and those with certain forms of alopecia or who are undergoing chemotherapy often have no lashes at all. Although these people don’t suffer from any seriously debilitating effects, they do have to work a little harder to protect their eyes from irritants. For most people, the lack of eyelashes is more a cosmetic concern than a medical one, and many resort to false lashes or lash-enhancing medications and procedures.

Unhealthiest Holiday Drinks

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Dec 222011

Ho ho oh no, the holidays. Don’t get me wrong, I love the holidays. Especially the flavors involved; pumpkin, gingerbread, and eggnog all get a hearty oh-oh-yes from me. But the pure volume of food and drink, at some point, becomes nearly obscene. So you skip the big, gooey slice of gingerbread cake and opt for a drink instead, only to find, come January, that–what the gingersnap?!–you can’t snap your jeans. Welcome to the world of ridiculously caloric beverages; the ones that should make you fearful rather than cheerful. Here are twelve to put on Santa’s naughty list.

12. Starbucks: White Hot Chocolate
Serving Size: 20 oz
Calories: 570
Saturated Fat: 21 g

11. Panera: Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Serving Size: 14.25 oz
Calories: 610
Saturated Fat: 11 g

10. Starbucks: Eggnog Latte
Serving Size: 20 oz
Calories: 630
Saturated Fat: 30 g

Stress Exercise Blood Type

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Dec 232011

Exercise is especially critical to the health of Type O’s because the impact of stress is direct and physical. Not only does regular intense exercise elevate your spirits, it enables the Type O to maintain weight control, emotional balance, and a strong self-image. Type O’s respond well to heavy exercise-in nearly every way.

Type O’s who do not express their physical natures with appropriate activity in response to stress are eventually over-whelmed during the exhaustion stage of the stress response. This exhaustion stage is characterized by a variety of psychological manifestations caused by a slower rate of metabolism, such as depression, fatigue, or insomnia. If there is no change, you will leave yourself vulnerable to a number of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, such as arthritis and asthma, as well as to consistent weight gain and eventual obesity.

Here are the best physical actvities for blood type O.
Exercise Duration Frequency

Aerobics 40-60 min. 3-4xweek

Swimming 30-45 min. 3-4x week

Jogging 30 min. 3-4x week

Weight Training 30 min. 3x week

Are You Getting Enough Fat?

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Dec 232011

Getting enough of the right kind of fat in our diet is not always easy to do because of our food sources today.

One hundred years ago we were eating real food – we didn’t have mass production of corn and soybean oil or the hydrogenation process.

In the past 100 years the balance of certain oils have changed in our food source – we are getting much more Omega 6 than Omega 3 oils in our diet.

Studies show we need just the opposite. We need more Omega 3s than Omega 6.

Here is a quick self test to determine if you could have a essential fatty acid deficiency

Do you have rough, dry, cracked feet?
Do you have calluses on your feet?

If you answered yes to either of these questions you are very likely deficient in the good fats. Specifically, Omega 3 Essential fatty acids…

Now some of you may be skeptical about your feet calluses being a sign of essential fatty acid deficiency, here are just a few of the other physical symptoms also connected to essential fatty acid deficiency.

Poor Mood
Depression
Trouble with your blood pressure
Problem with skin such as psoriasis and eczema
Dull skin and hair

Here is a recommendation to consider….

If you suffer from depression and are moody, studies show Omega 3 from deep-water fish contain a special kind of oil fish oilcalled Omega 3, studies show there’s a direct link between Omega 3 deficiency and depression.

Reports show that hundreds of patients are enjoying
big gains in mood without drugs or medication.

Recommended dose of EPA fish oil from Salmon
1000mg or one gram per day
Increase dosage until an effect is seen on mood
Do not exceed six grams of EPA per day

How does depression affect adolescent girls?

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Dec 232011

Before adolescence, girls and boys experience depression at about the same frequency.By adolescence, however, girls become more likely to experience depression than boys.

Research points to several possible reasons for this imbalance. The biological and hormonal changes that occur during puberty likely contribute to the sharp increase in rates of depression among adolescent girls. In addition, research has suggested that girls are more likely than boys to continue feeling bad after experiencing difficult situations or events, suggesting they are more prone to depression.

Another study found that girls tended to doubt themselves, doubt their problem-solving abilities and view their problems as unsolvable more so than boys. The girls with these views were more likely to have depressive symptoms as well. Girls also tended to need a higher degree of approval and success to feel secure than boys.

Finally, girls may undergo more hardships, such as poverty, poor education, childhood sexual abuse, and other traumas than boys. One study found that more than 70 percent of depressed girls experienced a difficult or stressful life event prior to a depressive episode, as compared with only 14 percent of boys.

Melt Away Pounds With A Liver Cleanse

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Dec 232011

When thinking of weight loss a liver cleanse plan probably doesn’t come to mind as easily as diet or exercise. Yet, it should. Our liver is the largest glandular organ in the body and may very well hold the key to losing body fat fast.

First let’s get a brief idea of how the liver functions. Before nutrients (and contaminants) from digested food enter circulation throughout the rest of the body, they must first enter the liver via the portal vein. In the liver, the portal vein eventually branches out into smaller and smaller vessel that eventually end up branching into tiny capillaries leading into lobules.

The lobules are lined with hepatic cells (liver cells) and are considered metabolic, since they assimilate carbohydrates, fats and proteins… To help understand how nutrient rich food interacts with the liver to help you lose weight faster, here is a short overview of the tasks that are performed by these cells:

Convert glucose into glycogen for storage
Reconvert glycogen into glucose for energy on demand
Regulate blood glucose
Turn digested fats to fatty acids
Fatty acids synthesize cholesterol
Convert excess carbohydrates into fat
Convert excess proteins into fat
Turn digested proteins in to amino acids
Convert amino acids partly to glycogen
Produces urea when protein breaks down
Urea removes toxic ammonia from body fluids
Synthesizes nonessential amino acids from amino acids
Filters toxic substances from blood (phagocytic cells)
Manufactures plasma proteins
Manufactures blood clotting substances
Manufactures and secretes bile
Stores vitamins, including A, D, K, and B12

Conquer Claustrophobia

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Dec 262011

Claustrophobia, Its Symptoms and Treatments

Claustrophobia is a form of anxiety disorder where a person exhibits an extreme and unreasonable fear of small or enclosed spaces. During an attack, both physical and emotional reactions may be experienced. Claustrophobia is usually characterized by feelings of being trapped and having no means to find an exit or a way out of a location.

About one in 63 Americans has suffered some form of claustrophobia in his life while others have the disorder as a chronic condition. It is not clear what causes claustrophobia, but people who suffer from it find that it runs in their family. The first experience of claustrophobia usually occurs in early childhood or adolescence and develops from there. It usually disappears when a person reaches adulthood.

Claustrophobia is a disorder that can be overcome. If not, it can be effectively managed. If left untreated, it can limit normal day-to-day, social, professional and personal activities.

Who are most at risk of developing claustrophobia?

As a form of anxiety attack, claustrophobia is usually the result of repeated episodes of anxiety when a person is within an enclosed space or locked room. If he is not able to manage his fears effectively and choose to avoid similar situations, there is a great chance he will experience another attack with more severity. If he has a family member who suffers from claustrophobia, he may also have the potential to develop the disorder.

What causes depression in women?

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Dec 272011

Scientists are examining many potential causes for and contributing factors to women’s increased risk for depression. It is likely that genetic, biological, chemical, hormonal, environmental, psychological, and social factors all intersect to contribute to depression.

GENETICS

If a woman has a family history of depression, she may be more at risk of developing the illness. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. Depression can occur in women without family histories of depression, and women from families with a history of depression may not develop depression themselves. Genetics research indicates that the risk for developing depression likely involves the combination of multiple genes with environmental or other factors.

BRAIN CHEMICALS AND HORMONES

Brain chemistry appears to be a significant factor in depressive disorders. Modern brain-imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of people suffering from depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of the brain responsible for regulating mood, thinking, sleep, appetite and behavior don’t appear to be functioning normally. In addition, important neurotransmitters-chemicals that brain cells use to communicate-appear to be out of balance. But these images do not reveal WHY the depression has occurred.

What Are the Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

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Dec 272011

General anxiety disorder is characterized by uncontrollable worry and excessive stress about daily concerns. The frequency, duration and intensity of the anxiety are somehow not proportionate and are regarded as abnormal. This results to interruption in normally performing daily activities.

General anxiety disorder greatly affects 5% of the total American population. It is more prevalent in women than men and in the young than the old. People who have general anxiety disorder have symptoms like tension, restlessness, hyperactivity, fear, rumination, worrying and inconsistency.

If this is prevalent for at least six months then we strongly recommend that the person go to his physician as soon as possible.

Those who have general anxiety disorders often worry about things like their finances, health, job and their family when there is no point to do so in the first place. Those with GAD worry over minor matters like deadlines, appointments, cleaning the house and keeping the workplace organized

9 Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

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Dec 272011

Not only are sweet potatoes readily available, inexpensive, and delicious, there are many other reasons to love these yummy vegetables. Here are 9:

1. They are high in vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps reduce the chemical homocysteine in our bodies. Homocysteine has been linked with degenerative diseases, including the prevention of heart attacks.

2. They are a good source of vitamin C. While most people know that vitamin C is important to help ward off cold and flu viruses, few people are aware that this crucial vitamin plays an important role in bone and tooth formation, digestion, and blood cell formation. It helps accelerate wound healing, produces collagen which helps maintain skin’s youthful elasticity, and is essential to helping us cope with stress. It even appears to help protect our body against toxins that may be linked to cancer.

3. They contain Vitamin D which is critical for immune system and overall health at this time of year. Both a vitamin and a hormone, vitamin D is primarily made in our bodies as a result of getting adequate sunlight. You may have heard about seasonal affective disorder (or SAD, as it is also called), which is linked to inadequate sunlight and therefore a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D plays an important role in our energy levels, moods, and helps to build healthy bones, heart, nerves, skin, and teeth, and it supports the thyroid gland.

4. Sweet potatoes contain iron. Most people are aware that we need the mineral iron to have adequate energy, but iron plays other important roles in our body, including red and white blood cell production, resistance to stress, proper immune functioning, and the metabolizing of protein, among other things.

5. Sweet potatoes are a good source of magnesium, which is the relaxation and anti-stress mineral. Magnesium is necessary for healthy artery, blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve function, yet experts estimate that approximately 80 percent of the population in North America may be deficient in this important mineral.

7 Heart Attack Signs Women (and Doctors) Often Miss

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Dec 272011

Conventional wisdom has it that heart attacks come out of the blue. We’re also trained to expect a heart attack to happen a certain way; the victim clutches his chest, writhes in pain, and collapses. But for women, it often doesn’t happen that way. Study after study shows heart attacks and heart disease are under-diagnosed in women, with the explanation being that they didn’t have symptoms.

But research shows that’s not the case. Women who’ve had heart attacks realize, looking back, that they experienced significant symptoms–they just didn’t recognize them as such.

In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 95 percent of women (that’s almost all!) who’d had heart attacks reported experiencing symptoms that were decidedly new or different from their previous experience a month or more before their attacks.

Even when a heart attack is occurring, women are often slow to realize what’s happening and call a doctor. The reason? Women’s heart attack symptoms are different than men’s. This failure to recognize heart attack signs in women has led to a grim statistic: women are more likely to die from sudden cardiac death than men are, and two thirds of women who have a heart attack don’t recover completely.

11 Natural Treatments For Depression

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Dec 272011

1. Consider why you might feel depressed. Sometimes depression is a symptom of something circumstantial in your life, rather than biochemical imbalances. Does your job require you to sell out your integrity every day? Have you been unable to admit that you need to end your marriage? Are you feeling spiritually disconnected or sexually restless? Are you suffering from creative blocks? Is your body failing you? Are you facing financial ruin? Be honest with yourself about what might be off-kilter in your life, and make an effort to get to the root of why you might be feeling depressed.

2. Move your body. Exercise releases happy-making endorphins, which act like natural anti-depressants. Runner’s high, anyone?

3. Never skip a meal. Keeping your blood sugar stable reduces mood swings.

4. Eat a serotonin-enhancing diet. Many anti-depressants like Prozac act by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin by receptors in the brain, thereby increasing serotonin levels. But you can increase your brain’s serotonin levels by eating foods that boost your serotonin levels naturally

The Many Benefits of Chanting

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Dec 272011

As yoga has grown and spread throughout the West, chanting the sacred Sanskrit words has spread right along with it. For many the uncertainty of the strange words and meaning of those words can cause one to hesitate before opening wide and letting the sound vibrations escape the mouth; for others it can be shyness to sing in the presence of other people. Chanting or singing your prayers, has been a vital part of worship in every religion world wide and it is done to soothe and quiet the mind, awaken spiritual energy and to heal the body.

The beauty of chanting is that there is not just one way, or one rhythm, but a broad spectrum of rhythmic patterns combining the sounds of the human voice with traditional instruments of a particular culture. The range of rhythms are as diverse as the chants of a Catholic mass to the tribal drums of the Native American Indians, the deep drone of Buddhist monks or the keening wail of women mourning the dead. Opening the mouth to chant allows us to open our heart and speak to Spirit in worship, in prayer or as a form of meditation.

Are You A Carboholic? How To Break the Addiction

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Dec 272011

Excuse me, are you going to eat your dinner roll?

This was the running topic of dinner conversation during my college years. Not, “Have you studied up on Pavlov’s theory?” or “How wild was that frat party last night?” or “Are you seriously dating that hot cowboy?” My top concern was how many rolls I could mooch off my table mates in a 20-minute sitting. Fortunately for my cravings (unfortunately for my blood sugar) I lived in a sorority with 90 women; that’s A LOT of rolls. A good night’s take for me was around seven rolls.

Hello, my name is Monica and I’m a carboholic! Hot-buttered-bakery-fresh-donut-diva-there’s-not-a-bread-I-don’t-love CARBOHOLIC. Like, could someone please ban me to a life of bread and water!!!

When my weight starts to climb and my jeans start to feel like sausage skin, I know exactly where the blame lies. There were times in my life where 80% of my calories were carbohydrates: toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, and tortellini with garlic bread for dinner. Oh the Glory!

A Yoga Pose for Every Problem

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Dec 272011

Irregular Heartbeats

The research: Atrial fibrillation–more commonly called A-fib–is a common but serious problem where the heart beats irregularly, putting sufferers at risk for stroke. When researchers at the University of Kansas Hospital recently referred people with A-fib to a 3-times-a-week yoga class, their number of A-fib episodes slashed in half. The study author says this is especially impressive when you consider that traditional treatments include drugs with serious side effects or risky surgical procedures.

Helpful yoga pose: Cobra. Although the study involved comprehensive yoga sessions, poses like cobra that open the chest are said to aid the heart. Lie on your abdomen, legs and feet together, forehead on the floor, and hands on the floor beneath your shoulders, elbows close to the body. Inhaling, stretch the chin out slightly and, pressing on the palms, begin raising the chest and shoulders, continuing to a height you feel comfortable (typically just before or just after the belly button leaves the ground). Hold 30 seconds, then release.

Healing Eczema and Psoriasis Naturally

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Dec 272011

Eczema usually causes inflamed red, itchy, and dry patches of skin that sometimes blisters and weeps. Psoriasis is similar in that it also frequently occurs on the scalp, knees, and elbows, but it can occur anywhere on the body and also often shows up on the buttocks and wrists. It doesn’t usually itch, but may bleed if the red, swollen skin or silvery or whitish scales are scratched. It is caused by skin cells that replicate too quickly, usually around ten times the growth rate of normal skin cells.Most scientists and doctors are mystified by what causes the these conditions or the skin cells to replicate. Natural medicine theories include: poor diet; deficiencies in essential fatty acids and fiber; digestive difficulties, especially with protein; Candida albicans overgrowth; deficiency vitamins and essential fatty acids; or poor liver function or toxic buildup. Here’s how to help:

Detox Your Liver and Intestines
Detoxify the bowels and liver to eliminate a possible overgrowth of Candida albicans or other microbes that may be infecting the body. To do that, be sure to drink plenty of water every day (usually 10 to 12 cups) and supplement with a high quality probiotic supplement that includes: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacteria, and Bifidobacteria bifidum. Avoid sugars and minimize fruit consumption while dealing with Candida.

Catching Stress Before It Catches You

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Dec 272011

We’re in an ever-accelerating “hurry up” culture, one in which human beings are required to make remarkable adaptations to increasingly technologically driven lifestyles and consumer-oriented pressures. This spiraling pace requires us to move so quickly that we tend to override and become desensitized to our bodily sensations and our feelings. In this anesthetized state we ironically require more stimulation- bigger, better, newer, louder, faster – just to grab and hold our attention. We become so saturated with excessive stimulation and cumulative tension that we may become numb to all but the most adrenaline producing experiences or else attempt to soothe the frayed nervous system with alcohol, drugs or ignore it with compulsive activity.

One of the unfortunate effects of being assimilated into such a system is that we become increasingly alienated from the awareness of physical sensations, so that it becomes difficult to notice the more subtle signs of stress and tension where they first manifest- in the body. When these subtle tensions are ignored, one of the more damaging cumulative effects is that the immune system is compromised. Resources typically available for the immune response are shunted into dealing with a consistently high level of activation present in the body. The potential for illness increases proportionate to the length of time these signs are ignored. It may take a physical breakdown or exhaustion to get us to slow down and allow the immune response to regenerate; sometimes this ignore-ance over a period of years can contribute to a major life-threatening illness.

Why Your Intellect Is An Obstacle In Yoga

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Dec 272011

When he trained in yoga Ed lived in silence, practice and service. He soon became aware that yoga is far more than just a series of postures or mental exercises but rather is a way of life that leads to self-realization. He trained at the Bihar School of Yoga in India during the late 1960s, where he became a Swami, a yoga expert. But only when he came back to the west and began to live as a yogi did he see how inclusive and far-reaching yoga really is.

Although it has its roots in Hinduism, yoga transcends the limitations of religion; it stands alone. Yoga means union; it is waking up to the beauty both within ourselves and realizing the sacredness of all life. And it is the expression of love: loving yourself and others, which frees us from a chaotic mind, negativity and neurosis.

Diabetes Myths Busted: 4 Facts You Should Know

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Dec 272011

Myth: Diabetics can’t eat any sweets.

Fact: Sweets are not entirely restricted, as long as they are enjoyed in moderation. A healthy meal plan is important for diabetics, as it is for everyone else. Processed and refined sweets should be limited, as should fruit. While fruit is a health food, it still contains a lot of natural sugar.

An apple with a tablespoon of nut butter, a one-quarter cup of dried apricots, or this Berry Pudding recipe are great examples of diabetic-friendly sweet snacks.

Myth: Diabetics can’t eat starchy carbs.

Fact: Carbohydrates are part of a well-balanced diet, even for diabetics. Starchy foods are needed for proper brain and body function. When eating carbohydrates it’s important to choose whole grain options and avoid simple carbs (i.e. white bread and pasta). Don’t overload on carbohydrates and make sure to eat as part of a balanced meal. As you can see, a diabetic diet isn’t much different from what most everyone else should be eating anyway.

Cabbage: Versatile and Delicious Cancer-Fighter

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Dec 272011

If you had asked me a couple of years ago what my favorite foods were, I doubt the list would have included cabbage. I have to admit I had a bit of prejudice against this crunchy fellow, but after discovering the true tastiness and health benefits of cabbage, I couldn’t help but change my head on this nutritious vegetable.

Health Benefits of Cabbage:

Cabbage is a low calorie food rolling in antioxidant polyphenols and vitamin C, along with the important clotting agent vitamin K, but this is just the beginning. Cabbage has been revered for centuries for its anti-inflammatory properties and versatility in food preparation, but what has really added to cabbage’s credit in the last decade is its implications as a cancer-fighting food.

Cabbage is part of the Brassica or Cruciferous family of vegetables (Kale, broccoli, collards, etc.) All vegetables in this group contain glucosinolates, which may block the growth of certain types of cancers, and boost cells’ ability to repair DNA. Cabbage has also been used to treat stomach ulcers and other cases of imbalance within the digestive system.

The Shocking Ingredients in Cigarettes

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Dec 272011

If you think cigarettes are simply dried tobacco leaves rolled in paper, you’re about 597 ingredients off. The tobacco industry has become master mixologists with the additives. Some ingredients are added for flavor, but research has shown that the key purpose of using additives is to improve tobacco’s potency resulting in increased addictiveness–and the additives they choose to use are dreadful.

I remember hearing something about “the list” back in the 1990s when tobacco companies first started being taken to task for their dastardly ways, but seeing the list again now that I’m educated about chemistry and health, I am absolutely staggered. It’s amazing this isn’t in the news everyday. It’s bad enough that many of these ingredients are approved for use in food–but that they haven’t been tested for burning? When burnt, the whole mess results in over 4,000 chemicals, including over 40 known carcinogenic compounds and 400 other toxins. These include nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, as well as formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, and DDT.

Do Tomatoes Cause Arthritis?

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Dec 272011

Summer gardens are bringing forth an abundance of nightshade foods destined for your dinner plate, your fresh tomato salad, or scattered across a slice of hot cheesy pizza with peppers. Nightshades or the Solanaceae family, cover some 2,800 species of plants, herbs, shrubs and trees, but the nightshade foods you most often consume include:

Eggplant
Potatoes
Peppers (hot and sweet)
Tomatoes
Tomatillos
Paprika
Cayenne
Pimentos

These nightshade foods are suspected of causing arthritic type symptoms in people already prone to the ailment, but you will probably still love them anyway. Although there is no solid evidence that the alkaloids in nightshade plants negatively affect joint and nerve-muscle function in humans and animals, there are individuals who experience symptomatic relief when nightshade foods are eliminated from their diet.

Is Gluten Bad For You?

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Dec 272011

Gluten is a protein found in the grains wheat, barley, and rye. Most of us unknowingly love it, because gluten gives our favorite foods that special touch: It makes pizza dough stretchy, gives bread its spongy texture, and is used to thicken sauces and soups.

Gluten-free eating has a basis in science, and it does help a genuine health problem. To people with a chronic digestive disorder called celiac disease, gluten is truly evil: Their bodies regard even a tiny crumb of it as a malicious invader and mount an immune response, says Alessio Fasano, M.D., medical director of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore. Problem is, this immune reaction ends up damaging the small intestine, which causes both great gastrointestinal distress and nutritional deficiencies. If untreated, these responses can then lead to intestinal cancers as well as complications such as infertility and osteoporosis.

Experts once thought celiac disease was a rare disorder, believed to affect one in every 10,000 people. But an Archives of Internal Medicine study in 2003 suggests that celiac disease is far more prevalent than anyone had suspected, affecting one in 133 Americans. With increased testing and awareness, more people realized why they felt sick after eating a piece of bread, and food companies discovered a new market.

5 Natural Treatments for Sinus Infection

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Dec 272011

True misery is the pain and swelling caused by sinus inflammation. The bones around the nose, the eyes and the cheeks are lined with membranes that produce mucus, which function to warm and moisten inhaled air, plus to filter out any germs. When congested and unable to drain properly, the mucus continues to accumulate, stagnate and become infected. There are a number of causes for chronic sinus infections:

Excessive dairy consumption (cheese, milk, ice cream, yogurt)
Environmental allergies
Tobacco and pollution irritation
Food allergies
Dental infection
Fungal infection in the sinus cavity
Systemic Candida albicans (overgrowth of yeast)
Colds and flu symptoms

Typical allopathic treatments for sinus inflammation can include prescription antibiotics, steroids, anti-inflammatories, and in some cases, surgery. In fact it is common for people to be taking five different medications to treat their sinus infection. Even with the medications, relief is minimal until milk, cheese, ice cream, and yogurt are first eliminated from the diet. This will help cut back on the production of mucus and allow the sinuses to clear. There are also herbal and homeopathic remedies, nasal sprays and aromatherapy oils that can help reduce the swelling and speed recovery.

The Secret to Losing Weight

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Dec 272011

As the cold sets in, it is natural to want to hibernate. We also tend to add additional pounds of insulation during the winter months, and who doesn’t find comfort in warm cocoa and other comfort foods!

Too many people have failed too many times at losing weight. What is the secret missing ingredient, beyond calorie reduction and a change in diet?

BE ACTIVE!!!

New research by Oregon Health & Science University scientists reveals that simply reducing caloric intake is not sufficient to promote significant weight loss.

If you want to lose weight, the best way is to increase your metabolism. Diet is not enough! Starvation is fairly inefficient too – the body then goes into conservation mode which minimizes fat loss. What usually follows is binge eating out of desperate hunger. The additional calories are then converted into even more fat. Not recommended! This is why the majority of diets fail, and this supports a massive industry.

Bioidentical Estrogens Are Safe, Right?

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Dec 272011

Like every hormone in the body, estrogen has a specific chemical structure. It looks like chicken wire made from 18 carbon atoms with one, two or three “OH” groups hanging off some of those carbon atoms. If it has one “OH” group it is called estrone or E1. If it has two “OH” groups it is called estradiol or E2. If it has three “OH” groups hanging off it is called estriol or E3. These are the three main biological estrogen molecules that a woman’s body normally makes. Estradiol is the most potent one and before menopause, is the most abundant.

When people talk about bioidentical estrogens, which estrogens are they talking about?

While there are other bioidential hormones such as testosterone and progesterone, there are only three bioidentical estrogens: estrone, estradiol and estriol. These three hormones can be found in chain drug stores and in compounding pharmacies.

How are bioidentical estrogens different from other estrogen products?

Most of the estrogen molecules that are purchased in a drug store have a similar chemical structure to E1, E2 or E3, but they are not identical to them. Your body thinks non-bioidentical estrogens are close enough to bioidentical ones to respond to them. But they aren’t exactly the same; they might be a little stronger, a little weaker, or just different.

4 Ways to Kick Acid for Great Health

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Dec 272011

Great health can be as simple as balancing your body chemistry. Don’t let the word “chemistry” scare you. To balance your body chemistry, consider your pH levels. The pH scale is a measure of acidity and alkalinity in your body. Acid is on one side of the spectrum, starting at 0; alkaline is on the other side of the spectrum up to 14. Neutral is 7.0. Anything less than 7 is acid and anything higher than 7 is alkaline. You’re probably more familiar with the pH scale than you think. If you’ve ever cleaned with baking soda and vinegar you’re familiar with concept. Vinegar is acidic and baking soda is alkaline. When you put the two together (perhaps as a natural drain cleaner) the two bubble and fizz until they neutralize each other.

Your body works to maintain your blood’s pH at slightly alkaline (7.365). Most people eat an acid-forming diet of meat, dairy products, sugar and other sweets, wheat, processed white flour pastas and bakery items, coffee, tea, trans fats, and food additives that acidify their body.

Maintaining a stable blood pH is critical to life so the body has numerous mechanisms to help keep the balance: excretion from the kidneys, leaching calcium from the bones or magnesium from the muscles, among others. Over time, the burden on the kidneys and the elimination of alkaline minerals from critical areas of the body can lead to health issues.

Back Health Can Be Improved By Yoga

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Dec 272011

Our results showed that yoga can provide both short- and long-term benefits to those suffering from chronic or recurrent back pain, without any serious side effects,” said the study’s lead author, Helen E. Tilbrook.

The yoga group had better back function than the standard care group at months 3, 6, 9 and 12, meaning the improvement they experienced was more than just a short-term effect. The yoga program was twelve classes with a gradual increase in difficulty over 3 months. Each yoga participant also received an education pamphlet so they could read about the poses they were doing. Of the 156 in the yoga group, 12 reported adverse events, meaning they reported an increase in pain. Two in the standard care group reported increased pain

One possible explanation for the 12 who reported adverse events with yoga, is that for some reason the yoga program had 12 different teachers, and for beginners it might be confusing to have that number of instructors, because of the differences in teaching styles and yoga types. Another possibility is the varying levels of commitment depending on the individual, as some people are more open-minded and willing to try new things. These individuals could have experienced more benefit, whereas the less interested and less committed would not have embraced the new experiences with the same attentiveness and effort.

Reversing Heart Disease

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Dec 272011

Reversing heart disease is possible. One must return the body to the natural / normal healthy state instead of the diseased state it has become. It takes years to achieve the diseased state and will take some time to recover natural health. Pharmaceutical drugs such as, statins or blood thinners DO NOT help to achieve health – they actually adversely affect your health. More and more studies are coming out disputing the effectiveness of statins for prolonging life. Statins (and all pharmaceuticals) actually destroy a bodies healthy state, adversely affecting all bodily systems and balance. Statins deplete Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 levels essential to a healthy heart.

The Cause of Heart Disease

Inflammation, not cholesterol is the main cause of heart disease. Inflammation is the body’s reaction to injury, free radicals or illness. It’s purpose is to concentrate blood flow to mobilize the immune system to fight bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungus or any invader of the body or concentrate the body’ s healing ability to an injured area. There are many sources of inflamation that contribute to heart disease.

Fibrin is produced in the body to initiate healing. Scabs and scar tissue are made of fibrin. Fibrin seals off an injured area to prevent bleeding and initiate the repair of damaged tissues. When fibrin’s job is done, but the fibrin does not disolve, this contributes to sustained inflamation.

Why Diets Fail

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Dec 282011

Humans are creatures of habit. Unfortunately, many of these habits are bad habits. Habits take a sustained 21 to 30 days of a new routine to establish a new habit and more often than not, we don’t succeed. This is what we are up against and diets seem to be even more troublesome for some reason. Our habits are ingrained in our subconscious. Many years of forming and solidifying these habits make them very hard to break. Food involves all the senses – sight, touch, smell, taste and sound (cooking, sizzling, crunching…) – a dieter is getting hit from every sense!

Our environments may be working against us. Our friends and family may be working against us – though probably unintentionally. Think about the holidays and family celebrations and get togethers – everyone is pushing food. Food is part of every celebration. No wonder the temptation is unavoidable. Imagine if you loved baked goods (high in carbs, high in calories) and you worked in a bakery – you would be almost doomed! Subconsciously you love carbs, you work around the baked goods and the smell, enough to make you surrender!

What Is Bipolar Disorder?

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Dec 282011

Bipolar disorder is an illness that causes extreme mood changes from manic episodes of very high energy to the extreme lows of depression. It is also called manic-depressive disorder.

This illness can cause behavior so extreme that you cannot function at work, in family or social situations, or in relationships with others. Some people with bipolar disorder become suicidal.

Having this disorder can make you feel helpless and hopeless. But you are not alone. Talking with others who suffer from it may help you learn that there is hope for a better life. And treatment can help you get back in control.

Family members often feel helpless when a loved one is depressed or manic. If your loved one has bipolar disorder, you may want to get counseling for yourself. Therapy can also help a child who has a bipolar parent.

What causes bipolar disorder?

The cause of bipolar disorder is not completely understood. We know that it runs in families. It may also be affected by your living environment or family situation. One possible cause is an imbalance of chemicals in the brain.

Why You Ought To Be Aware Of Bladder Cancer Symptoms

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Feb 062012

Bladder cancer is one of the most common diseases related to Type II Diabetes. The reason being Actos, a drug for diabetes, has been found as one of the prevalent bladder cancer causes. Actos or pioglitazone is definitely an oral drug, which just lately acquired a circulation prohibition from the FDA. In 1999, this pill became popular as remedy for Type II Diabetes mellitus. It enhanced glycemic control, since the disease interferes with the natural production and use of insulin to operate bloodstream sugar levels. Researchers have found a link between the drug and many bladder cancer sufferers. Recent studies demonstrate that the chance of developing bladder cancer is 40% greater in case you frequently took the medicine for longer than 2 yrs.

Soon after a statement from the FDA, pharmacies all over the US apparently eradicated the medicine from their display units. Several outlets, nevertheless, still ensure that it stays in circulation. During the past year, the pill rated 9th at the top selling prescription medications in the nation.

You can actually file for compensation claims if you believe you or a member of the family has been diagnosed with bladder cancer due to Actos. Coping with diabetes mellitus is enough problem both physically and monetarily. Adding a lethal problem due to carelessness of medical manufacturers is unacceptable. You can actually approach personal injury attorneys if you intend to sue the maker of Actos. Getting compensation just for this damage will be helpful to cover your medical charges. Make sure you get representation from experienced lawyers that have experience with patients suing exactly the same company.

You’re already a candidate just for this type of cancer malignancy if you’ve been taking the pill for a long time. Below are a few bladder cancer symptoms you could be going through.

Hematuria is one of the primary bladder cancer symptoms you must never disregard. Once you see a dark staining within your urine due to blood, it is time to head right to a doctor. Pain or constant discomfort while peeing comes with this complication. Urinary tract infection (UTI) can be another common side-effect. Other symptoms include pain in lower back, swollen lower legs, anemia, and weight loss. You might also notice a mass on the pelvic region.

There are no distinct bladder cancer causes. Many people might connect it to smoking or any other unhealthy addictions, however there are no proven studies. Researchers, nevertheless, are set on their findings that Actos is a high risk factor for such sickness. Actos is associated with a class of medicine called thiazolidinediones. Avandia, an additional drug belonging to the same category, is actually out of the shelves as well. A great number of researchers found its connection with incidences of cardiac arrest.

Teaching yourself on numerous drugs before taking them will help you in the end. Always be certain to ask for second opinions from numerous medical professionals when you get a prescription. It is not that you do not have confidence in regular physician; several medications bring uncomfortable side effects if taken for long periods. Do not hesitate to ask health authorities as well ifyou have questions about your medicine. Go online and do your own research for additional information if you are having doubts.

How To Plan A Diet For Gestational Diabetes

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Feb 062012

A healthy diet plan is not only needed for the treatment of gestational diabetes only but also for various other diseases also so that people could keep fit and healthy. When the pregnant women have high level of blood sugar it is known as gestational diabetes. There are certain tests to be performed for checking the blood sugar level and through these tests only identification of gestational diabetes is possible. Once a pregnant woman is identified with gestational diabetes it is needed to start the treatment fast. A proper diet for gestational diabetes, exercises and medicines are needed for treating the gestational diabetes. As such it is very difficult to identify the gestational diabetes because there are no such symptoms and the blood test is the only way to identify the high blood sugar level. Pregnancy is a very critical stage in every womans life so diet holds a very important role in curing gestational diabetes.

Diet for gestational diabetes is given where there is limited intake of sugar and carbohydrate rich food items.

1. The intake of food items rich in carbohydrates should be limited and it is better to eat whole-grain bread, pasta etc.
2. It is advisable to avoid the foods rich in sugar such as candies, cakes, pastries and better to switch over to fruits which has natural sugar.
3. The snacks in between can be taken in the form of salads, fruits.
4. Raisins, carrot sticks can be taken as snacks
5. Include more of foods which are rich in proteins instead of carbohydrates
6. Fiber is very important for the diet plan for diabetic patients so such foods which have more of fiber should be included in the diet. Legumes, seeds, fruits, vegetables etc. are very good in fiber content.

Though diet for gestational diabetes has to be followed strictly, it is also required to do exercise and keep a watch on the weight gain. Excessive weight gain should be avoided and it is better to consult the doctor regarding this and maintain a regular diet plan of the weight change. Many exercises could not be done by the pregnant women but walking can help in keeping a check on the weight and on the blood sugar level. The pregnant women must walk for some time every day. Usually the gestational diabetes goes off after the child is born but one should not keep it untreated otherwise the gestational diabetes might cause serious health problems in the child and mother both.

Practical Gout Relief Using Simple Natural Gout Remedies

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Feb 062012

Gout is an extremely painful and debilitating condition, so fast gout relief is extremely important for the sufferers of this incredibly painful type of arthritis. It is caused by uric acid crystals that form in a person’s joints usually as a result of having high uric acid levels in the bloodstream. It commonly occurs in the big toe, especially for people suffering with an attack for the first time.

When someone keeps getting this condition it may also appear in ankle and elbow joints. Gout attacks tend to occur suddenly without warning as a flare up and then disappear with treatment and sometimes even without treatment. And as stated at the beginning, the reason victims want to be treated quickly when an attack occurs is that it is one of the most painful, if not the most painful, episodes people will have in their lives. This is why fast relief from gout is just so important.

Gout Symptoms

Typical symptoms are that the joint will swell up and be quite severe in many cases. The area will feel very hot, be inflamed and be stiff for the duration of the attack. It will also be very, very painful. One or all of these symptoms can happen at any given time. And just to drive home the point, the pain is so bad in some cases that nothing can touch the affected area without causing extreme pain. This will include something as innocent as lightweight bed covers lying on the joint.

Gout Causes

High uric acid levels — called ‘hyperuricemia’ — that give rise to crystal formation in the joints and associated tissue is the main culprit. But there are a number of ways in which this can be triggered…

Diets that are high in purines can lead to high uric acid and so gout. Purines are chemical compounds that occur naturally in the body and in our foods. During the metabolizing process they break down and uric acid is produced as a byproduct.

If the kidneys are unable for some reason to process and eliminate uric acid, or the body is producing too much uric acid for the kidneys to deal with, then excess acid is retained in the body.

A major factor that can put you at higher risk is the consumption of alcohol on a regular basis, so cutting down on or avoiding this altogether will help the condition.

Other risk factors are certain medical condition and medications. For example, high blood pressure and medications for that condition, diabetes, narrowing of the arteries, high cholesterol, to name but some.

Although we don’t fully understand the exact reason why, around 25% of gout sufferers have a family history of gout or arthritis.

Another major factor is when people are overweight. The more overweight the individual the more chance of a bout of gout. Regular exercise and weight loss is an excellent way to reduce the odds of suffering from this and medical professionals will try to twin this exercise with a good diet to try to cure the patient.

Gout Treatment

For medical relief the doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs. Different types of steroids can also be used at the start of an attack, but it will be up to the doctor to determine what is the best medication to give each individual. These pills usual get rid of it quite quickly but it can come back at anytime because these really don’t address the root causes or triggers of gout.

And recurring gout does have to be taken seriously. Although the medical profession is at last taking gout, especially chronic gout, as a really serious condition there is no known medical cure for it. In other words, there is no drug that you can take that will prevent your gout from returning. What there are, are drugs that can help you manage the condition as long as they are being taken. This means long-term or even life long medication which many people don’t want, especially if there are alternatives…

Recurring Gout

Unfortunately for gout suffers, once having had one attack, they are now much more likely to have more. And what is known is that recurring gout attacks can eventually cause permanent joint damage as well as other health issues such as kidney problems and high blood pressure. So finding ways to prevent recurring gout is just as paramount as getting fast gout relief…

Natural Gout Relief Tips

Many sufferers are finding that a more broad-based approach is required to help get gout relief. This includes drugs (if you wish to stick with them, many people prefer not to), dietary changes, some lifestyle adjustments and the use of natural home remedies (especially where drugs are avoided).

Gout Relief Through Diet

In terms of diet, it is known that high levels of purines in food can help to raise uric acid levels in individuals.

So changing to a low-purine diet is a logical first step in getting relief from gout. Typically, this means avoiding or, at the very least, reducing the intake of foods such as fatty red meat, game, organ meat, fish, shellfish, and poultry.

Instead, your diet should consist of lots of vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables) and fruits (especially cherries, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, and pineapples). Note though, that you should avoid mushrooms, asparagus, cauliflower, and spinach.

Make sure you eat essential fatty acid foods like nuts, seeds, flax-seeds, small portions of tuna and salmon, etc. Complex carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, cereals and breads should also be consumed, although you should avoid white flour products. Low fat dairy products are also fine. And eat foods such as red bell peppers, potatoes, etc., that are high in vitamin C. Plus, be sure to drink lots of water.

Gout Relief Through Lifestyle Changes

Being obese or sufficiently overweight is a major trigger for gout. Apart from the fact that there is more body tissue that can breakdown into uric acid during the metabolizing process, the excess weight puts undue stress and strain on the joints which can also trigger an attack. So it is advised to get down to your optimum healthy weight.

Alcohol has the ability to inhibit the amount of uric acid that your kidneys can process and eliminate from your body. This means that alcohol consumption can result in higher uric acid levels in your blood. If you suffer from recurring gout then you need to avoid alcohol. At the very least you should reduce its consumption drastically.

Natural Home Remedies for Gout Relief

Some of the most popular and effective home remedies for gout relief are….

1. Cherries. These have natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as being able to help reduce uric acid levels. Eat 30 to 40 cherries per day. During an attack try eating 30 to 40 cherries every 4 hours or so. If you can’t get fresh cherries then cherry juice from specialist health food stores will do very well.

2. Vitamin C. This has the natural ability to reduce uric acid levels too. Eat lots of oranges, clementines, mandarins, etc. And vitamin C supplements from the pharmacy or health food store can be useful too.

3. Herbs. Herbs such as devil’s claw, hawthorn, parsley, saffron, even nettle, etc. have various natural benefits that help to relieve gout symptoms and reduce or neutralize uric acid. Visit your nearest health food store or pharmacy.

4. Water. Help your kidneys to process and eliminate excess uric acid from your body by drinking 2 to 3 litres of water everyday. Drink glasses of water evenly throughout the day.

These are just a few of the natural home remedies for gout relief out there. You can find many more just by doing some research on the Internet.

You’ll be able to see now just how important it is to, not only get gout pain relief, but also to ensure that you prevent recurring gout from causing you long-term health problems. And you can also see that there are natural alternatives available to you if you don’t wish to go the long-term drug route. The choice is yours. But talk things through with your doctor before making any decisions…

Weight Reduction And Diabetes

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Feb 062012

Very few individuals understand the profound effect that weight has on
diabetic issues. Also instances of gestational diabetes happen to be a lot greater in individuals that are overweight than in those that happen to be certainly not.
Type 2, or adult beginning diabetic issues is more generally found in obese people than those that
are within their ‘ideal’ weight
varieties. In fact, essentially 90 % of those by having
Type 2 diabetic issues happen to be overweight. If you
happen to be having Type 2 diabetes, the greatest present you could perhaps
offer yourself just might be the
present of having your weight under control.

Among those that deal with Type 2 diabetes almost 40 % have elevated blood pressure, which happens to be one
more disorder that is
believed to be intensified by excess
weight. Being overweight may also cause a disorder known as the hormone
insulin resistance where the body no longer
responds to the insulin that happens to be needed to
aid the body in using sugar as well as glucose as fuel on a mobile degree.

There are some details you can do to help yourself out if you have been
identified with Type 2 diabetes or
labeled at risk for this damaging affliction. First of all,
set off the pounds. I
realize this is considerably more simple stated than done. Sticking to your diet is never ever uncomplicated as well as seldom enjoyment for the regular individual. Nevertheless, if you do certainly not start to take severe measures to
acquiring the best
feasible wellness for yourself you
could certainly not can get a kick out of the excellent of way of life you had planned for your golden many yearses. Let your affliction happen to be your motivation and make plans to enjoy seing your grandchildren as well as fantastic grandchildren graduate college.

Battle it standing up. Don’t rest
and let Diabetic issues manipulate you. Stand as well as take control of your body back. This
is a fight to the finish and if you let it, diabetes will definitely be
your end. If you battle it standing, lose the
weight, get out there as well as exercise, tune in to the specialist’s
purchases as well as adhere to them. Locate the durability within you to battle this
condition head on. You ‘ll be shocked at what occurs when you come to a decision
to stand up and fight for your wellness.

Obtain active. Find
activities that you take joy in and leave there as
well as do them. Really don’t make those tasks
passive activities either. Even if it happens to be just going out to play shuffleboard daily leave there and play. Appreciate your time in the sunlight.
Choose florets by having the
youngsters. Take up golf. Do whatever it takes to get up and moving each and every day in order to just remember why you need to live for good in the first place.

Watch exactly what you ingest. Trash in,
garbage out, right? You have rigorous dietary requirements once you’ve happened
to be diagnosed by having diabetes. This means that you completely have to follow your
nutritional restrictions. Learn to live within those
restrictions in order to live and delight in way of life to the fullest you are able to. The amazing thing happens to be that there happen to be all kinds of
foods items offered that
are friendly to those by having diabetes that
weren’t there just a
couple of short many yearses back. It happens to be
rather achievable to reside and eat rather well having diabetic issues if you stick to your plan.
The most crucial thing about weight reduction with diabetes is that you not ever lose sight of just
how essential it happens to be to do so.

Approaches To Improve Well Being And Appreciate Life

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Feb 062012

We all know that when we are not feeling well, life is not as wonderful as it should be. People that are unhealthy typically do not eat the right types of foods, sleep enough, or may have too much stress in their lives. Yet you don’t need to become a complete health-nut in order to improve your health. Instead of making drastic changes, making little changes here and there, can properly transform your health for the better. The tips presented in this article will help you get back to your normal healthy self.

Deep down we know what we are supposed to eat even though life does get in the way sometimes. It’s much easier to get a take away than stand in the kitchen trying to cook healthily for yourself. The choices you make when it comes to food can really affect your health.

This does not mean that you have to completely give up on food. Adding just a few extra vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains into your diet each day can help your body gain the vital nutrients, fiber, vitamins and minerals it needs to function properly. You will be able to manage your weight a lot easier because adding these things to your diet will reduce your calorie intake.

Incidental Exercise: Sitting at a desk all day and then coming home to sit on the lounge can mean many people don’t get enough physical activity into each day. This does not necessarily mean that you have to join the gym straight away. It simply means thinking about ways to be a little more active throughout each day. Maybe during your lunch break you could have a short walk. During commercials do some sit-ups. Weeds could be pulled out of your garden.

These will not wear you out but they will improve your health. By doing these you will find you improve your breathing, your blood pressure, your risk of diabetes and heart attacks at the same time. Because your metabolism will get faster from doing more activities you will be able to control your weight much easier. It can only be good for your health that you will start to feel more energetic and motivated.

Hold Tension at Bay: Those who have experience increased heights of tension are all too familiar with the troubles is causes. There are many symptoms associated with nervous tension; such as depression, high blood pressure, mood swings, etc. Work on ways to actively reduce your stress. If the annihilation of the issue is not possible, you can decrease the effects somewhat. These techniques may consist of walking, meditating, massage therapy or any number of ways that will suit you. In order to achieve the best physical condition possible; you first need to figure out how to downgrade your level of stress. With so many easy ways to begin improving health naturally, it’s a mystery why so many people still reach for the supplements or medications. The strategies in this article should help you have a better diet, work out more, and feel better about yourself and life.

Each of these health tips are usually effective in several medical issues and they may also be very useful to become taller in a natural way.
For those who among those folks that searching for a methods to gain height naturally and safely, in that case have a look at the website links down the page for a few solutions.

How To Choose The Most Effective Bodybuilding Supplements For Your Workout

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Feb 052012

When you want to go on a program of bodybuilding, it wouldn’t be so confusing if there were less supplements to pick from. If you have been in your local health food store, you know they have all kinds of supplements, that make lots of promises, and it is tough knowing which one to believe. With the right tips, you will be able to know which supplements work the best for you, when you decide that bodybuilding is something that is right for you.

While many people today want to lose weight, there are a significant number of bodybuilders who have the opposite problem and want to put on weight. Some folks are thin, possibly due to an accelerated metabolism, and are trying to enhance their muscle tone with not much success. There are those supplements that are used for increasing your weight rather than reducing it. There are various types of weight inducement supplements that are full of calories and often protein also. You would be wise to not ingest too many products that have high sugar contents; this may cause an adverse reaction with your blood sugar. Fat is not what you are looking to gain; muscle is what you are seeking. It is imperative that you eat high quality foods and supplements to get the valuable nutrients you need to be healthy. If you are worried about hydration levels, an excellent supplement to take is glycerol. This is a type of sugar that can give you added endurance, and is especially good if you’re doing intensive workouts of any kind. Glycerol can help replace fluids that you lose when exercising so you don’t experience fatigue as quickly. Glycerol does not prevent dehydration, therefore you need to drink additional water before you exercise as it only postpone this process. Glycerol is very popular among people who need a great deal of endurance, such as triathletes and marathon runners, but it can also be used by bodybuilders before a workout.

You should never use any of the bodybuilding supplements as an alternative to your daily nourishing diet; there are meant for an addition to your diet, not the primary. Your daily food intake should consist of healthy foods and be your main source of energy. To get the best nutritional value, you need to eat whole foods and not rely on supplements. Anytime you eat junk or fast foods, you are apt to reduce the benefits of taking your supplements. In the case of eating sugary foods or carbohydrates as well as taking fat burning supplements; the first cancels out the second. In order for the supplements you are using to have a positive effect; you need to consume healthy, nutritious foods as well.

Remember to always consider where the information comes from, but when it comes to supplements for bodybuilding, there is a lot of information online. You should always find an independent source that is reliable, who can give you an unbiased review, before you decide to purchase any substance.

Best Dietary Plans For Quick Weight Loss

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Feb 052012

It might make your task difficult for choosing the best diet plan because everyone cannot follow similar diet plans. The health and fitness market is flooded with various types of dietary plans that claim easy and quick weight loss. Most of these plans encourage meals of fruits and vegetables and suggest avoiding high calorie food for easy and quick weight loss. Other dietary plans believe that long term sickness or medical treatments can be reduced or eliminated by following healthy diet habits.

Types of Dietary Plans:

1. Atkins
After certain gap user needs to reverse their diet plan by restricting the protein and increasing good carbohydrate content.Initially it asks to reduce carbohydrate intake and increase protein intake.It involves two reversible steps.

2. Low Carb
It is especially designed for those people who are suffering from high insulin level because increased level of insulin causes obesity.This diet program allows users to restrict their refined and processed carbohydrate consumption.Low carb diet plan not only helps in controlling weight but also monitors increased insulin levels.

3. Zone
It is kind of balanced diet program.Like low carb diet plan, this dietary plan also helps in improving insulin level.Under this dietary plan user needs to consume all the nutrients like; vitamin, protein, carbohydrates and fats in appropriate quantity.

4. South Beach
Under South beach diet plan user needs to restrict refined and processed carbohydrate intake and focus on high protein meals with other essential nutrients. It is specifically designed for weight loss.

5. Diabetic Diet Program
It is designed for diabetic obese people who want to lose weight.This dietary plan includes only those vegetables that are good for controlling diabetes and will provide all the nutrients in balanced quantity.

6. Cabbage Soup
Its also called a fat burning soup.Cabbage soups are considered best option for losing weight and they are easy to prepare as well.Moreover you can consume it in large quantities because it will produce only positive effect on your weight.

All these dietary plans are quite effective if followed with great dedication.One of the disadvantage of these dietary plans is that they limit the choices of food you eat.You can also consult various dietary books or take help of World Wide Web as there is plethora of information available for your assistance.But you can overcome this limitation by doing little hard work in searching more healthy foods options.

Health Forums Always Provide Expert Advice

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Feb 052012

On this competitive world, folks must race against the time and this has culminated in adjust of lifestyle type from the folks. Experts have claimed that some in the critical illnesses of today like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, ailment in the center and many others are because of the adjust of living fashion. Now so as to maintain absent from these ailments people are seeking preventive actions. It truly is right here the role of Well being Forums has gained importance to assistance these kinds of men and women who’re anxious to shield on their own from severe ailments.

Aided by the prevalent intention of offering required facts on health and fitness and similar troubles, some of your pros in the subject of medicines have formed health message boards. Basically, the wellness discussion boards are formed by individuals who are experts inside the field of medicine. So, people today require their recommendation in appropriate earnestness. The community forums have opened their web page by way of social press and as being a consequence their health concept gets wide publicity. On this web page, the group posts all of the issues connected to health and hygiene.

The firm put up a lot of posts on 1st support, indicators of particular disease and the remedial actions being taken, matters connected to hygiene, alternative process of medicine and many others. Other health and fitness oriented topics like nutritious diet regime, various therapies to cure ailments are also dealt with in excellent detail. Website visitors on the site are encouraged to submit their questions and they’re promptly answered through the experts inside the discipline.

Well-Being also implies exercise and thus these businesses even conduct practical classes on yoga, meditation and many others at regular intervals. To address certain troubles, orientation packages on well-being of women, spastic youngsters, people struggling from diabetes etcetera are held at common intervals. With these varied actions, the companies have efficiently spread the message of relevance of health and hygiene amongst frequent dude. There have been some myths in regard to selected ailments which have also been suitably clarified.

As these message boards have their own web sites, everyone can check out the net as well as article any queries for clarification. The experts within the discipline will supply needed clarification. Most with the countries globe above has these types of wellness connected companies. These companies even conduct no cost medical camps particularly in undeveloped nations. Any person might have health care checkup in these camps. Some in the surgical procedure like cataract surgery treatment and so on are also held in these camps which all over again is performed free of charge of price.

These businesses have already been formed for that services with the prevalent gentleman. The things to do with the boards are dependent within the donations collected from various resources. The well being community forums also operate in near liaison with some from the specialty hospitals for spreading the meaning relating to well being, hygiene, physical conditioning etc. There are other connected troubles like ecology etcetera which have a very bearing within the wellness in the folks which are also discussed within the website.

Why Is Fiber Good For Your Health?

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Feb 052012

Even if fiber is surely an indigestible substance that’s immune to getting broken down in the small bowel, it could have numerous powerful health effects in the body. Fibers can help reduce your risk of developing some diseases.

Fiber helps prevent bowel obstruction and colon disease
A diet plentiful in insoluble fibers for instance bran, whole grains, and lots of vegetables and fruit can help retain things moving forward in your digestive system and decrease your chance of turning into constipated. As remnants of food undertake your colon, water is absorbed, which in turn causes the development of strong waste products. The muscles contractions inside your colon push the feces toward the rectum being removed. If these muscle contractions are gradual, the feces may linger too long in the colon, which can cause a lot of water to be reabsorbed. This will create hard, dry stools which are more challenging and painful to expel.

Fiber helps in avoiding obesity
A diet rich in fiber can also be kind to the waist. High-fiber foods, for example whole grain products, vegetables, and fruits, can add to satiation so that you really need to consume a lesser number of calories to feel full. Overweight women and men often eat lower quantities of dietary fiber daily than their slimmer counterparts. This lends credence to the concept that fiber is important in weight management. Whereas several weight-loss diets minimize carbs, these kinds of plans would work better when they increased high fiber carbohydrates.

Fiber helps in avoiding heart disease, cancer, and diabetes
Viscous, dissolvable fibers will help decrease elevated blood cholesterol levels. A higher blood cholesterol level can increase the risk of heart disease. It’s thought that viscous fiber disturbs the bile acids reabsorption within the intestines. Bile acids are high in cholesterol and they are released into your bowel by your gall bladder to help with the fat digestion. The bile acids are probably grasped by the fiber just before they can be reabsorbed through the body. Then they turn out to be excreted combined with the fiber in your waste products. The body replaces these bile acids loss by way of eliminating cholesterol from your blood to create new bile acids from the liver. Blood cholesterol levels are diminished as a result.

Slow-moving, viscous, soluble fibers could lessen the rate at which carbohydrates and fat are ingested from your foods. Delay of absorption could lower the rush of fat inside your blood after the meal, and could assist in improving sensitivity to the hormone insulin. Both high amounts of fat in your bloodstream and a decreased sensitivity to insulin are considered risk factors for heart disease.

Sticky, soluble fibers also can help people who have diabetes. They decelerate the discharge of foodstuff out of your stomach, and so reduce the glucose digestion and absorption. This could help avoid a large increase in blood glucose after having meals and enable those with diabetes improve long term management of their own blood glucose levels.

Chronic Pain Is An Epidemic In America

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Feb 052012

According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, chronic pain impacts 116 million people in the United States. That is more than the combined instances of diabetes, coronary heart disease, and cancer. The most common types of chronic pain, as reported by the National Institute of Health Statistics, are back pain (27%), severe headaches or migraines (15%), neck pain (15%) and facial pain (4%). The burden on chronic pain sufferers lives is significant, impacting ones quality of life, financial stability, psychological well-being and social relationships. In addition, there is also a cost burden to society. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies estimate that chronic pain costs Americans $630 billion a year and this estimate does not include loss of productivity in the workplace.
Chronic pain is a complex condition that is neural, sensory, emotional, nutritional, physical and biological, and requires a multidimensional approach to care that often encompasses western and eastern medical and psychological modalities. Because of this complexity, chronic pain is often misdiagnosed by general practitioners. Over the past 2 decades, the practice of pain management has evolved into one of the fastest growing sectors of the medical field. Clinics that focus on pain management are now found all over the United States. These clinics realize the holistic nature of chronic pain and realize the multi-disciplinary approach that is required. Pain practitioners must be trained in several modalities to diagnose and treat chronic pain conditions effectively. In fact, it is common for a pain management clinic to be comprised of medical, psychological practitioners as well as massage therapists, acupuncturists, physical therapists and other professionals in alternative therapies. All of these individuals work together as a care team and will create a treatment plan for each patient.
Because of the various modalities required to treat chronic pain, a pain management clinic needs various types of equipment. A medical exam room requires stationary treatment tables and adjustable treatment tables to help facilitate the examination process which may involve comfortably manipulating a patients body in a variety of orientations. Physical therapy rooms require an extensive amount of the equipment including treatment tables, mobility products, hydrotherapy equipment, electrotherapy and ultrasound products. In addition, exercise equipment is required such as exercise bikes, stair steppers, treadmills, upper body ergometers, and pulley equipment. Specialty tables for massage and acupuncture practitioners include hi-lo tables, mat tables, spa tables and tilt tables. In addition, fluoroscopy tables and imaging tables are well suited for spinal procedures, surgical interventions and imaging procedures. Manufacturers such as Oakworks Medical, Chattanooga and Winco offer several product lines that support the pain management sector. If you are opening a new pain management clinic or expanding a current practice to include pain management then you will most likely incorporate a variety of products from these leading manufacturers.

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