7 Pains You Shouldn’t Ignore and should consult medical attention.
No. 1: Worst Headache of Your Life
Get medical attention immediately. “If you have a cold, it could be a sinus headache,” says Sandra Fryhofer, MD, MACP, spokeswoman for the American College of Physicians. “But you could have a brain hemorrhage or brain tumor. With any pain, unless you’re sure of what caused it, get it checked out.”
Sharon Brangman, MD, FACP, spokeswoman for the American Geriatrics Society, tells WebMD that when someone says they have the worst headache of their life, “what we learned in medical training was that was a classic sign of a brain aneurysm. Go immediately to the ER.”
No. 2: Pain or Discomfort in the Chest, Throat, Jaw, Shoulder, Arm, or Abdomen
Chest pain could be pneumoniaor a heart attack. But be aware that heart conditions typically appear as discomfort, not pain. “Don’t wait for pain,” says cardiologist Jerome Cohen, MD. “Heart patients talk about pressure. They’ll clench their fist and put it over their chest or say it’s like an elephant sitting on their chest.”
The discomfort associated with heart disease could also be in the upper chest, throat, jaw, left shoulder or arm, or abdomen and might be accompanied by nausea. “I’m not too much worried about the 18-year-old, but if a person has unexplained, persistent discomfort and knows they’re high risk, they shouldn’t wait,” says Cohen. “Too often people delay because they misinterpret it as [heartburn] or GI distress. Call 911 or get to an emergency room or physician’s office. If it turns out to be something else, that’s great.”
He tells WebMD that intermittent discomfort should be taken seriously as well. “There might be a pattern, such as discomfort related to excitement, emotional upset, or exertion. For example, if you experience it when you’re gardening, but it goes away when you sit down, that’s angina. It’s usually worse in cold or hot weather.”
“A woman’s discomfort signs can be more subtle,” says Cohen, who is director of preventive cardiology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. “Heart disease can masquerade as GI symptoms, such as bloating, GI distress, or discomfort in the abdomen. It’s also associated with feeling tired. Risk for heart disease increases dramatically after menopause. It kills more women than men even though men are at higher risk at any age. Women and their physicians need to be on their toes.”
No. 3: Pain in Lower Back or Between Shoulder Blades
“Most often it’s arthritis,” says Brangman, who is professor and chief of geriatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y. Other possibilities include a heart attack or abdominal problems. “One danger is aortic dissection, which can appear as either a nagging or sudden pain. People who are at risk have conditions that can change the integrity of the vessel wall. These would include high blood pressure, a history of circulation problems, smoking, and diabetes.”
No. 4: Severe Abdominal Pain
Still have your appendix? Don’t flirt with the possibility of a rupture. Gallbladder and pancreas problems, stomach ulcers, and intestinal blockages are some other possible causes of abdominal pain that need attention.
No 5: Calf Pain
One of the lesser known dangers is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that can occur in the leg’s deep veins. It affects 2 million Americans a year, and it can be life-threatening. “The danger is that a piece of the clot could break loose and cause pulmonary embolism [a clot in the lungs], which could be fatal,” says Fryhofer. Cancer, obesity, immobility due to prolonged bed rest or long-distance travel, pregnancy, and advanced age are among the risk factors.
“Sometimes there’s just swelling without pain,” says Brangman. “If you have swelling and pain in your calf muscles, see a doctor immediately.”
No. 6: Burning Feet or Legs
Nearly one-third of the 20 million Americans who have diabetes are undiagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association. “In some people who don’t know they have diabetes, peripheral neuropathy could be one of the first signs,” says Brangman. “It’s a burning or pins-and-needles sensation in the feet or legs that can indicate nerve damage.”
No 7: Vague, Combined, or Medically Unexplained Pains
“Various painful, physical symptoms are common in depression,” says psychiatrist Thomas Wise, MD. “Patients will have vague complaints of headaches, abdominal pain, or limb pain, sometimes in combination.”
Because the pain might be chronic and not terribly debilitating, depressed people, their families, and health care professionals might dismiss the symptoms. “Furthermore, the more depressed you are, the more difficulty you have describing your feelings,” says Wise, who is the psychiatry department chairman at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Va. “All of this can lead the clinician astray.”
Other symptoms must be present before a diagnosis of depression can be made. “Get help when you’ve lost interest in activities, you’re unable to work or think effectively, and you can’t get along with people,” he says. “And don’t suffer silently when you’re hurting.”
He adds there’s more to depression than deterioration of the quality of life. “It has to be treated aggressively before it causes structural changes in the brain.”
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Your Eyes as You Age
The eyes are the "window to the soul." This has been said countless times by numerous people and it definitely holds some truth. Women have it rough however. As women age, their eyes become a sign of that aging. Women develop fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles. This can occur from a full life of laughing and sleepless nights with children. While it is an indicator of age, it is also an indicator of a life filled with stories and memories. That does not mean that women should display these signs proudly if they choose not to. There are ways to reduce these signs of aging from around the eyes with proper eye cream and care.
Opting out of Surgery
Many women are choosing to undergo surgery in order to reduce and remove the fine lines and wrinkles that naturally occur around the eyes. Others are opting for injections such as Botox. Both of these are pricy solutions that can be avoided if a woman is prepared to make eye care part of her daily routine. It takes mere minutes to apply an eye cream that can effectively hide these signs of aging from around the eyes.
The Daily Routine for Eye Care
Every woman has a daily routine. It ranges drastically from woman to woman, but generally involves applying something to her face. There are creams available that will cover those fine lines and wrinkles as well as covering sagging, puffiness, and dark circles under the eyes. Many manufacturers claim that their product will perform these eye care essentials; however few actually do so satisfactorily. It is important to find a reputable manufacturer and retailer to ensure that a product is going to do what it claims to do.
The right cream is going to offer certain guarantees. It should guarantee the product to work for at least eight hours. This gives every woman enough time to put her best face forward. The eye cream should be applied under regular cosmetics. It should effectively cover up the signs of aging that the eyes often give away as well as hiding under eye puffiness caused from lack of sleep. It is easy to add this simple step to a regular beauty routine and the results are worth the extra minutes needed to apply eye cream.
Using an Eye Cream Regularly
Those eye creams that offer lasting results, after prolonged use, usually do not work as well as those that offer quick results. These eye care products are also upfront about the time constraints of the product. An under eye cream that works for eight hours may need to be reapplied prior to an evening out. This should not be considered as a sign of an inferior product, but proof that the product works effectively, even if for a limited time.
An under eye cream can be used at any time. It can be used prior to going out for a night on the town, or used the next day to hide the effects of the previous evening. A woman can add this to her beauty routine for any time of the day and for any occasion. It does not need to be applied every single day in order to see results. If a woman is spending the day at home, why should she have to go through the trouble of remembering to put on eye cream? Instead, she can take the time to relax and not worry because she need only apply her eye cream on occasions that she chooses. It is not necessary to apply it every day or more than once a day in order to obtain the best results. Women need to be careful about the products they choose to apply to their face. An eye cream is going to help reduce the natural signs of aging that are noticeable around the eyes. Dark circles, sagging, puffiness, wrinkles, and fine lines can all be fixed by applying the right eye cream!
Opting out of Surgery
Many women are choosing to undergo surgery in order to reduce and remove the fine lines and wrinkles that naturally occur around the eyes. Others are opting for injections such as Botox. Both of these are pricy solutions that can be avoided if a woman is prepared to make eye care part of her daily routine. It takes mere minutes to apply an eye cream that can effectively hide these signs of aging from around the eyes.
The Daily Routine for Eye Care
Every woman has a daily routine. It ranges drastically from woman to woman, but generally involves applying something to her face. There are creams available that will cover those fine lines and wrinkles as well as covering sagging, puffiness, and dark circles under the eyes. Many manufacturers claim that their product will perform these eye care essentials; however few actually do so satisfactorily. It is important to find a reputable manufacturer and retailer to ensure that a product is going to do what it claims to do.
The right cream is going to offer certain guarantees. It should guarantee the product to work for at least eight hours. This gives every woman enough time to put her best face forward. The eye cream should be applied under regular cosmetics. It should effectively cover up the signs of aging that the eyes often give away as well as hiding under eye puffiness caused from lack of sleep. It is easy to add this simple step to a regular beauty routine and the results are worth the extra minutes needed to apply eye cream.
Using an Eye Cream Regularly
Those eye creams that offer lasting results, after prolonged use, usually do not work as well as those that offer quick results. These eye care products are also upfront about the time constraints of the product. An under eye cream that works for eight hours may need to be reapplied prior to an evening out. This should not be considered as a sign of an inferior product, but proof that the product works effectively, even if for a limited time.
An under eye cream can be used at any time. It can be used prior to going out for a night on the town, or used the next day to hide the effects of the previous evening. A woman can add this to her beauty routine for any time of the day and for any occasion. It does not need to be applied every single day in order to see results. If a woman is spending the day at home, why should she have to go through the trouble of remembering to put on eye cream? Instead, she can take the time to relax and not worry because she need only apply her eye cream on occasions that she chooses. It is not necessary to apply it every day or more than once a day in order to obtain the best results. Women need to be careful about the products they choose to apply to their face. An eye cream is going to help reduce the natural signs of aging that are noticeable around the eyes. Dark circles, sagging, puffiness, wrinkles, and fine lines can all be fixed by applying the right eye cream!
Natural Ways to Improve Mobility
How many arthritis sufferers does it take to open a bottle of pain reliever? Two - 1 to grab the jar while the other one smashes it. And since 1 out of 3 Americans suffers from arthritis, it shouldn't be hard to find a bottle-opening partner. Now that was a joke, but it wasn't very funny. Arthritis is now thought to be the number one reason for disability in the United States. And, it's not only painful, it can also be extremely frustrating. Even the most mundane of tasks, like walking up steps, buttoning a shirt or opening a bottle of pain reliever becomes a major chore. In the past, many medical practitioners advised us that we'd just have to live with the pain of arthritis and then they prescribed painkillers which turned out to have serious side effects. But more recently, and as a result of a lot of recent research, many physicians are now recommending diet and lifestyle changes to help prevent arthritis and lessen the symptoms. If you are suffering from joint pain or stiffness, it's important for you to exercise. I know it's probably one of the last things on your mind when your joints hurt, but the benefits it brings will far outweigh the temporary discomfort. Now this exercise does not have to be strenuous to do its job. Walking is good for you as well as swimming, stretching, tai chi and yoga - anything that helps you to stay active and loose without stressing you out. Swimming, for example, is an excellent form of exercise because it's non-weight bearing and the buoyancy helps to support your limbs and joints. Another thing you can do to give yourself some natural relief from joint pain is to add whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables and oily fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel to your diet. In order to put less stress on your hips and knees you'll want to maintain a healthy weight, eliminate sweets and keep your fat intake below 30% of your calories. And, drink lots of pure, clean water - at least eight glasses a day - while eliminating colas and caffeinated drinks. You'll also want to reduce the amount or even eliminate red meat from your diet. Many nutritional studies have recently shown that people who eat red meat every day have double the risk of arthritis as those who eat red meat no more twice a week. And finally, whole food nutritional supplements are also essential to good health. Even the American Medical Association is now recommending supplementation. Because as well as you may eat, it's next to impossible to get everything your body needs daily from your foods. Here's a list of some nutrients arthritis sufferers have found helpful: omega 3 fish oils to help decrease inflammation, vitamin C for building strong healthy collagen, Vitamin D for strong healthy bones and glucosamine hydrochloride for strong cartilage. Arthritis doesn't have to be the end of the world. With a few changes you just mind find it a little easier to deal with on a daily basis. How many arthritis sufferers does it take to open a bottle of pain reliever? Two - 1 to grab the jar while the other one smashes it. And since 1 out of 3 Americans suffers from arthritis, it shouldn't be hard to find a bottle-opening partner. Now that was a joke, but it wasn't very funny. Arthritis is now thought to be the number one reason for disability in the United States. And, it's not only painful, it can also be extremely frustrating. Even the most mundane of tasks, like walking up steps, buttoning a shirt or opening a bottle of pain reliever becomes a major chore. In the past, many medical practitioners advised us that we'd just have to live with the pain of arthritis and then they prescribed painkillers which turned out to have serious side effects. But more recently, and as a result of a lot of recent research, many physicians are now recommending diet and lifestyle changes to help prevent arthritis and lessen the symptoms. If you are suffering from joint pain or stiffness, it's important for you to exercise. I know it's probably one of the last things on your mind when your joints hurt, but the benefits it brings will far outweigh the temporary discomfort. Now this exercise does not have to be strenuous to do its job. Walking is good for you as well as swimming, stretching, tai chi and yoga - anything that helps you to stay active and loose without stressing you out. Swimming, for example, is an excellent form of exercise because it's non-weight bearing and the buoyancy helps to support your limbs and joints. Another thing you can do to give yourself some natural relief from joint pain is to add whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables and oily fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel to your diet. In order to put less stress on your hips and knees you'll want to maintain a healthy weight, eliminate sweets and keep your fat intake below 30% of your calories. And, drink lots of pure, clean water - at least eight glasses a day - while eliminating colas and caffeinated drinks. You'll also want to reduce the amount or even eliminate red meat from your diet. Many nutritional studies have recently shown that people who eat red meat every day have double the risk of arthritis as those who eat red meat no more twice a week. And finally, whole food nutritional supplements are also essential to good health. Even the American Medical Association is now recommending supplementation. Because as well as you may eat, it's next to impossible to get everything your body needs daily from your foods. Here's a list of some nutrients arthritis sufferers have found helpful: omega 3 fish oils to help decrease inflammation, vitamin C for building strong healthy collagen, Vitamin D for strong healthy bones and glucosamine hydrochloride for strong cartilage. Arthritis doesn't have to be the end of the world. With a few changes you just mind find it a little easier to deal with on a daily basis. How many arthritis sufferers does it take to open a bottle of pain reliever? Two - 1 to grab the jar while the other one smashes it. And since 1 out of 3 Americans suffers from arthritis, it shouldn't be hard to find a bottle-opening partner. Now that was a joke, but it wasn't very funny. Arthritis is now thought to be the number one reason for disability in the United States. And, it's not only painful, it can also be extremely frustrating. Even the most mundane of tasks, like walking up steps, buttoning a shirt or opening a bottle of pain reliever becomes a major chore. In the past, many medical practitioners advised us that we'd just have to live with the pain of arthritis and then they prescribed painkillers which turned out to have serious side effects. But more recently, and as a result of a lot of recent research, many physicians are now recommending diet and lifestyle changes to help prevent arthritis and lessen the symptoms. If you are suffering from joint pain or stiffness, it's important for you to exercise. I know it's probably one of the last things on your mind when your joints hurt, but the benefits it brings will far outweigh the temporary discomfort. Now this exercise does not have to be strenuous to do its job. Walking is good for you as well as swimming, stretching, tai chi and yoga - anything that helps you to stay active and loose without stressing you out. Swimming, for example, is an excellent form of exercise because it's non-weight bearing and the buoyancy helps to support your limbs and joints. Another thing you can do to give yourself some natural relief from joint pain is to add whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables and oily fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel to your diet. In order to put less stress on your hips and knees you'll want to maintain a healthy weight, eliminate sweets and keep your fat intake below 30% of your calories. And, drink lots of pure, clean water - at least eight glasses a day - while eliminating colas and caffeinated drinks. You'll also want to reduce the amount or even eliminate red meat from your diet. Many nutritional studies have recently shown that people who eat red meat every day have double the risk of arthritis as those who eat red meat no more twice a week. And finally, whole food nutritional supplements are also essential to good health. Even the American Medical Association is now recommending supplementation. Because as well as you may eat, it's next to impossible to get everything your body needs daily from your foods. Here's a list of some nutrients arthritis sufferers have found helpful: omega 3 fish oils to help decrease inflammation, vitamin C for building strong healthy collagen, Vitamin D for strong healthy bones and glucosamine hydrochloride for strong cartilage. Arthritis doesn't have to be the end of the world. With a few changes you just mind find it a little easier to deal with on a daily basis. How many arthritis sufferers does it take to open a bottle of pain reliever? Two - 1 to grab the jar while the other one smashes it. And since 1 out of 3 Americans suffers from arthritis, it shouldn't be hard to find a bottle-opening partner. Now that was a joke, but it wasn't very funny. Arthritis is now thought to be the number one reason for disability in the United States. And, it's not only painful, it can also be extremely frustrating. Even the most mundane of tasks, like walking up steps, buttoning a shirt or opening a bottle of pain reliever becomes a major chore. In the past, many medical practitioners advised us that we'd just have to live with the pain of arthritis and then they prescribed painkillers which turned out to have serious side effects. But more recently, and as a result of a lot of recent research, many physicians are now recommending diet and lifestyle changes to help prevent arthritis and lessen the symptoms. If you are suffering from joint pain or stiffness, it's important for you to exercise. I know it's probably one of the last things on your mind when your joints hurt, but the benefits it brings will far outweigh the temporary discomfort. Now this exercise does not have to be strenuous to do its job. Walking is good for you as well as swimming, stretching, tai chi and yoga - anything that helps you to stay active and loose without stressing you out. Swimming, for example, is an excellent form of exercise because it's non-weight bearing and the buoyancy helps to support your limbs and joints. Another thing you can do to give yourself some natural relief from joint pain is to add whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables and oily fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel to your diet. In order to put less stress on your hips and knees you'll want to maintain a healthy weight, eliminate sweets and keep your fat intake below 30% of your calories. And, drink lots of pure, clean water - at least eight glasses a day - while eliminating colas and caffeinated drinks. You'll also want to reduce the amount or even eliminate red meat from your diet. Many nutritional studies have recently shown that people who eat red meat every day have double the risk of arthritis as those who eat red meat no more twice a week. And finally, whole food nutritional supplements are also essential to good health. Even the American Medical Association is now recommending supplementation. Because as well as you may eat, it's next to impossible to get everything your body needs daily from your foods. Here's a list of some nutrients arthritis sufferers have found helpful: omega 3 fish oils to help decrease inflammation, vitamin C for building strong healthy collagen, Vitamin D for strong healthy bones and glucosamine hydrochloride for strong cartilage. Arthritis doesn't have to be the end of the world. With a few changes you just mind find it a little easier to deal with on a daily basis. How many arthritis sufferers does it take to open a bottle of pain reliever? Two - 1 to grab the jar while the other one smashes it. And since 1 out of 3 Americans suffers from arthritis, it shouldn't be hard to find a bottle-opening partner. Now that was a joke, but it wasn't very funny. Arthritis is now thought to be the number one reason for disability in the United States. And, it's not only painful, it can also be extremely frustrating. Even the most mundane of tasks, like walking up steps, buttoning a shirt or opening a bottle of pain reliever becomes a major chore. In the past, many medical practitioners advised us that we'd just have to live with the pain of arthritis and then they prescribed painkillers which turned out to have serious side effects. But more recently, and as a result of a lot of recent research, many physicians are now recommending diet and lifestyle changes to help prevent arthritis and lessen the symptoms. If you are suffering from joint pain or stiffness, it's important for you to exercise. I know it's probably one of the last things on your mind when your joints hurt, but the benefits it brings will far outweigh the temporary discomfort. Now this exercise does not have to be strenuous to do its job. Walking is good for you as well as swimming, stretching, tai chi and yoga - anything that helps you to stay active and loose without stressing you out. Swimming, for example, is an excellent form of exercise because it's non-weight bearing and the buoyancy helps to support your limbs and joints. Another thing you can do to give yourself some natural relief from joint pain is to add whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables and oily fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel to your diet. In order to put less stress on your hips and knees you'll want to maintain a healthy weight, eliminate sweets and keep your fat intake below 30% of your calories. And, drink lots of pure, clean water - at least eight glasses a day - while eliminating colas and caffeinated drinks. You'll also want to reduce the amount or even eliminate red meat from your diet. Many nutritional studies have recently shown that people who eat red meat every day have double the risk of arthritis as those who eat red meat no more twice a week. And finally, whole food nutritional supplements are also essential to good health. Even the American Medical Association is now recommending supplementation. Because as well as you may eat, it's next to impossible to get everything your body needs daily from your foods. Here's a list of some nutrients arthritis sufferers have found helpful: omega 3 fish oils to help decrease inflammation, vitamin C for building strong healthy collagen, Vitamin D for strong healthy bones and glucosamine hydrochloride for strong cartilage. Arthritis doesn't have to be the end of the world. With a few changes you just mind find it a little easier to deal with on a daily basis.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Food Additives That Can Challenge Your Health
There are a number of food additives that can challenge your health. These additives are particular substances that are added to specific foods in order to improve the appearance, the taste, and even to preserve the flavor that the food has. There are natural based additives and there are artificial based food additives. While additives have been used in various types of foods for hundreds of years, medical professionals have recently discovered that some of these substances can actually challenge the health. Here, you will learn about the food additives that you should avoid because of the fact that they compromise your health. Additives to Avoid 1. Aspartame - This food additive is a type of artificial sweetener that is used in a number of products like beverages, cereals, over-the-counter medicines, sweeteners, and more. It has been found that this food additive can result in birth defects, cancer - especially in the brain, diabetes, seizures, emotional complications, and more.
2. Sodium Nitrate - Generally, this substance adds coloring and preserves foods like bacon, corned beef, and various types of sandwich meats. Individuals who ingested this additive on a regular basis often were found to suffer from cancers.
3. Sodium Chloride - You probably know this additive by the name "salt". This substance has been linked to health complications like high blood pressure, stroke, and even failure of the kidneys!
4. BHT/BHA - This substance actually has a purpose of preserving foods like gums and cereals. Unfortunately, they are considered to be "oxidants" which can lead to cancer in various areas of the body.
5. White Sugar - We all know what white sugar is. This substance actually has no nutritional value whatsoever and can lead to health complications.
6. Propyl Gallate - This additive is often found in various types of meats. There is strong evidence to indicate that it may be linked to the development of various types of cancers.
7. Potassium Bromate - This additive is used to increase the volume of foods such as flour and various types of breads. When animals were studied to determine the side effects of this substance, it was found that they developed different types of cancers.
8. Monosodium Glutamate - This additive is often added to soups and similar substances to enhance the overall flavoring. It has been linked to damage in the nerve cells of the body and can result in nausea and even headaches.
9. Olestra - You can find this food additive in various types of potato chips. This can affect the body's ability to properly absorb essential vitamins and nutrients. In addition to this, it has been linked to gastrointestinal complications such as cramping and even diarrhea.
10. Food Colorings - Food colorings that are blue, yellow, red, and green have all been linked to various types of tumors and cancers that can develop in the body. Conclusion It is important that you avoid the consumption of food additives at all cost. These substances can prove to be a real challenge to your overall health. It is important to consume natural foods that can provide essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to the body. This will ensure that the body is able to function appropriately and maintain itself properly.
2. Sodium Nitrate - Generally, this substance adds coloring and preserves foods like bacon, corned beef, and various types of sandwich meats. Individuals who ingested this additive on a regular basis often were found to suffer from cancers.
3. Sodium Chloride - You probably know this additive by the name "salt". This substance has been linked to health complications like high blood pressure, stroke, and even failure of the kidneys!
4. BHT/BHA - This substance actually has a purpose of preserving foods like gums and cereals. Unfortunately, they are considered to be "oxidants" which can lead to cancer in various areas of the body.
5. White Sugar - We all know what white sugar is. This substance actually has no nutritional value whatsoever and can lead to health complications.
6. Propyl Gallate - This additive is often found in various types of meats. There is strong evidence to indicate that it may be linked to the development of various types of cancers.
7. Potassium Bromate - This additive is used to increase the volume of foods such as flour and various types of breads. When animals were studied to determine the side effects of this substance, it was found that they developed different types of cancers.
8. Monosodium Glutamate - This additive is often added to soups and similar substances to enhance the overall flavoring. It has been linked to damage in the nerve cells of the body and can result in nausea and even headaches.
9. Olestra - You can find this food additive in various types of potato chips. This can affect the body's ability to properly absorb essential vitamins and nutrients. In addition to this, it has been linked to gastrointestinal complications such as cramping and even diarrhea.
10. Food Colorings - Food colorings that are blue, yellow, red, and green have all been linked to various types of tumors and cancers that can develop in the body. Conclusion It is important that you avoid the consumption of food additives at all cost. These substances can prove to be a real challenge to your overall health. It is important to consume natural foods that can provide essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to the body. This will ensure that the body is able to function appropriately and maintain itself properly.
4 Quick Tips To Eating Healthy
The best part is that you can eat as much as you want of some of your favorite foods! There is absolutely no cutting back when it comes to certain items, and the results are real, significant, and fast. This program definitely may not work for every person, but if you are serious about losing weight quickly and cheaply, this is a great solution for you. These 4 quick tips work great for losing weight, because it will provide you will all the nutrition that your body would get from a normal diet, but at the same time will make you lose weight fast. It uses what you eat to burn fat quickly and efficiently, maximizing your body's weight-loss potential. Some of the foods that you can eat as much of as you want are as follows:
1) Apples: Apples are delicious and one of the best things you can eat. They don't require packaging, are convenient, are extremely filling, and have a great amount of vitamins. They also work to hydrate your body, and can keep hunger pains away. Eat as many apples as you want every day, and still maintain a great figure. Also, there are so many varieties of apples that you can have a different kind every day and never get bored!
2) Black beans: Black beans are full of protein, are extremely cheap, and go great on everything from salads to burritos. Throw in a little chili powder and some salt, and they make a great meal all by themselves. Mix in a little brown rice and you have a hearty meal! Anyone can make black beans work in their diet, as they are extremely versatile and are one of the cheapest foods you can get. Try to work in Black beans at every meal to help fill you up and provide extra protein for muscle building.
3) Low Calorie Yogurt: Low Calorie Yogurt is delicious, provides Vitamin D, and helps keep the weight off permanently. Yogurt makes a great breakfast, snack, lunch, or can be part of a healthy dinner. It is also very affordable, and it doesn't take much to spice it up with a little cereal or crunchy granola.
4) Eggs: Eggs are nutritious, full of protein, and can work in any meal plan. You can cook them a variety of ways, so eggs are never something that is going to get boring to eat. They should be a staple in everyone's diet. This weight loss program is not intended for long-term use, but can help you lose weight and burn fat quickly and effectively, and also at a low price. Stay on track to develop healthy habits and that is how you will achieve a long term healthy lifestyle.
1) Apples: Apples are delicious and one of the best things you can eat. They don't require packaging, are convenient, are extremely filling, and have a great amount of vitamins. They also work to hydrate your body, and can keep hunger pains away. Eat as many apples as you want every day, and still maintain a great figure. Also, there are so many varieties of apples that you can have a different kind every day and never get bored!
2) Black beans: Black beans are full of protein, are extremely cheap, and go great on everything from salads to burritos. Throw in a little chili powder and some salt, and they make a great meal all by themselves. Mix in a little brown rice and you have a hearty meal! Anyone can make black beans work in their diet, as they are extremely versatile and are one of the cheapest foods you can get. Try to work in Black beans at every meal to help fill you up and provide extra protein for muscle building.
3) Low Calorie Yogurt: Low Calorie Yogurt is delicious, provides Vitamin D, and helps keep the weight off permanently. Yogurt makes a great breakfast, snack, lunch, or can be part of a healthy dinner. It is also very affordable, and it doesn't take much to spice it up with a little cereal or crunchy granola.
4) Eggs: Eggs are nutritious, full of protein, and can work in any meal plan. You can cook them a variety of ways, so eggs are never something that is going to get boring to eat. They should be a staple in everyone's diet. This weight loss program is not intended for long-term use, but can help you lose weight and burn fat quickly and effectively, and also at a low price. Stay on track to develop healthy habits and that is how you will achieve a long term healthy lifestyle.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Alcohol Can Protect Our Brain..
A study done in 2002 showed that people who imbibe moderately daily were 70% less likely than non-drinkers to develop dementia, an age-related decline in mental ability; they were also more than 30% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Alcohol appears to offer a number of brain-related benefits. It thins the blood and helps prevent clots from jamming tiny blood vessels in brain; and it appears to stimulate the release of acetlycholine, a brain chemical involved in learning and memory.
Consume no more than two drinks daily. Alcohol’s protective effects are indeed impressive, but studies also show that overconsumption may significantly raise the risk of developing a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, liver disease, stroke, dementia, and several kinds of cancer, including the cancer of the liver, pancreas, esophagus, and mouth. Also, alcohol is addictive. Even a weekend of heavy drinking causes a build up of fatty cells in liver. While this organ has remarkable recuperative powers, continued use of alcohol can lead to permanent liver damage and problems with glucose metabolism, and eventually scarring, or cirrhosis.
Alcohol also interferes with the body’s metabolism of various vitamins and minerals. Women at risk for breast cancer should moderate their consumption. It has been shown that those who consume alcohol daily have a higher risk of breast cancer than those who do not. The risk increases with amount of alcohol consumed.
Alcohol’s heart benefits stop after that second drink. A third does more harm than good, actually raising triglyceride levels without reducing LDL cholesterol. The key, as with everything else in life, is moderation.
Consume no more than two drinks daily. Alcohol’s protective effects are indeed impressive, but studies also show that overconsumption may significantly raise the risk of developing a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, liver disease, stroke, dementia, and several kinds of cancer, including the cancer of the liver, pancreas, esophagus, and mouth. Also, alcohol is addictive. Even a weekend of heavy drinking causes a build up of fatty cells in liver. While this organ has remarkable recuperative powers, continued use of alcohol can lead to permanent liver damage and problems with glucose metabolism, and eventually scarring, or cirrhosis.
Alcohol also interferes with the body’s metabolism of various vitamins and minerals. Women at risk for breast cancer should moderate their consumption. It has been shown that those who consume alcohol daily have a higher risk of breast cancer than those who do not. The risk increases with amount of alcohol consumed.
Alcohol’s heart benefits stop after that second drink. A third does more harm than good, actually raising triglyceride levels without reducing LDL cholesterol. The key, as with everything else in life, is moderation.
Fruits to help You Slim Down
You might be wondering how fruits can help us reduce weight and make our BMI within the normal range! Well, the answer is quite simple, most of the fruits are rich source of dietary fibers and provide us with good quantities of roughage to help us digest our food easily. This in turn aids in getting rid from digestive problems, frequent cravings, and have a well-working digestive system.
Narrowing down out discussion to only those fruits that will specially help you slim down, let us take a look at those wonder fruits. You will be amazed to know that they are not difficult to get too. What are you waiting for? Read on.
These are also known as the “superfruits” because of their highly beneficial nature in modern day society. These are:
Pomegranates, Goji Berries, Acai, which contain plenty of nutrients and antioxidants.
Fruit bars because apart from being yummy and unprocessed, they are protein rich and contain enough omega-3 fatty acids to help you protect from cardiac problems as well as boost your immunity.
Apples and pears that help you shed weight. We will talk about them in our next post in detail though.
Fruit bars come in various flavors and contain only 180-210 calories. They are gluten free, soy free, contain only 1 gram of saturated fat with no added sugars. The best part is, they are available throughout the season.
So, get ready to take that extra fat shed down by including fruits in your diet. In addition, they will make your skin glow and look younger too as they are a rich source of antioxidants.
Narrowing down out discussion to only those fruits that will specially help you slim down, let us take a look at those wonder fruits. You will be amazed to know that they are not difficult to get too. What are you waiting for? Read on.
These are also known as the “superfruits” because of their highly beneficial nature in modern day society. These are:
Pomegranates, Goji Berries, Acai, which contain plenty of nutrients and antioxidants.
Fruit bars because apart from being yummy and unprocessed, they are protein rich and contain enough omega-3 fatty acids to help you protect from cardiac problems as well as boost your immunity.
Apples and pears that help you shed weight. We will talk about them in our next post in detail though.
Fruit bars come in various flavors and contain only 180-210 calories. They are gluten free, soy free, contain only 1 gram of saturated fat with no added sugars. The best part is, they are available throughout the season.
So, get ready to take that extra fat shed down by including fruits in your diet. In addition, they will make your skin glow and look younger too as they are a rich source of antioxidants.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Is Rouphage Helping Or Hindering Your Constipation?
Roughage is the term that we usually give to fiber. Fiber is dietary material from plants that is difficult for the body to digest. Roughage definitely helps constipation. Most foods that we consume these days are very low in fiber. There are two main types of fiber.
They are soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is easier to break down and it is found in foods like beans, apples, oats, etc. Insoluble fiber is usually mostly past out, but insoluble fiber isn’t as useless as you might think.
Insoluble fiber gives healthy texture to our stool. It also acts as a diluting agent for all the waste products carried in our feices reducing their effect on the colon wall.
A diet rich in fiber, both soluble and insoluble, will help a great deal in digestion. Which makes bowel movements a lot easier and gets rid of all waste products from consumption of our food.
A diet low in fiber, however, could cause a disorder called Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).Symptoms of IBS include: abdominal pain, mucus and(or) blood in stool, depression, muscle and joint pain, headaches, anxiety, diarrhea directly following constipation, feelings of being bloated and abdominal cramps. This disorder most commonly goes away then comes back again just as sever as it was before.
20% of all our population has had, or will have IBS at some point of their life, as a result of not taking in enough fiber. Of course, the symptoms may differ from person to person. Treatment of IBS is not very difficult to find, just eat foods that are high in fiber, and you shouldn’t have any more problems with IBS. You should seek treatment before it gets worse.
If you realize that you may have it, its not a very good idea to let it go very long untreated. The best thing that you should do if you think you may have IBS is the next meal you should try to eat more beans (cooked with skin),yams, gari, corn on the cob, potatoes with the skin, lots of vegetables, or fruits. These are a few names of food that are very high in fiber.
Fiber also aids in the treatment of diabetes y helping to reduce rate at which glucose (sugar)is released from digested food, into the bloodstream. This helps temperate the requirement for insulin. The more fibre in your diet, the lower glycemic index of that food.
Fiber also helps to excrete fat from the body. aiding in diets promoting weight loss. Here are some tips for increasing dietary fiber: eat bread with beans instead of eggs, add beans to your rice or plantain or yam. Eat your rice with vegetables. eat your potatoes with the skin.
For snacks, nibble on carrots, or apples or pineapple. When you eat oranges, eat the flesh inside of the orange. Don't just suck it and throw it away. Slice cabbage and carrots into your rice, pasta, or macaroni when cooking them. If you like salads, you should make sure to include it with your meals regularly.
Before I started writing this article, I had no idea how important fiber, both soluble and insoluble, was to a healthy diet. Needless-to-say, it will be included in my day to day diet. And to answer the question in the title of this article,” Does roughage help or hinder constipation?" The answer is " It most definitely helps." Thanks for reading and may God bless you always, and always.
They are soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber is easier to break down and it is found in foods like beans, apples, oats, etc. Insoluble fiber is usually mostly past out, but insoluble fiber isn’t as useless as you might think.
Insoluble fiber gives healthy texture to our stool. It also acts as a diluting agent for all the waste products carried in our feices reducing their effect on the colon wall.
A diet rich in fiber, both soluble and insoluble, will help a great deal in digestion. Which makes bowel movements a lot easier and gets rid of all waste products from consumption of our food.
A diet low in fiber, however, could cause a disorder called Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).Symptoms of IBS include: abdominal pain, mucus and(or) blood in stool, depression, muscle and joint pain, headaches, anxiety, diarrhea directly following constipation, feelings of being bloated and abdominal cramps. This disorder most commonly goes away then comes back again just as sever as it was before.
20% of all our population has had, or will have IBS at some point of their life, as a result of not taking in enough fiber. Of course, the symptoms may differ from person to person. Treatment of IBS is not very difficult to find, just eat foods that are high in fiber, and you shouldn’t have any more problems with IBS. You should seek treatment before it gets worse.
If you realize that you may have it, its not a very good idea to let it go very long untreated. The best thing that you should do if you think you may have IBS is the next meal you should try to eat more beans (cooked with skin),yams, gari, corn on the cob, potatoes with the skin, lots of vegetables, or fruits. These are a few names of food that are very high in fiber.
Fiber also aids in the treatment of diabetes y helping to reduce rate at which glucose (sugar)is released from digested food, into the bloodstream. This helps temperate the requirement for insulin. The more fibre in your diet, the lower glycemic index of that food.
Fiber also helps to excrete fat from the body. aiding in diets promoting weight loss. Here are some tips for increasing dietary fiber: eat bread with beans instead of eggs, add beans to your rice or plantain or yam. Eat your rice with vegetables. eat your potatoes with the skin.
For snacks, nibble on carrots, or apples or pineapple. When you eat oranges, eat the flesh inside of the orange. Don't just suck it and throw it away. Slice cabbage and carrots into your rice, pasta, or macaroni when cooking them. If you like salads, you should make sure to include it with your meals regularly.
Before I started writing this article, I had no idea how important fiber, both soluble and insoluble, was to a healthy diet. Needless-to-say, it will be included in my day to day diet. And to answer the question in the title of this article,” Does roughage help or hinder constipation?" The answer is " It most definitely helps." Thanks for reading and may God bless you always, and always.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Milk and Honey - Recipe for Good Health
How about taking a glass of sour milk and honey at the start of each day?
Bifidobacteria is a group of good, friendly bacteria which are essential for life and good health and particularly important to the health and proper function of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. One way to increase the Bifidobacteria populations in the intestine is by consuming foods containing prebiotics -- nutrients that stimulate the growth of probiotic Acidophillus and Bifidus bacteria. Research conducted at Michigan State University has shown that honey, a natural sweetener comprising vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and antioxidants, contains a number of fermentable carbohydrates including a variety of oligosaccharides that can function as prebiotics enhance the growth, activity and viability of bifidobacteria in milk, and fermented dairy products such as yoghurts.
Honey is known as a compound made up of fructose sugar molecules linked together in long chains -- fructooligosaccharide (FOS), which can also be in other plants such as Jerusalem artichoke tubers, onions, leeks, barley, rye, oats. FOS are also available as a nutritional supplement and the food industry is jumping on the band wagon by adding FOS such as honey to yoghurts, and combining milk and honey to form healthy food. Benefits of FOS are numerous. They help carry moisture through the digestive system and therefore promoting healthy bowel movements. Growth of the beneficial bacteria encourages the production of short chain fatty acids, lowering pH, inhibiting unhealthy bacteria land detoxifying carcinogens in the diet. FOS helps to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels by reducing absorption of carbohydrates and fats into the blood stream, nourishes the cells in the gut which is important for digestive well-being and the prevention of constipation. Improving digestion is key to establishing good health. When in good health, we get rid of wastes and toxins through regular bowel movements and eliminate the build up of unhealthy micro-organisms and internal toxins, providing a strong and intact intestinal barrier to prevent the leaking of undigested food fragments into the blood stream.
As more research becomes available and we learn more about bacteria and how they affect our health, the more important both probiotic and prebiotic products will become and the more of these home remedies such as milk and honey you will see on the supermarket shelves.
Honey also has a major role to play as a carrier of foods containing relatively high levels of vitamins and minerals, and has been shown to help the body absorb minerals such as calcium. Elderly people have higher risk for fractures from osteoporosis or low bone mass. One of the ways to avoid this is to consume adequate calcium, and make sure that it is absorbed. And researchers at Purdue University has shown in its preliminary findings that honey added to milk could enhance calcium uptake.
Many facial cleansing and skin moisturising products have also included milk and honey as part of their ingredients to claim beauty benefits such skin hydration, smoothness, purification, anti-aging, and revitalization. A warm glass of milk with a teaspoon of honey is also known to be a good remedy for sleeplessness.
Bifidobacteria is a group of good, friendly bacteria which are essential for life and good health and particularly important to the health and proper function of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. One way to increase the Bifidobacteria populations in the intestine is by consuming foods containing prebiotics -- nutrients that stimulate the growth of probiotic Acidophillus and Bifidus bacteria. Research conducted at Michigan State University has shown that honey, a natural sweetener comprising vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and antioxidants, contains a number of fermentable carbohydrates including a variety of oligosaccharides that can function as prebiotics enhance the growth, activity and viability of bifidobacteria in milk, and fermented dairy products such as yoghurts.
Honey is known as a compound made up of fructose sugar molecules linked together in long chains -- fructooligosaccharide (FOS), which can also be in other plants such as Jerusalem artichoke tubers, onions, leeks, barley, rye, oats. FOS are also available as a nutritional supplement and the food industry is jumping on the band wagon by adding FOS such as honey to yoghurts, and combining milk and honey to form healthy food. Benefits of FOS are numerous. They help carry moisture through the digestive system and therefore promoting healthy bowel movements. Growth of the beneficial bacteria encourages the production of short chain fatty acids, lowering pH, inhibiting unhealthy bacteria land detoxifying carcinogens in the diet. FOS helps to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels by reducing absorption of carbohydrates and fats into the blood stream, nourishes the cells in the gut which is important for digestive well-being and the prevention of constipation. Improving digestion is key to establishing good health. When in good health, we get rid of wastes and toxins through regular bowel movements and eliminate the build up of unhealthy micro-organisms and internal toxins, providing a strong and intact intestinal barrier to prevent the leaking of undigested food fragments into the blood stream.
As more research becomes available and we learn more about bacteria and how they affect our health, the more important both probiotic and prebiotic products will become and the more of these home remedies such as milk and honey you will see on the supermarket shelves.
Honey also has a major role to play as a carrier of foods containing relatively high levels of vitamins and minerals, and has been shown to help the body absorb minerals such as calcium. Elderly people have higher risk for fractures from osteoporosis or low bone mass. One of the ways to avoid this is to consume adequate calcium, and make sure that it is absorbed. And researchers at Purdue University has shown in its preliminary findings that honey added to milk could enhance calcium uptake.
Many facial cleansing and skin moisturising products have also included milk and honey as part of their ingredients to claim beauty benefits such skin hydration, smoothness, purification, anti-aging, and revitalization. A warm glass of milk with a teaspoon of honey is also known to be a good remedy for sleeplessness.
Low fat diets are the worst and most disease causing of all diets
Eating fats will make you slim. Eating fats is cleansing. Eating fats cures depression. Eating fats will allow you to absorb much more fat soluble vitamins and will help cure many diseases. Eating fats is satisfying and delicious. Eating a high fat diet will regulate your blood sugar levels. I’m talking about natural fats, fats our ancestors have eaten for hundreds of thousands of years. I’m talking about the good fats coconut meat, coconut cream, olive oil, nuts, egg yolks, animal fats, animal marrow, animal suet and more.
FAT IS GOOD FOR YOU. Good fats do not cause heart disease. That is the Cholesterol MYTH. See the Cholesterol Myth book I previously reviewed.
Fat is the most important part of your diet. Fat is so important that you should be consuming fats as the majority of your diet in weight. You should be eating more fats than lean meat, more fats than grains. In fact, it is grains that cause many, many diseases.
If you are Filipino, you should be replacing rice with fats. You can also use sweet potatoes sparingly. But the best carbs come from fruits. You might like to know that coconut meat is FAT.
How did I come to this conclusion? Self experimentation will lead you to the truth.
I tried raw vegan. I also did raw fruitarian.
I learned that to survive on raw vegan, you must have high fat. (coconut meat, extra virgin olive oil, avocados, durians)
I learned that to survive on raw fruitarian, you must have high fat. (coconut meat, extra virgin olive oil, avocados, durians)I went with Wai Diet, a raw fruit diet plus raw egg yolks and raw sea food diet.(Raw paleolithic already)
Wai Diet is High Carb, High Fat.I’m now experimenting with low carb high fat these days and I’m still learning the ropes.
What I do know from experience is, that a HIGH FAT diet is A MUST!
Low FAT diets are just plain wrong. I had to experience raw vegan and raw fruitarian diets to learn that a LOW FAT diet is completely, totally and forever wrong.
FAT IS GOOD FOR YOU. Good fats do not cause heart disease. That is the Cholesterol MYTH. See the Cholesterol Myth book I previously reviewed.
Fat is the most important part of your diet. Fat is so important that you should be consuming fats as the majority of your diet in weight. You should be eating more fats than lean meat, more fats than grains. In fact, it is grains that cause many, many diseases.
If you are Filipino, you should be replacing rice with fats. You can also use sweet potatoes sparingly. But the best carbs come from fruits. You might like to know that coconut meat is FAT.
How did I come to this conclusion? Self experimentation will lead you to the truth.
I tried raw vegan. I also did raw fruitarian.
I learned that to survive on raw vegan, you must have high fat. (coconut meat, extra virgin olive oil, avocados, durians)
I learned that to survive on raw fruitarian, you must have high fat. (coconut meat, extra virgin olive oil, avocados, durians)I went with Wai Diet, a raw fruit diet plus raw egg yolks and raw sea food diet.(Raw paleolithic already)
Wai Diet is High Carb, High Fat.I’m now experimenting with low carb high fat these days and I’m still learning the ropes.
What I do know from experience is, that a HIGH FAT diet is A MUST!
Low FAT diets are just plain wrong. I had to experience raw vegan and raw fruitarian diets to learn that a LOW FAT diet is completely, totally and forever wrong.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Tips For Running Summer
Use the two-minute rule. It takes about two weeks for your body to get used to warmer temps, so take a two-minute walk break for every five to eight minutes of running. As the summer wears on, your body will gradually become better at cooling itself and you’ll be able to get back up to speed.
Protect yourself. Keep cool with light-colored, loose-fitting running gear made of a noncotton technical fabric like Coolmax that allows sweat to evaporate. For sun protection, wear a mesh cap or visor and sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays. Slather on some waterproof sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) 20 minutes before heading out.
Time it right. Avoid running between noon and 3 p.m., when heat and humidity are worst.
Breathe easy. If there’s a heat or air-quality alert for the day, stick to the treadmill. And stay hydrated no matter where you run. For workouts shorter than 45 minutes, drink 8 ounces of water 15 minutes pre- and postrun. For longer bouts, sip 6 ounces of sports drink every 15 to 20 minutes during your run to replace the electrolytes you lose through sweat.
Protect yourself. Keep cool with light-colored, loose-fitting running gear made of a noncotton technical fabric like Coolmax that allows sweat to evaporate. For sun protection, wear a mesh cap or visor and sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays. Slather on some waterproof sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) 20 minutes before heading out.
Time it right. Avoid running between noon and 3 p.m., when heat and humidity are worst.
Breathe easy. If there’s a heat or air-quality alert for the day, stick to the treadmill. And stay hydrated no matter where you run. For workouts shorter than 45 minutes, drink 8 ounces of water 15 minutes pre- and postrun. For longer bouts, sip 6 ounces of sports drink every 15 to 20 minutes during your run to replace the electrolytes you lose through sweat.
Staying Safe in The Sun
Next time you’re scanning the aisles for your summer sun protection, consider that producers of five well-known sunscreen brands are facing a class action lawsuit alleging that their claims mislead consumers about their products’ ability to ward off UV rays and prevent skin damage and cancer. The suit got us thinking: Are we really clear on what sunscreens can and can’t do? Maybe not. So we took some of the biggest claims and ran them by experts. You might want to take what they say—along with the sunscreens they use—to the beach with you this summer.
Myth 1: Sunscreen is all you need to stay safe.
“Sunscreen is only one part of the sun-protection picture,” explains Francesca Fusco, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York. “Just slathering it on and doing nothing else isn’t going to cut it because, even with sunscreen, there’s still up to a 50 percent risk that you’ll burn.” You also need to seek shade between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when sunlight is strongest; cover up with clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses; do regular skin self-exams; and get a professional skin evaluation annually.
Myth 2: SPF measures levels of protection against both UVB and UVA rays.
The SPF (sun protection factor) measures only the level of protection against UVB rays. But several of the 16 active ingredients approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in sunscreens also block or absorb UVA rays, says Warwick L. Morison, MD, professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins Medical School and chairman of the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Photobiology Committee. Ingredients include: avobenzone (Parsol 1789), octocrylene, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide, as well as the recently approved Mexoryl SX. Make sure one of these is in your sunscreen, or look for products labeled “broad spectrum,” which means they protect against UVB and UVA rays.
Myth 3: Some sunscreens can protect all day.
“Regardless of the SPF or what the label says, sunscreens must be reapplied every two hours,” Fusco says. “The active ingredients in most products begin to break down when exposed to the sun.” Only physical blockers like zinc oxide stay potent after two hours, but not all sunscreens are made with these ingredients.
Myth 4: Some sunscreens are waterproof.
The FDA does not recognize the term “waterproof,” so don’t count on sunscreen to last through hours of swimming. The agency does recognize “water/sweat/perspiration resistant” (which means a product offers SPF protection after 40 minutes of exposure to water) and “very water/sweat/perspiration resistant” (which means it still protects after 80 minutes). To be safe, reapply sunscreen after swimming or sweating.
Myth 5: A sunscreen can provide “total sunblock.”
“No sunscreen blocks 100 percent of UV rays,” Fusco says. An SPF 15 protects against 93 percent of UV rays, SPF 30 protects against 97 percent, and SPF 50 wards off 98 percent. You should slather two tablespoons on your body a half-hour before going outside, so the sunscreen has time to absorb into your skin.
Myth 1: Sunscreen is all you need to stay safe.
“Sunscreen is only one part of the sun-protection picture,” explains Francesca Fusco, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York. “Just slathering it on and doing nothing else isn’t going to cut it because, even with sunscreen, there’s still up to a 50 percent risk that you’ll burn.” You also need to seek shade between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when sunlight is strongest; cover up with clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses; do regular skin self-exams; and get a professional skin evaluation annually.
Myth 2: SPF measures levels of protection against both UVB and UVA rays.
The SPF (sun protection factor) measures only the level of protection against UVB rays. But several of the 16 active ingredients approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in sunscreens also block or absorb UVA rays, says Warwick L. Morison, MD, professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins Medical School and chairman of the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Photobiology Committee. Ingredients include: avobenzone (Parsol 1789), octocrylene, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide, as well as the recently approved Mexoryl SX. Make sure one of these is in your sunscreen, or look for products labeled “broad spectrum,” which means they protect against UVB and UVA rays.
Myth 3: Some sunscreens can protect all day.
“Regardless of the SPF or what the label says, sunscreens must be reapplied every two hours,” Fusco says. “The active ingredients in most products begin to break down when exposed to the sun.” Only physical blockers like zinc oxide stay potent after two hours, but not all sunscreens are made with these ingredients.
Myth 4: Some sunscreens are waterproof.
The FDA does not recognize the term “waterproof,” so don’t count on sunscreen to last through hours of swimming. The agency does recognize “water/sweat/perspiration resistant” (which means a product offers SPF protection after 40 minutes of exposure to water) and “very water/sweat/perspiration resistant” (which means it still protects after 80 minutes). To be safe, reapply sunscreen after swimming or sweating.
Myth 5: A sunscreen can provide “total sunblock.”
“No sunscreen blocks 100 percent of UV rays,” Fusco says. An SPF 15 protects against 93 percent of UV rays, SPF 30 protects against 97 percent, and SPF 50 wards off 98 percent. You should slather two tablespoons on your body a half-hour before going outside, so the sunscreen has time to absorb into your skin.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Effects of Workout on Vitamin Needs
An athlete in regular training and competition will have a requirement for a higher intake of vitamins compared to a sedentary individual. Exercise, even of the moderate kind, places extra stresses and demands upon the body and metabolic processes are increased, all requiring the use of vitamins taken in from food and drink. Heavy exercise and competition increase vitamin requirements further.
During training, the athlete is taking in and utilizing much more oxygen as part of the energy production process than when at rest. Increased use of oxygen results in a higher level of free radicals which need to be disarmed by the antioxidant enzymes (which are created from vitamin B2 and a number of minerals) and the antioxidant vitamins, A, C and E. Without a good supply of antioxidant vitamins, the athletes’ body is likely to incur a high level of free radical damage. As well as potentially causing disease, free radial damage has also been connected with post exercise muscle soreness, therefore, a lack of these vitamins might mean that the athlete finds it harder to recover from training and competition. Athletes training outdoors are also at risk of free radical damage from pollution in the air.
Training increases the physical stress on the body which depletes the body of vitamin C and the B vitamin complex. Also the energy production process requires all the B vitamins and biotin, either directly or in the creation of enzymes needed for energy production. All these vitamins are water-soluble and cannot be stored in the body, without an adequate daily supply, the athlete would soon be lacking in energy and finding training difficult.
Red blood cells are vitally important for energy as they transport oxygen around the body, making them essential for good athletic performance. Iron is required for red blood cell formation and good intake of vitamin C aids absorption of iron from food. Vitamin B12 is also required in the formation of red blood cells. Low levels of red blood cells, or anaemia, can reduce VO2max and impair performance so athletes need to ensure a good intake of these nutrients.
During training, damage to muscles occurs and stress is placed on ligaments, tendons and bones. The body has to repair damaged structures and strengthen them against the possibility of future damage. Vitamin B6 and folic acid help in this process as they are needed for amino acid metabolism. Vitamin C is also important for repairing and strengthening tissues as it is needed for production off collagen found in skin, bones and connective tissues.
In order to ensure the athlete’s body is functioning optimally, able to withstand heavy training and competition, able to recover well from training and be generally healthy with a strong immune system, they would need to ensure a high intake of vitamins. It is highly likely that the athlete will need these vitamins at levels higher that the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), which is just designed to prevent deficiency diseases.
An athlete is likely to be eating more food than the average sedentary person and therefore likely to be consuming more vitamins, but the extra consumed may not be enough to cover the extra requirements as a result of their training. Also, many antioxidant vitamins are obtained from fruits and vegetables, and as these foods are high in fiber it would be difficult for an athlete to consume much more of them than should be consumed by a sedentary person, as the bulkiness of these foods may leave them too full to consume the higher carbohydrate foods required to fulfil their energy needs.
Therefore, it is recommended that the athlete eats mostly nutrient rich foods in the form of unrefined carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and quality protein and that they also look at backing this up with a vitamin supplement. When choosing a supplement, they should look at the Suggested Optimal Nutrient Intakes (SONAs) which have recently been established. These give levels of vitamins which more closely match what is needed for optimal health and are more likely to cover the needs of an athlete.
During training, the athlete is taking in and utilizing much more oxygen as part of the energy production process than when at rest. Increased use of oxygen results in a higher level of free radicals which need to be disarmed by the antioxidant enzymes (which are created from vitamin B2 and a number of minerals) and the antioxidant vitamins, A, C and E. Without a good supply of antioxidant vitamins, the athletes’ body is likely to incur a high level of free radical damage. As well as potentially causing disease, free radial damage has also been connected with post exercise muscle soreness, therefore, a lack of these vitamins might mean that the athlete finds it harder to recover from training and competition. Athletes training outdoors are also at risk of free radical damage from pollution in the air.
Training increases the physical stress on the body which depletes the body of vitamin C and the B vitamin complex. Also the energy production process requires all the B vitamins and biotin, either directly or in the creation of enzymes needed for energy production. All these vitamins are water-soluble and cannot be stored in the body, without an adequate daily supply, the athlete would soon be lacking in energy and finding training difficult.
Red blood cells are vitally important for energy as they transport oxygen around the body, making them essential for good athletic performance. Iron is required for red blood cell formation and good intake of vitamin C aids absorption of iron from food. Vitamin B12 is also required in the formation of red blood cells. Low levels of red blood cells, or anaemia, can reduce VO2max and impair performance so athletes need to ensure a good intake of these nutrients.
During training, damage to muscles occurs and stress is placed on ligaments, tendons and bones. The body has to repair damaged structures and strengthen them against the possibility of future damage. Vitamin B6 and folic acid help in this process as they are needed for amino acid metabolism. Vitamin C is also important for repairing and strengthening tissues as it is needed for production off collagen found in skin, bones and connective tissues.
In order to ensure the athlete’s body is functioning optimally, able to withstand heavy training and competition, able to recover well from training and be generally healthy with a strong immune system, they would need to ensure a high intake of vitamins. It is highly likely that the athlete will need these vitamins at levels higher that the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), which is just designed to prevent deficiency diseases.
An athlete is likely to be eating more food than the average sedentary person and therefore likely to be consuming more vitamins, but the extra consumed may not be enough to cover the extra requirements as a result of their training. Also, many antioxidant vitamins are obtained from fruits and vegetables, and as these foods are high in fiber it would be difficult for an athlete to consume much more of them than should be consumed by a sedentary person, as the bulkiness of these foods may leave them too full to consume the higher carbohydrate foods required to fulfil their energy needs.
Therefore, it is recommended that the athlete eats mostly nutrient rich foods in the form of unrefined carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and quality protein and that they also look at backing this up with a vitamin supplement. When choosing a supplement, they should look at the Suggested Optimal Nutrient Intakes (SONAs) which have recently been established. These give levels of vitamins which more closely match what is needed for optimal health and are more likely to cover the needs of an athlete.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Fasting Teenagers
Fasting teenagers may have parental support or opposition. Fasting teenagers younger than 18 years of age need to request your guardian to fast. Some parents support teenagers on short juice fasts and others radically oppose it. If they oppose, your fast may try convincing them to let you try one or two days of juice fasting and then see how it goes. If your reason to fast is due to health problems, then you need to go slowly, and learn as much as you can. I recommend the juice, egg white fast supplemented by omega oils and a multi B vitamin as the program supplies all your body’s needs in abundance.
Fasting Teenagers Often Fast For The Wrong Reason
Sadly, fasting fits very well with the psychological process of anorexia and bulimia. The fasting is a natural progression to these diseases. Teenagers are often faced with complex dilemmas and stress that do not affect adults. Most teenagers who tackle fasting, have intense peer pressure to look good, shame, guilt and low self-esteem, and their motivation is to look like a fashion model. Yes, juice fasting is excellent for weight loss, but most teenagers do not have money for a juicer or the support of a parent in fasting, so they fast on pop and fruit drinks and the results are not good. The body loses weight but the health suffers. The body can live for many months with very few calories, but without nutrition the body suffers.
Fasting Teenagers Often Fast For The Wrong Reason
Sadly, fasting fits very well with the psychological process of anorexia and bulimia. The fasting is a natural progression to these diseases. Teenagers are often faced with complex dilemmas and stress that do not affect adults. Most teenagers who tackle fasting, have intense peer pressure to look good, shame, guilt and low self-esteem, and their motivation is to look like a fashion model. Yes, juice fasting is excellent for weight loss, but most teenagers do not have money for a juicer or the support of a parent in fasting, so they fast on pop and fruit drinks and the results are not good. The body loses weight but the health suffers. The body can live for many months with very few calories, but without nutrition the body suffers.
Overeating After Fasting
Overeating after fasting is a common problem. Here are some ideas to deal with overeating after fasting from a person having problems with overeating after fasting.
I would like to do a water fast for healing and weight loss. However, I fear the inevitable extreme need to feed after breaking the fast.
I’ve done two 3-day water fasts in the past 2 years and both times I have a few days that I do really well eating small amounts and not wanting more, but then after about 5 days I get incredibly hungry and all I want to do is eat.
My thought patterns change into only wanting to eat and take over. Then I ended up overeating to nausea. I don’t want to start a fast unless I know how to deal with this. Any tips?
I would like to do a water fast for healing and weight loss. However, I fear the inevitable extreme need to feed after breaking the fast.
I’ve done two 3-day water fasts in the past 2 years and both times I have a few days that I do really well eating small amounts and not wanting more, but then after about 5 days I get incredibly hungry and all I want to do is eat.
My thought patterns change into only wanting to eat and take over. Then I ended up overeating to nausea. I don’t want to start a fast unless I know how to deal with this. Any tips?
Overeating and Emotional Cravings
Emotional cravings is the main reason why most persons who sacrifice and do a long-term fast soon gain the weight back.
What I have discovered in my case is that the mind, after fasting, seems to unleash an unconscious thought pattern that tells me I better eat all that I can before the “starvation” torture is again inflicted upon the body.
So, every time I have completed the fast, the hunger pains seem to return with a vengeance when I start eating solid food again.
My biggest weapon for this has been to eat and chew slowly and not succumb to the voracity that wants me to devour my plate. This is done one bite at a time, one meal at a time.
After a few days, or sometimes weeks, the voracity dies down and the body accepts the new diet regimen. When I say diet in this case, I am referring to the new eating habits that MUST be part of your post-fasting lifestyle.
So, in short, what happens when you overeat after fasting is that you are succumbing to the body’s unconscious signal that, in order to avoid future “starvation,” you must eat, eat and eat.
Once you are done fasting, your body is clean. The hunger pains at this point also often are the symptom of the same emotional issues that caused me to overeat in the first place.
I may finish a fast and feel insecure, thus food can be my buddy to cover that up. Or I may feel lost and sad because suddenly I am no longer in the “safe zone” or binging and overeating.
When one has been overweight for a long time, this “fat” image can become a person’s identity. Any change to that image brings up fear, a feeling of being lost and intense insecurity.
These feelings very often result in increased hunger and, unfortunately in some cases, a relapse into overeating.
It also happens that being slimmer and healthier is “uncharted territory.” For me, it was always easier to remain fat, shy and withdrawn, than to change.
I knew that just losing the weight was the tip of the iceberg, but that the weight loss had to be accompanied by changes in my thoughts, behaviors and approach to life.
I knew I had to come out of the shadows and join humanity in a more dynamic fashion. This was terrifying to me, so I gorged again and gained all the weight back - leading me to the cave that was so painful yet so familiar.
The bottom line is that the first three to six months after fasting are crucial because you are actually forging a brand new image of yourself.
And the hunger pains will increase as a defense mechanism against future “starvation.”
But if you keep yourself vigilant, continue to practice self discipline and learn to eat slowly and deliberately, the “voracity” will go away and you will find yourself establishing positive and constructive life-long eating habits.
What I have discovered in my case is that the mind, after fasting, seems to unleash an unconscious thought pattern that tells me I better eat all that I can before the “starvation” torture is again inflicted upon the body.
So, every time I have completed the fast, the hunger pains seem to return with a vengeance when I start eating solid food again.
My biggest weapon for this has been to eat and chew slowly and not succumb to the voracity that wants me to devour my plate. This is done one bite at a time, one meal at a time.
After a few days, or sometimes weeks, the voracity dies down and the body accepts the new diet regimen. When I say diet in this case, I am referring to the new eating habits that MUST be part of your post-fasting lifestyle.
So, in short, what happens when you overeat after fasting is that you are succumbing to the body’s unconscious signal that, in order to avoid future “starvation,” you must eat, eat and eat.
Once you are done fasting, your body is clean. The hunger pains at this point also often are the symptom of the same emotional issues that caused me to overeat in the first place.
I may finish a fast and feel insecure, thus food can be my buddy to cover that up. Or I may feel lost and sad because suddenly I am no longer in the “safe zone” or binging and overeating.
When one has been overweight for a long time, this “fat” image can become a person’s identity. Any change to that image brings up fear, a feeling of being lost and intense insecurity.
These feelings very often result in increased hunger and, unfortunately in some cases, a relapse into overeating.
It also happens that being slimmer and healthier is “uncharted territory.” For me, it was always easier to remain fat, shy and withdrawn, than to change.
I knew that just losing the weight was the tip of the iceberg, but that the weight loss had to be accompanied by changes in my thoughts, behaviors and approach to life.
I knew I had to come out of the shadows and join humanity in a more dynamic fashion. This was terrifying to me, so I gorged again and gained all the weight back - leading me to the cave that was so painful yet so familiar.
The bottom line is that the first three to six months after fasting are crucial because you are actually forging a brand new image of yourself.
And the hunger pains will increase as a defense mechanism against future “starvation.”
But if you keep yourself vigilant, continue to practice self discipline and learn to eat slowly and deliberately, the “voracity” will go away and you will find yourself establishing positive and constructive life-long eating habits.
Over Eating Is Loss of Thought Control
Our thoughts have such control over our bodies. We can give in to negative thinking processes and return to old eating habits. Overeating it may be a way of rewarding yourself after putting so much effort into meeting your goal. Overeating may be meeting a psychological unfulfilled need.
When you are done fasting, your body is clean. The hunger pains at this point also often are the symptom of the same emotional issues that caused me to overeat in the first place. I may finish a fast and feel It also happens that being slimmer and healthier is “uncharted territory.” For me, it was always easier to remain fat, shy and withdrawn, than to change. I knew that just losing the weight was the tip of the iceberg, but that the weight loss had to be accompanied by changes in my thoughts, behaviors and approach to life. I knew I had to come out of the shadows and join humanity in a more dynamic fashion. This was terrifying to me, so I gorged again and gained all the weight back - leading me to the cave that was so painful yet so familiar.
The first three to six months after fasting are crucial because you are actually forging a brand new image of yourself. And the hunger pains will increase as a defense mechanism against future “starvation.” But if you keep yourself vigilant, continue to practice self discipline and learn to eat slowly and deliberately, the “voracity” will go away and you will find yourself establishing positive and constructive life-long eating habits.
Fasting isn’t just for losing weight. Fasting heals the mind……….and the soul (our body). Remember, our minds lead our body and a healthy body soothes our minds. I wish you success!
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