Drink Coffee to Keep Your Body and Brain Healthy

A cup of coffee daily will help you in more tactics than you think.

For instance, the daily dose of caffeine can keep Alzheimer's sickness in check, can help reduce cholesterol, protects against dementia, and decreases the chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

A daily dose of caffeine blocks the disruptive effects of high cholesterol that scientists link with Alzheimer's illness.

Caffeine equivalent of just a daily cup of Joe could protect the blood-brain barrier ( BBB ) from damage that occurs with a fat heavy diet, according to a study. The BBB protects the central nervous system ( CNS ) from what's left of the body's circulation, providing the brain with its own controlled micro-environment.

Previous research has demonstrated that raised levels of cholesterol break down the BBB which will then no longer protect the CNS from the damage due to blood borne contamination. BBB leakage occurs in a variety of neurological disorders like Alzheimer's sickness.

In one report, researchers of School of North Dakota ( UND ) gave rabbits 3 mg caffeine daily or the equivalent of an average daily cup of joe. The rabbits were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet in this time. After 12 weeks some lab tests indicated the BBB was noticeably more intact in rabbits getting a daily dose of caffeine.

The findings of the study have been broadcast in the open access Book of Neuroinflammation. "Caffeine appears to block many of the disruptive results of cholesterol that make the blood-brain barrier leaky," says Jonathan Geige of UND. "High levels of cholesterol are a risk factor for Alzheimer's sickness, perhaps by compromising the defending nature of the blood-brain barrier. For the first time we've shown that chronic ingestion of caffeine protects the BBB from cholesterol-induced leakage.

Caffeine is a safe and generally available drug and its capacity to stabilise the blood-brain barrier means it could have a critical part to play in therapies against neurological disorders."

Danish and Swedish researchers have disclosed that folks who drank three to five cups of coffee daily were 60 5 % not as sure to have developed dementia, compared to people who drank 2 cups or less. Earlier studies have linked coffee to a number of health perks that will make a contribution to this latest finding.

Coffee drinkers have shown a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, less plaque formation in the brain, and reduced vascular risk - all three of these effects could contribute to lowering Alzheimer's risk. Coffee isn't the single thing that may help you boost your brain.

A new English study shows that vitamin D could help ward off dementia and lower your risk for Parkinson's sickness. You will supplement your brain with omega-3 fatty acids found in this power food. Caffeine would most likely not be good for pregnant moms as it increases the risk of miscarriage.

Yet another new report has discovered that drinking three cups of coffee daily can help forestall ovarian cancer in girls.

A gang of world analysts has carried out the study and made public that women who take caffeine matching to three cups of coffee common-or-garden are no longer as sure to develop ovarian cancer later in life. The team came to the conclusion after researching the effects of coffee intake on a grouping of nurses.

The researchers compared the diets of 80 thousand of these girls with the superiority of ovarian cancer as part of the study between 1976 and 2004. According to the researchers, 737 of them developed ovarian cancer in the study period. Those that had at least three cups of coffee a day were found to be 20% not as certain to develop the sickness than those that drank none. Likewise , folk who did not select hormone replacement care, the likelihood was 43% less.

The benefits and hazards of drinking coffee remain the subject of much debate. I am not saying that you should start drinking five cups of coffee a day if you do not already drink coffee.

Obviously you shouldn't feel so bad if you DO drink many cups a day. If you want to stay healthy for life, make this straightforward choice - it is the smartest thing you may do for your brain.

Read more...

Foods To Help You Have Healthier Hair

Hair plays a very important role in our life. All of us want to have strong and beautiful hair. It can make us more attractive and more confident. Someone said that their lover's smooth hair is one of the first impressions making them pay attention to her.

Strong and beautiful hair is so helpful but how can we improve our hair? Luckily, it is not really difficult if you want and have patience.

Hair can talk much about the health state, diet, state of mind, etc of a person. Like other parts of your body, hair also needs special nutrient substances so that it becomes strong, shiny and beautiful. Those nutrient substances can be supplied by many sources one of which is foods you eat everyday. So among various kinds of foods, which ones are good for hair?

Chicken eggs

Chicken egg is a food that is very good for your hair. If you do not want to eat eggs directly, you can use egg yolks as a hair treatment product. Your hair will become shiny. Use this treatment method 2 or 3 times a week, you will see the considerable improvement.

Foods containing Lipid

Lipid is a necessary nutrient substance for your hair. If you body does not have enough lipid, hair will be dry. Sources of lipid are fishes, oil, peanuts, etc. People who are on a diet usually have dry hair because they cut down a big amount of foods containing lipid.

Foods containing Iron

A thin-haired head is a sadness of many people because it makes them not self-confident. Iron is a nutrient that can prevent hair loss. You can find iron in fishes and meats having red color like beef.

Foods containing Protein

Your hair also needs protein. Therefore, in order to have a beautiful hair, you need supply your body with food rich of protein like meat, fishes, etc. People who have a vegetarian diet should supply the body with protein by eating other sources besides meats fishes like mushrooms, etc.

Omega-3 acid in fishes

It is said that Omega-3 acid is very good for hair. You can supply your body with this nutrient substance by eating fishes regularly because there is a great amount of Omega-3 in fishes.

A healthful life can also bring you healthy hair. You should void issues causing stress for you as far as possible. Being stressful is one of the main reasons that can harm your hair.

Hobbies are not only good for your health in general but also good for your hair in particular. If you are not a member of any clubs now, please stand up and choose a suitable one for you. Friends in those clubs will bring you laugh, happiness then you will see how your hair is improved.

Besides supplying your body with foods that are good for health, you also have to give up bad habits like tightening your hair, scratching your head, using unsuitable shampoos and hair treatments, washing hair too many times, washing hair too rarely, etc.

Read more...

10 Things You Can Do To Fight Bad Breath

Another quick test is floss and then smell whatever is dislodged. If it doesn't pass the sniff test, you may suffer from halitosis. Of course, you could always ask a close friend or family member that you trust to give you an honest answer. Whichever method you choose, if you think you may have halitosis, don't worry... here are some things you can do to help you come out smelling like a rose.

Avoid The Garlic. Many spicy foods like peppers, garlic and onions tend to live on through oils left in the mouth for up to twenty four hours after consuming. Brushing your teeth won't help, so avoid these food products if you have an important meeting or other face to face encounters planned in the immediate future.

Skip The Deli. Other food products which leave these long lasting oils behind are spicy meats like pepperoni, salami and pastrami so if you don't want others trying to guess what you had for lunch, you may want to pass on these meat products for at least twenty four hours before any close contact meetings.

Hold The Cheese. Certain cheeses are known as strong cheeses. A few of these include blue cheese, Roquefort and Camembert. They taste great but can leave your breath smelling less than sweet.

Hold The Anchovies. Do you like anchovies on your pizza? If so, it may be best to order your favorite pizza loaded with anchovies on a Friday night when you can safely hide out for a few days and not risk being trapped in the elevator with your boss or top client. Another fishy food product would be Tuna so having your Tuna Melt on a Saturday should give your breath enough time to recover before the big meeting on Monday.

Drink Plenty of Water. Water is clean and non-residual unlike beverages such as whiskey, wine, beer or coffee which tend to linger by attaching to plaque releasing little bits of itself into the air when you breath.

Brush Your Teeth. Let me say it again, brush your teeth and in case it hasn't sank in yet, brush your teeth. Brushing your teeth after meals is the most effective method of eliminating smelly breath. You've heard of plaque but just in case you aren't sure exactly what this is, let me clarify. Plague is the film that coats your gums and teeth consisting of dead and living bacteria, up to fifty trillion of them. These micro-organisms absorb odors from the foods you eat as well as their own unpleasant odors. When you exhale, some of this bacteria leaves your mouth as well carrying these odors with them.

Rinse When You Can't Brush. Brushing is best but sometimes you just don't have the time. If you can at least rinse with water, this will help remove many of the food particles that can cause bad breath, not only now but later.

Three Squares A Day. Skipping meals can be bad for your breath. Your mouth provides a moist, warm environment for bacteria to grow and consuming food and beverages is part of the natural cleansing process. Don't forget to brush afterwards or at least rinse.

Quick Temporary Fix. Ok, you've ignored everything above. You had a large anchovy pizza last night with a side helping of wings with blue cheese dressing, an omelet this morning covered in onions and an Italian lunch with extra garlic and now your boss has just called you into his tiny office to discuss your new promotion. As long as you can talk fast, you may just get by with a good gargle of some minty fresh mouthwash. If he gets caught on a lengthy phone call while you're there, you may be doomed but as long as you can get in and get out within 20 minutes you may still get the raise. You can always carry a coffee cup with an emergency dose of mouthwash just in case the meeting runs long but that's up to you.

Read more...

Weight Loss tips – Simple Tips to help You Achieve a Healthy Weight

With some many weight loss programs out there promising all sorts of different things it becomes very difficult to know exactly what needs to be done for effective weight loss. One fact about weight loss is that if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. Every diet around the world relies on this fact. However, most of you probably do not realise that people putting on weight are only eating slightly more calories than they are burning, and if small changes were make to their diet or excise, weight loss could occur with very minimal effort. There are many ‘smart choices’ you can make that will make weight loss easy.

Some of these weight loss changes could be:
- Have vegetables soup, sandwiches or wraps for lunch.
- Make sure the snacks you have are low in fat (low fat yoghurt or wholegrain biscuits)
- Have reduced fat dairy
- Use spray oils instead of out of a bottle
- Cut all visible fats off meat
- Avoid high fat snacks such as chips, wedges, pizza or nachos.
- Try to use low fat cooking such as grilling, roasting or steaming

With some proper planning there are some easy weight loss tips to help improve your general eating habits.
- Have breakfast and regular snacks each day. This stops you from getting too hungry and overeating on your next meal
- Limit the amount of alcohol you drink in one sitting
- Serve your food on a smaller plate to reduce your serving sizes.

The last component to weight loss is exercise. In terms of weight loss it is often more import to regulate your food intake, but exercise is so critically important to the overall health of your body. With exercise try to:
- Walk more. Try to build up to 10,000 steps per day.
- Watch less TV
- Start exercising with a friend
- Chose exercises that you enjoy

If you can try a few of these suggestions you will be well on your weight to sustained weight loss. There is no need to make drastic changes, but my making a concerted effort of making small changes you will notice a big difference. There has never been a better time for weight loss than right now!

Read more...

The battle to lose

Since the late 1970s, overweight and obesity rates in adults, teens, and children have soared, raising concerns about the impact on diabetes, heart disease, and cancer rates. This month's cover story is our effort to treat with humor a most serious problem.

The epidemic is most poignant in youngsters, but adults have to deal with it too. Losing weight--and keeping it off--isn't easy. Our culture conspires against dieters at every turn.

Tempting high-calorie foods at restaurants beckon us to overeat. Laborsaving devices-from telephones to automobiles--aren't going to disappear. And snack vending machines, ads extolling all-you-can-eat buffets, and home and work imperatives keep us off the bike path.

Then there are the factors we can't control, like our genes, our in utero environment, and perhaps contaminants in our air, water, and food that distort hormonal balances.

If we don't make the effort to lose (or avoid gaining) weight, it won't happen. But it also won't happen if we ignore the environment that undermines our efforts.

So, where to start?

* Restaurant meals. Those 1,000-calorie entrees, shakes, appetizers, and desserts are fattening us up. It is essential that we push for state and federal laws requiring calories on menus and menu boards at chain restaurants.

The first such law, in New York City, is not only spurring consumers to choose lower-calorie foods. It is prompting restaurants to lighten up their menus. With California and Boston passing laws and other jurisdictions considering them--and with KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell voluntarily listing calories on menus soon--I hope that 2009 is the year that Congress orders calories on menus nationwide.

* PE. Gym classes in schools are a natural, as are community bike paths, tennis courts, and swimming pools. What better way to pay for them than slapping small taxes (say, a nickel a drink) on belly-building soda pop?

* Schools. Getting junk foods out of schools and ads for junk foods off TV and other media aimed at kids is a no-brainer.

* Campaigns. The government should fund mass-media campaigns to encourage people to fill up on vegetables, fruits, and other healthy foods and to cut back on soft drinks, french fries, and other fattening foods.

* Breastfeeding. "Breastfed infants ... tend to gain less unnecessary weight and to be leaner. This may result in being less overweight later in life," says the government, which could mount campaigns to encourage moms to breastfeed for at least six months, maybe even offering bonuses to those who do.

I could go on, but those measures top my wish list. The challenge is to get beyond politicians' handwringing over "the terrible obesity problem" and to invest in the solutions.

Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D.

Read more...

Need urine from a catheter system? Forget the needle!

Learn how to reduce your risk of injury using a needleless device.

WANT A SUREFIRE way to eliminate the risk of a needle-stick injury while getting a urine sample from an indwelling catheter system? Don't use a needle. Besides protecting you from a needle-stick injury, the needleless system shown here, placed between the catheter and the drainage system, maintains the integrity and sterility of the catheter system by eliminating the need to puncture the tubing.
To obtain a sample using this needleless port, provide privacy for your patient. Gather clean gloves, a sterile luer-lock syringe large enough to hold the required sample, alcohol swabs, and an appropriate specimen container. Tell the patient what you'll be doing and why. Wash your hands, put on the gloves, and follow these steps.

1. Crimp or clamp the drainage tube at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) below the sampling port to let urine collect in the tubing. When you see urine under the access site, clean the sampling port with alcohol and let it air-dry.

2. Use aseptic technique to attach the uncapped syringe to the sampling port. Position it perpendicular to the center of the port, press the tip against the port, and twist gently to lock it in.

As shown, slowly withdraw the urine sample, then unscrew the syringe from the port. Transfer the sample into the specimen container and discard the syringe in an appropriate container.

3. Unclamp the drainage tube. Label the specimen container according to facility policy. Place the container in a biohazard bag for transport and send it to the lab as soon as possible.

Remove and discard your used gloves and wash your hands. Document the date and time you collected the specimen, the reason, the source (catheter), the amount and characteristics of the urine, the time you sent the specimen to the lab, and how the patient tolerated the procedure.

BY KARLA DAVIS, RN, CNRN

Karla Davis is a critical care clinical educator at Baptist Health System in Montgomery, Ala.

Read more...

45 best health tips ever

here they are: the 50 best health tips.

1. Copy your kitty: Learn to do stretching exercises when you wake up. It boosts circulation and digestion, and eases back pain.


2. Don’t skip breakfast. Studies show that eating a proper breakfast is one of the most positive things you can do if you are trying to lose weight. Breakfast skippers tend to gain weight. A balanced breakfast includes fresh fruit or fruit juice, a high-fibre breakfast cereal, low-fat milk or yoghurt, wholewheat toast, and a boiled egg.

3. Brush up on hygiene. Many people don't know how to brush their teeth properly. Improper brushing can cause as much damage to the teeth and gums as not brushing at all. Lots of people don’t brush for long enough, don’t floss and don’t see a dentist regularly. Hold your toothbrush in the same way that would hold a pencil, and brush for at least two minutes. This includes brushing the teeth, the junction of the teeth and gums, the tongue and the roof of the mouth. And you don't need a fancy, angled toothbrush – just a sturdy, soft-bristled one that you replace each month.

4. Neurobics for your mind. Get your brain fizzing with energy. American researchers coined the term ‘neurobics’ for tasks which activate the brain's own biochemical pathways and to bring new pathways online that can help to strengthen or preserve brain circuits. Brush your teeth with your ‘other’ hand, take a new route to work or choose your clothes based on sense of touch rather than sight. People with mental agility tend to have lower rates of Alzheimer's disease and age-related mental decline.

5. Get what you give! Always giving and never taking? This is the short road to compassion fatigue. Give to yourself and receive from others, otherwise you’ll get to a point where you have nothing left to give. And hey, if you can’t receive from others, how can you expect them to receive from you?

6. Get spiritual. A study conducted by the formidably sober and scientific Harvard University found that patients who were prayed for recovered quicker than those who weren’t, even if they weren’t aware of the prayer.

7. Get smelly. Garlic, onions, spring onions and leeks all contain stuff that’s good for you. A study at the Child’s Health Institute in Cape Town found that eating raw garlic helped fight serious childhood infections. Heat destroys these properties, so eat yours raw, wash it down with fruit juice or, if you’re a sissy, have it in tablet form.

8. Knock one back. A glass of red wine a day is good for you. A number of studies have found this, but a recent one found that the polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) in green tea, red wine and olives may also help protect you against breast cancer. It’s thought that the antioxidants help protect you from environmental carcinogens such as passive tobacco smoke.

9. Bone up daily. Get your daily calcium by popping a tab, chugging milk or eating yoghurt. It’ll keep your bones strong. Remember that your bone density declines after the age of 30. You need at least 200 milligrams daily, which you should combine with magnesium, or it simply won’t be absorbed.

10. Berries for your belly. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries contain plant nutrients known as anthocyanidins, which are powerful antioxidants. Blueberries rival grapes in concentrations of resveratrol – the antioxidant compound found in red wine that has assumed near mythological proportions. Resveratrol is believed to help protect against heart disease and cancer.

11. Curry favour. Hot, spicy foods containing chillies or cayenne pepper trigger endorphins, the feel-good hormones. Endorphins have a powerful, almost narcotic, effect and make you feel good after exercising. But go easy on the lamb, pork and mutton and the high-fat, creamy dishes served in many Indian restaurants.

12. Cut out herbs before ops. Some herbal supplements – from the popular St John's Wort and ginkgo biloba to garlic, ginger, ginseng and feverfew – can cause increased bleeding during surgery, warn surgeons. It may be wise to stop taking all medication, including herbal supplements, at least two weeks before surgery, and inform your surgeon about your herbal use.

13. I say tomato. Tomato is a superstar in the fruit and veggie pantheon. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful cancer fighter. They’re also rich in vitamin C. The good news is that cooked tomatoes are also nutritious, so use them in pasta, soups and casseroles, as well as in salads. The British Thoracic Society says that tomatoes and apples can reduce your risk of asthma and chronic lung diseases. Both contain the antioxidant quercetin. To enjoy the benefits, eat five apples a week or a tomato every other day.

14. Eat your stress away. Prevent low blood sugar as it stresses you out. Eat regular and small healthy meals and keep fruit and veggies handy. Herbal teas will also soothe your frazzled nerves. Eating unrefined carbohydrates, nuts and bananas boosts the formation of serotonin, another feel-good drug. Small amounts of protein containing the amino acid tryptamine can give you a boost when stress tires you out.

15. Load up on vitamin C.We need at least 90 mg of vitamin C per day and the best way to get this is by eating at least five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. So hit the oranges and guavas!

16. No folly in folic acid. Folic acid should be taken regularly by all pregnant mums and people with a low immunity to disease. Folic acid prevents spina bifida in unborn babies and can play a role in cancer prevention. It is found in green leafy vegetables, liver, fruit and bran.

17. A for an A. This vitamin, and beta carotene, help to boost immunity against disease. It also assists in the healing process of diseases such as measles and is recommended by the WHO. Good natural sources of vitamin A are kidneys, liver, dairy products, green and yellow vegetables, pawpaw, mangoes, chilli pepper, red sorrel and red palm oil.

18. Pure water. Don’t have soft drinks or energy drinks while you're exercising. Stay properly hydrated by drinking enough water during your workout (just don't overdo things, as drinking too much water can also be dangerous). While you might need energy drinks for long-distance running, in shorter exercise sessions in the gym, your body will burn the glucose from the soft drink first, before starting to burn body fat. Same goes for eating sweets.

19. GI, Jane. Carbohydrates with a high glycaemic index, such as bread, sugar, honey and grain-based food will give instant energy and accelerate your metabolism. If you’re trying to burn fat, stick to beans, rice, pasta, lentils, peas, soya beans and oat bran, all of which have a low GI count.

20. Mindful living. You've probably heard the old adage that life's too short to stuff a mushroom. But perhaps you should consider the opposite: that life's simply too short NOT to focus on the simple tasks. By slowing down and concentrating on basic things, you'll clear your mind of everything that worries you. Really concentrate on sensations and experiences again: observe the rough texture of a strawberry's skin as you touch it, and taste the sweet-sour juice as you bite into the fruit; when your partner strokes your hand, pay careful attention to the sensation on your skin; and learn to really focus on simple tasks while doing them, whether it's flowering plants or ironing your clothes.

21. The secret of stretching. When you stretch, ease your body into position until you feel the stretch and hold it for about 25 seconds. Breathe deeply to help your body move oxygen-rich blood to those sore muscles. Don't bounce or force yourself into an uncomfortable position.

22. Do your weights workout first. Experts say weight training should be done first, because it's a higher intensity exercise compared to cardio. Your body is better able to handle weight training early in the workout because you're fresh and you have the energy you need to work it. Conversely, cardiovascular exercise should be the last thing you do at the gym, because it helps your body recover by increasing blood flow to the muscles, and flushing out lactic acid, which builds up in the muscles while you're weight training. It’s the lactic acid that makes your muscles feel stiff and sore.

23. Burn fat during intervals. To improve your fitness quickly and lose weight, harness the joys of interval training. Set the treadmill or step machine on the interval programme, where your speed and workload varies from minute to minute. Build up gradually, every minute and return to the starting speed. Repeat this routine. Not only will it be less monotonous, but you can train for a shorter time and achieve greater results.

24. Your dirtiest foot forward. If your ankles, knees, and hips ache from running on pavement, head for the dirt. Soft trails or graded roads are a lot easier on your joints than the hard stuff. Also, dirt surfaces tend to be uneven, forcing you to slow down a bit and focus on where to put your feet – great for agility and concentration.

25. Burn the boredom, blast the lard. Rev up your metabolism by alternating your speed and intensity during aerobic workouts. Not only should you alternate your routine to prevent burnout or boredom, but to give your body a jolt. If you normally walk at 6.5km/h on the treadmill or take 15 minutes to walk a km, up the pace by going at 8km/h for a minute or so during your workout. Do this every five minutes or so. Each time you work out, increase your bouts of speed in small increments.

26. Cool off without a beer. Don’t eat carbohydrates for at least an hour after exercise. This will force your body to break down body fat, rather than using the food you ingest. Stick to fruit and fluids during that hour, but avoid beer.

27. ‘Okay, now do 100 of those’. Instead of flailing away at gym, enlist the help – even temporarily – of a personal trainer. Make sure you learn to breathe properly and to do the exercises the right way. You’ll get more of a workout while spending less time at the gym.

28. Stop fuming. Don’t smoke and if you smoke already, do everything in your power to quit. Don’t buy into that my-granny-smoked-and-lived-to-be-90 crud – not even the tobacco giants believe it. Apart from the well-known risks of heart disease and cancer, orthopaedic surgeons have found that smoking accelerates bone density loss and constricts blood flow. So you could live to be a 90-year-old amputee who smells of stale tobacco smoke. Unsexy.

29. Ask about Mad Aunt Edith. Find out your family history. You need to know if there are any inherited diseases prowling your gene pool. According to the Mayo Clinic, USA, finding out what your grandparents died of can provide useful – even lifesaving – information about what’s in store for you. And be candid, not coy: 25 percent of the children of alcoholics become alcoholics themselves.

30. Do self-checks. Do regular self-examinations of your breasts. Most partners are more than happy to help, not just because breast cancer is the most common cancer among SA women. The best time to examine your breasts is in the week after your period.

31. My smear campaign. Have a pap smear once a year. Not on our list of favourite things, but it’s vital. Cervical cancer kills 200 000 women a year and it’s the most prevalent form of cancer among black women, affecting more than 30 percent. But the chances of survival are nearly 100 percent if it’s detected early. Be particularly careful if you became sexually active at an early age, have had multiple sex partners or smoke.

32. Understand hormones. Recent research suggests that short-term (less than five years) use of HRT is not associated with an increase in the risk of breast cancer, but that using it for more than ten years might be. Breast cancer is detected earlier in women using HRT, as they are more alert to the disease than other women.

32. Beat the sneezes. There are more than 240 allergens, some rare and others very common. If you’re a sneezer due to pollen: close your car’s windows while driving, rather switch on the internal fan (drawing in air from the outside), and avoid being outdoors between 5am and 10 am when pollen counts are at their highest; stick to holidays in areas with low pollen counts, such as the seaside and stay away from freshly cut grass.

33. Doggone. If you’re allergic to your cat, dog, budgie or pet piglet, stop suffering the ravages of animal dander: Install an air filter in your home. Keep your pet outside as much as possible and brush him outside of the home to remove loose hair and other allergens. Better yet, ask someone else to do so.

34. Asthma-friendly sports. Swimming is the most asthma-friendly sport of all, but cycling, canoeing, fishing, sailing and walking are also good, according to the experts. Asthma need not hinder peak performance in sport. 11 percent of the US Olympic team were asthmatics – and between them they won 41 medals.

35. Deep heat. Sun rays can burn even through thick glass, and under water. Up to 35 percent of UVB rays and 85 percent of UVA rays penetrate thick glass, while 50 percent of UVB rays and 77 percent of UVA rays penetrate a meter of water and wet cotton clothing. Which means you’ll need sunscreen while driving your car on holiday, and water resistant block if you’re swimming.

36. Fragrant ageing. Stay away from perfumed or flavoured suntan lotions which smell of coconut oil or orange if you want your skin to stay young. These lotions contain psoralen, which speeds up the ageing process. Rather use a fake-tan lotion. Avoid sun beds, which are as bad as the sun itself.

37. Sunscreen can be a smokescreen. Sunscreen is unlikely to stop you from being sunburned, or to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. That’s because most people don’t apply it properly, and stay in the sun too long. The solution? Slather on sunscreen daily and reapply it often, especially if you’ve been in the water. How much? At least enough to fill a shot glass.

38. Laugh and cry. Having a good sob is reputed to be good for you. So is laughter, which has been shown to help heal bodies, as well as broken hearts. Studies in Japan indicate that laughter boosts the immune system and helps the body shake off allergic reactions.

39. It ain’t over till it’s over. End relationships that no longer work for you, as you could be spending time in a dead end. Rather head for more meaningful things. You could be missing opportunities while you’re stuck in a meaningless rut, trying to breathe life into something that is long gone.

40. Strong people go for help. Ask for assistance. Gnashing your teeth in the dark will not get you extra brownie points. It is a sign of strength to ask for assistance and people will respect you for it. If there is a relationship problem, the one who refuses to go for help is usually the one with whom the problem lies to begin with.

41. Save steamy scenes for the bedroom. Showering or bathing in water that’s too hot will dry out your skin and cause it to age prematurely. Warm water is much better. Apply moisturiser while your skin is still damp – it’ll be absorbed more easily. Adding a little olive oil to your bath with help keep your skin moisturised too.

42. Here’s the rub. Improve your circulation and help your lymph glands to drain by the way you towel off. Helping your lymph glands function can help prevent them becoming infected. When drying off your limbs and torso, brush towards the groin on your legs and towards the armpits on your upper body. You can do the same during gentle massage with your partner.

43. Sugar-coated. More than three million South Africans suffer from type 2 diabetes, and the incidence is increasing – with new patients getting younger. New studies show this type of diabetes is often part of a metabolic syndrome (X Syndrome), which includes high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease. More than 80 percent of type 2 diabetics die of heart disease, so make sure you control your glucose levels, and watch your blood pressure and cholesterol counts.

44. Relax, it’s only sex. Stress and sex make bad bedfellows, it seems. A US survey showed that stress, kids and work are main factors to dampen libido. With the advent of technology that allows us to work from home, the lines between our jobs and our personal lives have become blurred. People work longer hours, commutes are longer and work pervades all aspects of our lives, including our sexual relationships. Put nooky and intimacy on the agenda, just like everything else.

45. Good night, sweetheart. Rest heals the body and has been shown to lessen the risk of heart trouble and psychological problems.
Read more...

Your Weight and Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Over seventeen million Americans (6.2% of the population) have diabetes. Almost 6 million Americans are unaware they have the disease. There are two main types of diabetes. Both types are caused by problems in how a hormone called insulin (that helps regulate blood sugar) works. Type 1 diabetes most often appears in childhood or adolescence and causes high blood sugar when your body can't make enough insulin. Over 90% of all diabetes cases are what we call type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed after age forty; however it is now being found in all ages including children and adolescents. Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity and physical inactivity. In this form of diabetes your body makes insulin but can't use its insulin properly. At first, your body overproduces insulin to keep blood sugar normal, but over time this causes your body to lose its ability to produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels in the normal healthy range. The result is sugar rises in your blood to high levels. Over a long period of time, high blood sugar levels and diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, leg and foot amputations, and pregnancy complications. Diabetes can be a deadly disease: over 200,000 people die each year of diabetes related complications.

How does my weight relate to type 2 diabetes?

Carrying extra body weight and body fat go hand and hand with the development of type 2 diabetes. People who are overweight are at much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than normal weight individuals. Being overweight puts added pressure on the body's ability to properly control blood sugar using insulin and therefore makes it much more likely for you to develop diabetes. Almost 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. The number of diabetes cases among American adults jumped by a third during the 1990s, and more increases are expected. This rapid increase in diabetes is due to the growing prevalence of obesity and extra weight in the United States population.

What can you do to prevent diabetes?


The good news is type 2 diabetes is largely preventable. Research studies have found that lifestyle changes and small amounts of weight loss in the range of 5-10% can prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes among high-risk adults. Lifestyle interventions including diet and moderate-intensity physical activity (such as walking for 150 minutes per week) were used in these research studies to produce small amounts of weight loss. The development of diabetes was reduced 40% to 60% during these studies that lasted 3 to 6 years. Preventing weight gain, increasing activity levels and working toward small amounts of weight loss if you are overweight can have a big impact on the likelihood that you will develop diabetes in the future. Managing your weight is the best thing you can do to prevent the development of diabetes.

What can you do if you already have diabetes?

You can have a positive influence on your blood sugar and your overall health by choosing foods wisely, exercising regularly, reducing your stress level, and making modest lifestyle changes. Small amounts of weight loss (losing 10 pounds or more) can also have a big effect on how easily you can keep your blood sugar in the healthy range and can help prevent the complication of diabetes. Small amounts of weight reduction can decrease the amount of medication you need to keep your blood sugar in the healthy range. Overall better nutrition, physical activity, and control of blood glucose levels can delay the progression of diabetes and prevent complications.

Read more...

The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults

This guide was developed in cooperation with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). It is based on the Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: Evidence Report developed by the NHLBI Expert Panel and released in June 1998. The panel used an evidence-based methodology to develop key recommendations for assessing and treating overweight and obese patients. The goal of the guide is to provide the tools you need to effectively manage your overweight and obese adult patients. 78 pages.


If you have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, you may view the document as:



* Full color (1.5 MB)
* Black and white (1 MB)

Read more...

Exercise to survive

Physical activity reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality, says breast cancer surgeon Carolyn M. Kaelin, MD, MPH.

Stretching can improve range of motion, flexibility and posture; strength training can fight osteoporosis and sarcopenia (i.e., muscle deterioration) that result from chemotherapy and aerobic therapy helps limit the weight gain that often occurs during chemotherapy.

"Both chemotherapy and surgery have profound impacts on the body," says Kaelin. Since treatments and their effects vary, each patient should receive a customized program for health and fitness.

For instance, "after breast reconstruction following a mastectomy, certain motions may be challenging or impossible to perform, so stretching and strength training need to be personalized to reflect how the body has changed," explains Kaelin.

For those who have not previously exercised or are fatigued by treatment, Kaelin prescribes a three-part program, including walking with a pedometer to count daily accumulated steps, stretching to regain shoulder range-of-motion and comfortable upright posture and light strength training to avoid muscle deterioration.

Breast cancer survivors who exercise together are often more successful in maintaining their program long term, she notes.

"The exercise objective is to improve your overall health--reducing breast cancer recurrence, maintaining a healthy weight, keeping the heart fit--so you are stronger from the day of your diagnosis forward," explains Kaelin.

Read more...

Keep moving to slow aging

People who are physically active seem to be biologically younger than their sedentary peers, according to a report in the Jan. 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. The researchers studied 2,400 twins with different lifestyles and activity levels. From blood samples, researchers were able to examine the length of the participants' telomeres--pieces of DNA in white blood cells that shorten over time and are thought to be a marker of biological age. Findings showed that women and men who were less physically active had shorter telomeres than those who were more active. The authors suggest that oxidative stress--cell damage caused by exposure to oxygen--and inflammation are likely mechanisms by which sedentary lifestyles shorten telomeres. They also note that physical activity may reduce psychological stress, thereby limiting its effect on telomeres and the aging process.

"The study makes sense to me," says Lisa D. Ravdin, PhD, director of the Cornell Neuropsychology Service at Weill Cornell Medical College. "And we know there's so much literature documenting the benefits of exercise even if you don't investigate at the cellular level. The evidence is hard to resist."

Live longer--and better

Individuals who exercise regularly have better cognitive function and lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, obesity, and osteoporosis. They also are less likely to smoke and more likely to maintain a desirable weight, says Dr. Ravdin. "All these benefits are associated not only with a longer life, but also a healthier life," she says.

The importance of staying active can't be overstated, she continues. "Think about chronic pain, arthritis, anxiety, depression, hospitalizations. All tend to increase with age, and exercise is associated with lower risk." Women are especially vulnerable to falling, which is "the biggest risk that comes with aging, because it can mean loss of independence or death, even in healthy adults trying to do everything right. Regular exercise goes a long way toward lowering the risk. If you're in better shape, you're less vulnerable," Dr. Ravdin stresses.

Active lifestyle is key

There are many things you can do besides going to the gym to maintain an active lifestyle. "Walk everywhere--keep on the move. Make walking your main form of transportation," Dr. Ravdin says. "Get off the bus a few stops early. Park the car as far away as possible. Use the stairs. Stretch while watching TV. You don't have to work up a big sweat to get a big benefit."

If you want to look and feel younger, "You also need to have a young attitude, and being physically fit can help you feel fit mentally and emotionally," she says. "If you've been active all your life, so much the better. But you can start at any age and still benefit. It's like quitting smoking--no matter when you do it, it's still a good thing."

So get moving now, and forget about excuses. "Many people complain they don't have time to exercise. But we know that being physically active can lead to a longer life. So, find the time if you want more time," Dr. Ravdin says.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Make regular physical activity part of your day by choosing activities that enhance endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance.

* Endurance: Walk briskly, do water aerobics, play tennis, do housework or gardening, dance, play with your children or grandchildren, climb stairs, swim.

* Strength: Lift weights, carry groceries, do household or gardening tasks that make you lift or dig, push a lawn mower.

* Flexibility: Stretch or do yoga or Pilates.

* Balance: Stand on one foot, stand up from a chair and sit down again without using your hands, take a tai chi class.
Read more...