MENTAL HEALTH - IV

 

Mental Health- IV

 

 

Mental health: What's normal, what's not

Deciding what's normal mental health and what's not is tricky. See how feelings, thoughts and behaviors are classified on the ever-evolving continuum of normalcy.

How do mental health providers determine whether the signs, symptoms and dysfunctions you're experiencing are normal or abnormal? Experts often use a combination of the following approaches:

• Your own perceptions. How you perceive your own thoughts, behaviors and functioning can help determine what's normal for you. You may realize that you aren't coping well or that you aren't able to or don't care to do routine activities or the things you used to enjoy. If you have depression, the dishes may go unwashed for days, you may stop bathing or you may lose interest in hobbies. You may feel sad, hopeless or discouraged and realize that something's amiss, that you don't enjoy life anymore. Or you may not be able to pinpoint what's wrong.

·         Others' perceptions. Your own perceptions are subjective and may not give you an accurate assessment of your behavior, thoughts or functioning. Objective observers, on the other hand, might be able to do so. To you, your life may seem perfectly normal or typical. Yet to those around you, it may seem odd or abnormal. This is often the case with schizophrenia. If you have schizophrenia, you may have auditory hallucinations — you hear voices and carry on conversations with them, believing it's a normal interaction with another person. To witnesses who observe this behavior, it may seem abnormal.

"It's common that people have something wrong and not know it," Dr. Williams says. "That's true of both mental and physical disorders. People can have heart disease and not know it. Similarly, an individual may be clinically depressed and be unaware of the problem."

·         Cultural and ethnic norms. Many times what's normal behavior or thinking is defined by your culture. But that means what's normal within the bounds of one culture may be labeled abnormal within another. Conversing with voices only you can hear may be an indicator of schizophrenia in Western cultures. But these kinds of hallucinations may be a normal part of religious experience in other cultures.

And something may be normal or acceptable within your own family culture that's considered abnormal and in need of changing outside of your home. For instance, the behavior of a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder may be unacceptable in a structured school environment, but be perceived as normal and acceptable in a less structured home environment, notes Jennifer Fisher, Ph.D., a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

• Statistical values. Normal is often defined by what's statistically average. Most people fall in the middle ground, the average, while others fall to one extreme or the other. Those in the extremes are often labeled abnormal because they aren't average, or the same as most others.

Evaluating your mental health

In evaluating your mental health, all four of these approaches — your own perceptions, others' perceptions, cultural and ethnic norms, and statistical values — are typically taken into consideration. Mental health experts may ask how you feel, whether others have noticed a difference in your behavior or mood, and what your cultural background is. They also may ask you to fill out psychological questionnaires.

Other factors also are considered. Among them:

• How long you've had symptoms
• How severe your symptoms are
• How upsetting the symptoms are to you
• How the symptoms disrupt your life

It's normal to feel sad after a valued relationship ends. But if you feel intensely sad and upset for several weeks and you lose interest in daily activities, you may have depression. Similarly, if you get anxious before a presentation to a big client but manage the signs and symptoms, such as sweating or rapid breathing, you may just have a case of normal stage fright, and not social anxiety disorder. And if you cut someone off in traffic or yell at a store clerk, you may just be having a bad day or be a generally ornery person. But if you're abusive, violent, manipulative, exploitive and disregard the law, you may have antisocial personality disorder, sometimes known as sociopathy.

Mental health as an evolving continuum

Despite these criteria and efforts to back up diagnoses with sound science, a precise definition of normal mental health remains elusive. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual acknowledges the difficulty and resorts to defining mental disorders as behavioral or psychological syndromes or patterns that cause distress, disability in functioning, or a significantly increased risk of death, pain or disability. And that syndrome or pattern can't just be an expected and culturally accepted response to a particular event, such as grieving the death of a loved one.

The Surgeon General's 1999 report on mental health states that mental disorders are "health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning."

By most accounts, mental health and mental illness don't have well-defined boundaries.

"I think of it more as a continuum than an absolute," Dr. Fisher says.

It's not just a continuum, it's an evolving continuum. In some ways, this is no different from the diagnosis or classification of physical disorders. For years, a blood pressure of 120/80 was considered normal, for instance. That changed overnight in 2003 when scientists announced that 120/80 was an abnormal condition called prehypertension, putting you at risk of life-threatening cardiovascular problems.

Just as with blood pressure, new medical information can lead to changes in the classification of mental disorders. New disorders will be added while existing ones will be removed, or the associated signs and symptoms will be modified as new opinions develop over time. Today, some mental health experts, for instance, are proposing that severe premenstrual signs and symptoms that some women experience every month be classified as a mental disorder — premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Revisions may also reflect evolving social and cultural attitudes. Homosexuality, for instance, used to be classified as a mental disorder but was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual in 1973.

Mental health treatment available but not always needed

Even if you do have a diagnosable mental disorder, it may not pose a problem in your daily life to such an extent that it requires treatment.

"It can be abnormal but be OK," Dr. Fisher notes.

Consider spiders, for example. You may have a terrible fear of spiders, but if you never encounter spiders, or you can get someone else to dispatch them for you, that phobia may have little or no impact on your life. It doesn't impair your ability to go about your normal routine.

"Would we recommend therapy in a case like that?" Dr. Fisher asks. "No. The condition may be diagnosable but not require therapy. You're in need of therapy when something impairs your functioning."

Some critics even contend that too many characteristics or quirks are being pathologized — labeled abnormal — to make money. The pharmaceutical industry in particular has come under fire for bringing new drugs to market to treat recently labeled conditions that used to be chalked up to harmless eccentricity or normal parts of life.

But there is a bit of good news amid the controversy.

"We have many effective treatments for the abnormal mental health problems people experience," Dr. Williams points out. "Chances are, something is going to help you."

 

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MENTAL HEALTH - III

Mental Health- III

 

 

Mental health: What's normal, what's not

Deciding what's normal mental health and what's not is tricky. See how feelings, thoughts and behaviors are classified on the ever-evolving continuum of normalcy.

What's the difference between mental health and mental illness? Sometimes the answer is pretty clear.

People who hear voices in their heads may have schizophrenia, for instance. And those with such grandiose ideas as becoming the secretary-general of the United Nations without any experience may have a form of bipolar disorder.

But more often, the distinction between mental health and mental illness isn't as clear-cut. If you're afraid of giving a speech in public, does it mean you have a disease or simply a run-of-the-mill case of nerves? If you feel sad and discouraged, are you just experiencing a passing case of the blues, or is it full-fledged depression requiring medication?

Just what is normal mental health, anyway?

Culture, science and mental health

Scientists, researchers and mental health experts have wrestled with this issue for hundreds of years, and even today the line between normal and abnormal is often blurred. This is why the fields of psychiatry and psychology are sometimes mired in controversy.

"There's a broad range of what's normal," says psychologist Donald E. Williams, Ph.D., a medical specialty editor at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

What's normal is often determined by who's defining it. Normalcy is ambiguous and often tied to value judgments particular to a certain culture or society. And even within cultures, concepts of normal mental health may evolve over time if societal values or expectations change. New medical research and knowledge also can lead to changes in definitions of normal mental health.

One thing that makes it so difficult to distinguish normal mental health and abnormal mental health is that there's no easy test to show if something's wrong. There's no blood test for obsessive-compulsive disorder, no ultrasound for depression and no X-ray for bipolar disorder, for example. That's not to say mental disorders aren't biologically based. Most mental health experts do believe that some mental disorders are linked to chemical changes within the brain, and they're beginning to map these changes visually using imaging studies. But for now, there's no physiological diagnostic test for mental illness.

Distinguishing mental health from mental illness

Mental health providers define mental disorders by signs, symptoms and functional impairments. Signs are what objective observers can document, such as agitation or rapid breathing. Symptoms are subjective, or what you feel, such as euphoria or hopelessness. Functional impairment is the inability to perform certain routine or basic daily tasks, such as bathing or going to work.

In mental illness, signs and symptoms commonly show up as:

• Behaviors, such as repeated hand washing
• Feelings, such as sadness
• Thoughts, such as delusions that the television is controlling your mind
• Physiological responses, such as sweating

Signs, symptoms and functional impairments that mark specific mental illnesses are spelled out in detail in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This 2-inch-thick book classifies and describes more than 300 types of mental disorders. The book, published by the American Psychiatric Association, is used by mental health providers to diagnose everything from anorexia to voyeurism. For instance, a mental health provider can evaluate your signs and symptoms and refer to the DSM to see which illness you might have. The first edition of the DSM was published in 1952, and revisions have been made periodically since. The most recent update was published in 2000, and it has been translated into nearly two dozen languages.

Why is it important to diagnose people and attach labels that could be stigmatizing? Why does a specific diagnosis even matter if the line between mental health and mental illness is sometimes blurry? One reason is that the health insurance industry uses the diagnoses spelled out in the DSM to determine coverage and benefits and to reimburse mental health providers. But more important is that in order to get appropriate treatment, you must know what condition to treat — and whether it needs to be treated.

Role of laughter in anti stress therapy.

 Role of laughter in anti stress therapy.

 

The popular folk-idea that 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' has never had much basis in strict medical research until now. It was always assumed to be a psychological effect only. But recent findings are starting to identify laughter as an effective anti-stress therapy.

A couple of years ago, it was shown that laughter lowered the blood pressure, though the reasons remained obscure.

Since then, researchers have begun to see a link between laughter and the suppression of those stress-hormones that appear to damage the heart, predispose towards diabetes and weaken the immune system. One test showed that the mere anticipation of laughter could achieve this effect.

A group of men were told that they would be shown a comic film. Immediately their bodies' production of two major stress chemicals - cortisol and adrenaline - dropped by about half.

Attention is starting to centre on the fascinating idea of a 'humour zone' of the brain, though there may be more than one of these. Laughter is known to be one of our survival-emotions, buried deep in the brain's primal region.

But neurologists are only now starting to trace the complex pathways that link the respiratory aspect of laughter with the satisfaction/reward reflex and the release of mood-elevating hormones.

Equally obscure is the mechanism by which laughter can help to protect the heart. But it seems that deep, prolonged laughter lowers the level of cortisol, the stress-hormone which can attack the protective lining of the blood-vessels and lead to cardiac problems.

Laughter has also been shown to boost the antibodies that reduce the deposit of atheroma in the arteries.

Although these research findings are recent, there is nothing new about laughter therapy, which can be traced back to Buddhist Forced Laughter (yogic asana), but both psychologists and 'new-worlders' have been quick to harness the beneficial effects of laughter for purposes of therapy.

Humour therapy may be conducted on a group basis, sharing humorous experiences, however, as one person's sense of humour may differ from the next person's, it has been found more effective on a one-to-one basis.

This enables a personal humour profile to be built up from the client's own background, and a programme of laughter-inducing exercises to be constructed.

One branch of meditation also utilises laughter, though it treats laughing and crying as two halves of the same emotional response.

The main part of this programme is a slow-motion laugh, starting with a gradual smile and climaxing with a deep belly-laugh that may turn to tears under the emotional charge. As this is not spontaneous, some find it awkward to perform in a group.

Others prefer the communal atmosphere, and in India, many yoga practitioners incorporate laughter into their routines. China has also seen an explosion of laughter-related movements.

 

 

 

MENTAL HEALTH - II

 

Mental Health- II

 

 

Warning Signs of Mental Illness?

In an adult:
A person with one or more of the following symptoms should be evaluated by a psychiatrist or other physician as soon as possible:

• Marked personality change
• Inability to cope with problems and daily activities
• Strange or grandiose ideas.
• Excessive anxieties.
• Prolonged depression and apathy.
• Marked changes in eating or sleeping patterns.
• Extreme highs and lows.
• Abuse of alcohol or drugs.
• Excessive anger, hostility, or violent behavior.

A person who is thinking or talking about suicide or homicide should seek help immediately.

In a child:
Having only one or two of the problems listed below is not necessarily cause for alarm. They may simply indicate that a practical solution is called for, such as more consistent discipline or a visit with the child's teachers or guidance counselor to see whether there is anything out of the ordinary going on at school. A combination of symptoms, however, is a signal for professional intervention.

• The child seems overwhelmed and troubled by his or her feelings, unable to cope with them.
• The child cries a lot.
• The child frequently asks or hints for help.
• The child seems constantly preoccupied, worried, anxious, and intense. Some children develop a fear of a variety of things--rain, barking dogs, burglars, their parents' getting killed when out of sight, and so on--while other children simply wear their anxiety on their faces.
• The child has fears or phobias that are unreasonable or interfere with normal activities.
• The child can't seem to concentrate on schoolwork and other age-appropriate tasks.
• The child's school performance declines and doesn't pick up again.
• The child's teachers, school administrators, or other authority figures in the child's life ask the parent what might be troubling the child.
• The child is having difficulty mastering school work.
• Teachers suggest that the child may have a learning disability or other type of school-related problem.
• The child loses interest in playing.
• The child tries to stimulate himself or herself in various ways. Examples of this kind of behavior include excessive thumb sucking or hair pulling, rocking of the body, head banging to the point of hurting himself, and masturbating often or in public.
• The child has no friends and gets into fights with other youngsters. Teachers or others may report that "this is a very angry or disruptive kid."
• The child isolates himself or herself from other people.
• The child regularly talks about death and dying.
• The child appears to have low self-esteem and little self-confidence. Over and over the child may make such comments as: "I can't do anything right." "I'm so stupid." "I don't see why anyone would love me." "I know you [or someone else] hates me." "Nobody likes me." "I'm ugly. . . too big. . . too small. . . too fat. . . too skinny. . . too tall. . . too short, etc."
•  
• Sleep difficulties don't appear to be resolving. They include refusing to be separated from one or both parents at bedtime, inability to sleep, sleeping too much, sleeping on the parent's or parents' bed, nightmares, and night terrors.
• The child begins to act in a provocatively sexual manner. This is more common in girls as they approach puberty and thereafter, but even much younger girls may flirt with men in sexually suggestive ways.
• The child sets fires.

Some symptoms or reactions are so serious that a pediatrician or a psychiatrist should be consulted immediately:

• The child talks about suicide. Children don't talk idly about suicide to get attention. Once they have begun to talk about it, they also may have begun to plan a way to do it.
• The child appears to be accident prone. In younger children a succession of accidents can become the equivalent of suicide attempts.
• The child mutilates himself in some way--cutting or scarring himself, pulling out his hair, or biting fingernails until nail beds bleed.
• The child mutilates or kills animals.
• The child's eating habits change to the point that his weight is affected. This can be caused by either overeating or undereating.
• The child adopts ritualistic behaviors. This is indicative of obsessive-compulsive disorder. A child may have to line up her toys in a certain way every night, for example, or get ready for bed following a routine that never varies. If she forgets one item in the routine, she must start all over again.
• The child beats up others--another child, a parent, or other adult.
• The child is using alcohol or other drugs.
• The child is sexually active or on the verge of becoming so. Again, this is rare in children 12 and under but certainly not unheard of, especially since there is great pressure on kids today to become sexually active at progressively earlier ages. When children are depressed or their self-esteem is low, they may be more vulnerable to that pressure. Also, if they are still hurting from feelings of rejection and loneliness related to the divorce, they may be searching for love and affection and have a need to prove their lovability.

Improving your Memory: Tips and Techniques for Memory Enhancement

If our brains were computers, we'd simply add a chip to upgrade our memory. However, the human brain is more complex than even the most advanced machine, so improving human memory requires slightly more effort.

 

Just like muscular strength, your ability to remember increases when you exercise your memory and nurture it with a good diet and other healthy habits. There are a number of steps you can take to improve your memory and retrieval capacity. First, however, it's helpful to understand how we remember

 

What is memory?

Simply put, memory is the mental activity of recalling information that you have learned or experienced. That simple definition, though, covers a complex process that involves many different parts of the brain and serves us in disparate ways.

Memory can be short-term or long-term. In short-term memory, your mind stores information for a few seconds or a few minutes: the time it takes you to dial a phone number you just looked up or to compare the prices of several items in a store. Such memory is fragile, and it¡¯s meant to be; your brain would soon read ¡°disk full¡± if you retained every phone number you called, every dish you ordered in a restaurant, and the subject of every ad you watched on TV. Your brain is also meant to hold an average of seven items, which is why you can usually remember a new phone number for a few minutes but need your credit card in front of you when you¡¯re buying something online.

 

Long-term memory involves the information you make an effort (conscious or unconscious) to retain, because it¡¯s personally meaningful to you (for example, data about family and friends); you need it (such as job procedures or material you¡¯re studying for a test); or it made an emotional impression (a movie that had you riveted, the first time you ever caught a fish, the day your uncle died). Some information that you store in long-term memory requires a conscious effort to recall: episodic memories, which are personal memories about experiences you¡¯ve had at specific times; and semantic memories (factual data not bound to time or place), which can be everything from the names of the planets to the color of your child¡¯s hair. Another type of long-term memory is procedural memory, which involves skills and routines you perform so often that they don¡¯t require conscious recall.

Certain areas of the brain are especially important in the formation and retention of memory:

The hippocampus, a primitive structure deep in the brain, plays the single largest role in processing information as memory.

The amygdala, an almond-shaped area near the hippocampus, processes emotion and helps imprint memories that involve emotion.

The cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain, stores most long-term memory in different zones, depending on what kind of processing the information involves: language, sensory input, problem-solving, and so forth.

In addition, memory involves communication among the brain¡¯s network of neurons, millions of cells activated by brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Stages of memory foundation and maintenance

There are three stages that the brain goes through in forming and retaining memories.

Stages of Memory Foundation and Maintenance
Acquisition ¡ú	Consolidation ¡ú	Retrieval
New information enters your brain along pathways between neurons in the appropriate area of the brain. The key to encoding information into your memory is concentration; unless you focus on information intently, it goes ¡°in one ear and out the other.¡± This is why teachers are always nagging students to pay attention!	If you¡¯ve concentrated well enough to encode new information in your brain, the hippocampus sends a signal to store the information as long-term memory. This happens more easily if it¡¯s related to something you already know, or if it stimulates an emotional response.	When you need to recall information, your brain has to activate the same pattern of nerve cells it used to store it. The more frequently you need the information, the easier it is to retrieve it along healthy nerve cell connections.

Tips for memory improvements

Do you feel that you have a poor memory? You may just have some less-than-effective habits when it comes to taking in and processing information. Barring disease, disorder, or injury, you can improve your ability to learn and retain information.

Brain exercises

Memory, like muscular strength, is a ¡°use it or lose it¡± proposition. The more you work out your brain, the better you¡¯ll be able to process and remember information.
Novelty and sensory stimulation are the foundation of brain exercise. If you break your routine in a challenging way, you¡¯re using brain pathways you weren¡¯t using before. This can involve something as simple as brushing your teeth with your nondominant hand, which activates little-used connections on the nondominant side of your brain. Or try a ¡°neurobic¡± exercise ¨C an aerobic exercise for your brain ¨C (see Keep Your Brain Alive Exercise) that forces you to use your faculties in unusual ways, like showering and getting dressed with your eyes closed. Take a course in a subject you don¡¯t know much about, learn a new game of strategy, or cook up some recipes in an unfamiliar cuisine. That¡¯s the most effective way to keep your synapses firing.

General guidelines to improve memory

In addition to exercising your brain, there are some basic things you can do to improve your ability to retain and retrieve memories:

1. Pay attention. You can¡¯t remember something if you never learned it, and you can¡¯t learn something ¡ª that is, encode it into your brain ¡ª if you don¡¯t pay enough attention to it. It takes about eight seconds of intent focus to process a piece of information through your hippocampus and into the appropriate memory center. So, no multitasking when you need to concentrate! If you distract easily, try to receive information in a quiet place where you won¡¯t be interrupted.
2. Tailor information acquisition to your learning style. Most people are visual learners; they learn best by reading or otherwise seeing what it is they have to know. But some are auditory learners who learn better by listening. They might benefit by recording information they need and listening to it until they remember it.
3. Involve as many senses as possible. Even if you¡¯re a visual learner, read out loud what you want to remember. If you can recite it rhythmically, even better. Try to relate information to colors, textures, smells and tastes. The physical act of rewriting information can help imprint it onto your brain.
4. Relate information to what you already know. Connect new data to information you already remember, whether it¡¯s new material that builds on previous knowledge, or something as simple as an address of someone who lives on a street where you already know someone.
5. Organize information. Write things down in address books and datebooks and on calendars; take notes on more complex material and reorganize the notes into categories later. Use both words and pictures in learning information.
6. Understand and be able to interpret complex material. For more complex material, focus on understanding basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details. Be able to explain it to someone else in your own words.  
7. Rehearse information frequently and ¡°over-learn¡±. Review what you¡¯ve learned the same day you learn it, and at intervals thereafter. What researchers call ¡°spaced rehearsal¡± is more effective than ¡°cramming.¡± If you¡¯re able to ¡°over-learn¡± information so that recalling it becomes second nature, so much the better.
8. Be motivated and keep a positive attitude. Tell yourself that you want to learn what you need to remember, and that you can learn and remember it. Telling yourself you have a bad memory actually hampers the ability of your brain to remember, while positive mental feedback sets up an expectation of success.

Mnemonic devices to improve memory

Mnemonics (the initial ¡°m¡± is silent) are clues of any kind that help us remember something, usually by causing us to associate the information we want to remember with a visual image, a sentence, or a word.

Common types of mnemonic devices include:

1. Visual images - a microphone to remember the name ¡°Mike,¡± a rose for ¡°Rosie.¡± Use positive, pleasant images, because the brain often blocks out unpleasant ones, and make them vivid, colorful, and three-dimensional ¡ª they¡¯ll be easier to remember.
2. Sentences in which the first letter of each word is part of or represents the initial of what you want to remember. Millions of musicians, for example, first memorized the lines of the treble staff with the sentence ¡°Every good boy does fine¡± (or ¡°deserves favor¡±), representing the notes E, G, B, D, and F. Medical students often learn groups of nerves, bones, and other anatomical features using nonsense sentences.
3. Acronyms, which are initials that creates pronounceable words. The spaces between the lines on the treble staff, for example, are F, A, C, and E: FACE.
4. Rhymes and alliteration: remember learning ¡°30 days hath September, April, June, and November¡±? A hefty guy named Robert can be remembered as ¡°Big Bob¡± and a smiley co-worker as ¡°Perky Pat¡± (though it might be best to keep such names to yourself).
5. Jokes or even off-color associations using facts, figures, and names you need to recall, because funny or peculiar things are easier to remember than mundane images.
6. ¡°Chunking¡± information; that is, arranging a long list in smaller units or categories that are easier to remember. If you can reel off your Social Security number without looking at it, that¡¯s probably because it¡¯s arranged in groups of 3, 2, and 4 digits, not a string of 9.
7. ¡°Method of loci¡±: This is an ancient and effective way of remembering a lot of material, such as a speech. You associate each part of what you have to remember with a landmark in a route you know well, such as your commute to work.

Healthy habits to improve memory

Treating your body well can enhance your ability to process and recall information.

Healthy Habits that Improve Memory
Regular exercise	Increases oxygen to your brain. Reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. May enhance the effects of helpful brain chemicals and protect brain cells.
Managing stress	Cortisol, the stress hormone, can damage the hippocampus if the stress is unrelieved. Stress makes it difficult to concentrate.
Good sleep habits	Sleep is necessary for memory consolidation. Sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea leave you tired and unable to concentrate during the day.
Not smoking	Smoking heightens the risk of vascular disorders that can cause stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain.

Nutrition and Memory improvement

You probably know already that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and ¡°healthy¡± fats will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. Research indicates that certain nutrients nurture and stimulate brain function.

B vitamins, especially B6, B12, and folic acid, protects neurons by breaking down homocysteine, an amino acid that is toxic to nerve cells. They¡¯re also involved in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen. (Best sources: spinach and other dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, strawberries, melons, black beans and other legumes, citrus fruits, soybeans.)

Antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and beta carotene, fight free radicals, which are atoms formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Free radicals are highly reactive and can damage cells, but antioxidants can interact with them safely and neutralize them. Antioxidants also improve the flow of oxygen through the body and brain. (Best sources: blueberries and other berries, sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, green tea, nuts and seeds, citrus fruits, liver.)

Omega-3 fatty acids are concentrated in the brain and are associated with cognitive function. They count as ¡°healthy¡± fats, as opposed to saturated fats and trans fats, protecting against inflammation and high cholesterol. (Best sources: cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, halibut, and mackerel; walnuts and walnut oil; flaxseed and flaxseed oil)

Because older adults are more prone to B12 and folic acid deficiencies, a supplement may be a good idea for seniors. An omega-3 supplement (at any age) if you don¡¯t like eating fish. But nutrients work best when they¡¯re consumed in foods, so try your best to eat a broad spectrum of colorful plant foods and choose fats that will help clear, not clog, your arteries. Your brain will thank you!

 

Memory and aging

Several factors cause aging brains to experience changes in the ability to retain and retrieve memories:

• The hippocampus is especially vulnerable to age-related deterioration, and that can affect how well you retain information.
• There¡¯s a relative loss of neurons with age, which can affect the activity of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters and their receptors.
• An older person often experiences decreased blood flow to the brain and processes nutrients that enhance brain activity less efficiently than a younger person.

However, in healthy older adults, these changes represent more of a slowing in the ability to absorb, store, and retrieve new information, not a loss. The factual information you¡¯ve accumulated over the years remains largely intact, as does procedural memory. You can make and recall new long-term memories; the process just takes a little longer.

Of course, some older adults do develop more significant problems with memory that are the result of diseases such as Alzheimer¡¯s or stroke; injury; poor nutrition; other physiological issues; or emotional problems.

Myths about sex

 

Expert(s):
Dr. Achal Bhagat Psychiatrist Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi Dr. Rajan Bhonsle Sex Therapist, Mumbai

DrNDTV: Does masturbation lead to impotence and insanity?

Dr. Bhagat: No, it does not lead to impotence, insanity, blindness or any other such thing. These are all myths and the reality is that 90 percent of the people, men or women, masturbate and most of them masturbate in a reasonable manner and there is no such thing as a bad consequence of masturbation.

DrNDTV: Is it harmful?

Dr. Bhagat: It is not.

Dr. Bhonsle: It is okay to masturbate and is harmless, provided it is done in privacy, on your own, in a manner that you maintain hygiene and also that you don't injure yourself. And moreover if a person is married and if he starts preferring masturbation over intercourse when his partner is very much ready, then of course it may not be regarded as normal and also when a person get obsessed with masturbation so that he just cannot do anything else, then also it can be regarded as abnormal. Physiologically, there are no ill effects of masturbation on one’s sexuality, sexual power or fertility.

DrNDTV: A woman does not enjoy sex as much as a man does.

Dr. Bhonsle: This is not true; men as well as women both are capable of enjoying sex equally. This myth exists because there is a basic difference between male and female sexuality. Male sexuality is body oriented. A man gets attracted to a woman's body. If he finds her body attractive, he gets interested in sex, irrespective of whether he loves her or not. Female sexuality is more heart oriented. She can be interested in having sex with a man mostly if she is in love with the person. This is the basic difference. Moreover, there is another difference wherein a man's sexuality is very intercourse oriented. He is very eager to have intercourse and unless intercourse happens he doesn't get satisfied. Against this, a woman does enjoy intercourse but her sexuality is very much foreplay oriented. Good foreplay is very much required for a woman to enjoy sex and ultimately to enjoy intercourse. If there is not adequate foreplay, she may not enjoy intercourse that much or she may not be able to achieve orgasm. This is the difference between male sexuality and female sexuality.

Caller: Is it true that only males masturbate?

Dr. Bhagat: This is not true, but more men are reported to masturbate than women.

DrNDTV: Do you think abstinence from sex is good for health?

Dr. Bhonsle: Abstinence has nothing to do with physical strength. On the contrary if a person has had sex he enjoys it, he get de-stressed, he becomes more capable of doing any work. The kind of exhaustion that people experience after intercourse or after ejaculation is not a loss of power. It is like at the end of any exercise you feel tired, which is perfectly physiological and normal. I absolutely do not believe that sex makes a person weaker in any manner.

Caller: Is it safe to have sex while I am pregnant?

Dr. Bhagat: This is a matter of choice and differs from case to case. For example, if you have an unsafe pregnancy then you might be advised by the gynaecologist not to have sex.

DrNDTV: Does the length of the penis make a difference in satisfying a woman?

Dr. Bhagat: This is not true because the length of an erect penis in most men is almost the same, and the other important thing to remember is that the sensitive part of the female vagina is only the first three centimetres. So, the length of the penis does not really matter.

Dr. Bhonsle: Only the outer one third of the female vagina is sensitive to sexual stimulation. So if a man's penis on erection is two inches in length, he should be able to satisfy his partner. But many men carry the anxiety that even if their partner does get satisfied, but if she sees his small penis – it might put her off! I would like to tell these men that women are invariably not very much interested in looking at a man's anatomy, and 90 percent of the women while having intercourse, even if it is dark outside, prefer to close their eyes. So they are not interested in looking at the size of your penis and once they have satisfied themselves in intercourse even with a penis which is as much as two to three inches long on erection they are not going to be bothered about the size of the penis. So, size of the penis does not determine sexual pleasure in women.

DrNDTV: There are many advertisements on e-mail for lengthening the penis and enlargment of the penis. There must be something to it. Is there any scientific evidence to prove that a short penis does not satisfy women?

Dr. Bhonsle: There was an experiment performed in US where a beautiful professional prostitute, who was not carrying any sexually transmitted disease, was invited for an experiment. Her eyes were kept closed, and three men were told to perform intercourse with her. One man had a penis only two inches in length on erection, another man had a penis four inches long on erection and the third man had a penis six inches in length on erection. She did not know who was performing intercourse with her. After all the three men performed intercourse her eyes were opened and she was asked by a team of doctors to tell them what according to her was the size of the penis of the three men. She was unable to tell the size. Even a professional prostitute who was experienced could not make out what the length of their penis was, even though the difference was two inches, four inches and six inches. So the satisfaction of women does not depend on the size of the penis.

DrNDTV: I smoke pretty heavily and that too only a particular brand. I have heard that if I continue to smoke the same brand for too long I will become impotent. Is this true?

Dr. Bhagat: It is not about a particular brand, but smoking definitely is a risk factor for atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis ultimately leads to impotency.

DrNDTV: Aphrodisiacs are things that stimulate people to want and enjoy sex. Do you think aphrodisiacs improve the sexual urge?

Dr. Bhagat: The only aphrodisiac that I have known which has a potent effect is the ‘human thought’. There are many myths about chemicals but none of them has proven to be an aphrodisiac.

DrNDTV: What about alcohol?

Dr. Bhagat: Alcohol actually decreases interest and arousal. It causes more problems than it helps. It is a depressant drug and not an exciting drug.

DrNDTV: Can you get HIV by kissing?

Dr. Bhonsle: If it is dry kissing, HIV cannot be transmitted. But if it is a deep wet kiss where body fluids or saliva get exchanged and if there are any ulcers or wounds in the mouth, there is a possibility of HIV getting transmitted.

DrNDTV: Do people who have had circumcision done enjoy sex more?

Dr. Bhonsle: I don't agree with this. There is no difference between the sexual pleasure experienced between men who are circumcised and those who are not, because during intercourse anyway the foreskin gets retracted and the glans penis gets exposed, which is sensitive to sexual stimulus. So, even a person without circumcision can enjoy sex as much as a person who is circumcised.

Caller: Is it possible for a man to know whether his wife is a virgin or not, and if she doesn't bleed during the first intercourse, does that means she is not a virgin?

Dr. Bhonsle: First of all the hymen may not be present since birth in some women. Moreover, even if it is present during childhood, during many athletic activities and sports activities the hymen may get ruptured. So, the absence of the hymen does not mean that a girl has lost her virginity. It is not true that during the first intercourse if a woman does not bleed or her hymen does not get ruptured, that means she was not a virgin.

DrNDTV: Does every woman get pregnant after a first intercourse?

Dr. Bhagat: It is not true that women get pregnant after their first intercourse. A lot of women do, while a lot don’t.

DrNDTV: Can lifting heavy weights affect sexual pleasure?

Dr. Bhagat: I don't think lifting heavy weights can causes any problems related to sexual pleasure.

DrNDTV: Can you discuss any sexual myth you have come across?

Dr. Bhonsle: There are many myths associated with semen. Very often it is considered that the loss of semen is loss of virility or the loss of sexual strength, and semen is considered very precious and a drop of semen is almost equivalent to something like 20 or 40 drops of blood. All these are myths.

Semen is nothing but a mixture of three things - 10 percent are sperms that are produced in testicles, 60 percent are secretions of seminal vesicles and 30 percent are the secretions of the prostate gland. So, it is nearly a secretion of these glands and these three glands keep functioning throughout the life of a person.

Dandruff - causes & Remedies

Dandruff - causes & Remedies

 

Dandruff can be a rather annoying malady of the hair and scalp (not to count embarrassing) and the condition is characterized by silvery scales that separate from the scalp and build-up in the hair. The symptoms of dandruff are aggravated when the hair is combed or brushed, as the flakes tend to fall off on clothes and may appear as lumps on the hair and scalp. Excess oil, dirt, grease or product build-up complicate symptoms and make the problem appear worse than it is. Dandruff may be accompanied by itchiness or redness. Determining the causes of dandruff can help people find appropriate remedies.

 

Causes of dandruff

 

Any kind of health impairment is reflected on the health of one's hair as well. Intake of wrong food products, constipation or any infectious disease can lead to dandruff. Toxic conditions due to intake of wrong food products are considered a major cause of dandruff. Also application of harsh chemical hair products or harsh shampoos can also lead to dandruff problems. Other causes include extreme climatic conditions, emotional stress, general exhaustion or use of damaging shampoos. Physiologically, scalp psoriasis, scalp acne, and poor hygiene or overactive sebaceous glands can lead to clogged pores, infection, bacteria and generally poor scalp health.

 

 

Remedies for Dandruff

Dandruff treatment with Fenugreek seeds

 

Fenugreek seeds are considered to be a very effective "home remedy" in the treatment of dandruff. Soak 2 tablespoons of Fenugreek seeds in water and leave overnight. Grind this into a paste and apply all over the scalp and leave for half an hour. Wash off hair thoroughly using soap-nut (ritha) solution or shikakhai.

 

Anti-dandruff hair care products

 

There are a wide variety of anti-dandruff shampoos available in the market today which are also effective in the treatment and prevention of dandruff. It is important to go in for a reputable brand and ensure that the shampoo is not too harsh for your hair type. Deep cleaning dandruff shampoos with Zinc PCA combined with Fenugreek are found to be the best at cleansing the scalp and hair. Zinc PCA helps regulate the sebaceous gland - reducing oils that lead to bacteria, dirt and infection. Emu Oil active ingredients are anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial and help ward-off bacteria and fungus.

 

Using lime for the treatment of dandruff

 

A teaspoon of fresh lime juice in the last hair rinse combined with a light weight conditioner can also be effective to treat dandruff. Furthermore, this adds much needed luster to the hair as well.

 

Beet for dandruff

 

Boil both the top and root in water and massage this water into the scalp every night. White beet is even more effective to treat dandruff.

 

Brush hair daily and thoroughly

 

Brushing your hair on a daily basis improves blood circulation to the scalp and removes any kind of flakes. Massaging the scalp helps improve circulation and should be done after brushing. Massaging stimulates circulation and dislodges any flakes and promotes hair growth.

 

For the "do-it-yourself-er", home remedies can be very effective. An organic stimulant, Fungreek stimulates circulation that feeds the bulb and hair follicle. Other natural remedies work equally as well. However,dandruff shampoo formulations often are developed to provide added benefits. As mentioned, Zinc PCA reduces oil secretion and deep cleans the scalp, Emu Oil helps moisturize and heal the scalp as well as provide anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties - both vital components when fighting dandruff.

 

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health is how we think, feel and act as we cope with life. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Everyone feels worried, anxious, sad or stressed sometimes. But with a mental illness, these feelings do not go away and are severe enough to interfere with your daily life. It can make it hard to meet and keep friends, hold a job or enjoy your life.

Mental illnesses are common – they affect about one in five families in the U.S. It is not your fault if you have one. These disorders – depression, phobias, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and many others - are real diseases that you cannot will or wish away. Fortunately, they are often treatable. Medicines and therapy can improve the life of most people with mental illnesses.

 

Mental Health: Keeping Your Emotional Health

What is good emotional health?

People who are emotionally healthy are in control of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They feel good about themselves and have good relationships. They can keep problems in perspective.

It's important to remember that people who have good emotional health sometimes have emotional problems or mental illness. Mental illness often has a physical cause, such as a chemical imbalance in the brain. Stress and problems with family, work or school can sometimes trigger mental illness or make it worse. However, people who are emotionally healthy have learned ways to cope with stress and problems. They know when they need to seek help from their doctor or a counselor.

 

 

What about anger?

People are sometimes not aware of what causes their anger, how much anger they are holding inside or how to express anger. You may be angry about certain events or your own or other people's actions. Also, many little things can build up to make you feel that life is unfair.

If you find yourself becoming increasingly irritable or taking unhealthy risks (like drinking too much or abusing drugs), you may have a problem dealing with anger. It's very important to talk with your doctor or a counselor about getting help.

 

What can I do to avoid problems?

 

First, notice your emotions and reactions and try to understand them. Learning how to sort out the causes of sadness, frustration and anger in your life can help you better manage your emotional health. The box to the right gives some other helpful tips.

 

How does stress affect my emotions?

Your body responds to stress by making stress hormones. These hormones help your body respond to situations of extreme need. But when your body makes too many of these hormones for a long period of time, the hormones wear down your body -- and your emotions. People who are under stress a lot are often emotional, anxious, irritable and even depressed.

If possible, try to change the situation that is causing your stress. Relaxation methods, such as deep breathing and meditation, and exercise are also useful ways to cope with stress.

 

Can emotional problems be treated?

Yes. Counseling, support groups and medicines can help people who have emotional problems or mental illness. If you have an ongoing emotional problem, talk to your family doctor. He or she can help you find the right type of treatment.

What is Metabolism and Why is it Important?

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is the amount of energy (calories) your body burns to maintain itself. Whether you are eating, drinking, sleeping, cleaning etc... your body is constantly burning calories to keep you going.

Metabolism is affected by your body composition. By body composition, I mean the amount of muscle you have versus the amount of fat. Muscle uses more calories to maintain itself than fat. People who are more muscular (and have a lower percentage of body fat) are said to have a higher metabolism than others that are less muscular. For example, let's say you have two people who are the exact same height and weight. One exercises on a regular basis with weights, in addition to aerobic exercise, and has a low percentage of body fat. The other never exercises and has a higher percentage of body fat. The first person who exercises will have a higher metabolism than the second person. What this basically means is that person #1's body will use more calories to sustain itself than person #2.

How can I Increase My Metabolism?

Begin to exercise and stop dieting. If you've never exercised before, make sure you see a doctor before beginning a new exercise program (your problems with metabolism may be the result of a medical condition rather than your diet or lack of exercise).

You can increase your muscle mass by doing some type of resistance work (i.e. lifting weights, using exertubes, rubberbands, dynabands, hand weights etc...). You can also decrease your level of body fat by doing some type of aerobic exercise at least 3 days a week for longer than 20 minutes. By aerobic exercise, I mean an activity (such as walking, jogging, step aerobics, hi/low aerobics, biking, swimming etc...) that will increase your heartrate into the target zone and keep it there for the duration of the exercise session. You also need to eat! - Do not diet, just watch the types of foods you eat. Try to eat a diet that is lower in fat (check the labels on the foods that you buy).

I Never Gained Weight Until I Reached 30, What Happened?

After the age of 30, your body gradually begins to lose it's muscle. If your activity level stays the same and the amount of calories you eat stay the same, you will gain weight because your metabolism has slowed down (you don't have as much muscle as you did in your 20's). If you exercise with weights and do some type of aerobic activity on a regular basis, you probably won't notice much of a change in your metabolism as you age.

How do I Know if I Have Slow Metabolism?

Symptoms of slow metabolism include fatigue, feeling cold, dry skin, constipation, a slow pulse and low blood pressure. These symptoms could be the result of a medical condition rather than low metabolism - MAKE SURE YOU SEE YOUR DOCTOR to rule out any type of medical problem.

Is there any way to Lower Metabolism?

If you eat a very low-calorie diet, your metabolism will slow down in order for your body to survive (your body thinks it is starving).

From dieting, my weight has gone up/down over the years, How has this affected my Metabolism?

If your diet has resulted in a loss of muscle and an increase in your percentage of body fat, then your metabolism has probably slowed down.

Does Genetics Play a Role in Metabolism?

Yes it does. Everyone has a different bone structure and body type (mesomorph, ectomorph, endomorph or combination). It is not realistic to think that everyone can look like the Baywatch beauties or like Arnold Schwartzenagger. However, given your body type and genetic make-up, you can exercise (with weights and aerobically) to look the best that you can.

How Long is My Metabolism Increased After Exercise?

This is a tough question and one that I am frequently asked. Most experts agree that weight training and aerobic exercise do increase metabolism while you are exercising and after you are done. They disagree on how long after exercise your metabolism remains increased.

When you are exercising aerobically, your focus should be on burning calories and working your cardiovascular system. Because it takes more calories to exercise, your metabolism is sped up during the activity.

When you are lifting weights or doing other resistance work, focus on the activity itself which not only burns calories but increases muscle strength, tone and endurance.

The combination of aerobic activity and weight training will result in a body that has more muscle and less fat - so the end result will be a higher metabolism.

15 Ways To Keep Cool When it's Hot

1. Alter your pattern of outdoor exercise to take advantage of cooler times (early morning or late evening). If you can't change the time of your workout, scale it down by doing fewer minutes, walking instead or running, or decreasing your level of exertion.

2. Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably of a light color.

3. Cotton clothing will keep you cooler than many synthetics.

4. Fill a spray bottle with water and keep it in the refrigerator for a quick refreshing spray to your face after being outdoors.

5. Fans can help circulate air and make you feel cooler even in an air-conditioned house.

6. Try storing lotions or cosmetic toners in the refrigerator to use on hot, overtired feet.

7. Keep plastic bottles of water in the freezer; grab one when you're ready to go outside. As the ice melts, you'll have a supply of cold water with you.

8. Take frequent baths or showers with cool or tepid water.

9. Combat dehydration by drinking plenty of water along with sports drinks or other sources of electrolytes.

10. Some people swear by small, portable, battery-powered fans. At an outdoor event I even saw a version that attaches to a water bottle that sprays a cooling mist.

11. I learned this trick from a tennis pro: if you're wearing a cap or hat, remove it and pour a bit of ice cold water into the hat, then quickly invert it and place on your head.

12. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will promote dehydration.

13. Instead of hot foods, try lighter summer fare including frequent small meals or snacks containing cold fruit or low fat dairy products. As an added benefit, you won't have to cook next to a hot stove.

14. If you don't have air-conditioning, arrange to spend at least parts of the day in a shopping mall, public library, movie theater, or other public space that is cool. Many cities have cooling centers that are open to the public on sweltering days.

15. Finally, use common sense. If the heat is intolerable, stay indoors when you can and avoid activities in direct sunlight or on hot asphalt surfaces. Pay special attention to the elderly, infants, and anyone with a chronic illness, as they may dehydrate easily and be more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Don't forget that pets also need protection from dehydration and heat-related illnesses too.

3 Natural Depression, Anxiety and Stress Management Techniques

If you're enduring a harrowing episode of stress, depression or anxiety,
then seeing light at the end of the tunnel can be difficult. You just want
the torment to stop. Here are three easy depression, anxiety and stress
 management techniques you can take today to find natural relief from
stress, depression and anxiety:

1. With many changes in life, the first step is the hardest and taking the first
 step towards beating stress, depression and anxiety is no different. It's
accepting that where you are now is solely down to you. This took me so
long to realize and for years, I believed circumstances caused my anxiety,
 such as the timing of events, the number of events and the people involved.
I also thought that because these circumstances were beyond my control, I
couldn't do anything to change. This thinking deepened my anxiety. But
accepting that where you're at right now is solely down to you is so important.
Initially, accepting it can seem overwhelming but in fact, it's liberating.

Why?

Because when you accept that you are responsible for where you are now, you
 also accept that logically, you are the one who can get you out of it. There are
 always events outside ourselves that we can point to as being the reason for
our plight. But doing this won't help. Instead, say: "No matter what happened,
 no matter what others did or didn't do. I and I alone am responsible for where
I am now and therefore, I will get myself out of it." Doing this will remove the
power external events and other people have over you and will empower you
 instead. And please don't confuse this with blame. This is accepting responsibility
and developing the power to change and is vastly different from blaming yourself.
One is destructive, the other is constructive and the difference between them is
crucial.

2. Make a firm decision to get rid of stress, depression and anxiety. Say:
 "I want to conquer stress/depression/anxiety. These things are no longer
 acceptable and I'm going to take action to beat them. I want them out of my life
 and I deserve to be free of them."
This is another great step to take. From now on you will control these problems
they won't control you. There are many actions you can take and there are many
 skills you can have in your power that will effectively diminish the torment stress,
 depression and anxiety inflict upon you. And when you have them in your power,
 the quality of your life will improve dramatically. In taking this step, you
acknowledge that stress, depression and anxiety aren't problems that you have to
put up with and instead, you have the power to conquer them. You also realize that
 you deserve to live a happy and enjoyable life and that stress, depression and
 anxiety WILL NOT take that away from you. Indeed, you have a right to be happy
and you will no longer allow anything or anyone to take that away from you.

3. The self-improvement gurus have been sharing a secret with their clients for
years. It is a powerful secret that has helped millions of people around the world to
 change their lives. As my clients will testify, I don't believe in magic bullets to
 conquer stress, depression and anxiety as they rarely work. But this is a magic
 bullet that really does work and it will yield big results for you.

So what is their closely guarded secret and how can it help you find relief from
 stress, depression and anxiety? It's this:-

If you change your thoughts you will change your life.

It's a simple sentence but my word does it hold power! Because the way you think
 about your life - and I mean everything in your life from your looks, your abilities,
relationships, work, to events and circumstances you are faced with - affects how
 you feel.

When you're suffering a stressful, depressive or anxious episode, assigning negative
 meanings and outcomes to your situation is performed habitually. Continually
brooding upon negative and even catastrophic outcomes is performed by all
sufferers and these flawed modes of thinking are the fuel that maintains stress,
depression and anxiety.

The more you think in negative ways the deeper your suffering becomes. But if you
 apply the secret of the self- improvement gurus, you can change your life too.
Because if you carry on doing the same things - thinking in the same way - your life
 will carry on in the same way. But if you change your thoughts, you will change your
 life and you will emerge from the tunnel into a brighter, happier future. It's true -
change your thoughts, change your life!

 

I hope this eases your stress and depression level however if you want to continue some readings please link to www.conqueringstress.com for references.

 

Personally you should eat well sleep well and meditate and all your stress will go........now get up and say to yourself this is not going to stop me from exploring my life and there you are this postive note will bring a smile on your face.......

 

 

home remedies

http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/shareID812131/fileID123022619/home_remedies.pdf

 

Organic food

Organic food

 

Organic food consumption has become the trend of the time, but still there are many who do not have a clear idea regarding the definition of organic food and this can be attributed to the fact that we do not possess adequate organic food information. Well, organic food in simple terms can be defined as food that is natural and does not involve the usage of any kind of preservatives or artificial pesticides. Read further to explore organic food facts…

 

 

The word organic food does not only apply to the food from your own home garden, but also to the store bought food products, in which no synthetic artificial inputs are used. In the contemporary times, the term organic food is usually used in reference to the certified organic foods. It has been claimed by health experts that organic food is more nutritious. Some of the features that can be associated with organic food are more attention to quality, good taste, proper selection of crop varieties etc.

Organic foods contain phenolic compounds that protect you from developing heart disease and cancer. Organic food ensures high food quality, which other conventional foods cannot commit. Since organic food is natural and fresh, it boasts off its rich taste. So, head your way towards leading a healthy lifestyle, by eating organic foods.

 

In the present times, people prefer going in for organic foods over conventional foods, owing to the innumerable health benefits of organic food. Organic foods have a far greater quality, as compared to non-organic foodstuff. Also they taste better and do not involve the usage of any artificial input, thus they are highly safe for the human body. Read further to explore information about organic food advantages…

Organic foods are natural and pure and since they are free from any sort of contamination, they definitely are more appropriate for consumption. Organic foods contain loads of minerals and vitamin C, which the body requires. In fact, it has been analyzed by health experts that organic food is more nutritious, in the sense, it has 27 per cent more vitamin C, 29 per cent more magnesium, 21 per cent more iron and 14 per cent more phosphorous, when compared to conventional foods. So, adopt a healthy lifestyle by eating natural organic foods.

 

Organic food consumption has become the trend of the time, owing to the multiple health benefits that it offers. Organic food is absolutely natural and is packed with loads of vital nutrients required by the body. One of the major benefits of eating raw organic food is that, not only it tastes better than conventional foods, but also contains a far greater quality, that makes it more nutritious.

 

Going in for raw organic food serves as the perfect health improving remedy. A person tends to feel more energized after having consumed raw organic food and organic food also aids in helping you lose weight faster. Raw food gets easily absorbed in the body, thus helps in ensuring smooth bowel movements. Raw food ensures that the nutritional value of the food remains enzymatically and nutritionally intact.

Cooking food often deteriorates the nutritional value of food, by leading to a loss of vital nutrients and enzymes. Heat tends to change the very composition of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Also the cooking tends to interfere with the bioelectrical energy, necessary for sustaining life. Eating raw organic food goes a long way in cleansing your bloodstream and eliminating the waste products that are responsible for the formation of toxins in the body.

 

So, incorporate raw organic food in your daily meals and improve your health fitness.

 

Enlarged spleen (Splenomegaly)

Enlarged spleen (Splenomegaly)

 

The spleen is a small organ about the size of your fist. It's located just below your rib cage on your left side. The spleen helps your body fight infection and filter unwanted material, such as old or damaged blood cells. The spleen also produces red blood cells and certain types of white blood cells.

 

 

Typically, an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) is a sign of an underlying problem. Many conditions — from infections to liver disease and blood cancers — can cause an enlarged spleen. Treatment of an enlarged spleen is usually aimed at the underlying problem.

 

 

 

 

 

Normal spleen

 

 

An enlarged spleen often causes no signs or symptoms. However, some people experience pain in the left upper abdomen or pain that spreads to the left shoulder.

 

If the enlarged spleen presses against your stomach, you may feel full without eating or after eating only a small amount. If the enlarged spleen removes too many red blood cells from your blood, you may feel tired or weak. Frequent infections or an increased tendency to bleed are possible as well.

 

Treatment

Treatment of an enlarged spleen is usually aimed at the underlying problem. For example, antibiotics or other medications may be used to treat infections.

 

 

In some cases, radiation therapy can help shrink an enlarged spleen.

If the enlarged spleen causes serious complications or the underlying problem can't be identified or treated, surgical removal of the spleen (splenectomy) may be an option. In fact, in chronic or critical cases, surgery may offer the best hope for recovery. But elective spleen removal requires careful consideration. You can live an active life without a spleen, but you're more likely to contract serious or even life-threatening infections.

WHY DRINK WATER? By: Dr. Brett

First appearing in 1994, this article is being reprinted now because I am already seeing the effects of heated air causing dehydration in my incoming patients.

A number of patients coming into the office have been suffering from a variety of symptoms, all of which can be traced to a lack of water intake. Most were drinking plenty of fluids: coffee, soda, tea, and juice.
But none were drinking enough water.

What kinds of symptoms result from drinking too little water?
Most commonly I see constipation, dry and itchy skin, acne, nose bleeds, repeated urinary tract infections, dry and unproductive coughs, constant sneezing, sinus pressure, and headaches.

You might ask how a lack of water intake can cause this wide array of symptoms. Water is required by every cell in the body as nourishment and to remove wastes. When water becomes scarce, the body tries to limit the amount it loses through breathing, mucous production, urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.

Several cups of water are lost daily through breathing because the lungs require humid air to do their work. In the winter when drier air prevails outside and heating systems (especially forced hot air and wood stoves)
dry out the air inside, even more water is lost. It is estimated that on an average day in the fall, 3-4 cups of water are lost through breathing.
On a cold, dry winter day, as much as 2-3 more cups of water may be lost in this way. The body has to moisturize the air before it reaches the lungs and does so through the mucous membranes lining the nasal passages and the bronchi. As available fluid decreases, the mucous lining becomes drier. This in turn irritates the lungs, causing them to become more reactive to dust, mold particles, cigarette smoke, and other irritants; and is less resistant to viruses and bacteria. The result: dry cough and bronchitis.

The mucous membranes of our lungs and gut are an important component of our resistance to disease. They provide an effective barrier to bacteria, viruses, and pollutants when intact. But a number of substances (such as aspirin) are known to harm this barrier. What is less well known is that a lack of water in the body makes the all important mucous less viscous and can cause constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and a slowed movement of the bowels contents. These problems in turn increase ones risk of other long term disease including hemorrhoids and colon cancer. The mucous lining in the sinus passages is similarly vital as a defense against disease. When it becomes drier, sinusitis, nose bleeds, and allergic symptoms worsen.

Obviously, we all lose some water through urination, and urination is required for the removal of various toxins from the body. When fluid volume is diminished, the ability of the body to remove toxins through urination is also diminished. It is a common misunderstanding that the more water we drink, the harder it is on the kidneys. In fact, except for people with some uncommon kidney problems, the opposite is true. Water soluble toxins cannot be easily removed through the bowels, especially when a lack of water also causes constipation. These toxins then must be eliminated in other ways such as through the skin. The increase in body toxin levels can cause headaches and fatigue. The attempt by the body to remove excess levels of unwanted chemicals through the skin can cause acne and will aggravate eczema.

The easy solution to all these problems is to drink more water.
Coffee, tea, and soda all contain caffeine which is a known diuretic and will actually accentuate the symptoms of fluid loss. Fruit juices are more concentrated in sugar than your body's fluids and so the body will attempt to dilute them in the gut, thereby causing a loss of water from other areas of the body.

In the dry, hot air of winter and very hot days of summer, drink at least
10 glasses of water daily for optimal health. During the spring and fall,
8 glasses will suffice for most people, although those with inhalant allergies do best to drink as much water as possible. Pregnant women need to drink at least 50% more water daily than they would while not pregnant.
People who exercise vigorously should add one glass of water for each
30 minutes of exercise. Herbal teas and diluted fruit juices (1/3 fruit juice to 2/3 water) can be substituted for some of the water. Drink one extra glass of water for each cup of coffee or black tea you have. Humidifying the air in the winter will help reduce water loss, but be careful to clean humidifiers daily to discourage bacteria or mold build up.

Water can be a miracle cure for many common ailments.
Try drinking some now, and see if you don't feel better!

Dr. Jennifer Brett

Dr. Brett is a Naturopathic Physician with practices in Stratford and Stamford, CT

Important Tips:

Answer the phone by LEFT ear

Do not drink coffee more than TWICE a day

Do not take pills with COLD water

Do not have HUGE meals after 5pm

Reduce the amount of OILY food you consume

Drink more WATER in the morning, less at night

Keep your distance from hand phone CHARGERS

Do not use headphones/earphone for LONG period of time

Best sleeping time is from 10pm at night to 6am in the morning

Do not lie down immediately after taking medicine before sleeping

When battery is down to the LAST grid/bar, do not answer the phone as the radiation is 1000 times

 

How Many Calories Are Burned

How Many Calories Are Burned
During Exercise

 

 

Our body needs constant energy to maintain itself,
so even when we're fast asleep, it is still burning up calories! However, most of us do not take enough exercise during our waking hours! Ideally, we should aim to take 20-45 minutes exercise a day. To see which exercise burns up what calories, see chart below.

 

 

	Type of Exercise	Calories/hour
Sleeping	55
Eating	85
Sewing	85
Knitting	85
Sitting	85
Standing	100
Driving	110
Office Work	140
Housework, moderate	160+
Golf, with trolley	180
Golf, without trolley	240
Gardening, planting	250
Dancing, ballroom	260
Walking, 3mph	280
Table Tennis	290
Gardening, hoeing etc.	350
Tennis	350+
Water Aerobics	400
Skating/blading	420+
Dancing, aerobic	420+
Aerobics	450+
Bicycling, moderate	450+
Jogging, 5mph	500
Gardening, digging	500
Swimming, active	500+
	Cross country ski machine	500+
Hiking	500+
Step Aerobics	550+
Rowing	550+
Power Walking	600+
Cycling, studio	650
Squash	650+
Skipping with rope	700+
Running	700+

 

Exercise for your health! It has been calculated that 1 pound of body fat is equal to 3500 calories. This means that in order to lose 1 pound we have to walk for about 12.5 hours. So don't expect fast weight loss and remember to eat sensibly.

 

 

 

Calorie Savings

There are two easy ways to reduce calories. Either swap a high-calorie food for a lower-calorie item (eg. choose a cup of skim milk - 90 calories - rather than whole milk - 150 calories). Or, cut out a small high-calorie eating habit. For example, if you drink one less 16 fl oz can of beer a day, you save 67,000 calories a year - equivalent to about 19 pounds of body fat.

Calorie-Intake Affects Weight But Check Nutrition Too

Although weight reduction is founded on the energy equation (energy expenditure must exceed energy intake), calorie-counting does have its limitations. Nutrition is also important. According to at least one world expert in fat-metabolism, food energy cannot be properly metabolised without sufficient minerals and vitamins. This is why a healthy calorie-controlled eating plan should be based on nutrient-dense meals and snacks.

 

 

 

Metabolic Rate Affects Calorie Burning

Our metabolism determines how rapidly our body burns calories while at rest. Some people have a relatively fast metabolic rate, so they burn energy faster than people with a slower metabolism. This is why they appear to be able to eat relatively large amounts of food without gaining weight.

 

Although our metabolic rate is part of our genetic inheritance, we can raise it somewhat by taking regular aerobic exercise and by increasing our muscle-to-fat ratio. We can also maintain an efficient metabolism by eating nutritious food, by ensuring our energy-intake does not fall below about 1200 calories a day, and by eating something every 3-4 hours.

SHAPE YOUR BODY

The objective of most upper body exercises is to build strength and one important thing to remember is that exercises aimed at your upper body should be just one part of an overall routine. It's a good idea for example to alternate upper body work with lower body work and also include some general cardiovascular work, such as jogging.

Before starting your upper body workout, or indeed any other exercise session, make sure that you spend at least ten minutes warming up, including good stretching exercises. Warm, loose muscles are much less likely to sustain injury and it's also important to get your circulatory system working effectively and warm muscles will help with good blood flow.

Before starting any upper body workout you must also define your aims. Are you, for example, trying to build up your muscles, or are you simply looking to tone up your muscles. If you want to build muscle then you will need to work with reasonably heavy weights and complete a relatively small number of repetitions of each exercise. For tone, on the other hand, you should be looking at lighter weights but exercises involving a higher number of repetitions.

Whatever the case, these traditional exercises will help to get you going. Some don't require any equipment, while others require either a simple set of free weights or some resistance equipment. Here, resistance equipment would include things like handled rubber straps or springs which work by providing resistance when placed under tension.

One note of caution before you start: Ignore the commonly heard saying that "exercise is not doing you any good unless you can feel the pain". Some mild discomfort (particularly if you haven't exercised for some time) is normal, but pain is your body telling you that you're pushing it too hard.

Push-Ups

 

Despite what many contemporary sports scientists might say, traditional push-ups are still an excellent upper body exercise. Lie on your stomach with your back straight, feet together and hands under your shoulders. Push up against the floor, keeping your back and legs straight, then lower yourself back down to the floor again. To make the exercise a little harder, simply slow the action down and raise and lower yourself more slowly. Try to start with about twenty push-ups and gradually increase this with each workout.

Chest Work

 

Grab a 10 lb (4.5 kg) pair of hand-held dumbbells. Lie flat on your back on a carpeted floor (or a hard floor with an exercise mat) and hold the weights in each hand with your palms uppermost and your arms straight out to each side of your body. Slowly lift the weights and bring your hands together high up above your chest. To vary this exercise, and give your biceps a good workout, bring your arms up to about twenty degrees and then bend and straighten your arms at the elbow before continuing to raise them above your chest.

Lats

 

Lats is the commonly used term for the latissiumus dorsi muscles which are the large muscles that run down the side of the upper body and which give men their 'triangular' shape.

Still with the same pair of dumbbells, stand up straight with arms and dumbbells at your side. Make sure that your body is well balanced and breathe normally. Breathe in and, at the maximum point of inhalation, thrust your arms away from the body, palms inward. Breathe out as you raise your arms to shoulder height and then lower them again slowly to your sides. Start with about ten repetitions of this exercise and then build up gradually with subsequent exercise sessions.

Biceps and Triceps

 

To exercise the biceps and triceps, move the weights in front of your body, with your arms hanging above the front of your thighs. Then, without swinging or pushing off the thighs, lift the weights toward your chest using either both arms together or alternating between your right and left arm. Again try ten repetitions of this exercise to begin with and build up slowly.

If you don't have any dumbbells to hand then the exercises for the lats and biceps can be done using a long elastic resistance strap, holding one end in your hand and hooking the other under a foot.

Pull-ups or Chin-ups

 

This exercise will require access to a bar slightly above head-height, perhaps at your local gym or in a nearby playground. Alternatively you could use a 'removable' bar which can be fitted into a door frame at home.

This exercise is simply a case of taking hold of the bar with both hands and then pulling yourself up until your chin comes level with the bar and then lowering your body back down again. Chins ups are performed with your fingers curled toward you around the bar and pull-ups are carried out with your fingers pointing away from you.

This is an excellent exercise for building biceps, triceps, lats and pectorals all at the same time.

Regardless of the exercise routine you decide to follow, don't overdo it. Build up your upper body strength slowly and gradually.

 

Speech and language therapy !!!!!

The people who find it difficult to verbally communicate with others can resolve their problems by undergoing a certain kind of therapy

Hassan was first evaluated for speech and language difficulties at the age of three years and one month. His parents at the time reported that he uttered only a few words. His most frequent communicative attempts involved gesturing, producing certain favourite syllables (such as ba) and whining. According to his parents, it looks as if he understood much of what is said to him. Hassan’s motor development seemed within normal limits.

Azra, age 46, suffered a stroke. One month after her stroke, her verbal output was limited in quantity and had difficulty finding the appropriate words to complete a sentence. Characteristically, she spoke in short phrases, and some grammatical problems were evident. Her comprehension was considerably better than her speech although she had problems comprehending complex instructions and messages.

Language is our most human characteristic. It is essential to learning, working and enjoying family life and friendship. Think of a person who cannot communicate verbally; who has difficulty in telling others his needs and thoughts; and sho cannot enjoy a conversation with others because he cannot participate in it. Or think of a child who is facing learning difficulties because he has problems in speech and language. Some of these individuals need the speech and language therapy.

What is speech and language therapy?

Speech and language therapy is a treatment programme designed to regain and increase/improve the person’s ability to communicate with others.

How does speech and language therapy work?

We correspond by encoding our thought into language and conveying to others using speech, language and gestures.

• Speech

• Language

• Body gestures and facial expressions.

Let’s examine them one by one

Speech is a very coordinated process. During which we use our breath to produce sound (voice). This is then shaped by movements of our lips, tongue, teeth etc., (articulation) into meaningful words. These words come out of our mouth fluently in a form of a sentence. Thus speech consists of three parts: voice, articulation and fluency.

Language gives us rules to make words and also rules to put them together to form meaningful sentences.

We also use our facial expressions, hand gestures and body movement to communicate.

The speech and language therapy encompass all these areas and it is the job of a speech and language therapist to assess, diagnose and then design a treatment programme to correct or rehabilitate the person so that he/she can communicate efficiently.

Who is a speech and language therapist?

The speech and language therapist is a person who specializes in this type of treatment. Such therapists either have a master’s degree or a diploma in speech and language therapy with ample clinical experience. A speech and language therapist may specialize in certain kind of problems; so it is important to choose a speech and language therapist carefully.

Who needs speech and language therapist?

Any person who has difficulty with verbal communication or swallowing due to any reason physical or cognitive should consider the speech and language therapy.

What kind of problems does the therapy treat?

There are four kinds of problems that the speech and language therapy can treat. They are:

• Speech

• Language

• Cognition or thinking skills

• Swallowing problems

The person with speech problem may have difficulty in producing voice, articulation or fluency. These problems make such persons’ speech less clear and harder to understand. Examples include stuttering, a lisp and garbled speech after stroke, loss or impairment of the voice.

Language is the use of symbols, such as words, numbers or gestures that have meaning. The person with language problems may have trouble understanding or accurately choosing words, numbers or gestures. Such people may lack the necessary vocabulary needed to understand or have difficulty putting the words together to make a grammatically correct sentence. In order to communicate accurately with others, they must be able to pay attention, concentrate and use various thinking skills. For treatment of certain language problems the speech and language therapist may need to work on these thinking skills.

We depend on swallowing in order to get the nutrients we need to live. Swallowing difficulties is a general term used to describe the inability to move food from the mouth to the stomach. By and large swallowing can be divided into three phases:

• Oral phase — sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid into the throat

• Pharyngeal phase — triggering the swallowing reflex, squeezing food down the throat, and closing off the airway to prevent food or liquid from entering the airway ( aspiration ) or to prevent choking

• Esophageal phase — relaxing and tightening the openings at the top and bottom of the feeding tube in the throat (esophagus) and squeezing food through the esophagus into the stomach.

Difficulty may occur in any of these phases. A person may have swallowing problems if there is an injury or illness that affects the nerves or muscles in the tongue, mouth or throat such as cerebral palsy, stroke, cleft palate or cleft lip. Swallowing problems can also happen if there has been surgery to remove parts of the mouth or throat.

Illnesses for which the therapist is usually consulted

• Congenital problems like cleft palate or cleft lip

• Cerebral palsy children, if there is impairment in their speech and language

• Stuttering

• Articulation errors

• Delayed speech in children

• Language difficulties

• Children with learning difficulties specially learning language

• Psychological problems like autism, ADHD, mental retardation and conversion disorders

• Hearing impairment

• Abnormal childhood languages.

• Voice problems like harsh voice may have physical or functional reasons.

• After trauma which result in loss of language or speech

• After stroke which result in loss of speech & language (aphasia, dysarthria)

• Apraxia (disorder of impaired voluntary movements)

• After cancer surgery involving mouth or throat.

• Swallowing problems

When someone goes to a speech and language therapist he/she will listen to your problem and assess you by giving you certain tests. These are not the usual tests as in school or in laboratory. The therapist may physically examine the areas involved. You may be required to answer certain questions. Repeat certain words or sentences. The therapist will record your responses on paper or may use a tape recorder.

Usually the physician has referred you to a speech therapist but if there is need to refer back or a further investigation is a necessity you may be referred to the appropriate physician by the speech therapist.

The speech and language therapist will design a treatment programme which is best for the patient. This will be based on many factors. Some of them are:

• The type and the extent of illness

• Disability

• Type and extent of handicap (if present)

• Motivation of the person

• Home situation

• Extent of the speech impairment

Depending on the above mention factors the range of treatment includes:

• Counseling.

• Physical strengthening exercises.

• Training and repetitive exercises.

• Exercises to build language skills.

• Use of devices that can make it easier for some people to speak and communicate.

The speech and language therapist also works closely with family members or significant others.

How long does the treatment last?

Every patient will see a speech and language therapist for his/her individual reason/problems. Each will receive a specific treatment programme to suit his/ her needs. The number of times you see a speech and language therapist depends on your specific reason for seeing one. Just like some diseases take longer to treat than others. Some speech problems take longer to correct than others. You may see your therapist once a week or a few times a week and your treatment can take any where from a few weeks to a few months to a few years.

The best thing patients can do for themselves is practise, practise and practise. Repeat the same exercises at home that have been taught in the therapy session. Don’t just rely on work you do during your sessions with the speech and language therapist. The more you practise, the shorter your therapy will be and the sooner you will be speaking comfortably and confidently.

Where does one find such a therapist?

Speech and language therapists work in a number of environments that include:

• Hospitals

• Special schools

• Health care centers

• Some times they visit patient’s home

How Many Calories Are Burned

How Many Calories Are Burned During Exercise     Our body needs constant energy to maintain itself, so even when we're fast asleep, it is still burning up calories! However, most of us do not take enough exercise during our waking hours! Ideally, we should aim to take 20-45 minutes exercise a day. To see which exercise burns up what calories, see chart below.     Type of Exercise Calories/hour Sleeping 55 Eating 85 Sewing 85 Knitting 85 Sitting 85 Standing 100 Driving 110 Office Work 140 Housework, moderate 160+ Golf, with trolley 180 Golf, without trolley 240 Gardening, planting 250 Dancing, ballroom 260 Walking, 3mph 280 Table Tennis 290 Gardening, hoeing etc. 350 Tennis 350+ Water Aerobics 400 Skating/blading 420+ Dancing, aerobic 420+ Aerobics 450+ Bicycling, moderate 450+ Jogging, 5mph 500 Gardening, digging 500 Swimming, active 500+ Cross country ski machine 500+ Hiking 500+ Step Aerobics 550+ Rowing 550+ Power Walking 600+ Cycling, studio 650 Squash 650+ Skipping with rope 700+ Running 700+     Exercise for your health! It has been calculated that 1 pound of body fat is equal to 3500 calories. This means that in order to lose 1 pound we have to walk for about 12.5 hours. So don't expect fast weight loss and remember to eat sensibly.       Calorie Savings There are two easy ways to reduce calories. Either swap a high-calorie food for a lower-calorie item (eg. choose a cup of skim milk - 90 calories - rather than whole milk - 150 calories). Or, cut out a small high-calorie eating habit. For example, if you drink one less 16 fl oz can of beer a day, you save 67,000 calories a year - equivalent to about 19 pounds of body fat. Calorie-Intake Affects Weight But Check Nutrition Too Although weight reduction is founded on the energy equation (energy expenditure must exceed energy intake), calorie-counting does have its limitations. Nutrition is also important. According to at least one world expert in fat-metabolism, food energy cannot be properly metabolised without sufficient minerals and vitamins. This is why a healthy calorie-controlled eating plan should be based on nutrient-dense meals and snacks.       Metabolic Rate Affects Calorie Burning Our metabolism determines how rapidly our body burns calories while at rest. Some people have a relatively fast metabolic rate, so they burn energy faster than people with a slower metabolism. This is why they appear to be able to eat relatively large amounts of food without gaining weight.   Although our metabolic rate is part of our genetic inheritance, we can raise it somewhat by taking regular aerobic exercise and by increasing our muscle-to-fat ratio. We can also maintain an efficient metabolism by eating nutritious food, by ensuring our energy-intake does not fall below about 1200 calories a day, and by eating something every 3-4 hours.

 

 

Best pregnancy diabetes diet

You need to have a pregnancy gestational diabetes diet plan in place if you are a diabetic mother. Diabetes affects a significant percentage of the population in developed nations. For most people, it is a lifestyle disease caused by stress, lack of exercise and starchy food. Many are born with diabetes, and hand the genes to their children as well. Whichever kind of diabetes you have, you need proper pregnancy gestational diabetes diet to ensure that your pregnancy does not suffer from any complications.

 

The aim of a good pregnancy gestational diabetes diet is to ensure that you do not have to resort to insulin injections till it becomes absolutely necessary. Many women develop diabetes during pregnancy. They need to cut down on sugar and starchy food in their diet. A pregnancy gestational diabetes diet is different from the best pregnancy diet for women without diabetes. Take care of your calorie levels, and how much you are consuming daily as fats, sugar etc.

Eating Right

Your doctor might direct you to a nutritionist who specializes in diabetic nutrition. You need to watch what you eat, since excess sugar can send your blood sugar levels rocketing. The pregnancy gestational diabetes diet has to be fine-tuned to your specific needs, so it is important to keep in constant touch with your doctor, and inform him about any changes in your diet plan.

Eating for two does not mean doubling your food intake. It means ensuring that you get the right amount of calories to build tissues for yourself and your baby. Pregnancy is a time when your body changes rapidly; proper diet ensures that your body can cope with those changes.

What To Eat

 

A proper pregnancy gestational diabetes diet supplies around 300 calories to the mother per day. This is the minimum she needs to build new tissues and help the baby grow. The calories need to come from proteins and carbohydrates, but not sugar. After the first trimester, you need 300 calories more per day since your baby is growing bigger. More than that, you need to keep in mind the specific mineral and other dietary needs.

 

Have plenty of whole grain products, dairy, fruits and vegetables. Cut down on red meat and instead eat fish and white meat products. Avoid fatty and starchy food, as these can make your diabetes worsen.

Women looking for a weight loss diabetic diet still need to eat cereals and fruits to gain weight in order to build new tissues. It is not advisable to lose weight when you are pregnant, since the loss of fat from the body might cause toxic substances to be released that can harm the fetus.

What Not To Eat

As a diabetic woman, you need to take special care of your diet. Pregnancy diabetic diet should not be high on sugar. Sugar can make diabetes worse or give rise to pregnancy related diabetes. Avoid cakes, desserts, jam, pies etc. and cereals containing too much sugar.

A good pregnancy gestational diabetes diet supplies you with essential nutrients without overloading your system with too much sugar.

 

Blood Pressure

Blood Pressure Explained

Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood in the arteries as the heart pumps it around the body. Blood pressure does not stay the same all the time – it changes to meet your body’s needs. If blood pressure remains high, it can lead to serious problems like a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney disease.

Measuring blood pressure
Blood pressure is usually measured by an instrument called a sphygmomanometer. It is best to measure blood pressure when you are relaxed and sitting or lying down. Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers, such as 120/80. The larger number indicates the pressure in the arteries as the heart squeezes out blood during each beat. It is called the systolic blood pressure. The lower number indicates the pressure as the heart relaxes before the next beat. It is called the diastolic blood pressure.

Blood pressure varies

Blood pressure changes to meet your body’s needs. If a reading is high, your doctor will measure your blood pressure again on several separate occasions to confirm the level. Your doctor may also recommend that you measure your blood pressure at home or have a 24-hour recording with a monitor device. This can be useful if going to the clinic makes your blood pressure rise.

High blood pressure
There is no ‘ideal’ blood pressure reading. The following figures for clinic blood pressures can be used as a guide:

* Normal blood pressure: less than 120/80
* High/Normal: between 120/80 and 140/90
* High: equal to or more than 140/90
* Very high: equal to or more than 180/110

High blood pressure usually does not give warning signs. You can have high blood pressure and feel perfectly well. The only way to find out if your blood pressure is high is by having it checked regularly.

Controlling high blood pressure
If blood pressure remains high it can lead to serious problems. You will be more at risk of these problems if you smoke, are overweight, are physically inactive, have diabetes, have high blood cholesterol, are socially isolated and/or suffer from depression. Lifestyle is very important to help to control high blood pressure and its associated risks. There are ways you can help to control or prevent high blood pressure. Medications may also be needed and, in some instances, a number of medications may be required long term.

Have your blood pressure checked regularly
If your blood pressure is ‘normal’ and you have no personal or family history of high blood pressure, a check every two years and during routine visits to your doctor is recommended. If your blood pressure is ‘high-normal’ (or higher) or you have a personal or family history of high blood pressure, stroke or heart attack, it is best to have it checked more frequently. Be advised by your doctor.

Be active every day
Establish or maintain at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on five or more days each week (150 minutes per week minimum). This can be accumulated in smaller bouts of 10 minutes or longer, if this is more convenient. Moderate intensity physical activity is activity that causes a ‘moderate’ noticeable increase in depth and rate of breathing while still being able to whistle or talk comfortably. This may include brisk walking, cycling, low-paced swimming or anything that you enjoy that requires the use of your major muscle groups. Some types of exercises, such as lifting heavy weights, should be avoided if you have high blood pressure. Check with your doctor before starting a new activity or increasing your level or intensity. Be active safely: build up your levels of activity gradually.

Enjoy healthy eating
Healthy eating is particularly important in controlling high blood pressure and reducing your risk of heart disease. Enjoying a variety of foods from the different food groups is the key to healthy eating.

Healthy eating is about choosing mainly plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits and legumes (dried peas, dried beans and lentils); wholegrain bread and cereals; moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry, fish and reduced fat dairy products; and moderate amounts of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils and fats.

Reducing salt intake can also help control high blood pressure or help avoid high blood pressure altogether. To reduce salt intake, eat plenty of vegetables, fruit and legumes; choose low salt wholegrain bread and cereals; avoid seasonings, processed foods and takeaway foods (which are high in salt); and avoid adding salt to cooking or at the table.

Other things you can do.You should also:

* Limit alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day (men) or one drink per day (women).
* Be a non-smoker.
* Achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
* Take any blood pressure medication exactly as prescribed. Don’t stop or change your medication unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Things to remember

 * High blood pressure can lead to serious problems like heart attack, stroke or kidney disease.
* High blood pressure usually does not give warning signs so you need to have your blood pressure checked regularly.
* Lifestyle is very important in helping to control high blood pressure and its associated risks. Ask your doctor for advice.

 

Medical aspect of SEX

Lose weight. Reduce stress. Lower your cholesterol level. Improve your circulation. Live longer. Stay younger. Sounds like an ad for a new wonder drug right? In fact it's a partial list of the benefits of humanity's oldest and most pleasurable pastime - sex.

Most of us are aware of the feel-good benefits of sex while we're engaged in it, but do you also know that there are benefits which carry on after the sweaty bodies have dried and the sweet talk has reverted to sports? For instance:

Maintaining Ideal Body Weight

There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat. For every 3500 calories you burn (that you do not replace with food!) you will lose one pound of fat. Sexual intercourse burns approximately 150 calories per half hour. Here's how that stacks up against some other activities that may be part of your fitness regime: yoga 114 calories per half hour, dancing - rock 129, walking - 3mph 153, weight training 153, canoeing - 2mph 153, volleyball 174.

According to one survey reported by the Ottawa Citizen, Canadians on average have sex 7.33 times per month, lasting approximately 24.4 minutes. That means that "Joe Canada" is burning off more than 10 thousand calories a year, or about 3 pounds, in a not particularly active sex life. Those who are more sexually active, into Tantra for instance where lovemaking lasts 4 hours, would burn up 600 calories a session. At once a week that's 31,200 calories or 9 pounds per year. Considering that people put weight on gradually, slowly gaining 5-10 pounds per year until they are overweight, it's not unrealistic to assume that regular sexual activity is one way to help maintain a healthy body weight.

Increased Blood Flow

Sex helps increase the blood flow to your brain and to all other organs of your body. Increased heart rate and deep breathing accounts for the improvement in circulation. As fresh blood supply arrives, your cells, organs and muscles are saturated with fresh oxygen and hormones, and as the used blood is removed, you also remove waste products that cause fatigue and even illness..

Lower Cholesterol

Lowering your cholesterol is another of the "sex as exercise" benefits. Sex helps lower the overall cholesterol level. Perhaps more importantly it tips the HDL/LDL (good/bad) cholesterol balance towards the healthier HDL side.

Stress Reduction, Relaxation and Improved Sleep

People having frequent sex often report that they handle stress better, so the normal stresses of living do not become distress. The profound relaxation that typically follows lovemaking, with orgasm for women and ejaculation and/or orgasm for men, may be one of the few times people actually allow themselves to completely let go, surrender and relax. Many indicate that they sleep more deeply and restfully after satisfying lovemaking. In the relaxing afterglow you may be able to let go of distracting thoughts. Being able to stop thinking has helped many to overcome insomnia.

Sex as Pain Reliever

Through the touch magic of sex the hormone oxytocin is secreted in your body which in turn causes the release of endorphins. Because of these natural opiates sex acts as a powerful analgesic, elevating the pain threshold and helping to relieve the aches of conditions like arthritis, whiplash and headaches. Now there's a novel approach, sex as a remedy for headache rather than an excuse for abstaining!

With arousal and orgasm oxytocin levels rise. They spike 3 to 5 times higher than usual just before orgasm. In fact it is oxytocin that triggers the orgasm. Measurements performed at the Masters and Johnson laboratories have shown that the uterine contractions brought about by orgasm (triggered by oxytocin) are just as powerful as those of child labor. Women can use this extraordinary orgasmic contraction and relaxation of the uterine muscle to relieve cramps during PMS and menstruation.

Live Longer, Stay Younger

A British study of 1,000 men found those who had at least two orgasms a week had half the death rate of their countrymen who indulge less than once a month.

The hormone DHEA promotes sexual excitement and increases in response to it. Dr Theresa Crenshaw author of The Alchemy of Love and Lust says DHEA may be the most powerful chemical in our personal world. It helps balance the immune system, improves cognition, promotes bone growth, and maintains and repairs tissues, keeping your skin healthy and supple. It may also contribute to cardiovascular health and even function as antidepressant.

Prostate and Genital Health

Some doctors believe that more than 75% of men over 50 have a somewhat enlarged prostate, and that virtually all men will suffer from prostate enlargement if they live long enough. This condition, called benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH), is normal and usually not dangerous. Unfortunately, some of these men develop prostate cancer, one of the leading causes of death in older men. Regular sexual intercourse with frequent ejaculations will help to keep the prostate healthy.

For those men who practice delaying ejaculation, for example in the practice of Tantra Sacred Sex, performing Kegel exercises (in which you contract the muscles around your genitals), will tone these muscles, just as exercising other muscles tones other areas of your body. More importantly, these exercises will help keep the prostate healthy, by moving the sexual energy up out of the prostate and circulating it throughout your body. The technique is very simple and you can perform hundreds of contractions per day for top sexual/physical fitness for both men and women. Imagine you are urinating, but want to stop the flow of urine, that's all there is to it.

Contracting your muscles in this way is one of the healthiest exercises you could add to your exercise regime. When 178 Belgian men with minor erection problems participated in a 4-month daily rehabilitation program which primarily focused on Kegel exercises, 74 percent showed improvement and 43 percent were cured. For women, Kegels strengthen the entire urogenital tract, aiding greatly in childbirth and preventing the onset of incontinence in later life. They also sensitize the genital tissues, helping women to become orgasmic and/or increase the intensity of their orgasms

Boost Testosterone and Estrogen

Regular sexual activity boosts testosterone and estrogen levels in both men and women. Besides boosting your libido testosterone fortifies bones and muscles. Some physicians suggest that testosterone keeps hearts healthy and good cholesterol high. Testosterone is what makes the sex drive in men and women more aggressive. It makes you want to have sex, pursue sex, initiate sex and perhaps dominate the lovemaking. Testosterone seems to motivate both men and women to strongly desire specific genital sex and release by orgasm. Because men have so much testosterone, they seem obsessed with genitals, intercourse and ejaculation, but appear to care less for romance and foreplay-touching, hugging, cuddling, eye gazing, etc..

Sex increases women's estrogen levels keeping vaginal tissues more supple and also protecting against heart disease. It is estrogen that makes a woman sexually receptive and responsive to a man's approach. It is estrogen that makes her want to be touched and feel romantic, it is testosterone that makes her want to be penetrated. Estrogen makes a woman soft-breasts develop in response to estrogen. Estrogen is a powerful influence on how a woman smells. It influences the degree to which she projects softness, openness, and interest in sexual touching.

Men's bodies also produce estrogen. In fact testosterone can be converted into estrogen in the man's body. Some estrogen helps a man to develop the softer, more nurturing feminine sides of their personalities. As men age, the testosterone/estrogen balance begins to shift, with testosterone decreasing and estrogen increasing, and this is one reason why so many men seem to mellow out as they get older.

The Healing Power of Intimacy

Sex is good for you, but sex with love is even better. According to Dr. Dean Ornish author of 'Love and Survival: the Scientific Basis for the Healing Power of Intimacy', "an open heart can lead to the most joyful and ecstatic sex". His researches into intimacy and its effects on health have shown that "anything that promotes feelings of love and intimacy is healing". If you have someone who really cares for you and for whom you care in return, someone you are intimately connected with in all ways - emotional, physical and more -- then you may be three to five times less likely at risk of premature death and disease from all causes.

Part of this has to do with the positive effects of touch, what Dr. Crenshaw refers to as Vitamin T. The chemical composition of your body is changed by touch. Caressing, hugging, stroking, cuddling send a chain reaction of chemicals to signal your brain that this is pleasurable, nurturing, good.

There is strong scientific evidence demonstrating the importance of touch to good health. In the 1930s, Dr. Rene Spitz, attending physician at a number of nurseries, noticed that the illness and mortality rates were quite a bit higher in some of the nurseries. His observations and experiments led to the finding that the children who were becoming ill and dying had nothing to do with hygiene or nutrition, but rather had to do with the amount of touching the infants received from the attending staff. He confirmed his findings by hiring "grandmothers" to come into the nurseries to hold, fondle, and cuddle the children. The illness and mortality rates declined rapidly.

Researchers at Miami's Touch Research Institute (TRI) found that premature infants who received three massages a day over 10 days gained 47 percent more weight than preemies who weren't massaged. David Sebringsil, who writes regularly for The Society For Human Sexuality (one of the best online sources of excellent, sex-positive information), recommends Erotic Massage become a part of or alternative to regular lovemaking. It is one of the best ways to help someone achieve extended, multiple, or "whole body" orgasmic states. Through erotic massage partners learn to give and receive loving touch and extraordinary pleasure. It makes you healthier and happier.

Healthy blood, healthy bones, healthy heart, healthy body and a peaceful mind - all thanks to the healing powers of sex

 

The environmental benefits of vegetarianism

Vegetarianism is not only a response to the inhumane practices of factory farms; it is also a way to conserve natural resources, improve the environment and benefit human health.

 

    The meat industry is very wasteful of natural resources. An inherent problem with eating meat is that an animal must be fed roughly ten pounds of plants to produce one pound of meat. Therefore, much more food is consumed to support the animals than would be needed if more people were vegetarians. Seventy percent of the grain grown in the US is used to feed livestock. Because of the growth of so much animal feed, half the water consumed in the U.S. is used by the meat industry, and our groundwater is being withdrawn 25% faster than it is being replenished. In the High Plains states from South Dakota to New Mexico, it is projected that the aquifer will be depleted in 60 years. Erosion and nutrient depletion caused by animal feed production and overgrazing by livestock are destroying vast areas of arable land.

    We are currently in an oil crisis, and the meat industry is exacerbating it. Eight times as much fossil fuel energy is used in the production of animal protein as is used in plant protein production due to the fuel required to manufacture fertilizers and pesticides for animal feed, to operate farming machinery, for transportation and for irrigation. Four hundred gallons of fossil fuels are used to produce food for the average meat-eating American each year.

    A meat eater requires two to four times more farmland than a vegetarian. To make room for enough farmland, the meat industry constantly destroys vital ecosystems, thus taking away the habitats of myriad species and reducing biodiversity. The vast Amazon rainforest is rapidly being destroyed to make way for ranching and growing animal feed and will be gone by the end of this century if the current rate of destruction continues. Do you want to let this happen?

    The damage to the environment does not stop at animal feed production. The plants are fed to the livestock, which, after digesting the food, produce 1.37 billion tons of manure in the U.S. annually. The manure often spills out of open-air storage pits and into waterways, accelerating the growth of algae. When the algae die, their decomposition depletes the water of oxygen. This causes the deaths of millions of fish. Manure also releases ammonia into the air, which can contaminate rain, killing forests. Fumes from factory farms cause people in the area to experience respiratory problems and other ailments. Nitrates leak from manure into community drinking water, causing serious human health problems.

    The meat industry contributes significantly to global warming. Methane, a greenhouse gas, is released by bacteria in the rumens of cattle and in the manure of many farm animals. Furthermore, forests and grasslands that would absorb high amounts of carbon dioxide are cleared to make way for farmland. To make matters worse, the enormous fires used to burn down these forests release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 

 

The fishing industry also contributes to environmental degradation. Many species are being fished faster than they can reproduce. 15 of the 17 major ocean fisheries are exhausted or overexploited, so many marine food webs are depleted, and ocean ecosystems are seriously damaged. Myriads of other animals are accidentally caught and killed in the nets, such as nearly 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises killed each year. Pulling bottom trawls across the seafloor devastates habitats including coral reefs.

    You can help save the environment and keep yourself healthy at the same time; according to the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada, vegan and vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of life as long as the vegetarian gets all necessary nutrition, which is easy to do. Visit www.veganhealth.org for nutrition information.

    A well-planned vegetarian or vegan diet offers many health benefits. Vegetarians have lower blood cholesterol levels, lower rates hypertension and lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease due to the lower levels of saturated fat found in animal products and the higher levels of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and whole grains, all staples of a vegetarian diet, provide better nutrition and help prevent many diseases.

    Spurred by this knowledge as well as by the meat industry's brutality towards animals, we became vegetarian/vegan and have examined and promoted vegetarianism as a project for our biology class at Newton North High School.

    Consider the possibilities. There are many delicious and varied foods that do not contain animal products. We're not just talking lettuce and bananas; think grilled veggie burger or bean burrito. If becoming vegetarian seems like a difficult task, try reducing your consumption of meat gradually; cut out meat one day a week at first. Soon you will have a healthier diet and be saving natural resources and the environment. If you do become vegetarian, email us at vegetarianism@comcast.net to let us know that this article had the desired effect.

Four Steps Reverse Damage from "Super-Size Me" Diet

It was probably enough to make many Americans lose their appetite: A recent study from Europe showed that eating too much fast food — a diet high in fat and sugar — could cause serious damage to your liver.

Yet for those who overdo it with too many trips to their favorite burger joint, there's good news. You can likely reverse the damage to your liver and other vital organs if you simply give up the unhealthy lifestyle, according to a leading liver specialist at Saint Louis University who conducted a similar study with mice.

"There's strong evidence now that a fast-food type of diet — high in fat and sugar, the kind of diet many Americans subsist on — can cause significant damage to your liver and have extremely serious consequences for your health," says Brent Tetri, M.D., professor of internal medicine at the Saint Louis University Liver Center and one of the country's leading experts on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

"The good news is that most people can undo this damage if they change their diet and they keep physically active," Tetri says. "If they don't, however, they are asking for trouble."

Tetri is quick to emphasize that fast food per se doesn't causes liver damage. Rather, he says, the harm comes from eating too many calories and too much fat and sugar — which happens with a steady diet of burgers, fries, sodas and most other items on the typical fast-food menu.

"The big issue here is caloric content," says Tetri. "You can put away 2,000 calories in a single fast-food meal pretty easily. For most people, that's more calories than they need in an entire day."

For adults and children who've repeatedly indulged in fast food, Tetri urges four key steps to help reverse the damage they've done to their liver.

1. Limit yourself to no more than one fast-food meal a week. For some people, that's going to be a major downshift. But for the sake of your health, a visit to a fast-food restaurant should be considered a treat — not a regular event.
2. When you do eat fast food, eat as healthfully as possible. Try the burger without mayo and cheese, and avoid fries and sugary soft drinks. Better yet, go for a grilled chicken sandwich, a salad with a lower-fat dressing and bottled water or a diet soft drink.
3. Get active. If you don't already exercise at least three times a week, start now. Regular exercise helps keep your weight down and helps your body better metabolize and process the food you eat.
4. Ask your doctor to do a blood test to check your level of liver enzymes, a key measure of the health of your liver. Many doctors now order test this routinely when doing blood work on adults, but kids who eat a lot of fast food especially need to have their liver enzymes checked.

"Even for those people with the worst kind of diets, it's not too late to start exercising and eating right," Tetri says.

 

Ten Top Medical Myths

Everyone's heard these medical myths, and your mom (and maybe even your doctor!) may have been guilty of spreading a few of them:

• High blood pressure causes headaches. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms. Neither does it cause dizziness, although dizziness is a common side effect of treatments for high blood pressure.
• Women should examine their breasts. Research shows that routine breast self-examinations aren't sensitive enough to detect many lumps, and may subject women to increased anxiety.
• It's dangerous to mix alcohol and antibiotics. Alcohol doesn't interact with antibiotics. Metronidazole (Flagyl) is an exception, however, and can cause vomiting.
• Bed rest is useful additional therapy. According to 39 studies of bed rest versus early mobilization, bed rest is usually not beneficial and may, in fact, be harmful.
• Hot black coffee will help you sober up. Although caffeine will reduce the sedating effect of alcohol, it will not reduce the amount of alcohol in your system any faster.
• Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight. Reading for long periods of time in dim light may cause you to squint and strain your eyes — maybe even triggering a headache — but it won't hurt your eyes.
• We use only 10 percent of our brain. Although this myth has been around for a hundred years, numerous imaging studies have shown that no part of our brain is inactive.
• Drink eight glasses of water a day. Drinking so much water is unnecessary since most of us get plenty of water from our food and other drinks, including tea and coffee.
• Eating sugar causes diabetes. While eating sugar doesn't cause diabetes, it does make you fat and that increases your risk for the disease.
• Chocolate causes acne. Relax and enjoy a sinful chocolate treat. Hormones, not chocolate, are the main cause of acne.

 

Home Remedies for BELCHING

BELCHING

 

Belching or burping is also medically referred as eructation or ructus. Essentially it is a process of releasing gas from the digestive tract through the mouth. A typical odor or sound may also accompany the process of gas release. Belching is a common universal phenomenon and not limited to few people with any specific disorder. Infants to older adults belch or burp to expel air that has been swallowed in excess. Belching relieves the abdomen of discomfort caused due to the excess air.

Belching can also form as a habit to many people and such belching or burping may not be related to the accumulation of air in their stomachs. Instinctively people resort to belching on account of any form of abdominal discomfort to expel gas and ease the existing discomfort.

Though it sounds like a simple exercise, technically belching is a co-coordinated activity. For egs: the larynx is raised to ensure no liquid or food passing with the air from the stomach get into the lungs and this process also relaxes the upper cardia (esophageal sphincter) such that air can pass more easily from the esophagus into the throat. The lower cardia (esophageal sphincter) also needs to open so that air can pass from the stomach into the esophagus. During these activities, the diaphragm descends such that it increases abdominal pressure and decreases pressure in the chest similar to taking a breath. The change in pressure ensures air flows from the stomach in the abdomen to the esophagus in the chest.

Symptoms of Belching

Some known symptoms of burping

- Burping Sounds
- Odor accompanying burping

Causes of Belching

The key causes that lead to burping

- Eating or drinking too fast such that excessive air is swallowed in the process
- Consumption of carbonated drinks such as : soft drinks, champagne, beer may cause burping in which case the gas released is from the drink itself
- Certain disorders such as Gastroesophageal reflux disease may cause involuntary burping
- Certain established eating patterns or habits lead to burping as a sign of completing a meal.

Home Remedies for Belching

Some remedies that work in treating belching

- Eating slowly or have small meals
- Avoiding chewing gum and carbonated drinks
- Excessive consumption of onions and chocolates may also cause burping.Avoid such foods
- Avoid alcohol especially among individuals suffering from chronic belching or excessive belching
- Reducing stress, following exercise tips from medical practitioners and inducing relaxation can help treat belching

 

Diet for Belching

To reduce belching avoid gulping food or drink too rapidly.

- Some foods may initiate the belching process such as milk and sugars.
- Certain types of vegetables and fruits containing a particular type of starch are not well digested by the stomach but are effective tools to treat bacteria in the stomach such as: beans, lentils, cabbage, bananas, apricots, prunes, onions and sprouts. It is advisable to avoid such vegetables and fruits to prevent belching.
- Foods made from whole grains may also cause gas and consequent belching or burping.

 

Suggestions for Belching

Weight loss, avoid tight clothes and maintain a food diary

Treating excessive intestinal gas depends on various factors such as: diagnosing the root cause and treatment may include dietary changes and /or medications that reduce the amount of gas.

VITAMIN K

VITAMIN K

 

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. It can be dissolved in fat. Vitamin K is carried through the body by fat and is stored in fat tissue. There are three forms of Vitamin K:

• phylloquinone, which is found in food
  
  
• menadione, which is man-made
  
  
• menaquinone, which is produced by the body
  
  

What food source is the nutrient found in?

Vitamin K can be found in the following foods:

• collards, kale, and other green leafy vegetables
  
  
• members of the cabbage family including broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts
  
  
• liver
  
  
• cheese
  
  
• milk
  
  
• egg yolk
  
  
• some fruits
  
  

Intestinal bacteria produce some vitamin K in the body.

 

How does the nutrient affect the body?
Vitamin K makes several proteins that help blood to clot when bleeding. It also makes other proteins for blood, bones, and kidneys. Along with vitamins A and D, vitamin K is important for strong bone development.

 

Information
The Recommended Dietary Allowance, called RDA, for vitamin K for adult males, age 25 years and older, is 80 micrograms (mcg) per day. For women, age 25 years and older, it is 65 mcg per day. For pregnant and lactating women, the RDA is also 65 mcg.

Vitamin K deficiency is rare. It is often the result of impaired absorption rather than not getting enough in the diet. Newborns are at risk for vitamin K deficiency. This is because their digestive tracts contain no vitamin K-producing bacteria. For this reason, doctors often give injections of vitamin K to newborns. The main symptom of vitamin K deficiency is blood that's slow to clot. Prolonged use of antibiotics can also cause a low level of this vitamin because they destroy some of the bacteria in the gut that help to produce vitamin K.

 

No symptoms are known to result from consuming too much vitamin K. Moderation is always the best approach. The most toxic form is supplements. People taking blood thinning medicines, such as aspirin or warfarin, may need to limit their intake of vitamin K-rich foods. This is because the vitamin's pro-clotting actions can work against this type of medicine.

 

 

 

Stomach Flu (ViralGastroenteritis)

What is stomach flu?

Stomach flu is a viral infection that affects the stomach and small intestine. It is also called viral gastroenteritis. The illness is usually brief, lasting 1 to 3 days.

How does it occur?

Many different viruses can cause gastroenteritis, including rotaviruses, adenoviruses, and the Norwalk virus. Gastroenteritis is caused by swallowing one of these viruses. The body fluids of infected people contain the virus, sometimes even before their symptoms begin. The virus can be spread by direct contact with an infected person (for example, kissing or shaking hands) or by sharing food, drink, or eating utensils.

The virus enters the stomach and intestine and inflames the lining of these organs. As a result, the stomach and intestine are temporarily unable to perform their usual functions. The virus can also cause food to move more rapidly through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Some bacteria, parasites, medicines, or other medical conditions can cause infections that have symptoms similar to those of stomach flu. If your symptoms are unusually severe or last longer than a few days, your health care provider can determine if the diarrhea is caused by a virus or by something else.

What are the symptoms?

When you have stomach flu, you may have one or more of the following symptoms:

• nausea
• vomiting
• stomach cramps
• diarrhea
• mild fever
• fatigue
• chills
• loss of appetite
• muscle aches.

The illness may develop over a period of hours, or it may suddenly start with stomach cramps, vomiting, or diarrhea.

How is it diagnosed?

Your health care provider will review your symptoms. He or she may examine you and order lab tests to rule out more serious illnesses, such as appendicitis, and to detect complications, such as dehydration.

How is it treated?

The most important thing to do is to rest the stomach and intestines. You can do this by first eating nothing solid and drinking only clear liquids. A little later you can eat soft bland foods that are easy to digest.

If you have been vomiting a lot, it is best to have only small, frequent sips of liquids. Drinking too much at once, even an ounce or two, may cause more vomiting.

Your choice of liquids is important. If water is the only liquid you can drink without vomiting, that is okay. However, if you have been vomiting often for a long time, you must replace the minerals, sodium and potassium, that are lost when you vomit. Ask your health care provider what sport drinks or other commercial electrolyte replacement drinks could help you replace these minerals.

Other clear liquids you can drink are weak tea and apple juice. You may also drink soft drinks without caffeine (such as 7-UP) after letting them go flat (lose their carbonation). Chilling the liquids may help you keep them down. Avoid liquids that are acidic (such as orange juice) or caffeinated (such as coffee) or have a lot of carbonation. Do not drink milk until you no longer have diarrhea.

You may start eating soft bland foods when you have not vomited for several hours and are able to drink clear liquids without further upset. Soda crackers, toast, plain noodles, gelatin, eggs, applesauce, and bananas are good first choices. Avoid foods that are acidic, spicy, fatty, or fibrous (such as meats, coarse grains, vegetables). Also avoid dairy products. You may start eating these foods again in 3 days or so, when all signs of illness have passed.

Sometimes treatment includes prescription medicine to prevent nausea and vomiting or diarrhea. Nonprescription medicine is available for the treatment of diarrhea and can be very effective. If you use it, make sure you use only the dose recommended on the package. If you have chronic health problems, always check with your health care provider before you use any medicine for diarrhea.

If you have been vomiting for more than a day or have had diarrhea for over 3 days, call your health care provider. You may need to have an exam to rule out more serious problems and to check for dehydration. You may also need to have lab tests to determine whether bacteria or germs such as giardia are causing your illness.

Dehydration is a potentially serious complication of stomach flu. It can occur if your body loses too much fluid because you keep vomiting or having diarrhea. If you are severely dehydrated, you may need to be given fluids intravenously (IV). In children and older adults, dehydration can quickly become life threatening.

How long do the effects last?

Stomach flu rarely lasts longer than 1 to 3 days. However, it may be 1 to 2 weeks before your bowel habits return completely to normal.

How can I take care of myself?

• Rest your stomach and intestines by following the guidelines above, but make sure you prevent dehydration by drinking enough liquids. Drink just small amounts often during the vomiting phase of your illness.
• Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, or other NSAIDS without checking first with your health care provider.
• Call your health care provider if:

• Your symptoms are getting worse.
• You continue to have severe symptoms for more than 2 or 3 days, or you are just not getting better after a few days.
• You develop symptoms that are not usually caused by stomach flu, such as blood in your vomit, bloody diarrhea, or severe abdominal pain.

What can I do to help prevent stomach flu?

The single, most helpful way to prevent the spread of stomach flu is frequent, thorough hand washing. Also, avoid contact with the body fluids of an infected person, including saliva. Don't share food with someone who has stomach flu.

Eat more sea food

 

Eat more sea food

 

The more fish you eat, the smarter you may be according to 3 new studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers believe that the powerful omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and seafood may have a strong effect on cognitive function.

 

A study from Norway found that elderly people who eat more than 10 grams of fish per day have significantly better cognitive performance than those who eat less than 10 grams per day. In this study, people who ate about 75 grams of fish per day had the best test scores.

 

A study from The Netherlands found that older people (between the ages of 50 and 70) who had higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids experienced less decline in several cognitive measures.

 

A study from New Zealand found a link between omega-3 fatty acid consumption and better mental health. The study also found a strong link between higher blood concentrations of the omega-3 fatty acid called eicosapentaenoic acid  and good physical health.

 

These studies provide just the latest evidence of the many benefits — both mental and physical — of eating fish and omega-3 fats. It’s pretty obvious that if you want to “stay sharp” as you age — while enjoying better overall health — you should consider eating fish and/or taking a good omega-3 dietary supplement on a regular basis.

 

The children of women who eat more seafood while pregnant turn out to be smarter and have better developmental skills than kids whose mothers eat less (or no) seafood,  the findings show that women who limit their intake of fish and other seafood during pregnancy may actually be doing more harm than good to their developing babies.

 

“When you look at the net benefits of the nutrients in seafood and the net risks in seafood, it appears that the advisory inadvertently causes the harm that it was intended to prevent.”

Seafood = “Brain” Food

 

We know that omega-3 fatty acids (one of the “good” fats) and other trace nutrients found in seafood are vital to the healthy development of a baby’s brain. This study shows just how important it is for pregnant women to consume adequate amounts of these nutrients in order to have the healthiest babies possible.

It’s a shame that, due to an increasingly polluted environment, we have to worry about eating such an important (and delicious) food. Still, no matter what, if you’re pregnant you must find a way to get the vital fats and trace nutrients from seafood into your diet, either through whole foods or dietary supplements.

 

Also, you can minimize your consumption of toxins by completely avoiding the following foods:

• Shark
• Swordfish
• King mackerel
• Tilefish

Also, limit consumption of albacore tuna to 6 ounces or less per week (due to higher mercury content).

 

Maternal seafood consumption benefits children’s development

Higher maternal seafood consumption during pregnancy results in children showing better neurological function than children whose mothers eat low amounts or no seafood during pregnancy, according to an article published in this week’s issue of The Lancet.

 

Seafood is the predominant source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for optimum fetal brain development. However, in the USA, women are advised to limit their seafood intake during pregnancy to 340 g per week, to avoid fetal exposure to trace contaminants of neurotoxins.

 

Maternal seafood intake during pregnancy of less than 340 g (ie, less than three portions) per week was to found to be associated with increased risk of their children being in the lowest quartile of verbal IQ, compared with mothers who consumed more than 340 g per week. Furthermore, low maternal seafood intake was associated with increased risk of suboptimum outcomes for prosocial behaviour, fine motor, communication, and social development scores. For each outcome measure, the lower the intake of seafood during pregnancy, the higher the risk of suboptimum developmental outcome.

The authors conclude: “We recorded no evidence to lend support to the warnings of the US advisory that pregnant women should limit their seafood consumption. In contrast, we noted that children of mothers who ate small amounts (<340 g per week) of seafood were more likely to have suboptimum neurodevelopmental outcomes than children of mothers who ate more seafood than the recommended amounts.”

 

Adverse outcomes associated with insufficient intakes of long chain omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy in other studies include: intrauterine growth retardation, delayed or suboptimum depth perception, adverse neurodevelopmental measures, residual deficits in fine motor skills, speed of information processing in infants, and irreversible deficits in serotonin and dopamine release.

Bedwetting in children

Bedwetting in children

Bedwetting is common in children, and can affect adolescents too. It affects twice as many boys as girls, and can cause embarrassment and stress for children and their families. But help is available.

Causes of child bedwetting
Some experts believe that the ability to control the bladder may take longer to develop in some children. It is rare for bedwetting to be caused by a medical problem. There is often a family history of bedwetting.

How can children develop bladder control?
Bladder control isn't something we're born with - in babies the bladder automatically empties when it's full. But with time, children gradually learn to recognize when their bladder feels full and to control it. Most children are 'dry' during the day by the age of three and most are 'dry' at night by school age. However it's considered normal for children to occasionally be wet at night (and in the daytime) until they're about five.

When to seek help ?
The general advice is to get professional help when:
* bedwetting continues after the age of seven or eight, or is occurring frequently before this time and causes distress for the child or family

* a child who has been 'dry' for a while suddenly starts wetting

* the bedwetting is upsetting the child, causing anger and frustration

* the child's social life is affected by bedwetting (eg feels he/she can't accept 'sleepover' invitations or go on school camps because of the risk of bedwetting)

* the child lets you know he or she needs help with the problem.

What can be done about bed wetting?

Most children eventually stop bedwetting without treatment. But if help is needed, a health professional will first make sure there's no physical cause for the problem and then decide the most suitable approach.

 Options include:

* Bladder training programs
Supervised by a doctor, these involve teaching children good bladder habits to 'train' the bladder to hold more urine.

* Bedwetting alarms
These are usually placed in the child's bed, under the child. These infant bedwetting wireless alarms are triggered by leakage of urine and wakes the child up. A bedwetting alarm can help train a child to wake up when his or her bladder is full.

* Behavioral techniques
These involve encouraging children to stay 'dry' by rewarding their progress with praise or small treats. This doesn't guarantee dry beds but may help children stay motivated to keep trying.

* Medication
Some medications prescribed by a doctor will help prevent bedwetting. However the decision to use them needs to be carefully discussed with your doctor, as like all medications they may have side effects. Although they may prevent bedwetting, they don't help the child develop better bladder control. Once medication is stopped, bedwetting may return.

What parents can do

* Be encouraging. Praise success, ignore 'accidents'. Never use punishment for a wet bed.

* Make sure the child drinks plenty of fluid daily - but not cola drinks. These contain caffeine which can irritate the bladder. If a teenager has the problem, explain that alcohol, as well as caffeine in coffee, tea and chocolate, may make them urinate more frequently. This, in turn, means their bladder doesn't 'learn' to hold its full capacity.

* Encourage the child to take responsibility for the problem as much as possible - eg changing his or her own sheets.

* Be aware that constipation can aggravate the bladder sometimes. Plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrain cereal foods (eg. wholegrain breads and breakfast cereals), fluid and regular exercise help prevent constipation.

* Avoid putting the child on the toilet during the night - it may cut down on wet beds, but won't improve bladder control.

What Is Hemophilia?

Hemophilia (heem-o-FILL-ee-ah) is a rare, inherited bleeding disorder in which your blood doesn’t clot normally. If you have hemophilia, you may bleed for a longer time than others after an injury. You also may bleed internally, especially in your knees, ankles, and elbows. This bleeding can damage your organs or tissues and, sometimes, be fatal.

 

People born with hemophilia have little to none of a protein needed for normal blood clotting. The protein is called a clotting factor. There are several types of clotting factors, and they work together with platelets to help the blood clot. Platelets are small pieces of blood cells that are formed in the bone marrow. They play a major role in blood clotting.

 

When blood vessels are injured, clotting factors help the platelets stick together to plug cuts and breaks at the site of the injury to stop the bleeding. Without clotting factors, normal blood clotting can’t take place. Sometimes people with hemophilia need injections of a clotting factor or factors to stop bleeding.

 

There are two main types of hemophilia. If you have hemophilia A, you have little to no clotting factor VIII (8). About 9 out of 10 people with hemophilia have type A. If you have hemophilia B, you’re missing or have low levels of clotting factor IX (9).

 

 

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Hemophilia?

The major signs and symptoms of hemophilia are excessive bleeding and easy bruising.

Excessive Bleeding

The extent of bleeding depends on the type and severity of the hemophilia. Children with mild hemophilia may not have symptoms until they have excessive bleeding from a dental procedure, an accident, or surgery. Males with severe hemophilia may bleed heavily after circumcision. Bleeding can be obvious (external bleeding) or hidden within the body (internal bleeding).

Signs of excessive external bleeding include:

• Bleeding in the mouth from a cut or bite or from cutting or losing a tooth
• Nosebleeds for no obvious reason
• Heavy bleeding from a minor cut
• Bleeding from a cut that resumes after stopping for a short time

Signs of internal bleeding include blood in the urine (from bleeding in the kidneys or bladder) and blood in the stool (from bleeding in the intestines or stomach).

Bleeding in the Joints

Bleeding in the knees, elbows, or other joints is another common form of internal bleeding in people with hemophilia. This can occur without obvious injury. At first, this bleeding causes tightness in the joint with no real pain or any visible signs of bleeding. The joint then becomes swollen, hot to touch, and painful to bend.

Swelling continues as bleeding continues, and eventually movement in the joint is temporarily lost. Pain can be severe. Joint bleeding that isn’t quickly treated can permanently damage the joint.

Bleeding in the Brain

Internal bleeding in the brain is a very serious complication of hemophilia that can happen after a simple bump on the head or a more serious injury. The signs and symptoms of bleeding in the brain include:

• Long-lasting painful headaches or neck pain or stiffness
• Repeated vomiting
• Changes in behavior or being very sleepy
• Sudden weakness or clumsiness of the arms or legs or difficulty walking
• Double vision
• Convulsions or seizures

How Is Hemophilia Treated?

Treatment With Replacement Therapy

The main treatment for hemophilia is called replacement therapy—giving or replacing the clotting factor that’s too low or missing. Concentrates of clotting factor VIII (for hemophilia A) or clotting factor IX (for hemophilia B) are slowly dripped in or injected into a vein.

 

Clotting factor concentrates can be made from human blood that has been treated to prevent the spread of diseases, such as hepatitis. With the new methods of screening and treating donated blood, the risk of developing an infectious disease from clotting factors taken from human blood is now very small.

 

To further reduce that risk, you or your child can take clotting factor concentrates that don’t use human blood. These are called recombinant clotting factors. Clotting factors are easy to store, mix, and use at home—it takes only about 15 minutes to receive the factor.

 

You may have replacement therapy on a regular basis to prevent bleeding. This is called preventive or prophylactic (PRO-fih-lac-tik) therapy. Or, you may only need replacement therapy to stop bleeding when it occurs. This use of the treatment, on an as-needed basis, is called demand therapy. Therapy that’s given as needed is less intensive and less expensive than preventive therapy. However, there is a risk that bleeding will cause damage before the as-needed treatment is given.

Complications of Replacement Therapy

Complications of replacement therapy include:

• Developing antibodies, which are proteins that act against the clotting factors
• Developing viral infections from human clotting factors
• Damage to joints, muscles, or other parts of the body resulting from delays in treatment

Antibodies to the clotting factor. Antibodies destroy the clotting factor before it has a chance to work. This is a very serious problem, because it makes the main treatment for hemophilia—replacing clotting factors—no longer effective.

Antibodies to clotting factor develop in about 20 percent of people with severe hemophilia A and 1 percent of people with hemophilia B.

When antibodies develop, doctors may use larger doses of clotting factors or try different sources of the clotting factor. Sometimes, the antibodies go away. Researchers are studying ways to deal with antibodies to clotting factors.

 

Viruses from human blood factors. The viruses that cause AIDS (HIV) and hepatitis can be carried in clotting factors. However, there has been no documented case of these viruses being transmitted during replacement therapy for about a decade. Transmission of viruses has been prevented by:

• Careful screening of blood donors
• Testing of donated blood products
• Treating donated blood products with a detergent and heat to destroy viruses
• Vaccinating people with hemophilia for hepatitis A and B

Researchers continue to find ways to make blood products safer.

Home Treatment With Replacement Therapy

Both preventive and as-needed replacement therapy can be done at home. Many people learn to do the infusions at home for their child or for themselves. Home treatment has several advantages:

• You or your child can get treatment quicker when bleeding happens. Early treatment means that fewer complications are likely to occur.
• Fewer visits to the doctor or emergency room are needed.
• Home treatment costs less than treatment in a medical care setting.
• Home treatment helps children accept treatment and take responsibility for their own health.

What is Alzeimer's Disease?

What is Alzeimer's Disease?

I fear I am not in my perfect mind.
Methinks I should know you and know this man;
Yet, I am doubtful; for I am mainly ignorant
What place this is; and all the skill I have
Remembers not these garments; nor I know not
Where I did lodge last night. Do not laugh at me.
(William Shakespeare (1605) King Lear, Act IV, Scene 7)

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative and always fatal disease that attacks the brain. It gradually strips a person of mental and physical capabilities and renders them totally incapable of caring for themselves. Alzheimer's disease can affect anyone. At present, there are an estimated 400,000 Floridians and approximately 4.8 million Americans who have been given an Alzheimer's or a related dementia diagnosis.

Alzheimer's disease has a gradual onset. The memory losses are a result of the death of brain cells and connectors between these brain cells. Symptoms include difficulty with memory, confusion, interference with routine work and social activities, language usage, impaired judgment, misplacing objects, mood swings and disorientation with regard to place and time. Every Alzheimer's patient exhibits universal symptoms, yet each patient has an individual pattern. Eventually, this disease process leaves patients with a total loss of ability to care for themselves. The course of Alzheimer's can run from 2-25 years, with the average being four to eight years.

It is important to get a proper medical diagnosis, as there are many other identified forms of dementia, including: tumors, head injuries, alcoholism, vascular disease, Parkinson's, Huntington's, Pick's, Down's syndrome, AIDS, Creutzfeldt-Jacob, encephalitis, infections, syphilis, hydrocephalus, drug/medication use/abuse, depression, B-12 deficiency, hypo or hyperglycemia, anemia, thyroid disorder, blood clots in brain, and liver/kidney failure. Some of these types of dementia are irreversible and can cause multiple changes in personality while others may be reversed and/or treated with medical management. When a diagnosis of irreversible dementia has been made, then the family caregivers will have the peace of mind of knowing that everything possible has been done for the patient. The evaluation will also establish a disease base line from which to make important present and future health and legal care decisions.

The medical evaluation can include a detailed medical history, mental status test, neuro-psychological tests, brain scan (MRI or CT), physical exam, laboratory tests, neurological exam and psychiatric exam. The results will be evaluated and the family will be given the best possible summary. If the diagnosis is probable Alzheimer's, then this diagnosis will have an accuracy rate of about 90%. A definite Alzheimer's diagnosis can only be confirmed to 100% when a brain autopsy has been performed after the patient's death. This kind of information is vital to help research efforts for our future generations. For information about Memory Disorder Clinics and the Florida Brain Bank, see Clinical Evaluation and Research.

It is very rare to show signs of dementia before age 40, however the youngest person ever diagnosed with Alzheimer's was 27 years of age. Alzheimer's and Down's Syndrome are both on chromosome 21, and patients who have Down's Syndrome invariably develop Alzheimer's if they live long enough. Other dementia and disease-like symptoms can overlap with Alzheimer's, so a patient may be diagnosed with different forms of illnesses at the same time.

When a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is given, there is usually a second victim, the caregiver. The ongoing physical, emotional, legal and social costs are immeasurable. The caregiver has to be constantly concerned with ongoing and ever changing needs. The demands from these challenges can be overwhelming. Caregiver stress and burnout can be alleviated through support groups, day care and other community programs aimed at "caring for the caregiver". By taking advantage of the help available, you will be able to share similar experiences, form new networks of support and care for your own needs. For more on these topics, see The Four Stages of Caregiving, Stage Two, section 3. Join a Support Group and Stage Three, section 1. Recognize and prevent caregiver burnout.

The National Alzheimer's Association regularly releases reports on major scientific breakthroughs. These reports are compiled by the Medical and Scientific Advisory Board and provide families with accurate information. Great strides are being made in Alzheimer's research projects, and while there is currently no cure, the situation is not hopeless. Slowing the progression of the disease through medications and future breakthroughs will give us greater results for the remedy and prevention of Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association, Gulf Coast Chapter (formerly Tampa Bay Chapter) also keeps up with research. Here are their web sites:

• National Alzheimer's Association: www.alz.org

• Alzheimer's Association, Gulf Coast Chapter: www.alz-tbc.org

EFFECTS OF COLD WATER

Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about.

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
A serious note about heart attacks - You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.
A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this message sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this & Send the link to a friend. It could save a life. So, please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about.

Its never late....Forward soon...

 

VITAMIN D

VITAMIN D     Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. It can be dissolved in fat. Vitamin D is carried through the body by fat and stored in fat tissue. Getting too much can be harmful. Vitamin D can be produced in the body, as well as, obtained from the diet.   What food source is the nutrient found in? The most reliable source of vitamin D, in the US diet, is fortified milk. All milk sold in the United States is fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D is also present in: cheese butter margarine cream some soy milks eggs liver fish such as sardines and salmon cod liver oil fortified cereals Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin. This is because the body can make vitamin D after sunlight, or ultraviolet light, hits the skin. Ten to 15 minutes of sun exposure 3 times a week is all the body needs. Older people are less efficient with this conversion.   How does the nutrient affect the body? Vitamin D helps build strong and healthy bones and teeth. It does this by helping the body to absorb the minerals calcium and phosphorous and to deposit them in bones and teeth.   Information If the body does not get enough vitamin D and calcium, a person is at higher risk for bone mass loss, which is known as osteoporosis. Low levels of vitamin D also increases the risk of bone softening, known as osteomalacia, in older adults. Children who do not get enough vitamin D over a long period may develop rickets, which is defective bone growth. Fortifying milk with vitamin D has made rickets extremely rare in the US. Vitamin D is measured as micrograms (mcg) of cholecalciferol (koh-li-kal-sif-ah-rall). The Recommended Dietary Allowance, called RDA, for men and women, 25 to 50 years old, is 5 mcg per day. Children need twice as much daily vitamin D as adults, because their bones are still growing. Pregnant and lactating women also need 10 mcg per day. Another common measurement for vitamin D is International Units, known as IU. The RDA, in IUs, for vitamin D for adults is 200 IU per day; for children, it is 400 IU per day; and for pregnant and lactating women, it is 400 IU.   In 1997, the recommendations were revised for vitamin D, doubling the amount for adults over age 50, going up to 400 IU or 10 mcg daily. People over age 70 need 600 IU or 15 mcg per day.   No one should have more than 2000 IU or 50 mcg per day of Vitamin D.   Because vitamin D dissolves in fat, it can build up in the fat tissues of the body. This can pose a problem for people taking high doses of vitamin D. While it is almost impossible to get too much vitamin D from foods or sunlight, it is easy to get too much from supplements. High doses of vitamin D can be toxic and cause: kidney stones or damage weak muscles weak bones excessive bleeding

__,_._,___

Home Remedies for BED SORES

BED SORES

 

Bed sores commonly known as pressure sores, skin ulcers or decubitus are cuts, lesions or swelling caused due to prolonged pressure on any part of body and usually affect parts of the body over bony areas.

Bed sores commonly occur among handicapped, disabled, paralyzed or bed ridden patients as they are unable to change their position frequently and continuous pressure on specific parts of body lead to bed sores. Bed sores can be treated effectively if found early but can become a life threatening disease as it cuts off blood circulation to parts of the body.

Bed sores commonly occur around the buttocks, heels, lower back and the hip bone area among bed ridden individuals while spine, ankles, knees, head , shoulders are also susceptible to pressure sores depending on the fixed position of the patient. It is important to note that bedsores, if small and detected early can be treated by regular dressings while large or deep bedsores need plastic surgery techniques.

Symptoms of Bed Sores

The common symptoms associated with the occurrence of bed sores

- Signs of infection such as: moistness of skin, odor, pus formation or swelling
- Discoloration of skin
- Tearing or lesions on skin, especially over bony areas

The severity of the bed sores can be diagnosed by four stages: darkened or reddened skin does not turn white when pressed, blisters or abrasions begin to appear, skin loss extends to underlying tissue and finally the skin loss extends beyond the underlying tissue to the muscle and the bone

Causes of Bed Sores

There are some common causes of Bed Sores

Some common causes that lead to bed sores are:

- Restricted activity due to confinement to bed, chair or wheelchair
- Inability to change position by self as and when required or incase of discomfort
- Moisture causing conditions such as bladder incontinence, loss of bowel control cause moisture accumulation on the skin causing irritation to skin
- Dehydration and poor nutrition are also main causes that lead to undernourished skin conditions and consequently cause bed sores
- Bed ridden patients experience decreases levels of mental awareness on account of medications or other reasons and therefore do not react immediately to the need of changing positions or easing discomforting positions in bed or chair.

Home Remedies for Bed Sores

Suggested remedies to treat and prevent bed sores

- Avoiding continuous pressure on any one area by changing positions at least every two hours
- Use a ripple mattress or ripple bed such that circulation of blood is effected throughout the body
- Air mattresses, cushions, pillows or other forms of support can also help change positions
- Massage the body or employ possible physiotherapy to exercise parts of the body
- Eat a well balanced and nutritive meal with extra proteins to maintain healthy tissues
- Keep skin clean and dry at all times

 

Diet for Bed Sores

Healthy diat is necessary

- In general, a diet rich in vitamin C and zinc has been proven to improve wound healing
- Protein rich foods also keep tissues healthy from such disorders
- A dietician needs to assess the nutrition levels of the patients before suggesting an appropriate diet in compliance with the disability or reason behind being bed ridden

 

Suggestions for Bed Sores

It is important to assess the following considerations in avoiding or treating bed sores

- Periodically checking the risk factors that may cause bed sores
- Maintaining hygiene and ideal skin conditions
- Ensuring appropriate hydration and adequate nutrition levels
- Educating members of the family on providing acre to avoid bed sores to patients

 

Why breakfast is important ...

Why breakfast is important ...

  'Importance of having Breakfast'  ...

Breakfast can help prevent strokes, heart attack and sudden death. Advice on not to skip breakfast!
Healthy living. For those who always skip breakfast, you should stop that habit now! You've heard many times that 'Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.' Now, recent research confirms that one of the worst practices you can develop may be avoiding breakfast. Why?

 

Because the frequency of heart attack, sudden death, and stroke peaks between 6: 00a.m. and noon, with the highest incidence being between 8: 00a.m. and 10:00a.m.What mechanism within the body could account for this significant jump in sudden death in the early morning hours? We may have an Answer. Platelet, tiny elements in the blood that keep us from bleeding to Death if we get a cut, can clump together inside our arteries due to Cholesterol or plaque buildup in the artery lining. It is in the morning hours that platelets become the most activated and tend to form these internal blood clots at the greatest frequency.

However, eating even a very light breakfast prevents the morning platelet activation that is associated with heart attacks and strokes. Studies performed at Memorial University in St.Johns,  Newfoundland found that eating a light, very low-fat breakfast was critical in modifying the morning platelet activation. Subjects in the study consumed either low-fat or fat-free yogurt, orange juice, fruit, and a source of protein coming from yogurt or fat-free milk. So if you skip breakfast, it's important that you change this practice immediately in light of this research. Develop a simple plan to eat cereal, such as oatmeal or Bran Flakes, along with six ounces of grape juice or orange juice, and perhaps a piece of fruit. This simple plan will keep your platelets from sticking together, keep blood clots from forming, and perhaps head off a potential Heart Attack or stroke. So never ever skip breakfast 

Papaya

The papaya is an amazingly rich source of the proteolytic enzymes. These are the chemicals that enable the digestion of protein. Papain, which is the most important of these enzymes in the papaya, is extracted and dried as a powder for use to aid the digestion, and it is often used as a meat tenderizer, the enzyme partially breaking down the meat fibers - digesting them in fact.

 

Many experts, such as Dr Lytton-Bernard, have claimed rejuvenating properties for papaya, especially for the control of premature ageing. It may be that it works simply because a poor digestion leaves the body without the correct nutrients. Those who find it almost impossible to digest anything frequently find that papaya used regularly, either in tablet or juice form, marks the turning point in the climb back to vitality and good health.

 

As a cleanser you can take a quarter pint (150ml) of papaya juice alternated each hour for twelve hours by the same amount of cucumber or green bean juice. Papaya loses some of the enzymes as it ripens, so if you have the choice select them green. They are easy to obtain in most parts of America but are not found in British greengrocers very often. Fortunately there has been a rapid expansion in the numbers of specialist shops providing for the needs of the Indian and West Indian communities where papayas can be bought.

 

Papaya contains arginine which is known to be essential for male fertility and also carpain, an enzyme thought to be good for the heart. Fibrin also occurs and this substance is not commonly found in the plant kingdom; in man it forms part of the blood clotting process. The papaya is an excellent source of vitamin C, with 82mg per 100g (4oz), and is rich in carotene.

 

After treatment with antibiotics the use of papaya juice will quickly assist the restoration of the normal bacteria in the gut which will have been destroyed by the treatment. Papaya is good for many digestive disorders and is excellent for improving poor digestion. It has also been recommended as part of the treatment for cancer. Therapeutically it can often be combined with pineapple juice in which there is another important enzyme bromelain.

 

The skin of the papaya is a first class external treatment for skin wounds and places that do not heal quickly. The pulp from the juicer can be used for this and as a poultice.

 

Home Remedies for BACTERIAL VAGINITIS

BACTERIAL VAGINITIS

 

 

Bacterial vaginitis is a vaginal infection. It is one of the most common reasons for vaginitis during reproductive years. Bacterial vaginitis is not a STD; however it can be caused through sexual intercourse. It can also occur among lesbians through exchange of vaginal fluids.

Symptoms of Bacterial vaginitis

Some of the signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginitis are as follows.

- There could be changes in the odor and colour of the vaginal discharge.
- Itching or irritation in vagina.
- Pain while urinating.
- Light bleeding from vagina.
- Fishy odor and grayish white discharge from vagina; especially after sexual intercourse.

Causes of Bacterial vaginitis

Bacterial vaginitis Causes

The main cause of bacterial vaginitis is an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria and the Gardnerella organism. Generally in a vagina there are more Lactobacillus bacteria than bad bacteria like Gardnerella Vaginalis and Mobiluncus. When the number of bad bacteria increases in vagina, they upset the balance. and this imbalance causes bacterial vaginitis

This imbalance could be caused due to various reasons such as

-Repeated sexual intercourse in a short duration which leads to a rise in the vaginal pH and results in growth of bacteria and infectionlike symptoms.

-Moisture (for long period of time) in the vaginal area caused by restrictive and nonabsorbent synthetic clothing.

-Use of chemicals that may cause irritation.

-Use of antibiotics that disrupt the balance of the bacterial environment in the vagina.

Home Remedies for Bacterial vaginitis

Treating Naturally

- Eat or apply plain yogurt directly to the vagina. Alternatively, a tampon soaked in yogurt can be inserted.

- Garlic has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Garlic can be taken internally or can be applied directly on the vagina.

- Use calendula herb to reduce the inflammation.

- Herbs like tea tree oil, black walnut, Echinacea and goldenseal are effective in treating bacterial vaginitis.

- Use boric acid douche to acidify vaginal pH.

- Douche to reduce inflammation Add 12 tsp of calendula to boiling water, steep the mixture and cool it before use.

- Soak a tea bag in water and cool it in refrigerator and then apply it to the vagina.

Diet for Bacterial vaginitis

Healthy Diet

Eat a healthy diet comprising of fresh fruits and vegetables. Include flax seed oil and meal in your diet. Drink lots of water. Eat non vegetarian foods like meat, poultry and fish. Eat whole grains. Avoid alcohol, refined flour, processed foods, sugar, coffee and saturated fats.

Suggestion for Bacterial vaginitis

Other ways to deal with the problem

-Use well washed under garments.

- Maintain good toilet hygiene.

- Always take a warm bath.

-Avoid irritants like scented tampons.

- Use condoms during sexual intercourse.

- Always keep vaginal area clean.

- Clean your vagina area thoroughly after having sex.

- Avoid tight clothes and wear cotton panties.

- Avoid douching as it disturbs the balance of the microorganisms within the vagina.

- Be sure to clean diaphragms, cervical caps and spermicide applicators after each use.

- Take care to clean the anal area from front to back to prevent the intestinal bacteria from spreading into the vagina.

 

 

 

 

VITAMIN C

VITAMIN C

 

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. This means that it can be dissolved in water. Water-soluble vitamins are carried throughout the body in the bloodstream. They are, for the most part, not stored in the body. The body uses what it needs and the rest is passed in the urine.

 

Vitamin C is essential for the manufacturing of collagen, that are necessary for tissue repair. It is needed for metabolism of phenylalanine, tyrosine, folic acid, iron. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin needed for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body. Vitamin C is essential for the healing of wounds, and for the repair and maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.

Functions and benefits of Vitamin C

Vitamin C has a number of important functions and benefits. For example it:

·                                 It help improve male fertility

·                                 Reduce toxic effect of alcohol and drugs

·                                 Reduce symptoms of arthritis, skin ulcers, allergic reactions

·                                 It also helps produce anti-stress hormones

·                                 Help in production of red blood cells

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin C

·                                 For adults, the usual dose of Vitamin C is 60 mg.

·                                 For Pregnant women, the usual dose is 70 mg.

 

 

What food source is the nutrient found in?
The best sources of vitamin C are fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits such as:

• oranges
• orange juice
• grapefruit
• and tangerines
• melons
• kiwi
• strawberries

Vegetables such as:

• broccoli
• sweet green and red peppers
• potatoes (with skin)
• tomatoes
• brussels sprouts

Cabbage and many dark green leafy vegetables are all good sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C can be easily lost in foods when they are cooked or handled improperly.

Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables are the best choices for getting vitamin C. Canned vegetables lose vitamin C during processing. If the canning water is thrown out, even more is lost. Freezing has little effect on Vitamin C. Cooking vegetables too long at high heats, for example boiling, can destroy vitamin C.

 

Most of the vitamin C is left in the cooking water, which is usually thrown away. Cutting and slicing fruits and vegetables leaves a greater surface exposed to air and light, which will also destroy vitamin C. Raw fruits and vegetables should be eaten shortly after they were cut. They should be cooked only for a short time in a small amount of water or by steaming. Aging and leaving fruits and vegetables at room temperature too long can also destroy vitamin C.

 

How does the nutrient affect the body?
Vitamin C is important to many body functions. It helps the body:

• build and maintain collagen, which are fibers that make up the tissue between tendons, ligaments, bones, and cartilage.
• maintain healthy bones, teeth, gums, red blood cells, and blood vessels.
• heal wounds, bruises, and fractures.
• absorb iron from plant food sources.
• protect from infection by keeping the immune system healthy.
• reduce some of the risk of certain chronic diseases by acting as an antioxidant.

Antioxidants help the body fight the effects of free radicals, which can damage the body.

 

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin C

·                                 Beneath the skin

·                                 Swollen or painful joints

·                                 Nosebleeds

·                                 Splitting hair

·                                 Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)

·                                 Bleeding gums

·                                 Depression

·                                 Easy bruising

·                                 Impaired wound healing

·                                 Tiredness

 

 

Information
Vitamin C has a long history. It was used as a cure for scurvy. Scurvy is a disease that causes open sores in the mouth, loosening of teeth, and soft gums. In the 1700s, it was discovered that sailors who often consumed lime juice did not get scurvy. Sailors who did not consume lime juice had a 50 percent chance of dying from scurvy. It was not until 200 years later that vitamin C was found to prevent the disease.

 

Severe deficiency, going for a very long time without vitamin C, can lead to scurvy.

Severe deficiency and scurvy are rare in the United States. Poor vitamin C intake is more common. Alcohol intake, stress, smoking, poor intake of fruits and vegetables, and chronic illness can contribute to vitamin C deficiency. Signs of deficiency include:

• inflamed gums.
• slow wound healing.
• stomach disorders.
• reduced resistance to colds and infections.
• skin problems.

Large doses of vitamin C can cause stomach upset, diarrhea, or kidney stones. The upper levels for vitamin C is 2,000 milligrams (mg) per day for adults. People should not routinely go above the set upper levels for vitamins and minerals. An upper level is not the recommended amount to take. It is the maximum amount of a vitamin or mineral that is likely to cause no health risks. Some scientists think not enough is known about mega dosing, or taking extremely high doses of vitamins, to claim that it has health benefits. There is debate if mega doses of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, can help decrease the risk for chronic diseases. Much of the current information is conflicting, therefore, more research is needed.

 

The recommended dietary allowances, or RDAs, for vitamin C were recently increased. Levels were increased to provide maximum health benefits. Levels were raised from 60 mg daily to 75 mg per day for women and 90 mg per day for men. Smokers are advised to take an extra 35 mg daily. This is because smoking depletes the body of some vitamin C. Pregnant and nursing women need slightly more, too. Many people do not get enough vitamin C. Thirty-nine percent of men and 43 percent of women fall short of the recommended amount.

 

Because vitamin C cannot be stored in the body; it is important to eat foods high in vitamin C. Eating a well-balanced diet, including at least five servings of fruit and vegetables every day, should provide all the body needs.

 

 

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
Never use any home remedy or other self treatment without being advised to do so by a physician.

Home Remedies for RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA (RP)

RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA (RP)

(a person loses eyesight with age.)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinitis_pigmentosa

 

Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of inherited diseases that affects approximately one of every 3,700 people. The retina is the innermost layer that lines the eyeball. It contains photoreceptor cells that are directly connected to the brain by the optic nerve. Retinitis Pigmentosa causes these photoreceptor cells to degenerate over time. The first symptom usually is loss of night vision, beginning in adolescence or young adulthood. This is followed by loss of peripheral vision and, ultimately, blindness, which sets in anywhere between the ages of thirty and eighty. 

 

Retinitis pigmentosa causes the degeneration of photoreceptor cells in the retina. There are types of photoreceptor cells: rod cells and cone cells. The rate of decline varies depending on the genetic makeup of the disorder and also varies somewhat in individuals. A light is shone in the eye and the electroretinogram records electrical changes in the retina. They can occur in very young children causing a lifetime of blindness or rob the elderly of their precious independence. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a rare, inherited disease in which the light-sensitive retina of the eye slowly and progressively degenerates. The rods are located in the periphery of the retina and are responsible for peripheral and night vision. 

 

RP causes the thin layer of tissue in the back of the eye, which is called the retina, to deteriorate. Photoreceptor cells capture and process light helping us to see. As these cells degenerate and die, patients experience progressive vision loss. In the progression of symptoms for RP, night blindness generally precedes tunnel vision by years or even decades. These regions of the retina reflect the cell apoptosis by having decreased nuclei in the outer nuclear layer. An exam of the retina is done using an indirect ophthalmoscope, an instrument that enables the doctor to examine the different parts of the eye through a dilated pupil. An exam of the retina is done using an indirect ophthalmoscope, an instrument that enables the doctor to examine the different parts of the eye through a dilated pupil. RP is a group of inherited disorders in which abnormalities of the photoreceptors ( rods and cones ) or the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of the retina lead to progressive visual loss. Histopathologic changes in RP have been well documented, and, more recently, specific histologic changes associated with certain gene mutations are being reported.

Causes of Retinitis Pigmentosa

There are various factors which give rise to the disease Retinitis Pigmentosa. RP may be caused by a breakdown in the function of the rods or the cones in some part of the retina. The retina is so complex that breakdowns may occur in a variety of ways and so RP is not a single disorder but a great number of disorders. The breakdown of cone function may be called Macular Degeneration. There are other disorders similar to RP like Gyrate Atrophy, Choroideremia etc. The common feature is the degeneration of the retina for one reason or another.

Symptoms of Retinitis Pigmentosa

Some of the common sign and symptoms of the diseaseRetinitis Pigmentosa are as follows:

• Vision decreased at night or in reduced lightl.
• Loss of peripheral vision.
• Loss of central vision.

 

What can I do?

 

Remedies for Retinitis pigmentosa #1: Coenzyme Q10 60 mg. daily. A powerful antioxidant that can improve retinitis pigmentosa symptoms.

 

Remedies for Retinitis pigmentosa #2: Vitamin A 15,000 IU daily. This is essential for all eye disorders plus carotenoid coplez with lutein and zeaxanthin.

 

Remedies for Retinitis pigmentosa #3: Search for the most prestigious Eye care professional who specializes in retinitis pigmentosa, very important to get an accurate diagnosis. You will want to see a specialist that has the latest equipment and technology.

 

TIP: High doses of vitamin A may be able to slow the loss of remaining eyesight by about 20 percent per year in some cases, according to a study led by Eliot Berson, M.D., professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. At the same time, the study found that high doses of vitamin E (400 IU a day or more) can be detrimental to people with retinitis pigmentosa.

 

Remedies for Retinitis pigmentosa #4: Retinal cell transplantation and gene therapy are still in the preliminary stages of research, but both may prove to be effective in treating retinitis pigmentosa. Photoreceptor cells have been successfully transplanted into retinas of animals. The foundation fighting blindness reports that it remains to be seen whether or not this procedure would be effective with retinitis pigmentosa-type disorders. Meanwhile, researchers have identified many of the mutated genes that contribute to retinitis pigmentosa. It may become possible in the near future to use gene therapy (replace defective genes with normal ones) to treat this disorder.

Treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa

Find effective treatment methods of treating Retinitis Pigmentosa :

• These photoreceptors developed and made the necessary neural connections to the animal's retinal nerve cells, a key step in the restoration of sight .
• Controversial studies have suggested that treatment with antioxidant agents may delay the disease from getting worse.
• There is no standard treatment for retinitis pigmentosa.
• A blood test must be taken to ascertain liver function and Vitamin A levels in the blood BEFORE taking this treatment.

 

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Important Health Tips!

Evening at 9 - 11pm: is the time for eliminating
unnecessary/toxic chemicals (detoxification) from the
antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration
should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If
during this time a housewife is still in an unrelaxed
state such as washing the dishes or monitoring
children doing their homework, this will have a
negative impact on health.
Evening at 11pm - 1am: is the detoxification process
in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep
sleep state.

Early morning 1 - 3am: detoxification process in the
gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 3 - 5am: detoxification in the lungs.
Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for
cough sufferers during this time. Since the
detoxification process had reached the respiratory
tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as
not to interfere with toxin removal process.

Morning 5 - 7am: detoxification in the colon, you
should empty your bowel.

Morning 7 - 9am: absorption of nutrients in the small
intestine, you should be having breakfast at this
time. Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30am, for
those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30am is very
beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who
always skip breakfast, they should change their
habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late
until 9 - 10am rather than no meal at all.

Sleeping so late and waking up too late will
disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals.
Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 am is the time when
the bone marrow produces blood. Therefore, have a good
sleep and don't sleep late.
TAKE CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

Live Life Without Limits!

AND PASS THIS EMAIL TO WHOM YOU CARE

The top five cancer-causing foods are:

1. Hot dogs
Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer
Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more
than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live without
hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate.

2. Processed meats and bacon
Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot
dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk
of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also
contributes to cancer.


3. Doughnuts
Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First,
they are made with white flour, sugar, and
hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures.
Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can
possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.


4. French fries
Like doughnuts, French fries are made with
hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures.
They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which
occur during the frying process. They should be called
cancer fries, not French fries, said Adams .

5. Chips, crackers, and cookies
All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even
the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats
generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.


BRAIN DAMAGING HABITS

1. No Breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a
lower blood sugar level.
This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to
the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to
a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to
Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of
proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may
interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body.
Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen
to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain
efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation
from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.
7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered increases the
concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease
concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain
damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a
decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as
damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking
in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain
shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency
of the brain

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The main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main
cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food
coloring, and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as
possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which
includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do
not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if
the body is very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the
burden of liver.
Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried
veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not
store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending
more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and
eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time
condition are very important for our bodies to absorb
and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to
"schedule."

DO TAKE CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH..................
AND PASS THIS TO ALL WHOM YOU LOVE & CARE FOR......................

SAFETY FIRST!!!

 

Beat the heat

Summer's back. So, it's a good time to bring out the lemonade, and tie up with the local nariyalwala for your regular supply of coconuts. Applying for swimming pool memberships might not be a bad idea either. The most difficult problem is dealing with the heat indoors. One cannot keep the air-conditioning switched on for the entire day.

 Cross Ventilation

Ceiling fans are a good option as they are available in all sizes and are easy to install. The fans would be ineffective without proper cross ventilation in the house. Opposite windows should be opened to improve cross ventilation. If there is an adjoining bathroom to the room, the door and bathroom window can be left open to improve cross ventilation. Another option can be of fixing mosquito nets on the windows which will allow one to keep the window open during the nights too.

 Water Bodies

Placing water bodies in the form of fish tanks or aquatic plants around the house can also produce a much desired cooling effect. Common feng-shui plants like the bamboo palm require to be partially submerged in water. Floating candles placed in a bowl of water can be a great centre piece for a coffee or dining table.

 Screens and Awnings

Since the Vedic era, khus-khus (poppy seeds) has been used for cooling spaces. Khus-Khus soaked overnight and tied tightly in a muslin cloth, hung near the window cools the air entering the space. It also gives the air a pleasant fragrance. A slightly un-aesthetic method is drying wet clothes outside the window to cool the air entering in.

 One can also construct awnings or chajjas over one's windows to block direct sunlight entering the room. Air conditioners with awnings or shaded by trees work more efficiently. An alternative to constructing an awning is Venetian Blinds. They are available in every possible material ranging from wood to various metal finishes and can be incorporated into any interior decoration style.

 Keep the kitchen cool

Due to the constant burning of the stove in the kitchen, it can be the hottest space in a house. On hot days one can try using alternative cooking appliances like the microwave or grills. One can also experiment with cold buffet cuisines like salads, dips, breads, pickles and relishes. The air circulation in the kitchen can be improved by installing an exhaust fan.

 Plants

Agar aap paachvi pass se tez hai, then you will remember the process of 'transpiration' taught in school, where plants release water vapour throughout the day. Common house plants placed around the room can cool the space considerably. Results from NASA laboratories have shown that the following ten house plants produce the best cooling effect:

 1) Areca Palm

2) Lady Palm

3) Bamboo Palm

4) Rubber Plant

5) Jade or Money Plant

6) English ivy

7) Dwarf Date Palm

8) Ficus Alli

9) Boston Fern

10) Peace Lilly

 All the above plants are available in local nurseries. Ensure that there are not too many plants in a room as it may lead to growth of mould on walls due to the high water vapour and increase in the humidity levels in the room..

 

NEEM (Margosa)

NEEM  (Azad Dirakht (Persian), DogonYaro (Nigerian), Margosa, Neeb (Arabic), Nimtree, Nimba (Sanskrit), Vepu, Vempu, Vepa (Telugu), Bevu in Kannada, Veppam in (Tamil),arya veppu in malayalam and Indian-lilac.)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem

 

 

Neem Uses and Benefits

 

Neem needs no introduction in today's world. A very famous herb of India with worldwide fame and having magical properties known for its miraculous medicinal values from past 5000 years. Neem is known as free tree of India as it is found almost everywhere in India. It is considered as a magic tree, which has properties that not only relieves but also cures from illness. Neem tree is commonly known as margosa tree in English language and Azadirachta indica in biological terms. It is part of every Indian home due to its great application and hence is considered as a place of worship.

Margosa tree attains a maximum height of 40 to 50 fts. It is an evergreen tree whose branches spread all over. It is a very densely crowned tree, which may reach to a diameter of 30 to 40 fts. The trunk is relatively straight. Bark is thick and rough with whitish to reddish brown in appearance. A fluid called neera excrudes out of the bark. Leaves are pinnate 12 to 15 inch long with about 20 to 31 green colored leaflets, which are about 3 to 5 cm in length. Flowers are small and white in colour that blossom in spring i.e. February to march. Fruits are oval in appearance green in colour, when in raw form and turns pale yel