Women's health: 3 significant things, women should know

There are things in every women's life that we just took for granted, not knowing the risk that are waiting for us. To all the ladies please read and it might be a big help to you.

• Tight and thin bra straps cause headaches. According to doctors at the University of Texas in Dallas, a tight strap that digs into your shoulder can put hard pressure on the cervical nerve that is from your back to your shoulder. The result can be frequent headaches, neck pain or numbness. Now it can cause pain that radiates all the way from your shoulders to your hands. So if i were you, let your bra size properly measured. Throw away bras with skinny straps that dig in to your skin.

• Killer heals is bad for your health. If high heels are worn too often, It can cause painful bunions, calluses and corns- and it's not just the feet that suffer. High heels can affect your posture, putting stress on the spine, resulting in back problems. Long periods of wearing high heels can shorten calf muscles. This may lead you to back, hip and knee difficulties.

• It's essential for women to drink safely. " Women's bodies contain less water and more body fat, Which means alcohol reaches the liver more quickly and in higher concentrations than in men. We not only get drunk more quickly, but are also vulnerable in long-term damage to our heart, liver, pancreas and nervous system" explains Dr. Sarah Jarvis. "Hormones play a role too Women become even more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol around their period" she adds.Drink safely no more than two to three units a day(one unit equals to ten milliliters), no more than 14 units a week, with a few alcohol-free days. And be sure to have food when drinking. "Everyone underestimates how much they drink, so be totally honest- or your just fooling yourself," says Dr. Jarvis" More than six units in one sitting counts as binge drinking, which in the short term doubles your risk of strokes.
  

We thought the simple things in our life doesn't really matter, well it does now.

Diabetes and getting pregnant

Image via Wikipedia It is important for pregnant women with diabetes to monitor their weight.
I just got a message from a diabetic friend that she's pregnant, so i did my research and send her this:

You should monitor your weight and food intake.

Drastic increase in weight approximately 6.5 pounds per month contributes to insulin resistance' while weight gain of only half a pound per week (or less than 2 pounds per month ) is a sign that you and your baby are not receiving sufficient nourishment.

you should receive a total of40% to 50% of your daily caloric count from carbohydrates make sure these are spread throughout the day. Low carb intake may result in hypoglycemia, while too much carb intake will elevate your blood sugar levels. Time and plan your day's first and last meals no more than 10 hours apart to avoid low blood sugar.

Choose food rich in complex carbs such as high-fiber breads, oatmeal, whole wheat and brown rice. Avoid refined sugars and sweets as well as instant noodles and processed breakfast cereals.

Protein should compromise 20% to 25% of your daily diet, limiting fat too only 30% (monounsaturated and Omega-3) Limit your sodium intake to less than 1/10 tsp per meal.
Evey pregnant women should watch what they eat, because they are eating for two. But Diabetic women should be more concern about their weight and food consumption.

3 weight-loss tips to shed off lbs. easily.

Here are some tips that are very easy to follow. It may help you lose weight without too much pain.

1. Fresh air may lead you to work out more.
People who walked, hiked or biked on trails at least once a week were twice as likely to get 30 minutes of exercise almost every day as those who didn't head outdoors, say researchers from the University of Utah. So try to skip the gym every once in a while and get outside

2. Eating more calcium-rich food may help in the battle of the bulge.
Recent studies have suggested. A study of overweight people by Danish scientists hints at why dairy might help dieters: It seems to reduce fat absorption. After study participants ate meals that contained either a high or medium amount of low- fat yogurt and milk, their blood-fat levels were 15 to 19 percent lower than those of a group that ate only a small amount of dairy. Interestingly, this was true even when participants who were given the low dairy meals also took a calcium supplement. Good thing i love cheese.

3. Look for a quiet spot - People who sit in the more distracting parts of restaurants ( by a window or in front of a TV) eat considerably more, says Brian Wansick, Ph.d. Author of Mindless eating: why we eat more than we think. Commotion makes it eay to lose track of how much you're putting in your mouth. If you're making a reservation, request a quiet table. If you walk in and offered a table in a busier spot, ask for one away from the action -Jessica costole
So the next time you thought of eating in front of a TV, think again. You might have eaten more than what you think. It does affect your waistline.

Working out and paying attention to your diet can lead you to lose weight, but these tips may help you too lose some more even if your out of the gym and just taking your break. Have a nice weekend!

Are "natural" weight-loss aids safe?

Image via Wikipedia You've heard and seen their benefits extolled on infomercials- from "lose 30 pounds in 30 days" promises to miraculous before-and-after photos and they're sold everywhere, from your local drug store to the internet.

But just because these dietary weight-loss supplements claim to be made with herbs and other naturally-occurring ingredients doesn't mean you can take them without worry, "Dietary-supplement companies aren't required to show clinical data on their efficacy and safety to the FDA., which means we have no idea whether they work or if they're saf", says Michael Steelman. M.D. and Obesity specialist in Oklahoma City.

Take bitter orange extract, a substance that has replaced ephedra as an ingredient in many weight loss supplements( ephedra was banned 2004 after causing more than 16,000 adverse events, including several cases of stroke and death. What's more, bitter orange doesn't appear to help people lose weight, according to research review. And while there maybe some truth to the weight loss promises of hoodia, a cactus-like plant said to be used by African bushmen to stave off hunger, a lot of the products that claim to be made with hoodia don't actually contain much or any at all, says Lona Sandon R.D. a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Hoodia's a protected plant, and many experts suspect that companies replaces some or all of it with another species of the same plant. Whether hoodia itself is harmless is still unclear. There are two supplements that may have some safe body fat -and weight-loss potential:
green tea extract and conjugated linolec acid (CLA) Green tea contains ECGC , an antioxidant that may help boost metabolism, according to some studies. CLA, found naturally in dairy, was shown to reduce body fat in one small study, though participants' weights stayed the same. But the amounts found in EGCG and CLA supplements vary and some may not be effective says George Blackburn, M.D., an Obesity specialist at Harvard Medical school. Instead He suggests getting these compounds through food, whether by including green tea at breakfast or by adding an extra glass of skim milk to your daily diet.

Now you can ask yourself are "natural" weight-loss aids safe? think again.

6 Beauty habits that may harm you.

Everybody likes to be beautiful and clean.But when is too much? too much? Here's the real deal on common beauty rituals that could actually do you more harm than good:

1. Excessive hair washing - Washing our hair everyday may make you feel clean. In reality, though, It strips your hair and scalp their natural moisturizing oils. leaving you with damaged brittle hair. Prevent this by shampooing your hair every other day for a healthier, silkier mane. Apply conditioner after rinsing. Use those that contain little or no alcohol at all. Or massage your scalp with drops of jojoba oil.

2.Wearing tight clothes - Clothing such as skinny jeans and tight Capri pants constantly rub skin, making your intimate area sensitive. Prevent this by making a schedule on the clothes you wear. as much as possible try not to wear tight clothes everyday.

3. Lipstick touch ups - This is not about if your lipstick has reported to contain lead. This is about too much touch ups. Lipstick should be used sparingly, as they cause our lips to dry. most especially the matte variety, which, although it stay's longer on you , takes the moisture out of your kissable lips.

4. Very long baths- It is always relaxing to have a long bath to cap a stressful day. This however, is actually not good for our skin since excessive washing causes the loss of natural oil in the outer layers of our skin making it dry. Prevent this by dabbing your skin after very shower. yes, dab and not rub. Apply a light moisturizer after

5. Not taking off your shoes - Oh yes, no matter how we love our shoes. It hurt our feet. It changes the way we walk. Prevent this by simply using flip flops or sleepers at home. And a nice foot spa won't hurt.

I'm sometimes guilty with these things. Anything too much is always harmful. Even in beauty habits.

Hepatitis B. Preventions and treatment

Hepatitis b is really contagious, especially if your children has no anti-hepa b vaccine. For adults, you can easily get Hepa b through sexual intercourse with an affected person.

If you think that you don't have any symptoms of hepa b, try to have a blood check. Try to undergo a hepatitis profile and if you are negative with HbsAg, Then you still have a chance to have have a shot of anti-hepa b vaccine.(3 shots)

Now if one of your family has hepa b and you want to prevent yourself and the rest of your family from getting it, then you have to follow these:

try to separate spoons, forks, drinking glass and plates of the affected person from the rest of your dinner stuffs. Because the virus is just in the body fluids of the affected person. It can be in the saliva, tears, blood, semen, and sweat of the a hepa b positive person. But if the patient recovers from it. everything goes back to normal.

Now, there is no cure for hepa b or let me say there is no medicine that is meant to cure it. because it is caused by a virus and not a bacteria or fungus. Just like chicken pox. The medicine that is generally given are just vitamins (jetefar, essentiale) for liver. that's why It is usually symptomatic way to help the affected person. For example, if the patient has a headache, They would give him analgesic or if the patient has fever he will be given paracetamol.

In addition in preventing this virus.You should try to avoid eating too much fatty food, too much alcohol intake, because it is not helping the liver at all. Because vaccine can't do anything to an affected person. So better have your children take those anti-hepa shots. It is very important

IUD and not getting pregnant

This is a common
IUD. image via Wikipedia IUD (Intrauterine device) is such a small thing that is carefully placed inside a woman's uterus. This will prevent her from getting pregnant with an accuracy of 99 % as a contraceptive device which is not bad.This affects the movement of the sperms and the eggs from the ovary so that it will prevent fertilization. I just came from a family planning seminar with my friends as they carefully introduce/explain different methods, I've noticed that there were so many questions arose about IUD, So I've decided to share it.

This procedure is usually done when a woman is having her menstrual period, because Doctors have to be sure that the woman is not pregnant the day that they will insert this device.

This can actually stay and lasts inside the uterus for 10 years, of course it depends on what kind of IUD they will apply. IUD is not for everybody. The following are this list of women who can't undergo this method:

• Woman with pelvic or cervical infections
• pregnant women
  
• unexplained vaginal bleeding
• HIV positive
• and has a history of ectopic pregnancy

This procedure maybe sensitive to other women, but for those women who are not positive of the list above. This is safe and effective. Now if the IUD has exceeded the time frame. They need to visit their doctor and ask for removal. It has no bad effects, If it is still in the right place. Or you can still reach the thread that is inside the vagina/ thread position. But if you can't reach it anymore, then it maybe dislocated so better have it checked.

How to raise smart kids? ....Right healthy food

Image via Wikipedia It's the food. Most parents( like us) knows that good nutrition provide good energy and health in our little ones but do we really know which food makes our babies smart?
The most rapid brain growth occurs during the first year of life, With the infant's brain tripling in size by the first birthday. At this time, the brain uses 60% of total energy.

That's why getting enough (and the right kinds) of fat greatly affects brain developments and performance. It should compromise half of baby's daily diet( as mother nature knows so well- 50% of breast milk is fat) So for all mom to be, never think twice of breast feeding you babies on the way.

Different species provide different fat in their milk, fine tuned to the needs of that particular animal. For example mother cows provide milk high in saturated fats and low in brain building fats, such as DHA. This helps their calves grow rapidly, though it may not be much for the brains. In adult cows, the brain is small compared to the body. Cows don't have to do a lot of thinking to survive. In human infants, the brain grows faster than the body. Human milk is low in body-building saturated fats and rich in brain-building fats, such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega 3 fatty acid. Now you have one significant reason why you should breastfeed.


Now here's just some of the list of food that you may want to add in your babies daily diet. This will help their brain development while making them smarter compare to other babies.

• Avocado
• Green beans and peas
• Squash, potatoes, carrots
• Sweet potato
  

Alzheimer's Disease: Prevent it before it's too late.

Image via Wikipedia Based on research studies, The best way to prevent Alzheimer' disease is to actually prevent it from having. So if you think sooner or later you or one of your family might have it after few years, Then it's better to do something right now. Don't wait before you get diagnosed or something. So here's a list that may help you see the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

The very first symptoms of Alzheimer's is memory lapses- Have you ever felt that you're always looking for somethings that you know has always been there in your table. or a birthday, or something important in your list but yet you still forget?

Confused on different time and places, Have you ever felt that you were driving and you are confused which way to go, but you know that you've been passing that street for years. Or have you ever forgotten the exact time of your meeting? was it 2:00 pm or 3:00 pm? then you arrived at 3:00pm , you've found out that you were an hour late!

Having a lot of mood swings and changes in your personality? Are your relatives suddenly switches their moods and sometimes without any valid reason?

These symptoms shouldn't be taken for granted. If you ever felt you are having these signs you should see a Geriatrician to get an evaluation. but before you even have this disease you should prevent it, Here's something that will help you:

Studies shows that right amount of folic acid in your daily diet can actually prevent Alzheimer's disease. Folic Acid protects the brain from DNA damage that leads to Alzheimer's Disease.
Experts recommends daily consumption of 400 mcg of folic acid. Or just a daily consumption of folic acid-rich foods such as Bread, pastas, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and dry beans.

Always remember prevention is always better than cure!

10 healthy foods on the planet. Yes, it's in your kitchen!

Image via Wikipedia
Most of us know which food are healthy and which food are not, but sometimes we tend to forget the real nutritious food. so here's a list of top ten most nutritious food:


1.Green vegetables- Vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, cauliflower and other green leafy vegetables are very significant in maintaining a healthy body. It is rich in vitamins and minerals. In my opinion if you love veggies or let me say you eat veggies daily, you don't need to take too much of vitamins. Not just being practical but you save money right? It is also good in prevention of different diseases such as heart problems, diabetes, stomach problems, colon cancer and other cancers.

2. Fatty fish - Oily fish such as salmon, mackarel and sardines has omega-3. Omega-3 takes care of our heart. It prevents stroke and lowers bad cholesterol in our body.

3. Tomatoes- tomatoes are rich in lycopene an anti-oxidant. It maintains healthy cells. You can also try Ketchup and tomato juice. Tomatoes are well known to prevent cancer.

4. Citrus fruits - Oranges, lemons, calamansi and other citrus fruits are all high in Vitamin C. That helps to prevents Colds, Asthma and arthritis.

5. Carrots - Carrots are good source of Vitamin A promotes better eyesight. A,d for those who are trying to lose weight, try half cup of carrots it only has 35 calories. Sol let's teach our children to eat carrots.

6. Bananas - This is the most nutritious fruit for me. It can help cure ulcer and other stomach problems. If you are suffering from diarrhea bananas can help. It can calm stomach cramps because it is high in potassium. If you sweat a lot and needs energy. Try to eat bananas.Many athletes consume bananas in the middle o a game or before a game. It provides energy and alertness.

7. Milk, Cheese and Yogurt- Dairy products are products that we can call "complete foods" Milk has proteins, carbohydrates, fats and calcium for women. but for those who are on a diet. try low-fat milk.

8. Garlic- garlic lowers cholesterol, but just be careful with your consumption too much garlic can give you upset stomach.

9. Apple- an apple a day keeps the doctor away. It has vitamin c and pectin that flushes out toxins in our body.


10. Water- it may not be food but it is still part of our daily diet. It can prevent UTI, stomach acids and promotes healthier skin.

These are just 10 of the most nutritious but there's a lot more. Just keep in mind that This list is just a reminder that you don't need to buy very expensive supplements to be health. We just need dicipline and proper diet. So check your daily meal and be sure to include these foods to your list. Happy eating!

Breast Cancer: Have you checked yourself lately?

The gene transformation in breast cancer can be passed trough the next generations of females in the family, especially if the family has only few females.
Based on the statistics,thousand and thousands of young women are added on this list of women diagnosed with breast cancer, that aren't given enough attention like proper genetic testing. Because most of these women didn't undergo any tests. Most of these women believe that It's not important, they thought that they won't get it because no one in their family has it.

Now the problem is Genetic testing, It is done while women already have breast cancer . So if a woman thinks that she is in a low risk of having this cancer, then she might be in trouble. Some people won't even tests themselves even if they're feeling something.Because they believe that it didn't run in the family which is absolutely wrong. Taking things like these for granted is a no no, My manager's sister is a living proof to this. They have no family history of this cancer. And they're all healthy but just last year she lost her other breast. would you wait for that moment to happen to you too?

You can consider other things to prevent this cancer from coming back, like taking estrogen-suppressing medicines like tamoxifen. Now it is still important to have genetic counseling if you have breast cancer right before you reach the age of 50. OR just simply visit your doctor if you have doubts. Never take this kind of things for granted.

How to cure sore throat without any medications.

Sore throat, something that shouldn't be taken for granted. Not many people pay attention when it comes to an ordinary sore throat, Most people would choose to just buy an over the counter medicine. They would buy something they've heard or seen on TV or something that they've been using for years, believing that it would give them relief, I have nothing against medications for most of them are effective. although i just want to share some things that can actually help soothe and cure sore throat without taking any medications. It's cheap and whats important is, it is very effective.

a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or calamansi and one teaspoon of honey. Add all the ingredients in a hot water but better to let it cool a bit before taking it. This honey tea will give an instant relief to a painful sore throat.

If you feel the itchiness and burning sensation, then you can try the licorice tea, you can easily get a licorice tea in any supermarket this is effective in an instant relief in sore throat. Just don't drink too much, it may cause high blood pressure so, just sip for an instant relief and thats it.

Try not to speak as much as possible, relax your throat.
Just imagine yourself working 24 hours and with no sleep. You became unproductive and useless as well. It's the same with our throat. If you continue to talk you only hurting yourself more.

These maybe very simple tips, but these are very effective. So the next time you have a sore throat try to follow these first, but if symptoms persist consult your doctor

Anti-aging, prevent wrinkles and look younger

As we age, Our skin changes and wrinkles are on their way. We all know that most of us doesn't want to have one. but soon we're going to have one or two or even more. But there are ways on how we can maintain a healthier younger looking skin before it even starts.

1. Veggies are good- eat your vegetables. based on research studies, people who add vegetables,beans, olive oil,nuts and multi grain breads in their everyday meal or diet. Has prevented wrinkles up to 20%. Compared to people who enjoys meat, butter and sweets

2. Stretch- In recent studies, people who practice yoga for 10 days reduces cell damage which is good for our skin. Trying to reduce stress by a simple stretch can actually lower stress hormone cortisol that produces wrinkles.

3. Increase Vitamin E consumption- This vitamin is known to fight free radicals that damaged our skin due to aging. Vitamin goes well with Vitamin c to prevent the formation of wrinkles
Although, you have to consult a doctor before taking any other supplements and the right amounts of vitamins.

4. Vitamin c enriched creams - Creams that has vitamins c can actually strengthens collagen cells, these cells prevents wrinkles and sagging of our skin due to free radicals from UV rays. And as we age the elasticity of our skin decreases so learn to moisturize.

5. Get enough sleep- Get enough sleep as much as possible. And try to avoid sleeping face down on a pillow. when you have enough sleep you prevent wrinkles and you avoid situation like this:

5 Risk factors of Prostate cancer

What exactly is prostate cancer? Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among American men. It is a tumor which is cancerous that grows slowly and the tumor is consist of cells from the prostate gland and it usually stays in that gland for many years and slowly grows.There is no specific causes of Prostate cancer, but based on studies This type of cancer is not contagious. But there are risk factors or chances of having this kind of cancer, these are the following:


1. Age - This is the primary risk factor of all. As a man gets older his chances of having this cancer is high. In US alone, Man who has prostate cancer are males who's around 65 years and above. You seldom see it on men age 45 below.

2. Race- The most common people to have this cancer are Hispanics and African-American compared to Indian/white-American and Asians.

3. Diet- Studies show that there is a higher risk of those men whose diet are more on animal fats and meat compared to men who are on a vegetable and fruit diet.

4. Family history- There is a greater risk if one of your relative already has prostate cancer such as father or brother. Genetics or heredity is something that you can't avoid

5. Environment - Environment toxins, such as chemicals and industrial products, Men who is working in a polluted environment has greater chance of having this disease.

If you know that you have a high risk in having prostate cancer, or your high on risk factors, you have to consult your doctor immediately. But if someone have a family history of having this type of cancer, Well, of course they have

Natural antidepressant

Happiness of a person is something that you can't easily buy. but you can easily get it out of simple and ordinary things. And you don't need to force, use any therapy,medication and or exercises just to change the mood of somebody.

Based on research studies, There are certain foods that can switch those angry heads and cool it down. They showed the best mood-boosting ways from different foods are the following:

1. Popcorn for happiness hormone - Carbohydrates that can be found in popcorn can enhance the production of seratonin, Its a neurotransmitter that prevents that angry mood, depression, insomnia, food cravings and sensitivity to illness. Carbohydrates from popcorn is complex that boosts the mood of people to be happy and alert. again, Popcorn is okay when you don't eat too much of it.

2. Walnuts is twice more effective than antidepressants- Consumption of walnuts is good beacuse it has mood-lifting magic. It is a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and natural compounds called uridine. Both of these act as antidepressant-like effects that are proven effective.

3. Chocolates for stress and depression- Chocolates contains 300 natural health-boosting compounds, like stimulants that boosts happiness and alertness. Those concentration are usually found in dark chocolates, That's why it's better to choose chocolates whenever you feel depressed. Just be careful not to eat to much or it will hello to your belly. And you don't want to end up like this:

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Long life: 3 easy ways to achieve it.

The human life span is decreasing day by day compared before, where people can still live up to 100 years. This is alarming to each one of us. Every individual should do their part to at least help himself to increase his life by simply taking care of their health, and be more conscious of what they eat. Some of the effective ways that can helps us or our loved ones are the following:


1. Reduce stress in our body- Based on research studies that chronic stress can reduce telomeres, it is the tips of the chromosomes that controls the ability of the cells to regenerate and repair damaged tissues. People who can control their daily stress are actually reducing the danger that can possibly brought by these hormones. It decreases blood pressure and maintain a healthy immune system. Yoga or meditation can be very effective to fight stress. a 5-minute mediation can actually make a difference. Try to calm yourself every time you encounter a stressful situation or ask a friend to do it if you can easily get upset or annoyed. another good way is a long walk in a peaceful place like parks or beach the sound of the sea is soothing and it relaxes our body.

2. Increase Nitric oxide - It is a natural short lived gas that are found in the blood vessel lining of a person. Nitric oxide are said to lower blood pressure, that reduces the build up of plaque in atherosclerosis and helps the proper function and circulation of lungs. A good way to add nitric oxide is to consume saturated fat. saturated fat can be found in foods like butter, meats and whole milk dairy products. But take only the recommended daily allowance. Try to limit your consumption of food that are high in saturated fat. anything that is too much is dangerous.

3. Limit your sugar intake - We should be careful with consumption of sugar. Having excess sugar is already a fact that is dangerous. The risk can brought you to:

• Heart problems
• Cancer
• Osteoporosis
• Diabetes
• Nerve damage
• Kidney failure
• Memory lapses
• Eye problems
• Arthritis

Continuous decrease of sugar consumption and white carbohydrates can make a difference . Some people won't bother to even try. But for those who did, they are already living their life without any doubt. Take charge of your health and be happy!

Overweight: The dangers of too much.

Before you grab that large size coke or that mouthwatering bacon cheeseburger, You may want to read this, Being overweight can be just as problematic as being underweight. The health consequence can be risky, if not fatal. The patients who are obese die younger. Moreover, exceeding your ideal weight can put you at risk for the following:

1. Arthritis: Due to increasing weight joint pains leading to arthritis couldn't be far behind. Besides, Studies says Even if you tell people to exercise, They cannot move anymore. (scary ei?!) because their weight is so heavy.

2. Infertility: Because weight affects processes such as ovulation, and even quality sperm production, infertility is a consequence for overweight males and females. too fat, too lazy. no sex no baby. Reduce your weight so you can conceive.

3. Diabetes: "It has been found that there's a parallel increase of the diabetes threads(in overweight people)" In The United States, 60% of the population is gaining weight, and type 2 diabetes is increasing in prevalence as well. You can see children are very big, and you will see the prevalence of diabetes also increases. Just imagine getting fat and getting diabetic. two concerns will be prevented if you will just slow down in your calorie intake and carefully plan your diet.

4. Social stigma: Although not a medical consequence, It's one that's equally important. " On TV now, Everybody are extremely thin. All these ads, all the models looks anorexic. So whenever vain women see this It puts signals on their brains, So fat people are stigmatized.

5. Sleep Apnea- THis is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing just imagine this , your so big the lungs become affected. This makes you prone to sudden death. Nobody want that to happen .

No matter how hard it is, Patience and discipline leads to a healthier life!So eat well. Eat healthy food well!

Potatoes and Mushrooms: The other side of our favorites

The two veggies that we love has even more nutritional value than we ever thought of. Whenever we talk about potatoes and mushrooms. The first thing that will come up to most people's minds are French fries and Mushroom soup. Now there are other side of these wonderful veggies. Potatoes are very much popular for carbohydrates and a little of protein but it still has some other nutritional values. Mushrooms are excellent source of potassium but it also has other benefits.


Mushrooms- is very well known for its high nutritional value. Like broccoli, mushroom has the same benefits and effects to our body it is beacuse of antioxidants. You heard antioxidants over and over but what exactly is that antioxidant that makes mushroom a sure hit.
It has selenium that goes well with vitamin e that repair cells, i am a living proof how good selenium with vitamin e. Just make sure you take the proper dosage daily. Research shows that
Mushroom can prevent migraines from coming back or headaches and even help people who suffers OCD. I never thought mushrooms can prevent this kind of disorder.


Potatoes- Oh French fries!.... not. It's not about potatoes being fried. Normally potatoes are known to add weight because it's fried and It's the oil not the potato. Potato has many nutrients such as iron and copper but of course it is rich source of potassium. and In recent studies, They've found that potatoes has kukoamine a compound that helps lower blood pressure! Now that's good news! So if ever you want to eat French fries, Change your diet and try to bake it. It will actually reduce your weight because of it's fiber content, it controls your tempt to eat more and it will make you feel full. Baked potato helps lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. So bake some potatoes and not fry some.

Atherosclerosis: You may already have it but you don't know

Athero....what? That is the first question i asked my friend (MD) while she is trying to explain what exactly it is. Coming from the geek words athero(gruel or paste) and sclerosis (hardness). Atherosclerosis involves deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, and other substances in the artery 's inner lining. Called plaque this build up usually affects both large and medium sized arteries.

It starts as early as childhood. A slow complex disease, it often progresses as people age. In some people though the progress is more rapid and happens even in their twenty's Scientists believe that this disease begins with damage to the innermost layer artery, called endothelium.

Researchers show that males and those with family history of premature cardiovascular disease have a greater risk of atherosclerosis.Unfortunately these factors cannot be controlled. However, reducing the controllable risk factors of atherosclerosis prove to be beneficial: these controllable risk factors include:

• High blood cholesterol
• Cigarette smoking /exposure to tobacco smoke
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes mellitus
• Obesity
• Physical inactivity

knowing these factors, you should be able to control it in your own ways like lose weight, eat well-balanced diet. quit smoking, try to expose yourself to outdoor activities or engage into different sports. A healthy body should have a healthy heart, So love your heart and add more years to your life.

Natural remedy: spices that cures part 2

From my previous articles. i gave some examples about natural remedy or spices that cures. We all know some kitchen wonders but kitchen cabinet wonders? Being sick doesn't choose who, where or when it will attack,Well, Here are some more illness that can be easily prevented or cure by simple spices and herbs that can be found just around the kitchen:


1. Shaking/ trembling body - Ginger has high antiviral compounds that specifically fights against rhino virus, Its a common cold that actually hep in a good circulation that reduce trembling. You can try ginger tea that you can easily buy in your nearest grocery store. Or you can try to make your own tea from chopped ginger in hot cup of water. I addition, Ginger can actually reduce weight . Based on research studies , intake of ginger speeds up the metabolism of our body up to 20%.


2. Clogged nose - try peppermint. this reduces nasal inflammation and relaxes nasal passages and air passages where air passes through to get into our system. Bases on studies about people who regularly smells menthol( an important component of peppermint) prevent them from having nasal congestion compared than those who don't. Taking a sip of peppermint tea or just simply smelling the hot peppermint tea. Or you can try to add few drops of peppermint oil in your pillows for a relaxing sleep.


3. Colds on their way. Try garlic. People who consume a clove or garlic in a day is 60% far from getting colds. Compared to people who don't eat garlic.This is also good in high blood pressure. Garlic is rich in anti virus compounds that targets virus. You can take a slice of raw garlic daily. but if the smell doesn't suits you, try to add garlic in your daily meals like toasted bread or salad.

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Lose weight and detoxify through fiber

There are so many ways to lose weight but you can start by proper diet and a daily dose of fiber.
Fiber is best known for it's ability to prevent or relieve constipation and promote bowel regularity. This is important because should our digestive processes go wrong. we may retain unwanted calories, fats and toxins after heavy meals. This may lead to variety of conditions-from obesity, diabetes, abnormal blood conditions to fatal coronary heart diseases or even colon cancer.

Fiber helps the digestive process by keeping food moving through the intestines- all the way to the colon or large intestine. A normal digestion lowers the risks of disorders like hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the formation of small pouches in the colon called diverticulosis.
Weight loss is another main benefit. fiber has a filling effect, so you don't feel hungry all the time. If you don't eat too much, you don't gain as much.

Making fiber as part of your diet is a challenge in this day and age where the demands at work at home can put a strain on everything - including proper nutrition. Adults need from 20-35 grams of fiber daily. An amount you can get from fresh fruits nuts and vegetables. Fiber sources include:

• Dried beans and other legumes
• Bran cereals
• Sweet corn
• Whole wheat or whole grain
• Cereal products
• Broccoli
  
• Plums, pears and apples
• Raisins and prunes
• Green and leafy vegetables
• Nuts
  
• Bananas
• Carrots

Taking fiber not only helps you to lose weight but it actually helps you add more years to your life. There is really no-one shot solution to being healthy. But with proper diet and fiber intake can help you achieve your goal.

Improve Memory: Build a better brain.

Memory lapses are part of the normal wear and tear that goes a long with middle age. No one is exactly sure why memory goes downhill. But sometimes even though we're still young we tend to forget.Why you forget some things (and not others). Different kinds of memory are created and stored in different parts of the brain and respond differently to aging. Here are some examples:

Episodic memory- The kind that you use to recall the name of a restaurant or the plot of the of a movie you saw week ago. It starts ti decline in your early 40's.

Semantic Memory- the type that gives you the ability to collect and retain new facts and figures. It holds up pretty well, which is why you know what a blog is but forget our dentist's address.

Procedural memory- the kind we draw on for tasks we do automatically, such as driving a car or playing the piano. This is also fairly resilient so even if you can't think of your best friend's phone number, you can press the right keys on the telephone pad.


So how will you build a better brain?

With training people have improved their mental agility after just two weeks, Based on research studies in UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human behavior. These strategies can help:

1. Stretch your thinking- Crosswords puzzles have long been touted as mental strengthener. But if crosswords aren't your thing try sudoku, the new number puzzle sudoku.com. Or sign up for a class in a subject new to you.

2. Get moving- Exercise increase s blood flow, which helps nourish brain tissue. It also helps nourish brain tissue. It also helps prevent or control other health conditions that can interfere memory.

3. Eat right- yes, fish really does seem to be brain food - as do nuts and olive oil. All these food contain omega-3 fatty acids, which may slow down brain aging. Antioxidants- found in brightly colored fruits and vegetables, and green tea - also protect brain cells. Coffee boosts attention and alertness, which can enhance learning. But stop after cup or two: Too much has the opposite effect.

4.Create connections- When you need to remember something specific, such as where you parked the car, make associations. The more vivid, the better: If you left car at level 3, section c in the parking garage imagine a billboard flashing "3c" in neon lights.

5. Manage Stress- Try whatever works for you- yoga, gardening, walking. Not only does tension distract you, making it hard to learn and remember things, but it also takes a direct toll on the brain . " In studies, human injected with stress hormones can't learn and or remember" says Dr. Gary Small.

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8 simple ways to stay fresh, clean and healthy.

Being clean, fresh and bacteria free are signs of good and healthy lifestyle. To prevent diseases you should start with a clean and refreshing environment. These are the 8 ways to stay clean and fresh all day!

1. Potato for your eyes. Yes potato juice for your eyes. Forget cucumber slices. Did you you know that starchy juice from grated potatoes is great for treating dark under-eyes? Potato has a whitening enzyme called catecholase that can brighten your eye areas quickly. Grate some spuds, squeeze it, dip cotton balls into the juice and apply directly unto the under-eye area. Let dry and wash off after 30 minutes.

2. Brush your skin-Yes. skin. Always keep an old, soft natural-bristle brush within arm's reach of your desk a home or in the office, not only you feel clean and germ free but it also stimulates your skin's natural oil production. When you have a minute to spare, brush your arms and legs with a soft strokes and see your dead skin flying away.

3. Do not underestimate the power of mouthwash. Mouthwash keeps your breath smelling fresh longer beacuse it simply kills germs that cause bad breath. Bye bye, halitosis.

4. Honey me. If you're fighting acne or have an infected cut anywhere in your body grab some raw honey from the pantry and dab it on the affected area. Honey is actually an ancient remedy and is known to be one of nature's most effective anti-bacterial creations.

5.Herb's aren't just for cooking. For a quick aromatherapy pick-me-up, run your hands lightly over the leaves of a rosemary plant and rub the essential oils onto your wrist or neck. To clear garlic breath, grab a couple of fresh mint leaves and chew, chew, chew. For nausea, sniff some sliced ginger.

6. Clean dirty nails quickly. Clean stained nails with an old toothbrush and whitening toothpaste. scrub around the cuticle and under the nail. For stubborn stains scary as it may sound, dip your fingers quickly in bleach and brush the stains off.

7. Always wash your hands - many times a day. but remember to use a mild lotion to keep your skin soft on your hands. germ free and soft and try to use fresh scented hand sanitizer.

8. Nothing beats a glass of water. - Drinking water will hydrate you and when you have plenty of water you make plenty of urine. Since the kidneys make urine by filtering waste out of the blood drinking plenty of water will help the kidneys keep the blood "clean".

5 ways to prevent ear infections

There are millions of children all over the world are having ear infections and visit their doctors every year. While pediatricians are doing their best to remind and advice parents on the best way to prevent ear infections. This is not only cured by taking antibiotics, It is through the simplest ways that anyone could do to prevent ear infections.

Based on studies, The ear infections are commonly accompanied with pain and it is really hard if it is children.That's why here are simple steps that can help you and your children away from ear infections that cause much pain:

1. Stay away from smokers - smokers or the smoke itself can irritate what we called the Eustachian tubes that connects the farthest part of the ear to throat to the opening of the mouth . or it is a tube that links the pharynx to the middle ear. So should avoid smoke.

2. Chew gum - Sweeteners that can be found in gum candy and mints that can reduce the production of bacteria that causes infections, Although children should chew gum with caution or they might swallow it. So children shouldn't chew gum below 3 years old.

3. Vaccines are important- Let your children have their shots or vaccines. It should be complete. Vaccines targets the bacterias that are responsible of the pain-causing infections. Vaccines can actually cut the the risk in half of having ear infections.

4. Stop the use of pacifier -yes you heard it right. babies and tots should stop using pacifiers. children who continuously use pacifiers has a possibility of an additional 33% of infections than those who don't use pacifiers. Pacifiers should be use only at night just for bed time.

5. Breastfeed your babies -Based on research studies, Breast milk has antibodies that pass from the mother to her children. This strengthens the immune system that fights bacteria. That prevents ear infections.

Allergy prevention : Starts at home

Allergies are the immune system's hyped-up reaction to normally harmless foreign substances, or allergens. When these touch the lining of the nose the mucous membranes become inflamed, setting off symptoms. It takes more than pills to get relief. Some changes and fixes in your house as well as your habits are very important too. Here are some important things to consider:


1. Keep windows closed during allergy season, so pollen stays outside.

2. Cover your mattresses, pillows and box springs if your allergic to dust mites.

3. Use impermeable zip-up cases that trap the allergens. you may also want to remove wall to wall carpeting or plush rugs. Hard floors are less likely to harbor mites.

4. Don't mow the lawn or rake leave yourself - It can stir up pollens and molds,

5. Bathe pets more often during allergy season(if they go outdoors). Dogs and cats who roam through grass pick up allergenic pollen.

6. Consider showering and washing your hair- just before you go to bed. Otherwise pollen from your body and hair falls onto bed linens.

7. Don't wait till bedtime if you've been working outside. Take a shower, wash your hair, and change your clothes as soona s possible.

Considering these things can actually make a big difference to your everyday life.Take care of yourself follow these steps to prevent allergy

Losing weight after pregnancy

Losing weight After the pregnancy? One of the biggest problems women encounter is losing weight. A lot of women became depressed after a pregnancy. The skin,the fat, the whole body are absolutely different from before so women tried their best to bring back their old body.Here are some tips that will help you lose weight and gain back that lost confidence.

1.Drink lots of water. -Drinking water will help you feel fuller which should suppress your appetite and less likely to eat more. Exercising will help eliminate water weight and the bloating. Most people will not drink water more than their body weight can handle. You should drink about 6-8 glasses a day depending on your body weight.

2.Watch what you eat.you are what you eat. Try to eat little to no junk food and sugar, choose healthy snacks instead; ie: fruits, vegetables, cheese, milk or juice. If you can't live without chocolates or sweet candies try alternatives. Limit your food intake when you eat, take small to medium size servings and try not ti go back for seconds, Avoid dessert as possible

3.Most important start a workout of some sort as soon as your doctor says its safe. Pick something you like to do running, speed walking, yoga, weight lifting, swimming, what ever you enjoy, or a combination of them. Just be sure that you do a warm up and cool down and get your heart rate up for at least 30 - 40 min. Try to work out at least 5 days out of the week ,7 if you have time, for at least an hour a day.

Remember it took 9 months to make a baby expect it to take 9-12 months to lose most the weight and regain the muscle tone you had before you had the baby. No pain no gain.

Natural remedy: Spices that cures

Being ill doesn't choose any time or date.Season or weather. Even in the most important affair in your life you can get sick. And because it is expensive to get sick we have to take care of ourselves and prevent any symptoms that may lead to different ailments. Once you feel that you're going to get sick better to raid your kitchen cabinet first before you go straight to drugstore. Try to check your spice cabinet you may have one or two of these and you may have some simple remedy to these simple sickness:

1. Common cold- Try cinnamon. This spice will serve as an astringent that helps to dry too much mucus in the lungs and nasal passages of a person. This is also good in keeping our body in perfect condition. While it gives off mild sensation to our hands and feet. Sprinkle some cinnamon to your toast or having cinnamon stick to your tea. are just some few examples.

2. Sore throat- Try oregano. Aside from gargling salt with water solution. There is also the leaves of oregano that can remove the pain of sore throat in only a minute. Based on studies form nutritionists. Oregano has bacteria-killing ingredients that can also be found in over the counter sore throat sprays. Try to put one tablespoon of leaves of oregano in a boiling water. Let it cool and and use it like a mouth wash. It will kill the bacteria immediately and you can feel the effect right away.

3. Terrible cough- Try thyme. This spice has therapeutic effect to our lungs while it relaxes our respiratory tract muscle. Thyme is one of the active ingredient of Vaporub. One teaspoon of dried thyme in a cup of hot water and serve it like tea.

4. Tight chest/difficulty breathing- Try licorice. compounds that are found in Licorice are effective in irritated membrane in the lung part that acts as an expectorant. That soothes throat irritations, lung congestion and even bronchitis. Sipping licorice tea, or consuming 500 mg of licorice root that can be bought in drugstores. Is the best solution.

Asthma symptoms : Does your child have one?

There are so many possibilities of asthma attacks. An asthmatic person is sensitive in many things around him. Especially if he came from a family with history of asthma. Here are some possible causes:

• Infection of upper urinary tract like allergic rhinitis.
• Dust, molds, pollen and other inhalants.
• smoke from cigarettes and vehicles.
• Cold weather or sudden change of weather.
• cat's fur
• Medicines like aspirin, beta blockers or indomethacin.
• Chemical or paint odors.
• Irritants in air passages such as: perfume, hairspray, powder and other pollutants.
• Sometimes too much exercise or workout or any tiring activities.
• foods that may cause asthma attacks such as: egg, nuts, chocolate, seafoods, milk, flour, shellfish.

The said foods that may cause asthma varies in different types of people. It is possible that a person is allergic to egg while others are allergic to seafoods. If a patient knows that he's allergic to certain foods. He should avoid it as much as possible.

Often times asthma begins at a very early age. And over half of young asthma patients become asymptomatic as they age. Or the symptoms suddenly vanish until it is totally gone.. For your information. There is no medicine that can actually cure asthma. It is actually the symptoms that are cured.

Based on studies,Teens who started to have asthma (15 years and above) for the first time, has possibilities that they will bring it as they age. There are different categories of asthma:

1. Frequent Episodic Attack- In this category, a wheezing sound can be heard every 4 to 6 weeks and there are no visible symptoms in children.
2. Chronic Asthmatic Group- These are children who has mild wheezing sound. They easily wheeze when they are tired, coughing at night only. and has limited activities.
3. Severe Chronic Asthmatic group- They are children who has daily attacks. They are usually small,underweight and barrel chested. You will hear a different squeaking sound and severe passage obstruction. That's why they are usually given steroids. that should be taken everyday and with constant monitoring.

There is what we call as Status Asthmaticus wherein it is the most severe asthma attack. that can't be treated with common medicine. This patient is having a hard time breathing. Seems like dying. This may cause death if not prevented.