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2012年8月18日 星期六

A Basket of Stress Management Tips For Better Emotional Health


Considering stress management tips will be good for you who are angry, sad and tearful or even have given up on your stress. In such a case, you are recommended to take a time for trying one of the quick stress management tips below.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is the first suggested method in management of stress tips. This one of stress management tips will make you feel energize from all that oxygen, and the muscle of your chest and shoulder will take the advantage of expanding and contracting the rib cage.

Sensory Deprivation

Another way in stress management tips is by depriving the sensory. Besides, you can do that in similar way through shutting off all sound by wearing headphones or white-noise ear buds. It can reduce your stress as well.

Punching Bag

More about stress management tips, you can reduce your stress by punching bag as well. However, any kind of physical activity will be the great stress reliever if you don't have a punching bag and a set of boxing gloves on hand. Remember that a big change can happen from such effort.

Laugh Out Loud

In management of stress tips, laughing is the catching way. You can start with laugh out loud for about 60 seconds.

Massage

Massage belongs to the suggested technique in management of stress tips as well. You can lessen yourself by having a massage. You can do that by close your eyes and applying the gentle pressure to your temples, rubbing in a circular motion.

Stretch

The last option in stress management tips is stretching. It is the exercise to release the pressure from your muscles. You can begin the exercise by face forward and roll your head to the right, strain to touch your shoulder with your ear. By letting your chin drop to your chest, you will feel the stretch in your neck muscles.

At last, extend your right arm up toward the ceiling, with the heel or your hand pressed high. And then, repeat the same movement on the left side.




StressManagementMastery is a professional online consultant of self improvement for stress management, and any other related problem, including easy stress management tips [http://stressmanagementmastery.com/stress-management-tips/six-beneficial-stress-management-tips-for-your-emotional-health/].





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年8月17日 星期五

How a Good Sleeping Habit Helps You Attain Optimum Health


Sleep is something that many of us are too willing to give up just to take on a job, have party with friends or simply finish a book or a television program. Skipping sleep for some time may not have a substantial impact on your health. However, if you keep on depriving yourself of much-needed sleep, you are not doing yourself a favor.

Studies have shown that sleep has tons of benefits. If you want to maintain a healthy and active life for a longer time, then you should not get into the habit of skipping sleep at night. To help underline the importance of sleep, here are some of its benefits:

1. Eases Stress

Many studies have confirmed that people who are not getting enough restful sleep are in an elevated state of stress. As a result of the body's heightened condition, your body releases a lot of stress hormones and your blood pressure is high. In this state, you are more prone to having stroke and heart attack. Ironically, elevated levels of stress hormones could also make it more difficult for you to go to sleep.

2. Boosts Memory

It is important to note that the time your brain consolidates your memories is during deep sleep. While you are dreaming away, it is the time when your brain processes all the things that you learned, creates sensory inputs, and makes connections between feelings, events and memories. Thus, you need to allocate time for sleeping too.

3. Prevents Certain Types of Cancer

Experts believe that people who work late or in graveyard shifts are more prone to developing colon and breast cancers. They say that the connection lies on the levels of melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy, in the body. Studies have shown that melatonin prevents the growth of tumors. However, light during the night suppresses the production of melatonin. If you happen to work at night, make sure that your bedroom is completely dark so that you can sleep properly and produce melatonin even if you sleep during the day.

4. Keeps You Alert

Experience will tell you that after a good night's slumber, you will wake up energized and ready for the day ahead. On the contrary, if you are sleep deprived, you feel sluggish and unaware of your surroundings. Aside from drunk driving, people who fall asleep while driving are also responsible for a lot of vehicular accidents in the country.

5. Minimizes Your Risk Of Depression

Aside from melatonin, the other hormone or brain chemical also affected by sleep is serotonin, which is responsible for your mood and feelings. If you don't get to sleep soundly at night, your levels of serotonin might suffer, increasing your chances of developing depression. If you do not want to experience bouts of depression, be sure to snooze for 7 to 9 hours every night.

6. Promotes Healthy Heart

Statistics show that strokes and heart attacks are more common during the early hours of the morning. This may be caused by the manner in which slumber interacts with your blood vessels. Specialists believe that lack of proper sleep can make cholesterol and blood pressure levels worse.

7. Helps In Weight Loss

Did you know that the more you skip sleep, the bigger your chance of gaining weight is? It seems that the hormones that control appetite in people who are sleep deprived are disrupted. If you do not sleep well, you are more prone to eating a lot the day after.

8. Aids Body In Making Necessary Repairs

While you are sleeping, your body also starts repairing the damage caused by ultraviolet rays, stress, free radicals and other harmful exposures. This is the time when your body creates more protein molecules, which are the building blocks of cells.

If you are suffering from insomnia or having difficulty sleeping, consuming sleeping pills might not be the best for you because these pills can be habit forming. Instead, you can try sleep supplements, such as Somulin, which are composed of natural ingredients that are safe and effective.




For more details, simply visit http://www.somulin.com/

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine [http://www.thearticleinsiders.com]





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年6月26日 星期二

How a Good Sleeping Habit Helps You Attain Optimum Health


Sleep is something that many of us are too willing to give up just to take on a job, have party with friends or simply finish a book or a television program. Skipping sleep for some time may not have a substantial impact on your health. However, if you keep on depriving yourself of much-needed sleep, you are not doing yourself a favor.

Studies have shown that sleep has tons of benefits. If you want to maintain a healthy and active life for a longer time, then you should not get into the habit of skipping sleep at night. To help underline the importance of sleep, here are some of its benefits:

1. Eases Stress

Many studies have confirmed that people who are not getting enough restful sleep are in an elevated state of stress. As a result of the body's heightened condition, your body releases a lot of stress hormones and your blood pressure is high. In this state, you are more prone to having stroke and heart attack. Ironically, elevated levels of stress hormones could also make it more difficult for you to go to sleep.

2. Boosts Memory

It is important to note that the time your brain consolidates your memories is during deep sleep. While you are dreaming away, it is the time when your brain processes all the things that you learned, creates sensory inputs, and makes connections between feelings, events and memories. Thus, you need to allocate time for sleeping too.

3. Prevents Certain Types of Cancer

Experts believe that people who work late or in graveyard shifts are more prone to developing colon and breast cancers. They say that the connection lies on the levels of melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy, in the body. Studies have shown that melatonin prevents the growth of tumors. However, light during the night suppresses the production of melatonin. If you happen to work at night, make sure that your bedroom is completely dark so that you can sleep properly and produce melatonin even if you sleep during the day.

4. Keeps You Alert

Experience will tell you that after a good night's slumber, you will wake up energized and ready for the day ahead. On the contrary, if you are sleep deprived, you feel sluggish and unaware of your surroundings. Aside from drunk driving, people who fall asleep while driving are also responsible for a lot of vehicular accidents in the country.

5. Minimizes Your Risk Of Depression

Aside from melatonin, the other hormone or brain chemical also affected by sleep is serotonin, which is responsible for your mood and feelings. If you don't get to sleep soundly at night, your levels of serotonin might suffer, increasing your chances of developing depression. If you do not want to experience bouts of depression, be sure to snooze for 7 to 9 hours every night.

6. Promotes Healthy Heart

Statistics show that strokes and heart attacks are more common during the early hours of the morning. This may be caused by the manner in which slumber interacts with your blood vessels. Specialists believe that lack of proper sleep can make cholesterol and blood pressure levels worse.

7. Helps In Weight Loss

Did you know that the more you skip sleep, the bigger your chance of gaining weight is? It seems that the hormones that control appetite in people who are sleep deprived are disrupted. If you do not sleep well, you are more prone to eating a lot the day after.

8. Aids Body In Making Necessary Repairs

While you are sleeping, your body also starts repairing the damage caused by ultraviolet rays, stress, free radicals and other harmful exposures. This is the time when your body creates more protein molecules, which are the building blocks of cells.

If you are suffering from insomnia or having difficulty sleeping, consuming sleeping pills might not be the best for you because these pills can be habit forming. Instead, you can try sleep supplements, such as Somulin, which are composed of natural ingredients that are safe and effective.




For more details, simply visit http://www.somulin.com/

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine [http://www.thearticleinsiders.com]





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年6月24日 星期日

A Basket of Stress Management Tips For Better Emotional Health


Considering stress management tips will be good for you who are angry, sad and tearful or even have given up on your stress. In such a case, you are recommended to take a time for trying one of the quick stress management tips below.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is the first suggested method in management of stress tips. This one of stress management tips will make you feel energize from all that oxygen, and the muscle of your chest and shoulder will take the advantage of expanding and contracting the rib cage.

Sensory Deprivation

Another way in stress management tips is by depriving the sensory. Besides, you can do that in similar way through shutting off all sound by wearing headphones or white-noise ear buds. It can reduce your stress as well.

Punching Bag

More about stress management tips, you can reduce your stress by punching bag as well. However, any kind of physical activity will be the great stress reliever if you don't have a punching bag and a set of boxing gloves on hand. Remember that a big change can happen from such effort.

Laugh Out Loud

In management of stress tips, laughing is the catching way. You can start with laugh out loud for about 60 seconds.

Massage

Massage belongs to the suggested technique in management of stress tips as well. You can lessen yourself by having a massage. You can do that by close your eyes and applying the gentle pressure to your temples, rubbing in a circular motion.

Stretch

The last option in stress management tips is stretching. It is the exercise to release the pressure from your muscles. You can begin the exercise by face forward and roll your head to the right, strain to touch your shoulder with your ear. By letting your chin drop to your chest, you will feel the stretch in your neck muscles.

At last, extend your right arm up toward the ceiling, with the heel or your hand pressed high. And then, repeat the same movement on the left side.




StressManagementMastery is a professional online consultant of self improvement for stress management, and any other related problem, including easy stress management tips [http://stressmanagementmastery.com/stress-management-tips/six-beneficial-stress-management-tips-for-your-emotional-health/].





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年5月25日 星期五

How a Good Sleeping Habit Helps You Attain Optimum Health


Sleep is something that many of us are too willing to give up just to take on a job, have party with friends or simply finish a book or a television program. Skipping sleep for some time may not have a substantial impact on your health. However, if you keep on depriving yourself of much-needed sleep, you are not doing yourself a favor.

Studies have shown that sleep has tons of benefits. If you want to maintain a healthy and active life for a longer time, then you should not get into the habit of skipping sleep at night. To help underline the importance of sleep, here are some of its benefits:

1. Eases Stress

Many studies have confirmed that people who are not getting enough restful sleep are in an elevated state of stress. As a result of the body's heightened condition, your body releases a lot of stress hormones and your blood pressure is high. In this state, you are more prone to having stroke and heart attack. Ironically, elevated levels of stress hormones could also make it more difficult for you to go to sleep.

2. Boosts Memory

It is important to note that the time your brain consolidates your memories is during deep sleep. While you are dreaming away, it is the time when your brain processes all the things that you learned, creates sensory inputs, and makes connections between feelings, events and memories. Thus, you need to allocate time for sleeping too.

3. Prevents Certain Types of Cancer

Experts believe that people who work late or in graveyard shifts are more prone to developing colon and breast cancers. They say that the connection lies on the levels of melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy, in the body. Studies have shown that melatonin prevents the growth of tumors. However, light during the night suppresses the production of melatonin. If you happen to work at night, make sure that your bedroom is completely dark so that you can sleep properly and produce melatonin even if you sleep during the day.

4. Keeps You Alert

Experience will tell you that after a good night's slumber, you will wake up energized and ready for the day ahead. On the contrary, if you are sleep deprived, you feel sluggish and unaware of your surroundings. Aside from drunk driving, people who fall asleep while driving are also responsible for a lot of vehicular accidents in the country.

5. Minimizes Your Risk Of Depression

Aside from melatonin, the other hormone or brain chemical also affected by sleep is serotonin, which is responsible for your mood and feelings. If you don't get to sleep soundly at night, your levels of serotonin might suffer, increasing your chances of developing depression. If you do not want to experience bouts of depression, be sure to snooze for 7 to 9 hours every night.

6. Promotes Healthy Heart

Statistics show that strokes and heart attacks are more common during the early hours of the morning. This may be caused by the manner in which slumber interacts with your blood vessels. Specialists believe that lack of proper sleep can make cholesterol and blood pressure levels worse.

7. Helps In Weight Loss

Did you know that the more you skip sleep, the bigger your chance of gaining weight is? It seems that the hormones that control appetite in people who are sleep deprived are disrupted. If you do not sleep well, you are more prone to eating a lot the day after.

8. Aids Body In Making Necessary Repairs

While you are sleeping, your body also starts repairing the damage caused by ultraviolet rays, stress, free radicals and other harmful exposures. This is the time when your body creates more protein molecules, which are the building blocks of cells.

If you are suffering from insomnia or having difficulty sleeping, consuming sleeping pills might not be the best for you because these pills can be habit forming. Instead, you can try sleep supplements, such as Somulin, which are composed of natural ingredients that are safe and effective.




For more details, simply visit http://www.somulin.com/

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine [http://www.thearticleinsiders.com]





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年5月24日 星期四

A Basket of Stress Management Tips For Better Emotional Health


Considering stress management tips will be good for you who are angry, sad and tearful or even have given up on your stress. In such a case, you are recommended to take a time for trying one of the quick stress management tips below.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is the first suggested method in management of stress tips. This one of stress management tips will make you feel energize from all that oxygen, and the muscle of your chest and shoulder will take the advantage of expanding and contracting the rib cage.

Sensory Deprivation

Another way in stress management tips is by depriving the sensory. Besides, you can do that in similar way through shutting off all sound by wearing headphones or white-noise ear buds. It can reduce your stress as well.

Punching Bag

More about stress management tips, you can reduce your stress by punching bag as well. However, any kind of physical activity will be the great stress reliever if you don't have a punching bag and a set of boxing gloves on hand. Remember that a big change can happen from such effort.

Laugh Out Loud

In management of stress tips, laughing is the catching way. You can start with laugh out loud for about 60 seconds.

Massage

Massage belongs to the suggested technique in management of stress tips as well. You can lessen yourself by having a massage. You can do that by close your eyes and applying the gentle pressure to your temples, rubbing in a circular motion.

Stretch

The last option in stress management tips is stretching. It is the exercise to release the pressure from your muscles. You can begin the exercise by face forward and roll your head to the right, strain to touch your shoulder with your ear. By letting your chin drop to your chest, you will feel the stretch in your neck muscles.

At last, extend your right arm up toward the ceiling, with the heel or your hand pressed high. And then, repeat the same movement on the left side.




StressManagementMastery is a professional online consultant of self improvement for stress management, and any other related problem, including easy stress management tips [http://stressmanagementmastery.com/stress-management-tips/six-beneficial-stress-management-tips-for-your-emotional-health/].





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年4月18日 星期三

Why Is Sleep Important For Your Health


We all know that sleep is essential to our health and well-being. Yet, ironically, various surveys conducted showed that millions of people still suffer from lack of sleep. For example, many Americans experience some form of sleep problems at least a few nights a week or more. And sometimes, most of these problems go undiagnosed or untreated. But we must understand that not sleeping enough and not sleeping well is not okay, and never will be. Being deprived of sleep can cause a great impact on your body. But how?

Here is a short list of the known reasons why is sleep important for your health.

A healthier heart. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all of which are risk factors of heart attack and stroke. It is also been said that heart attacks and strokes are more common during early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels.
Decreased risk for cancer. According to studies, people working the late shift have a higher risk for breast and colon cancer. This may be caused by differing levels of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night. Light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that regulates our sleep and is thought to protect against cancer. It has been believed that melatonin suppresses the growth of tumors.
Increased energy levels and being more alert. When you are well rested from a night of high quality restorative sleep, you have much more energy and have increased alertness the following day. In addition, being engaged and active does not only make you feel great but it will also increase your chances for another good night's sleep. When you wake up feeling refreshed, you can use that energy to get out into the daylight, do active things, and be engaged in the world. You'll sleep better the next night and the night after.
A happier, calmer, more positive attitude.Lack of sleep can have a drastic effect on your mental health. If you are constantly tired and drained, it can make you irritable, moody and negative. Moreover, sleep impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression. You can help to prevent depression by making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep.
Reduced appetite, thus helping you lose weight. Researcher shows that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. It is thought that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. Therefore, by getting enough sleep, you will have much more control over your appetite.
Better memory recollection and improved concentration. Your dreams and deep sleep are an important time for your brain to make memories and links. It is during this time that the brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. Getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better. In addition, when your mind has rested well, you'll find you yourself having improved concentration and feeling much sharper during the day.
Faster physical recovery. It is during our sleep that our body repairs damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Our cells produce more protein while we sleep and these protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage. Without the right kind of sleep, our body cannot repair itself properly.
Improved sexual appetite. When you are shattered due to a lack of sleep, one of the last things on your mind is sex. By getting enough sleep, you'll get your life, and sex life, back on track.

With the above reasons, it is with no doubt why is sleep important for your health. Each individual needs to get enough rest for our body processes to function well. If you happen to be suffering from a sleeping problem, you need not to worry because there are many means out there for you to overcome it. When you get the right amount of sleep you needed, you are sure to avail yourself of the above health benefits.




Having trouble getting to sleep? Click here to discover an effective sleep supplement that helps you get a quality, restorative sleep.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年3月14日 星期三

Nutritional Health Supplements - Why Should Everyone Take Them?


Nutritional health supplements are increasingly becoming considered as essential in maintaining healthy lifestyles. Yet, many of those supplements do not address specific nutrient deficiency issue. It is because either they are incorrectly formulated or they contain only synthetic ingredients mimicking pharmacological properties of natural substances.

Why these supplements were developed on the first place?

Nutritional supplements were formulated and made available to the consuming public because of their potential in addressing severe malnutrition and nutrient deficiency. They had been developed after long years of research and clinical trials, initially involving animal subjects at times, to make them fit for human consumption.

These supplements are considered vital because they contain essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients necessary for the regular and optimal performance of various organs and systems. Microelements, for example, work best within the cellular level, for being essential in various metabolic processes. Biochemical reactions largely depend on sufficient availability of certain trace elements, such as those in harnessing and producing cellular energy, synthesis of protein and other enzymes and in facilitating normal cellular signaling to transport information from sensory organs to the brain and vice versa.

As powerful anti-oxidants

Various vitamin types and other elements found in most nutritional supplements exhibit anti-oxidant properties. Vitamin B complex and C, for example, are known to boost the body's autoimmune system, consequently preventing one from acquiring or developing diseases and ailments.

Continued exposure to environmental pollutants and the unwarranted contamination of water and food sources with hazardous chemical compounds result to the gradual accumulation of toxins in the body. When their presence increases through time, they have the potent effect of damaging body cells. When further exposed to oxidative stress, many toxins become converted into free radicals that embark on a rampage in making healthy cells imbalanced by stealing one electron each. Many cancer types are known to be caused by the harmful actions of free radicals in the cellular level.

Prevention of heart diseases, etc.

Every 34 seconds, one American dies from any form of coronary heart diseases. This has been reported last 2008 by no less than the American Heart Association, based on investigative studies and data collated within the year. Heart diseases are considered as one of the leading causes of mortality in the world today.

Most common and deadly form of coronary heart diseases are cardiovascular diseases. Atherosclerosis is the top form of this sub-category of heart diseases.

Atherosclerosis is the result of rapid accumulation of plaques within the arterial lining. High LDL cholesterol level causes inflammation of the arteries because of unwanted actions of macrophage white blood cells in the bloodstream. These white blood cells are automatically released by the body's natural immune system as a defense mechanism to fight what the body detects as potentially harmful substances, as in the case of LDL cholesterol.

Certain nutrients have been known to reduce LDL cholesterol level while increasing HDH cholesterol level. When at least 50% of the arterial lumen area is covered with atheromatous plaques, blood flow is significantly constricted and eventually blocked, depriving fresh supply of nutrients and oxygen to various organs, including vital ones, like the heart and brain. The consequences are very fatal if not treated well.

Instead of being reactionary with health condition, as in the case of most mainstream medicine, it is far more important to prevent the development of various conditions from the very start. By improving the natural performance of different organs and systems in the body, diseases are largely prevented from being acquired. Nutritional health supplements do just that.




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2012年3月10日 星期六

Sugar - Your Health vs Politics - Always Read the Ingredients Label - Part 1 of 2


So you have cravings for Sugar and Sweets and you consider Life without it pretty bland - don't we all?

Well, relax, this is not about coercing you into giving up on those lovely chocolates and tempting pastries, but rather to make you aware of how the choice of sweetener in the product affects your health and the health of your children - and to reveal the links to the unexplained horizontal growth you may be experiencing - even though you eat so little.

We have all heard that Americans consume huge amounts of sugar, over 150 pounds per person and year. As if this wasn't enough, a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) survey was cited as adjusting the latest numbers to160 pounds of sugar a year - a 30% increase since the early 1980s. That's the approximate equivalent of 53 heaped teaspoons of sugar per person per day! Well, these numbers appear to be inflated, in fact the April 2007 updated USDA release states the average daily sugar consumption in the US currently is "only" 30 teaspoons per person each day, not including synthetic sweeteners and honey. According to the year by year statistics, the sugar consumption actually slightly decreased in the past seven years, which was probably compensated by artificial sweeteners increase. However, even these lower numbers are staggering: each American consumes over 20% of daily food calories from refined Sugars - empty calories with no nutritional value!

Consider this: the 30 teaspoons of sugar per person per day is just straight sugar that is declared as such on food and beverage "ingredients" labels. Although a refined sugar, Alcohol is a "stealth sugar", undeclared as such. Just a small glass of wine or one can of beer will add the equivalent of 2 teaspoons of sugar, one whiskey, gin, vodka or the like will account for 4 teaspoons of sugar! More nutrients-deprived, indigestible calories.

Are you not able to maintain your perfect weight?

Do you suffer from Allergies or Asthma?

Such are the symptoms from consuming sugars in the above quantities for many years. So always reading the "Ingredients" Labels of all Foods and Beverages before buying may significantly help you reduce the consumption of the worst of the sweeteners, those that make you sick and spawn degenerative disease, including arthritis, candida, depression and digestive disorders. You will be surprised to find sugars added to almost all beverages and processed foods, including salty snacks like chips, nuts and instant soups. In addition, you may find inspiration and motivation to surrender some products and make them yourself instead. That is compelling when you read the following list of healthy and functional sugar alternatives available, that greatly improve taste and texture of dinners and desserts with very little work and skill required.

Your guests will commend you for your creativity and ability and you can all indulge in sweet, great tasting, and wholesome temptations with impunity.

Are you at risk of Diabesity?

Well - you are not alone: in the US 10% of Healthcare costs are used just for the "Diabesity" problems. According to Center for Disease Control "CDC" stats
Estimated total diabetes costs in the United States in 2002 (direct and indirect): were $132 billion
1.5 Million New Cases were diagnosed in 2005 (age 20 and older)
The diabetes II rate in the US has tripled in 30 years: over 20 millions have it and 1/3 don't even know it
Total prevalence of diabetes among people aged 20 years or older, United States, 2005


Age 20 years or older: 20.6 million, or 9.6%
Age 60 years or older: 10.3 million, or 20.9%

An additional 54 Million have pre-diabetic conditions, the so called metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance . Obesity is the driving force of diabetes: over 90% of diabetics are overweight. But the increase in food consumption was only 300 calories and thus could not account for this phenomenon.

What explains this unprecedented growth from the seventies to today's raging pandemic?

It should be noted that the US is not alone, a similar increase has been documented in other developed countries: in the UAE one in every four people is at risk and in the EU the current rate is at 7.5% the same as in the United States and half of these are estimated undiagnosed. In Japan 10% of 40 year olds have diabetes II, according to Health Ministry statistics Dr.Paul Zimmer, director of the International Diabetes Institute (IDI) in Victoria, Australia, predicts that diabetes "is going to be the biggest epidemic in human history that will bankrupt social security-systems."

There is an interesting correlation of the rise in Diabesity and the rise in the consumption of Sugar substitutes, namely

HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup).

In the 1970s the food and beverage industry discovered a cheap alternative to cane and beet extracted sugar, by chemically modifying corn starch from glucose to fructose. As from 1976, when HFCS could be mass produced, the cost advantage to the industry were so compelling, that consumption of HFCS increased by 4,000% until the year 2000 while the use of table sugar decreased by 35% and by now, Westerners consume more HFCS than sugar, according to the Weston Price Foundation website.

Check the label on the container of your favorite soft drink, and, unless it is the Aspartame and Sucralose variety, you are likely to find HFCS or High-Fructose Corn Syrup listed as a primary ingredient after water. Since soft drink giants Coke and Pepsi switched from sugar to HFCS in 1984, the product conquered markets beyond beverages, HFCS is omnipresent in most processed foods and even health foods and sports drinks. Not only is it found in cookies, candies, and other confections, but also ubiquitous in foods where one would least expect to find sugar: soups, hot dogs, pasta sauce, ketchup, breakfast cereals, buns that cover the hamburger patties and even salad dressings,

The industry wants to hoodwink you into believing that HFCS is a natural product, after all isn't Fructose the stuff that makes the fruits naturally sweet? Yet unlike in fruits were fructose is present with other sugars in a complex hydro-colloidal environment of fibers and active enzymes, the fructose in HFCS is an isolated derivative from genetically modified corn, processed by genetically modified enzymes - it is probably the highest processed food of all. Nevertheless, Snapple - sweetened with HFCS proclaims on their Labels: "All Natural Ingredients".

Why does this matter? Because HFCS is addictive: the more you eat the more you want! Consumption of high amounts of sweet fruits result in a sense of fullness, when we know it's time to stop eating, not so with isolated fructose. While glucose increases insulin release from the pancreas, fructose does not. Insulin helps to control sugar consumption by signaling the brain to indicate a sense of satiety, fructose lack of a triggering mechanism for insulin may lead to excessive caloric consumption. Also, fructose appears to convert to fat more readily than glucose because every cell in the body can metabolize glucose, while only the liver is able to metabolize fructose.

HFCS contains more fructose than sucrose and this fructose is more immediately available than fructose in fruits, because it is not bound up in sucrose. In animal studies, fructose showed disastrous effects particularly in growing animals that did not reach adulthood, had anemia, impaired collagen production, high cholesterol and heart hypertrophy (where the heart enlarges until it explodes) according to Dr Meira Field who led the USDA study on rats fed with fructose. "Since the effects of fructose are most severe in the growing organism, we need to think carefully about what kind of sweeteners we give to our children." Of course the food industry contends that results in rats are not replicated in human, but if you don't want to prove them wrong yourself, you may want to simply not take a chance. Originally, the fructose content of HFCS was little over 50%, but more recently the manufacturers have introduced syrup containing 90% and more fructose, yet you wouldn't know from reading the food label. Therefore products containing HFCS should be avoided and certainly not be given to children.

As to expect, the beverage industries as well as the HFCS manufacturer oligopoly led by Archer Daniels Midland Company, have consistently denied any connection of HFCS and obesity and the FDA assumes HFCS as safe and studies unnecessary. But then the same suspects have successfully kept GMO food declaration away from the consumer arguing that genetically engineered food is the same as traditional breeding. Thus the manufacturers don't have to conduct and disclose pre-market safety studies. It is notable however that HFCS is absent in baby formulas. Will the food industry cave in to consumer activists demanding to replace HFCS? Not likely, unless they find a cheaper alternative. Instead expect to be deceived by fantasy terms, how about: "modified corn starch" or the like? We have recently seen such cover-up tactics with MSG which morphed into "natural flavor".

In July 2007, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a "Clinical study" that concludes: "There was no evidence that commercial cola beverages sweetened with either sucrose or HFCS have significantly different effects on hunger, satiety, or short-term energy intakes". Immediately, the American Beverage Association claimed that their Industry was not to blame for the Obesity epidemic in America. Interesting detail: the "study", was financed by the Beverage Association and the Corn Refiners Association included a mere 37 volunteers.

HFS (High Fructose Syrup)

is found on some Food labels particularly in Asian Foods and Beverages. HFS was originally developed in Japan where corn is not grown and is now made in Thailand from Cassava and in China from other starches. However the process is the same and so is the function of the product.

The functional and multi-functional engineered Sweeteners

A group non-sugar carbohydrates, manufactured, reduced-calorie, sugar-free sweeteners is now gaining momentum in the world of differentiated food and beverage producers and find their way into store shelves. You may never see the term Polyols on ingredients labels, even when several ones of the groups are present, but when a label reads "sugar alcohols" - Polyols are meant, when a label reads "sugar free" look for the listing and amounts of Polyols. Polyols or sugar alcohols are neither sugars nor alcohols. Instead, they are a group of low-digestible carbohydrates. These sweeteners taste like sugar but have several application specific advantages, including their suitability for diabetics. Polyols, are a low digestible carbohydrate which is only partially digested in the intestine. In the lower part of the intestinal tract, the non-absorbed portion is metabolized by colonic bacteria. Polyols are resistant to metabolism by oral bacteria and do not increase the acidity of the mouth after ingestion. This means that they will not lead to cavities or erode tooth enamel. The FDA has approved the use of a "does not promote tooth decay" health claim in labeling for sugar-free foods that contain polyols. So if Polyols are so great, why are they only sparingly available? Well, you guessed it: costs! Consumer awareness and resulting demand may bring the price down; it's just a matter of time. The market for Polyols in the US is at an emerging stage with sales of $ 517 million in 2005, according to Frost & Sullivan, San Antonio, TX,

Erythritol

has only been commercially produced since 1990 and added to foods and beverages to provide sweetness, as well as to enhance taste and texture. In Japan Erythritol has been approved as a food in 1990 and it received GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status by the FDA in 2001, it also approved in the EU. Erythritol is a white crystalline powder that is odorless, with a clean sweet taste that is similar to sucrose. It is approximately 70% as sweet as sucrose and flows easily due to its non-hygroscopic character. Like other polyols, erythritol does not promote tooth decay and is safe for people with diabetes. However, erythritol's caloric value of 0.2 calories per gram and high digestive tolerance distinguishes it from other polyols. It has approximately 7 to 13% the calories of other polyols and 5% the calories of sucrose. Because erythritol is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine and rapidly eliminated by the body within 24 hours, laxative side effects sometimes associated with excessive polyol consumption are unlikely when consuming erythritol containing foods.

HSH (hydrogenated starch hydrolysates),

including hydrogenated glucose syrups, maltitol syrups, and sorbitol syrups, are a family of products found in a wide variety of foods. HSH are produced by the partial hydrolysis of corn, wheat or potato starch and subsequent hydrogenation of the hydrolysate at high temperature under pressure. While some products in the HSH group have been approved in many countries including the EU and Japan, GRAS statuses is still pending, but with ADM Company as main proponent, expect HSH to appear on many ingredients labels rather soon.

Isomalt

has been known since 1960, it is made from Sucrose (table sugar) and it looks and feels like sugar. Isomalt enhances flavor transfer in foods. It dissolves more slowly in the mouth so that candies with isomalt have a longer lasting taste. Its sensory properties make isomalt an excellent ingredient hard candies, toffees, chewing gum, chocolates, baked goods, nutritional supplements, cough drops and throat lozenges. In Europe, Isomalt has been used since the early 1980s and is currently used in a variety of products in the US where it still awaits GRAS status - once obtained, expect Isomalt to become a household term. Isomalt absorbs very little water. Therefore, products made with it tend not to become sticky. Since the products do not absorb moisture, they have a longer shelf life. Isomalt does not promote tooth decay, has a very low blood glucose effect (low glycemic response), has an effect like dietary fiber in the gut and has only half of the caloric value of sucrose.

Lactitol

is known since 1920 but only used in foods for 25 years. It is a disaccharide polyol (sugar alcohol), derived from lactose, looks like sugar and tastes like sugar but has only 40% of its sweetness. Therefore don't expect to find Lactitol as the sole sweetener on a food label; it is often present in foods in combination with chemical sweeteners Aspartame, Sucralose, etc. It is used as a sugar substitute because it has better solubility and handling in processing that reduces costs and extends shelf life. Lactitol has been shown in a clinical study to increase bowel movement frequency in the elderly.

Maltitol

is made by the hydrogenation of maltose whose raw ingredient is cereal starch which is converted to sugar by the process of malting. The starch may be from wheat, rice, barley or other grains, and is very similar in taste to table sugar with only 90% of its sweetness and about half of its calories. Maltose has been known and used in China since the 2nd century BC. Maltitol is approved in the EU since 1985 and many other countries and is awaiting GRAS status in the US. The sweetener will be mainly found in sugar free chocolate products. Maltitol has a prebiotic effect and some people experience unpleasant gas and bloating, when taken in high quantities as when Maltitol is used in soft drinks.

Mannitol (E421)

is naturally occurring in abundance, particularly in exudates from trees, and in marine algae and fresh mushrooms. It is an isomer of sorbitol and is industrially produced by the hydrogenation of specialty glucose syrups. Mannitol is a polyol mainly known for its properties to not absorb moisture. This makes it uniquely suitable as a dusting powder for chewing gum to prevent the gum from sticking to manufacturing equipment and wrappers. In chocolate flavored coatings of ice cream bars and confectionary it is an industry favorite because of its high melting point and pleasant taste with only 40% of the calories of sugar. Mannitol is a polyol that comes with regulatory warnings for limitation of daily intake for low digestible carbohydrate. This means that excessive consumption can result in a laxative effect, for two reasons. First, because the sugar alcohols are not completely absorbed, they hold on to a lot of water in the bowel. This causes diarrhea. Another consequence is that when undigested carbohydrates reach the colon they have a prebiotic effect - resulting in unpleasant gas, and bloating.

Sorbitol (E420)

occurs naturally in a wide variety of fruits and berries. In its industrially produced form of hydrogenated glucose, it has been present in processed foods, pharma and cosmetics products for fifty years. Its unique feature is the function as moisture stabilizer in baked goods, confectionary and chocolate - read: longer shelf life! Sorbitol is about 60% as sweet as sugar and has 60% of its calories. Sorbitol comes with the same regulatory warnings as Mannitol.

Xilitol (E967)

is naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables and is also produced in the human body during metabolism. This polyol that has been known for over 100 years and been produced commercially from trees as sweetener for nearly fifty years. It is as sweet as table sugar with 30% less calories and a pleasant taste. Xilitols rise to fame is due to its property to reduce dental caries. Thus it is widely used in dental and oral health products, but also in pharmaceuticals and children's nutritional supplements. While all Polyols are not acted upon by bacteria in the mouth, and therefore do NOT cause tooth decay, Xylitol actually INHIBITS oral bacteria, and is often used in sugarless mints and chewing gum for this reason.

Dextrose and Polydextrose

have similarities with Polyols, such as their sweet taste and their ability to act as sugar substitutes (70% the sweetness of sugar), but as their endings in -ose suggests, these are sugars. Dextrose is a synthetic monosaccharide derived from corn starch and is about 95% glucose. It is used as a carrier in water soluble medications, but latest studies have shown Dextrose to be an Athletes performance booster, outperforming Ribose (widely used as a body builder supplement). Dextrose contains no fructose or lactose and is available as an inexpensive dietary supplement. Polydextrose is synthesized from Dextrose with added Sorbitol and citric acid and can replace sugar and fat and is often used as bulking agent in products designed for weight or blood sugar control. It may appear on food labels as E1200. Polydextrose acts in the body like fibers with no laxative effect. It has only 25% of the calories of sugar. You can find it in Lindt and other chocolates.

The functionally targeted Sweeteners have much less sweetening potency than the chemical products such as Aspartame and Sucralose, which are cheaper and therefore readily accepted by conscious consumers in search of cheap products. But Polyols are multifunctional in that they can act as thickeners and stabilizers in addition to low- or no-calorie sugar replacer. Furthermore they can be used in products to enhance certain body functions, to target a product for environment specific use and to differentiate food products.

The scam of "Eat all the sweets you want with impunity"

Everyone by now has heard that

Aspartame (E951) NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful -

is not good for health and since it doesn't taste good there is little sacrifice involved, but don't expect Monsanto to back off anytime soon! Though watch out for it's challenger, the very high growth

Sucralose (E955) Splenda -

which is far more dangerous because its promotion is so deceptive: "healthful and natural", so that even health gurus like Dr Andrew Weil endorse and recommend the product. However, Sucralose is a chemical substance, very different from sugar, 600 times sweeter and far from a natural product. Google finds more than 50,000 pages under "sucralose adverse effects" and many of the reports make you run for shelter. What is scary is the fact that Splenda is found in many so called health foods, health and weight loss guides and comes to you recommended by family physicians. You may find other strange terms on food label for sugar substitutes, such as

Acesulfame Potassium (E950) or ace-K Sunnet, Sweet-One -

often in combination with other sweeteners in more than 5,000 beverages and foods. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar and bears no calories. Ace-K is said to be worse than Aspartame and Sucralose in toxicity and has been cited in animal studies to be cancer causing. It has also been shown to attack the thyroid in animals. When you see such ingredients on a food label you want to stay away from that product, but such labels may be hard to find in chewing gum, instant tea and coffee mixes, gelatins, desserts and non-dairy creamers. Then there is

Neotame, NutraSweet -

a synthetic variation of Aspartame is 8,000 - 13,000 times sweeter than sugar and therefore attractive to food manufacturers as its use greatly lowers the cost of production compared to using natural sugar. The prime reason for its existence is the fact that the Aspartame patent had expired and the manufacturer - Monsanto - wanted new patent protection. The FDA approved NutraSweet in 2002 yet the products safety record is devastating: the Aspartame Toxicity web site summarizes 39 symptoms / syndromes' caused by Aspartame including death! It is well documented that Aspartame changes DNA and the medical literature is replete with evidence of adverse effect. It is noteworthy however that the FDA "found no problems after reviewing 113 studies" - all funded by the industry, while all independently funded studies - over 100 - found serious problems. The second Ramazzini Cancer Research Institute's study, published in June 2007 confirmed it's earlier findings that Aspartame causes cancer in Rats. But the FDA spokesman Michael Herndon said (in an email to Reuters News Agency's Health and Science Editor (June 25, 2007) the agency had not yet reviewed the study but was quick to add that the previous studies the FDA reviewed were sufficient for the agency and there was no need for action. .Thus, don't underestimate the industry lobby who managed to have the American Medical Association; the American Diabetes Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition make positive statements in support of Aspartame. Yet,

Ralph G. Walton MD, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine reported "The alarming increase in obesity, type II diabetes, and a wide variety of behavioral difficulties in our children is obviously attributable to multiple factors, but I am convinced that one powerful force in accentuating these problems is the ever increasing use of aspartame".

Dr. H. J. Roberts, F.A.C.P., F.C.C.P., in his paper "Warning School Children at Risk": "Aspartame induced disorders in children include headache, confusion, convulsions, irritability, depression, intellectual deterioration, antisocial behavior, rashes, asthma and unstable diabetes. Addiction to aspartame products has also become a problem."

Saccharin (E954)

is a artificial sweetener 300 times sweeter than sugar. Due to the water solubility the sodium salt is most frequently used. Saccharin is high temperature and cooking and backing resistant. Saccharin high dose was charged of causing bladder cancer, this could not be confirmed. In small amount saccharin is considered to be safe. In some industrial recipes sugar is being substituted only to cut cost. Higher concentration than 5% to 8% sugar substitution = maximum 0.02% saccharine in food will present a metallic taste.

All artificial sweeteners reduce their sweetening power when a certain dose is exceeded. The combination of two sweeteners such as saccharin/acesulfame K or saccharin/cyclamate or cyclamate/aspartame increases the sweetening power. In kitchens and in industrial production saccharin/cyclamate in relation 1 to 10 is therefore frequently used.

Cyclamate (E952)

an artificial non-caloric sweetener widely used in Europe and 55 other countries for soft drinks. Its chemical name is sodium or calcium cyclohexylsulfamate. Cyclamate is about 1/10 sweeter than saccharin and 30 times than sugar. It has no wrong taste in high concentrations. Cyclamate is heat resistant and is used in cooking and baking. Cyclamate is not digested by most of people. Cyclamate is often used in combination with other sweeteners enhancing each other so that final taste is sweeter as the sum of the individual sweeteners. 5 mg of saccharin together with 50 mg cyclamate are equivalent to 125 mg cyclamate and 12.5 mg saccharin. Cyclamate is also present in combination with aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame K.

Cyclamate was banned in the United States in 1970 following the result of a test on rats which developed bladder cancer with high dose of cyclamate in addition to saccharin. A current petition to re-approve cyclamate is before the FDA.

Expect many more products with much higher content of synthetic sweeteners on store shelves and in Restaurants soon, on July 9, 2007:


"The International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) is claiming a victory in securing higher levels for nine additives used in food supplements into Codex's draft risk analysis standards for safety." And what are these Food Additives? Acesulfame potassium (2,000 mg/kg), Aspartame (5,500 mg/kg), Cyclamates (1,250 mg/kg), Neotame (90 mg/kg), Saccharin (1,200 mg/kg), and Sucralose (2,400 mg/kg). The IADSA manager proclaimed this to be an excellent result of their lobbying: "The adoption of these additives will help to ensure free trade in dietary supplements across the world and encourage countries to change legislation that is not in conformity with these Codex standards." All the more reason to read all Labels very carefully into the future, the Industry is not competing for your Health but for higher profit margins!

So your synthetic sugar substitutes didn't make you slim?

Let's go back to basics, why do we use artificial sweeteners in the first place - isn't it to reduce and manage weight? Well, if you are a consumer of synthetic sweeteners, you need to know that aspartame is absorbed from the intestines and passes immediately to the liver. The liver then metabolizes aspartame to its toxic components-phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol. This process requires a lot of energy from the liver making less energy available for fat burning and metabolism, which will result in fat storing and elevated blood sugar levels. Excess fat can build up inside the liver cells causing "fatty liver" and when this starts to occur it is extremely difficult to lose weight. When you overload the liver you will increase the tendency to gain weight easily.

There are more reasons why you might gain weight from synthetic sweeteners: they cause unstable blood sugar levels, which increases the appetite and triggers sweets cravings. Thus it is particularly toxic for those with diabetes. It sets off fluid retention giving the body a puffy and bloated appearance, so they look older and fatter than they are.

So to avoid the risks associated with HFCS and the synthetic, non-caloric sweeteners we should revert to conventional Sugar - right?

Well - read on - in Part 2 of this 2 Part Series!




Meet the Author: http://www.vitalityconcepts.com

HRG@D4VC.com

References / Bibliography
You may download entire article - (Part 1 and 2) at: http://www.vitalityconcepts.com/v2/index.html

Heinz R Gisel is a Personal Nutritional Concepts and Medical Devices Innovator, based in San Diego and Tokyo. He is the Founder of Vitality Concepts Corporation and Doctors 4 Vitality Clinics, LLC. He developed a a clinical, non-invasive analysis system that can detect disease before any symptoms occur, without radiation. He believes that Nutrients belong into food and beverages and not capsules and pills and he has patents pending on such nutritional concepts.





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2012年3月6日 星期二

Causes and Complications of Chronic Pain - Adult Health and Wellness


Often called 'the fifth vital sign,' pain is as important as temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure as a key indicator of a patient's medical status. The longer we live, the more likely it is that we will eventually experience some type of injury or disease that results in temporary or even chronic pain. Surgeries become more frequent, both elective and those deemed vital to our survival and well-being. Injury and surgery leads to scar tissue that may cause lingering pain, mar our outer appearance, and diminish certain movement capabilities. Many of us also take a variety of pharmaceuticals and/or recreational drugs to delay some disease process or to alleviate symptoms of chronic physical or emotional pain. These drugs, even properly prescribed prescription drugs, may sometimes exacerbate the problems and even create new unexpected painful side effects.

Sometimes, continuing to take pain medication actually perpetuates the pain when the medication is stopped or increased doses may be required to maintain the same effect. With body therapy, on the other hand, over a period of time, fewer and fewer treatments may be required because the body cells remember the sensations of neuromuscular letting go and previously over stimulated nerve receptor cells begin to quiet down.

Causes of Pain

A popular belief, even among medical professionals, is that the most common cause for pain is a pinched nerve. According to this belief, there are three types of pain:

*Nocioception - immediate, protective pain

*Inflammatory - local cellular damage

*Neuropathic - one or more nerves are affected, delayed in onset, becomes chronic pain, requires physical input to heal the injury...and is radiculopathic (nerve root impingement causing weakness, numbness, and difficulty controlling certain muscles)

Chronic pain is believed to be caused by shortened (contracted) muscles resulting from neuropathy and radiculopathy. This theory is based upon Cannon's 1949 Law of Dennervation Supersensitivity which states: "Any measure (such as a nerve impingement caused by radiculopathy) which blocks the flow of motor impulses and deprives an organ or tissue of excitatory input (motor impulses) for a period of time, will cause abnormal functioning (called 'disuse sensitivity') in the receptor organ or tissue.

Recent research, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI's), has demonstrated that no matter how much a normal functioning spine is compressed or twisted, there is ample room in the space between the vertebrae for free movement of the nerve. Researchers are now suggesting that much of the pain may be caused by sensory receptor overload from postural imbalances. Through a process called "sensitization," a pattern may be set up in the body in which hyperexcited receptors feeding the central nervous system cause the brain to send signals to twist and torque the body to avoid pain.

The pain generating stimulus must be interrupted until the memory in the nerve cells has been forgotten. For many chronic pain cases, deep tissue therapy a few times every week can help these hyperexcited receptors feeding the central nervous system to quiet down and the sensation of pain to dissipate and even disappear.

Deconditioning Complications of Chronic Pain

Any part of the body that has severe and chronic pain will discontinue normal, symmetric, coordinated movement, and the person with pain will simply self-splint, immobilize, and decondition the area. Muscles, nerves and joints weaken and deteriorate leading to muscle atrophy, neuropathy, contracture, decreased movement, and gradual weight gain. To compensate for a weak, painful area, joints, nerves and muscles in other parts of the body will work overtime, leading to "overload and overuse syndrome.

Hormonal Complications of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a potent stressor that may affect every endocrine system in the body. Initially, the pain causes an excess of stress hormones (catecholamines and glucocorticoids) to help the body control pain and prevent damage. However, this excess may trigger hypertension and tachycardia, sometimes leading to cardiovascular death.

If severe pain continues and is not controlled, adrenal exhaustion and decreased stress hormone levels may result. The fluctuation between excess and deficient glucocorticoids, often called Cushing and Addison syndromes respectively, can lead to many severe symptoms, including: mental deficiencies, muscle weakness, edema, osteoporosis, diabetes, forming stones, tooth decay, and even testosterone deficiency. A further effect of pain and lowered levels of important hormones is a compromised immune system, lowered resistance to infections and slower healing of wounds when injured.

Neuropathic Complications of Chronic Pain

Persistent pain causes excess electrical activity in peripheral nerves, spinal cord and brain. This 'hot wire' effect appears to cause nerve tissue damage in the spine as well as the brain, which can lead to dementail and other organic brain problems.

Cardiovascular Effects of Chronic Pain

Pain increases blood pressure. This is not such a problem for a person with a normally low to average blood pressure. But for a person suffering from hypertension and high blood pressure, the increased blood pressure resulting from the body's pain response can lead to a more serious heart problem such as a stroke or aneurysm.

Pain, especially as we age, should not be taken lightly. There are all sorts of medications available to decrease the level of pain. And when needed, pain medication can literally save lives. But for chronic pain, there are so many diet, exercise and body therapy prescriptions that can not only be life saving but can transform the quality of a person's life.




Dr. Erica Goodstone has helped thousands of men, women, couples, and groups to develop greater awareness of the issues in their relationships and their lives, to overcome and alleviate stressors and discords, and revitalize their relationships and their own mind-body-spirit connection. Dr. Goodstone can be contacted through her web site at http://www.DrEricaWellness.com





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2012年2月25日 星期六

Health Faux Pas


The sugar addiction:

If you are someone who desires sugary stuff, read this. Each time you eat something sweet or sugary, your sugar level rises up making you feel good for a while. But when the sugar level gets too high, it reduces the energy level and makes you gain weight. Get rid of the sugar habit by planning your diet well.

Alcohol:

Excessive drinking can lead to heart and liver diseases. Keep it within safe limits. And, make sure you drink enough water between alcoholic drinks. However, as far as possible it is advisable to completely skip it.

Smoking:

Nothing can get worse than smoking. The chemicals in the tobacco are among the main causes of heart diseases, lung cancer and many other diseases. Quit smoking;after all, it pays to live a happy healthy life.

Late nights:

Too much of work, parties or business meetings can deprive you of the required sleep you need. Lack of quality sleep can cause numerous health issues. A minimum of six to eight hours of quality sleep is a must for any individual.

Poor Posture:

Poor posture can affect your ability to function as you age. Neck and back problems can be avoided by improving your posture. Start doing a few stretching exercises on daily basis. Correct posture can also improve your self esteem.

Loud music:

Loud music can be fun but at the same time turn fatal too. If you are in the habit of listening to loud music regularly, remember the loud noise can damage the ear's sensory nerve cells. Listen at a low volume and use protective earmuffs or earplugs to prevent loud sounds reaching your eardrums.




Copyright 2009 FaYo.in

Yogitha Ramamoorthy is a freelance fashion designer and a fashion writer. She is a regular contributor to various online magazines and newspapers. Visit her blog http://www.yogitharamamoorthy.blogspot.com and website http://www.fayo.in for more FREE information on fashion, styling and beauty tips.





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2012年2月2日 星期四

New Year's Resolutions For Better Brain Health - Part 2


Sleep. Everyone knows you should have 8 hours of sleep each night right? Unfortunately only 27% of Americans report actually getting 8 or more hours. A recent Gallup poll reported that Americans get an average 6.7 hours of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation can have serious effects on your health in the form of physical and mental impairments. Inadequate rest impairs our ability to think, handle stress, maintain a healthy immune system and moderate our emotions. Sleep deprivation results in the loss of sleep's benefits for cognitive processes such as memory and insight formation: the building blocks of learning, creativity, and scientific discovery. Rather than slowing or shutting down while we sleep, our brains are using the time to process information. Your brain is elaborating on what it has taken in during the day.

Elaboration ties the new information with previous knowledge, these connections become part of the brain's organizational system and enable that information to be solidly stored and easily retrieved. Not only is it important to get enough sleep, it is similarly important to maintain a regular sleep cycle or Circadian rhythm. These rhythms are regular changes in mental and physical characteristics that occur in the course of a day and are synchronized with the sleep/wake cycle. Studies indicate that the brain needs regular daily cycles of sleep and wakefulness for memory consolidation or to process and file in long term memory the information we learn. Scientists believe that as we take information in, the brain stores it in a holding area "short term memory", waiting to embed the information in long term memory while we sleep. If we often disrupt the brain's schedule, some of the information held in short term memory may not be fully processed and stored. Strengthen your sleep cycles by exposing yourself to bright light and by waking at the same time each day. Those weekends of sleeping in can actually do more harm than good to cognitive functioning by sabotaging your circadian rhythm.

Find moments of Peace. People who meditate or practice relaxation exercises say it increases their energy, relieves stress and improves both physical and cognitive performance. However, what effect meditating has on the brain has long been a matter of scientific debate. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital used MRI to compare 15 subjects who report meditating regularly and 15 subjects who have never meditated. They found that the subjects who regularly meditated displayed an increase in the thickness of the prefrontal cortex and the right anterior insula, areas involved in attention and sensory processing. The growth of the cortex was not attributed to the development of new neurons, but rather from wider blood vessels and more supporting structures and connections. While meditation is often seen as a religious exercise, I'm not suggesting that you must take up yoga or join an ashram to improve cognitive functioning.

Meditation is primarily about learning to relax and breathe. Find a comfortable, quiet place to sit uninterrupted for 15-20 minutes each day (set a timer so you won't be tempted to keep checking your watch). Close your eyes relax and breathe. Pay attention to your breathing, your inhale, and your exhale, how some breaths are naturally deeper than others. Just breathe naturally but pay attention to each breath. Focus on breathing and progressively relaxing your muscles. If you find your mind wandering, just go back to focusing on your breathing. As you learn to use this focus to relax, you'll find that you will be able to take short 2-5 minute "meditation" breaks throughout the day. If you find disruptive thoughts drifting in, something you need to do, grocery lists, recalling an argument, etc., think about a happy place or happy time then go back to focusing on your breathing. Learning to relax takes practice, don't expect to master meditation right away, but the benefits of improved memory, focus and emotional well-being make the effort well worthwhile. This time for you is an important part of brain health. Learn to say "no" when you're asked to do something you simply don't have time for, give yourself 30 minutes every day just for you, reduce your number of volunteer obligations if you're over extended, help your children learn to engage in one activity at a time.




Lucy Gross-Barlow: As a Speech/Language Pathologist of over 26 years and having practiced in a wide variety of therapeutic settings, Lucy brings to her clients a diversity of patient care knowledge. For the past 12 years, she has specialized her practice in the area of processing disorders and remediation of learning impairments, and she has a passion in seeing her clients succeed in their communicative and learning skills. Lucy now desires to extend the knowledge she has gained in processing and learning remediation to as many children as possible to enable them to reach their full learning and communicative potential in life.

Lucy is a founding partner of The Therapy Group, an association of Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, learning specialists, Speech-Language Pathology Aides, parent teachers, administrators and advocates pioneering an industry in web-based consulting for parents who seek to help their children with learning challenges or those learning with disabilities in achieving academic and social success. Providing parents with resources, learning therapies, proprietary products and programs worldwide.





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2012年1月26日 星期四

The Secrets of Long Term Health - Go to Sleep!


Sleep deprivation is one of the most effective ways of torture. I've heard that most Navy Seals crack after 2 weeks of only getting 1-2 hours of sleep a night. I gotta hand it to you new moms-you sometimes go months on only a couple hours of sleep a night! Not only is it important to get sleep to avoid irritability and emotional/mental instability, sleep also helps your body to overcome a host of maladies, like: heart disease, cancer, inflammation, stress, memory loss, weight gain, long recovery times after physical exertion, and of course drowsiness. Let's explain how it does all of that:



Heart Health: Did you know that most heart attacks happen in the early morning hours? When you body is deprived of valuable hours of sleep over time, your blood pressure and cholesterol will worsen. To avoid this, you should try to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night.

Anti-Carcinogen: If you work the late shift, you may be at a higher risk for breast and colon cancer. Researchers believe this link is caused by differing levels of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night. Light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that both makes us sleepy and is thought to protect against cancer. Melatonin appears to suppress the growth of tumors. Be sure that your bedroom is dark to help your body produce the melatonin it needs.

Stress: Simply put, when you don't get enough sleep, your body enters a state of stress. Your body's functions all go to battle stations when you're stressed- blood pressure increases as a result and puts you at a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes. To make matters even worse, stress hormones make it harder for you to sleep!

Inflammation: Stress hormones also cause the level of inflammation in your body to increase. Inflammation is thought to be one of the causes of the deterioration of your body as you get older.

Memory Loss: When you sleep, your brain goes through a process called memory consolidation. As your body rests, your brain is busy processing the events of the day, making connections between sensory inputs, events, and other memories. Getting more quality sleep will help your brain to be able to forge these links, thus allowing you to remember more things.

Weight Gain: Researchers have found that people who sleep less than 7 hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese.  Apparently if you don't get enough sleep, the hormone levels in your body that affect appetite may get out of balance. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, have been found to be disrupted by a lack of sleep.

Recovery Times: Your body's cells are able to process more protein when you are sleeping, and those protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage. Sleep also helps your body repair itself from damage caused by stress, UV rays, and other harmful exposures.
So get some sleep. You'll feel better, be slimmer, and have less stress. If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to me.




Steve Underwood is a fitness expert, specializing in a healthy lifestyle [http://getfitblog.biz/?p=92] based upon sound principles. Get a free Newsletter [http://getfitblog.biz/newsletter-signup] with more info, workouts, diet tips, and recipes.





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2011年12月25日 星期日

A Basket of Stress Management Tips For Better Emotional Health


Considering stress management tips will be good for you who are angry, sad and tearful or even have given up on your stress. In such a case, you are recommended to take a time for trying one of the quick stress management tips below.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is the first suggested method in management of stress tips. This one of stress management tips will make you feel energize from all that oxygen, and the muscle of your chest and shoulder will take the advantage of expanding and contracting the rib cage.

Sensory Deprivation

Another way in stress management tips is by depriving the sensory. Besides, you can do that in similar way through shutting off all sound by wearing headphones or white-noise ear buds. It can reduce your stress as well.

Punching Bag

More about stress management tips, you can reduce your stress by punching bag as well. However, any kind of physical activity will be the great stress reliever if you don't have a punching bag and a set of boxing gloves on hand. Remember that a big change can happen from such effort.

Laugh Out Loud

In management of stress tips, laughing is the catching way. You can start with laugh out loud for about 60 seconds.

Massage

Massage belongs to the suggested technique in management of stress tips as well. You can lessen yourself by having a massage. You can do that by close your eyes and applying the gentle pressure to your temples, rubbing in a circular motion.

Stretch

The last option in stress management tips is stretching. It is the exercise to release the pressure from your muscles. You can begin the exercise by face forward and roll your head to the right, strain to touch your shoulder with your ear. By letting your chin drop to your chest, you will feel the stretch in your neck muscles.

At last, extend your right arm up toward the ceiling, with the heel or your hand pressed high. And then, repeat the same movement on the left side.




StressManagementMastery is a professional online consultant of self improvement for stress management, and any other related problem, including easy stress management tips.





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2011年11月30日 星期三

How a Good Sleeping Habit Helps You Attain Optimum Health


Sleep is something that many of us are too willing to give up just to take on a job, have party with friends or simply finish a book or a television program. Skipping sleep for some time may not have a substantial impact on your health. However, if you keep on depriving yourself of much-needed sleep, you are not doing yourself a favor.

Studies have shown that sleep has tons of benefits. If you want to maintain a healthy and active life for a longer time, then you should not get into the habit of skipping sleep at night. To help underline the importance of sleep, here are some of its benefits:

1. Eases Stress

Many studies have confirmed that people who are not getting enough restful sleep are in an elevated state of stress. As a result of the body's heightened condition, your body releases a lot of stress hormones and your blood pressure is high. In this state, you are more prone to having stroke and heart attack. Ironically, elevated levels of stress hormones could also make it more difficult for you to go to sleep.

2. Boosts Memory

It is important to note that the time your brain consolidates your memories is during deep sleep. While you are dreaming away, it is the time when your brain processes all the things that you learned, creates sensory inputs, and makes connections between feelings, events and memories. Thus, you need to allocate time for sleeping too.

3. Prevents Certain Types of Cancer

Experts believe that people who work late or in graveyard shifts are more prone to developing colon and breast cancers. They say that the connection lies on the levels of melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy, in the body. Studies have shown that melatonin prevents the growth of tumors. However, light during the night suppresses the production of melatonin. If you happen to work at night, make sure that your bedroom is completely dark so that you can sleep properly and produce melatonin even if you sleep during the day.

4. Keeps You Alert

Experience will tell you that after a good night's slumber, you will wake up energized and ready for the day ahead. On the contrary, if you are sleep deprived, you feel sluggish and unaware of your surroundings. Aside from drunk driving, people who fall asleep while driving are also responsible for a lot of vehicular accidents in the country.

5. Minimizes Your Risk Of Depression

Aside from melatonin, the other hormone or brain chemical also affected by sleep is serotonin, which is responsible for your mood and feelings. If you don't get to sleep soundly at night, your levels of serotonin might suffer, increasing your chances of developing depression. If you do not want to experience bouts of depression, be sure to snooze for 7 to 9 hours every night.

6. Promotes Healthy Heart

Statistics show that strokes and heart attacks are more common during the early hours of the morning. This may be caused by the manner in which slumber interacts with your blood vessels. Specialists believe that lack of proper sleep can make cholesterol and blood pressure levels worse.

7. Helps In Weight Loss

Did you know that the more you skip sleep, the bigger your chance of gaining weight is? It seems that the hormones that control appetite in people who are sleep deprived are disrupted. If you do not sleep well, you are more prone to eating a lot the day after.

8. Aids Body In Making Necessary Repairs

While you are sleeping, your body also starts repairing the damage caused by ultraviolet rays, stress, free radicals and other harmful exposures. This is the time when your body creates more protein molecules, which are the building blocks of cells.

If you are suffering from insomnia or having difficulty sleeping, consuming sleeping pills might not be the best for you because these pills can be habit forming. Instead, you can try sleep supplements, such as Somulin, which are composed of natural ingredients that are safe and effective.




For more details, simply visit http://www.somulin.com/

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com





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