Life During Pregnancy

Being pregnant is a blessing that most couple waited for. Babies are gift. We understand why Dads are usually happy when they know that their wife are pregnant. They will become a father and their life now will change. Yes, things are different now if there’s a baby coming aboard. The couple become responsible into their well-being.

But it’s not only about happy moments that will come along during pregnancy. Sometimes, there are unexpected things that comes along the way. Expected moms are tends to be more sensitive at this time. The husband should understand that. If the pregnant mom is stressed, it gives a bad effect to the baby. Stress can lower the rate of the baby’s heartbeat.Expected Dad should be more understanding and supportive at this time. The wife needs your support. There are lots of changes happens in pregnant woman’s body and also their emotions.

Eye Problems and Injuries

Every year more than one million people get eye injuries

, out of which ninety percent are preventable if safety eyewear is used. One hundred and twenty five thousand eye injury cases are caused by household products.

It is a good habit to wash hands regularly, especially after handling household chemicals. When using detergents and hazardous solvents, the handler must wear chemical safety goggles. Also, no children must be around while handling chemicals. While spraying, the nozzle must be turned away from the face. Fertilizers, pesticides and paints must be stored away from reach. While doing household activities proper protective gears such as goggles, gloves, boots and helmet should be worn, if required. The house must be illuminated adequately to avoid accidents in the dark. Stairs should also be illuminated and the rails must also be installed. The instructions for opening the tops of bottles must be read carefully to avoid them from popping and injuring other people. Children and adolescents should read instructions before handling operating equipment before playing games. All power equipment must be installed with guards. While playing outside, the eyes must be protected by UV protective goggles and it is a bad idea to look at the sun directly.

Precautions should not only be taken indoors, but outdoors too. This is because; more than forty thousand people get eye injuries outdoors. Ninety nine percent of the injuries are caused while playing sports. So it is necessary for the youngsters to wear protective eyewear while playing sports or when involved in outdoor recreational activities. A special helmet is designed with wire shield or polycarbonate face mask which is not only safe, but comfortable, too. Protective eyewear should also be worn while performing experiments in science lab. Fireworks must only be handled by adults.

Because of increasing use of computers, more and more youngsters are getting eye strains. The symptoms of eye strain caused by computer are red & watery eyes, focusing problems, aching & tired eyelids, eye muscle spasm, backache and headache. In such an environment, eye exercise must be done regularly. The eyes must be made to focus on distant objects and should be rotated from side to side. It is extremely important to give ample rest to the eyes. Glasses with UV shield must be worn when looking at the computer screen. Eye strain can be avoided by increasing the distance from the monitor.

Eye hazards are also caused when cosmetics are used improperly by contact lens wearers. Some of the adverse reactions are injury, eye irritation, allergy, dryness, infection, and lens deposition. That is the reason why adolescents must be made aware of the risk they will face when opting for contact lens. Girls should understand that they should buy hypoallergenic cosmetics and especially the non-scented variety, manufactured by big brand names. Cosmetics should not be shared with anything else. The applicator brushes must be washed regularly and old mascara must be disposed and not refilled. Eye shadows which are glittery, pearlized, frosted or iridescent contain ground tinsel or oyster shell, which should be always avoided. Eyeliner should not be applied in the inner lid edge. Loose powder should be avoided. Cream should not be applied near the eyes. The wearer should wash hands while handling contact lens. No crying, washing of face or bathing should be done with the contact lens on.

By Krishan Bakhru

Bigger waist may spell more success for women

Hormones that distribute fat around waist help combat stress, up stamina

An imperfect body might be just what the doctor ordered for women and key to their economic success, an anthropologist now says.
While pop culture seems to worship the hourglass figurefor females, with a tiny waist, big boobs and curvy hips à la Marilyn Monroe, this may not be optimal, says Elizabeth Cashdan of the University of Utah.
That's because the hormones that make women physically stronger, more competitive and better able to deal with stress also tend to redistribute fat from the hips to the waist.
So in societies and situations where women are under pressure to procure resources and otherwise bring home the bacon, they may be less likely to have the classic hourglass figure, Cashdan hypothesizes in the December issue of the journal Current Anthropology.
Curve crazy
Until now, scientists (and apparently Western society) thought a curvy figure trumped other body shapes. The idea was based on results from medical studies that suggested a curvy waist-to-hip ratio of 0.7 or lower (meaning the waist is significantly narrower than the hips) is associated with higher fertility and lower rates of chronic disease.
In addition, past research has revealed that men prefer a ratio of 0.7 or lower when looking for a mate. The preference makes perfect sense, according to evolutionary psychologists, because the low ratio is a reliable signal of a healthy, fertile woman. Along those lines, Playboy centerfolds tend to have a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.68, Cashdan found.
However, women around the world tend to have larger waist-to-hip ratios (more cylindrical than hourglass-shaped) than is considered optimal by these medical and social standards.
Specifically, Cashdan compiled data from 33 non-Western populations and four European populations, finding the average waist-to-hip ratio for women was above 0.8. So if 0.7 is the magic number both in terms of health and male mate choice, Cashdan wondered why most women exhibit a significantly higher ratio.
That's where the hormones come in.
A little testosterone
Androgens, a class of hormones that includes testosterone, increase waist-to-hip ratios in women by increasing visceral fat, which is carried around the waist. But on the upside, increased androgen levels are also associated with increased strength, stamina and competitiveness. Cortisol, a hormone that helps the body deal with stressful situations, also increases fat carried around the waist.
Hormone levels linked with a high waist-to-hip ratio could lead to such health benefits, which would be particularly useful during times of stress, Cashdan said. These benefits could outweigh those attained from having the tiny waist, hourglass figure, she said.
Perhaps the differences between predominant body shapes in some societies have to do with sexual equality, Cashdan said.In Japan, Greece and Portugal, where women tend to be less economically independent, men place a higher value on a mate's thin waist than men in Britain or Denmark, where there tends to be more sexual equality, Cashdan said. And in some non-Western societies where food is scarce and women bear the responsibility for finding it, men actually prefer larger waist-to-hip ratios.
"Waist-to-hip ratio may indeed be a useful signal to men, then, but whether men prefer a [waist-to-hip ratio] associated with lower or higher androgen/estrogen ratios (or value them equally) should depend on the degree to which they want their mates to be strong, tough, economically successful and politically competitive," Cashdan writes.
She added, "And from a woman's perspective, men's preferences are not the only thing that matters."

Read more...

Heart rhythm risk seen in women’s alcohol use

More than two drinks a day can increase chance of stroke, researchers say

WASHINGTON - Women who consume more than two alcoholic drinks a day have a higher risk of getting the most common type of heart rhythm disturbance, which can raise the chances of having a stroke, researchers said on Tuesday.
Previous research had shown that men who drink three or more alcoholic beverages daily have an elevated risk for atrial fibrillation, but the risk for women had not been clear.
Researchers in the United States and Switzerland tracked 34,715 middle-aged American women for more than 12 years who did not have atrial fibrillation at the outset of the study.
There was no increased risk for the vast majority who drank either no alcohol or up to two drinks daily. But those who drank more had a 60 percent increased risk for atrial fibrillation.
The condition occurs when the heart's two upper chambers beat quickly and irregularly. Because blood is not pumped completely from the heart's upper chambers, it can pool and clot. If a piece of one of these clots becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke occurs.
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, who has a history of heart problems, was treated for atrial fibrillation in October.
"Small to moderate amounts of alcohol -- up to two drinks a day -- do not appear to be associated with an increased risk," said Dr. Christine Albert of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, one of the researchers in the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"But if you do drink more than two drinks a day and you're looking for a way to decrease your risk of atrial fibrillation, it may be that reducing alcohol consumption may be helpful."
Only about 4 percent of the women in the study reported drinking that much.

Read more...

High Blood Pressure Diet

When you were diagnosed with high blood pressure, most likely the first suggestion made by your health care provider was to change your diet. High blood pressure can be eased and even cured by changing the foods you eat.

There are some basic rules to curing your high blood pressure using a nutritional approach. Firstly, you should consume unrefined, unprocessed and fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, onions, garlic, soy, olive oil, nuts, beans, oily fish such as salmon, tuna or sardines.
Reducing sodium intake is an important component of any diet aimed to lower high blood pressure. Research has also shown that a reduction in sodium works even better if potassium intake is also raised. Sodium can be found in very high quantities in processed foods, which is why these types of foods should be avoided as much as possible. Make sure you check food labels to see the amount of salt and avoid those with high salt quantities.

Hydration is also important when it comes to lowering high blood pressure. It helps the entire system work efficiently. Guidelines state that you should be drinking fifty per cent of your body in ounces on a daily basis. So, if you weight 150 pounds, then you should be drinking 75 ounces of water daily.

Herbs and supplements should also be included to help lower your high blood pressure naturally. Herbs such as hawthorn, garlic and yarrow can be included. Supplements should include calcium supplements of at least 800-1500mg and should be taken daily. Vitamin C supplements should also be taken daily.

Fast food ad ban may cut obesity in kids

Experts: Nixing commercials may lower number of heavy kids by 18 percent

WASHINGTON - Banning fast-food advertising on television in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much as 18 percent, researchers said on Wednesday.
But the team at the National Bureau of Economic Research questioned whether it would be practical to impose that kind of government regulation -- something only Sweden, Norway and Finland have done.
"We have known for some time that childhood obesity has gripped our culture, but little empirical research has been done that identifies television advertising as a possible cause," said economist Shin-Yi Chou of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.
"Hopefully, this line of research can lead to a serious discussion about the type of policies that can curb America's obesity epidemic."
For their study, funded in part by the federal government, Chou and colleagues used data on nearly 13,000 children from the 1979 Child-Young Adult National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, both issued by the U.S. Department of Labor.
"The advertising measure used is the number of hours of spot television fast-food restaurant advertising messages seen per week," they wrote in the Journal of Law and Economics.
"Our results indicate that a ban on these advertisements would reduce the number of overweight children ages 3-11 in a fixed population by 18 percent and would reduce the number of overweight adolescents ages 12-18 by 14 percent."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 13.9 percent of children aged 2 to 5 are overweight, 18.8 percent of those aged 6 to 11 are and more than 17 percent of those 12 to 19.
The percentages have been steadily rising.
Television watching is also known to raise obesity rates, both because children exercise less and because it can interfere with sleep.
The Institute of Medicine reported in 2006 that there was compelling evidence linking food advertising on television and increased childhood obesity.
One study suggested that children viewed an average of about 20,000 commercials aired on television per year in the late 1970s, rising to 30,000 per year in the late 1980s and more than 40,000 per year in the late 1990s.

Marrow Transplant May Have Cured AIDS

The Associated Press , Berlin

An American man who suffered from AIDS appears to have been cured of the disease 20 months after receiving a targeted bone marrow transplant normally used to fight leukemia, his doctors said.

While researchers - and the doctors themselves - caution that the case might be no more than a fluke, others say it may inspire a greater interest in gene therapy to fight the disease that claims 2 million lives each year. The virus has infected 33 million people worldwide.

Dr. Gero Huetter said Wedneday his 42-year-old patient, an American living in Berlin who was not identified, had been infected with the AIDS virus for more than a decade. But 20 months after undergoing a transplant of genetically selected bone marrow, he no longer shows signs of carrying the virus.

"We waited every day for a bad reading," Huetter said.

It has not come. Researchers at Berlin's Charite hospital and medical school say tests on his bone marrow, blood and other organ tissues have all been clean.

However, Dr. Andrew Badley, director of the HIV and immunology research lab at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said those tests have probably not been extensive enough.

"A lot more scrutiny from a lot of different biological samples would be required to say it's not present," Badley said.

This isn't the first time marrow transplants have been attempted for treating AIDS or HIV infection. In 1999, an article in the journal Medical Hypotheses reviewed the results of 32 attempts reported between 1982 and 1996. In two cases, HIV was apparently eradicated, the review reported.

Huetter's patient was under treatment at Charite for both AIDS and leukemia, which developed unrelated to HIV.

As Huetter - who is a hematologist, not an HIV specialist - prepared to treat the patient's leukemia with a bone marrow transplant, he recalled that some people carry a genetic mutation that seems to make them resistant to HIV infection. If the mutation, called Delta 32, is inherited from both parents, it prevents HIV from attaching itself to cells by blocking CCR5, a receptor that acts as a kind of gateway.

"I read it in 1996, coincidentally," Huetter told reporters at the medical school. "I remembered it and thought it might work."

Roughly one in 1,000 Europeans and Americans have inherited the mutation from both parents, and Huetter set out to find one such person among donors that matched the patient's marrow type. Out of a pool of 80 suitable donors, the 61st person tested carried the proper mutation.

Before the transplant, the patient endured powerful drugs and radiation to kill off his own infected bone marrow cells and disable his immune system - a treatment fatal to between 20 and 30 percent of recipients.

He was also taken off the potent drugs used to treat his AIDS. Huetter's team feared that the drugs might interfere with the new marrow cells' survival. They risked lowering his defenses in the hopes that the new, mutated cells would reject the virus on their own.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases in the U.S., said the procedure was too costly and too dangerous to employ as a firstline cure. But he said it could inspire researchers to pursue gene therapy as a means to block or suppress HIV.

"It helps prove the concept that if somehow you can block the expression of CCR5, maybe by gene therapy, you might be able to inhibit the ability of the virus to replicate," Fauci said.

David Roth, a professor of epidemiology and international public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said gene therapy as cheap and effective as current drug treatments is in very early stages of development.

"That's a long way down the line because there may be other negative things that go with that mutation that we don't know about."

Even for the patient in Berlin, the lack of a clear understanding of exactly why his AIDS has disappeared means his future is far from certain.

"The virus is wily," Huetter said. "There could always be a resurgence."

Choose The Right Moisturizer For Your Skin

When looking for the right kind of moisturizer for your skin you should consider many things before just going and buying any product off the shelves. These things should be skin type, time of year, as well as cost of the product you are looking at.

Skin Types
Oily skin is described as shiny with a dull color to it. Chronically oily skin has large pores and often has blackheads or pimples that can be either large or small. There are many causes to this type of skin a few of which are hormone levels, heredity, diet, and the weather. Natural oils such as Olive oil are actually good for oily skin types, they help break down the body’s oil and replace it with good oil.
Dry skin can be described by a dull flat tight look. This skin type often suffers from a tight itchy feeling and the skin can flake or chap and crack easily. This skin type can be caused by a lot of the same things as oily skin such as heredity, diet, and hormones.
Combination skin is skin that has both oily patches as well as dry patches and is a very typical skin type for the face. Often the T zone is where the oily patches are; the T zone is the forehead, nose, and chin. Often this area is affected by acne or can be more greasy feeling then the rest of your skin. The dry patches are often the cheeks where they can become so dry some people may experience flaking or chapping.

Sensitive skin is skin that is thin or fine in texture. If you have sensitive skin you probably have allergic reactions to many products including detergents, cosmetics and alcohol that is used in many skin care products. Sensitive skin burns easily as well as can get windburned more easily.

Products
Dermatologists recommend that you always use a moisturizer that contains a sun screen. SPF is important to give you the sun protection you need. During the summer months you can even find moisturizers that contain tint for a nice tanned look.
Some products like Aveno have clearly labeled bottles that tell you what the skin type each different product is best for. Aveno is best for sensitive skin as well as to be used during winter months when dry skin can be at its worst.

Neutrogena is one of the top recommended products for skin care by dermatologists and can be found in just about any drug store, chain store, or super market. Neutrogena is a product that is especially good for people who suffer from oily skin types or acne that is often caused by oily skin.

You may also find that some organic ingredients work best for your skin. A natural deep moisturizer is olive oil and is often used even in luxury salons. This is one of the best moisturizers for a deep penetrating facial or all over body moisturizer. Choosing a product that is right for your skin will allow you to save money as well as find the right product for your skin type.

A Secret Of Anti Aging

By Stephanie Relfe B.Sc. (Sydney)

Anti aging is possible. The body is designed to heal and repair itself with the aid of proper nutrition. The body requires two vital materials to complete this - energy and raw material. These two requirements are needed to maintain the cell's proper functions. The body is made up of cells and all cells are living. All living things need food. Each cell needs the proper food to keep it strong. Cells die and replace themselves at various intervals. To understand antin-aging, understand that when a cell replaces itself it has three options that it can replace itself with:

1. A cell may replace itself with a weaker cell each time. A cell will do this if it hasn't had the right nutritional foods available to it. This process is called degeneration.

2. A cell can replace itself with the same strength cell. This means the body doesn't improve. That is, you have a chronic condition.

3. The cell is capable of replacing itself with a stronger and better cell. This will happen only if the cell has an abundance of energy and the right raw materials. This process is called regeneration. It is anti-aging.

Many of the foods that we have been told are good for us in actual fact may cause degeneration. This can be shown by muscle testing. Your kinesiologist can supply you with information on which foods to avoid to stop degeneration, and which foods to buy to aid regeneration and anti-aging.

FOODS WHICH CAN CAUSE DEGENERATION AND AGING ARE:

High levels of carbohydrate

Sugar

Milk (especially homogenized milk) and cheese

Caffeine - Including Tea, Coffee, chocolate, cola, chuppa chups

Chocolate (it contains dangerous levels of lead!)

Cigarettes

White flour

Microwaved food

Chemicals such as flouride (which is a rat poison)

Artificial sweeteners (especially aspartame / nutrasweet)

Alcohol

Processed foods

Artificial Colorings (as in Gatorade)

Additives

Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Preserved meat

Moderate to high levels of meat

Meat from animals on unnatural diets (eg pork)

Margarine

Vegetable oil

Canola oil

Cotton seed oil

Olestra

Hydrogenated oils

Oil that is not cold pressed / expeller pressed (use olive oil, butter or ghee)

Deep fried foods

Chips / French fries

Puffed grains

Soy products other than soy sauce, miso and tofu (eg soy milk & soy oil)

Meat and eggs raised by `normal' methods which have many toxins and hormones.

Seafood which are garbage eaters (eg oysters)

Foods with high levels of mercury. This includes most fish, such as tuna.

Genetically Modified Food (GMOs). At present this is about 50% of all soy and corn. Even organic soy and corn can have GMOs in it unless otherwise stated.

A MAJOR cause of aging is heavy metals. Virtually all of us suffer from heavy metal toxicity.

The best way to remove heavy metals is by chelation, by I.V. or by suppository.

FOODS WHICH CAN HELP REGENERATION AND ANTI-AGING INCLUDE:

RAW nuts, seeds, soaked and sprouted grains

Fruit and vegetables especially sprouts

Green leafy vegetables

Legumes (bean and lentils - learn Indian cooking to make them interesting)

Goji Juice & Berries - Possibly the best anti-aging substance in the world.

Super Food

Seeds

Bee pollen (not for everyone-some are allergic to pollen from some areas)

Kambucha

Celtic sea salt

Spirulina

Seaweed

Wheatgrass juice

Barley greens

Aloe Vera

Antioxidants (eg vitamin C, vitamin E, pycnogenols, coenzyme Q10)

Olive oil

Evening primrose oil

MSM (organic sulphur)

Foods with omega 3 fatty acids (eg flaxseed oil) and

Foods with omega 4 & 5 fatty acids (eg evening primrose and fish oil).

Gentle sunlight (vitamin D)

Gentle exercise.

A good night's sleep every night, minimum eight hours.

In addition, frequent drinks of good water is crucial. We believe the best water is water that has been filtered by reverse osmosis. Next best would be spring water. Tap water is not as good because of the chlorine and the fluoride (although it is better than nothing). Distilled water is not as good for you - its energy has been altered. In Europe distilled water is labelled ``not for human consumption". Mineral water is not as good because the minerals are not in a form your body likes. Water that comes from the top of mountains is no good because, according to genius Victor Schauberger, it is lacking in oxygen. Many people's health problems and anti-aging would improve if they would just drink more good water!

Nutritionists like to divide food into a number of different groups. I suggest that you think about dividing food up into two food groups. One group produces acids when it is digested. The other group produces alkalies when it is digested. Our bodies are constantly producing waste products, much the same as the exhaust coming from the back of your car. Waste products are acidic. They are called toxins. Toxins cause tiredness, pain and aging. Therefore, if you want more energy and less pain and anti-aging, you need to eat less acid-producing food.

Foods that produce acids are carbohydrates and proteins. 'Foods' such as tea, coffee, softdrinks, sugar, flavourings, artificial sweetener and preserved meats are even more acidic i.e. toxic. And pollutants (such as heavy metals) and pesticides are even worse.

To neutralise an acid you need an alkali. The only foods that produce alkalis are fruit and vegetables, particularly leafy, green vegetables, such as sprouts, parsley and cabbage. That is why people should eat LOTS of fruit and especially vegetables, for anti-aging. Raw is best. And steamed is much, much better than boiled (as it retains the vitamins and minerals).

Once you begin to understand this, it is easy to see why so many people are suffering from health problems. Have a look at what people put into their shopping carts next time you are at the supermarket. (Lots of white bread, soft drinks and preserved meats). And have a look at what people have on their plate next time you are in a restaurant. Lots of carbohydrate and protein, and very few vegetables, except maybe for some lettuce.

This is not to say that we don't need protein and complex carbohydrates. We do. The key is BALANCE. We need to balance the acid-producing foods we eat with much more alkali-producing foods, especially if we suffer from symptoms such as tiredness,pain, illness, gas and skin problems.

The other thing to bear in mind is that the body has hundreds of different chemical reactions going on, for which it needs at least NINETY different things, including vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. Therefore, people need more variety in their diet, to ensure that they get everything their body needs, for effective anti-aging.

DISCLAIMER: This information is not medical science or medical advice. This information is not backed up by scientific evidence. This is just for your information. This information and these products have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, disorder, pain, injury, deformity, or physical or mental condition. Individual results may vary.

About the Author : Stephanie Relfe was born in Sydney Australia. She now lives in the USA with her husband and son. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Sydney University. She is a professional kinesiologist and the webmaster of "Health, Wealth & Happiness" at www.relfe.com, a website which provides valuable natural health, mind, spirit, financial and other information unifying the whole, rather than educating a part of the whole.

HIV And AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a set of symptoms and infections resulting from the damage to the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).[1] This condition progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumors. HIV is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast
milk.[2][3] This transmission can involve anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids.
AIDS is now a pandemic.[4] In 2007, an estimated 33.2 million people lived with the disease worldwide, and it killed an estimated 2.1 million people, including 330,000 children.[5] Over three-quarters of these deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa,[5] retarding economic growth and destroying human capital.[6] Most researchers believe that HIV originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century.[7] AIDS was first recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1981 and its cause, HIV, identified by American and French scientists in the early 1980s.[8]
Although treatments for AIDS and HIV can slow the course of the disease, there is currently no vaccine or cure. Antiretroviral treatment reduces both the mortality and the morbidity of HIV infection, but these drugs are expensive and routine access to antiretroviral medication is not available in all countries.[9] Due to the difficulty in treating HIV infection, preventing infection is a key aim in controlling the AIDS epidemic, with health organizations promoting safe sex and needle-exchange programmes in attempts to slow the spread of the virus.

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Bipolar Disease

Definition
Bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of excitability (mania) alternating with periods of depression. The "mood swings" between mania and depression can be very abrupt.

Alternative Names
Manic depression; Bipolar affective disorder

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally and usually appears between the ages of 15 and 25. The exact cause is unknown, but it occurs more often in relatives of people with bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder results from disturbances in the areas of the brain that regulate mood. During manic periods, a person with bipolar disorder may be overly impulsive and energetic, with an exaggerated sense of self. The depressed phase brings overwhelming feelings of anxiety, low self-worth, and suicidal thoughts.
There are two primary types of bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder I have had at least one fully manic episode with periods of major depression. In the past, bipolar disorder I was called manic depression.
People with bipolar disorder II seldom experience full-fledged mania. Instead they experience periods of hypomania (elevated levels of energy and impulsiveness that are not as extreme as the symptoms of mania). These hypomanic periods alternate with episodes of major depression.
A mild form of bipolar disorder called cyclothymia involves periods of hypomania and mild depression, with less-severe mood swings. People with bipolar disorder II or cyclothymia may be misdiagnosed as having depression alone.

Symptoms
The manic phase may last from days to months and include the following symptoms:
• Elevated mood
o Racing thoughts
o Hyperactivity
o Increased energy
o Lack of self-control
• Inflated self-esteem (delusions of grandeur, false beliefs in special abilities)
• Over-involvement in activities
• Reckless behavior
o Spending sprees
o Binge eating, drinking, and/or drug use
o Sexual promiscuity
o Impaired judgment
• Tendency to be easily distracted
• Little need for sleep
• Easily agitated or irritated
• Poor temper control
These symptoms of mania are seen with bipolar disorder I. In people with bipolar disorder II, hypomanic episodes involve similar symptoms that are less intense.
The depressed phase of both types of bipolar disorder involves very serious symptoms of major depression:
• Persistent sadness
• Fatigue or listlessness
• Sleep disturbances
o Excessive sleepiness
o Inability to sleep
• Eating disturbances
o Loss of appetite and weight loss
o Overeating and weight gain
• Loss of self-esteem
• Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness and/or guilt
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Withdrawal from friends
• Withdrawal from activities that were once enjoyed
• Persistent thoughts of death
There is a high risk of suicide with bipolar disorder. While in either phase, patients may abuse alcohol or other substances, which can worsen the symptoms.
Sometimes there is an overlap between the two phases. Manic and depressive symptoms may occur simultaneously or in quick succession in what is called a mixed state.

Signs and tests
A diagnosis of bipolar disorder involves consideration of many factors. The health care provider may do some or all of the following:
• Observe your behavior and mood
• Obtain your medical history, including any medical problems you have and any medications you take
• Ask about your recent mood swings and how long you've experienced them
• Ask about your family medical history, particularly whether anyone has or had bipolar disorder
• Perform a thorough examination to identify or rule out physical causes for the symptoms
• Request laboratory tests to check for thyroid problems or drug levels
• Speak with your family members to discuss their observations about your behavior
Note: Use of recreational drugs may be responsible for some symptoms, though this does not rule out bipolar affective disorder. Drug abuse may itself be a symptom of bipolar disorder.

Treatment
Bipolar disorder is often treated with mood-stabilizing medications such as valproic acid, lithium, and carbamazepine. These are effective for treating both the manic and depressive phases, as well as preventing future symptoms.
Antidepressant drugs may be useful during the depressive phase IF the antidepressants are used with a mood stabilizer. Mood stabilizers are very important in people with bipolar disorder. Without a mood stabilizer, antidepressants may trigger mania in people with bipolar disorder. (Keep in mind that people with bipolar disorder II may be misdiagnosed with depression only because they do not experience full-fledged mania. If these patients take antidepressants without mood stabilizers, it can trigger a manic episode.)
Anti-psychotic drugs can help a person who has lost touch with reality. Anti-anxiet drugs, such as benzodiazepines, may also help. The patient may need to stay in a hospital until his or her mood has stabilized and symptoms are under control.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be used to treat bipolar disorder. ECT is a psychiatric treatment that uses an electrical current to cause a brief seizure of the central nervous system while the patient is under anesthesia. Studies have repeatedly found that ECT is the most effective treatment for depression that is not relieved with medications.
Getting enough sleep helps keep a stable mood in some patients. Psychotherapy may be a useful option during the depressive phase. Joining a support group may be particularly helpful for bipolar disorder patients and their loved ones.

Be Healthy With Organic Food

Today's society is vigilant towards consciousness for health and people are constantly searching for factors that are able to give them an edge for achieving to be healthy. We all know that healthy diet, constant physical activity regime, and sufficient rest have profound impact upon our entire vitality. Subsequently, there are an overwhelming number of groups who swear that organic food is extremely beneficial for the overall health of individuals.

How Are Organic Foods Produced? Produced in organic farms, these foods are grown under stern supervision and guidelines and are packaged and grown without using any pesticides, man-made fertilizers, preservatives, artificial colorings and other chemicals. Non-organic products are subjected to various chemicals, which are usually not thoroughly studied so that their effects over the consumers' body can be understood and contemplated. These chemicals may be linked to anything from some types of cancer to food allergies.

Benefits Of Consuming Organic Food One of the main advantages of consuming organic food is that these food products are not at all subjected to any unreliable substances. Dairy and meat products prepared under organic principles are also free from any form of chemicals. Non-organic agricultural farmers usually subject the livestock to various chemical supplements designed for speeding their weight and growth. Further, cows in the dairies are given chemicals for increasing their milk productivity.

As per the guidelines for organic foods, the livestock is reared without using any antibiotics or growth hormones and are not genetically modified in any way. The benefits of organic foods are that the livestock are given only organic feed which is free from chemicals and supplements.

Another advantage of consuming organic food is its friendliness to the environment. The non-organic foods are treated through chemicals, which are responsible to change the landscape and contaminate the surrounding ground and water supplies. The ground in which organic food is grown experiences no changes. Making commitment towards using organic foods will make you healthy as the benefits of organic foods lie in enjoying natural whole foods free of chemicals.

As the benefits of organic foods are long lasting and varied to the environment, the decision for going organic is responsible and a healthy one.

In several countries, the producers of organic foods need to get an organic certification so that they can advertise their food products as organic. Chemical free food products are not able to cure any existing illness but are believed to reduce the risks of intoxication of the body, thereby leading to lesser health related problems. The market of organic foods has been fast developing, as the customers are becoming increasingly health conscious and aware about the after effects of pesticides and chemical fertilizers used in crops on their health.

Virtually, everyone may agree that organic vegetables, fruits, fish and meats are preferred to non-organic foods grown with insecticides, fungicides and chemical fertilizers. At present, non-organic food growers are allowed to make use of more than 1000 chemicals upon their crops, which may heavily lead to soil erosion because of over-farming to the dangerous toxics running off into drinking water.

The Secrets of a Very Long Life

There are several places in the world that are famous people who live a very long time. These places are usually in mountainous areas, far away from modern cities. Doctors, scientist, and public health experts often travel to these regions to solve the mystery of a long healthy life, the experts hope to bring to the modern world the secrets of longevity.
Hunza is high in the Himalayan Mountains of Asia. There many people over one hundred years of age are still in good physical health. Men of ninety are new fathers, and women of fifty still have babies. What are the reasons for this good health? Scientists believe that the people of hunza have these three benefits:(1) physical work, usually in the fields or with animals; (2) a healthful environment with clean air and water; and (3) a simple diet high in vitamins and nutrition but low in fat, cholesterol, sugar, and chemicals.
People in the Caucasus Mountains in the soviet Union are also famous for their longevity. In this area, there are amazing examples of very long-lived people. Although birth records are not usually available, a women called Tsurba probably lived until age 160; a man called shirali may have lived until age 168. His widow was 120 years old. In general, the people not only live a long time, but they also live well. They are almost never sick, and when they die, they have not only their own teeth but also a full head of hair and good eyesight.
Vilcabamba, Ecuador, is another area famous for longevity of its inhabitants. This region – like Hunza and the Caucasus – is also in high mountains, far away from cities. In Vilcabamba, too, there is very little serious disease. One reason for the good health of the people might be the clean, beautiful environment. The temperature is about 70o Fahrenheit all year long. The wind always comes from the same direction and the region is rich in flowers, fruit, vegetables, and wildlife.
In some ways, the diets of the inhabitants in the three regions are quite different. Hunzukuts eat mainly raw vegetables, fruit (especially apricots) and chapatis- a kind of pancake, they eat meat only a few times a year. The Caucasan diet consists mainly of milk, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and meat, most people there drink the local red wine daily. In Vilcabamba, people eat a small amount of meat each week, but the diet consists largely of grain, corn, beans, potatoes, and fruit.
Experts found one surprising fact in the mountains of Ecuador, most people there, even they very old, consume a lot of coffee, drink large amounts of alcohol and smoke forty to sixty cigarettes daily.
However, the diets are similar in two general ways: (1) the fruits and vegetables that the inhabitants of the three areas eat are all natural , that is, they contain no chemicals; and (2) the people consume fewer calories than people do in other parts of the world. A typical North America takes in an average of 3,300 calories everyday; a typical inhabitant of these mountainous areas, between 1,700 and 2,000 calories.
Inhabitants in the three regions have more in common than calories, natural food, their mountains, and their distance from modern cities. Because these people live in the countryside and are mostly farmers, their lives are physically hard. Thus, they do not need to go to health clubs because they get a lot of exercise in their daily work. In addition, although their lives are hard, the people do not seem to have the worries of city people. Their lives are quit. Consequently, some experts believe that physical exercise and freedom from worry might be the two most important secret of longevity.

7 Foods to Make Your Diet an Anti Aging Diet

Nobody ever left planet Earth younger than when he or she arrived, and you wont either. Aging is simply the natural consequence of being alive, and while you can do nothing to stop it, you can do plenty of things to keep the physical signs of aging at bay.

One of the most important weapons you have in the struggle to remain youthful is you diet. By committing yourself to following a diet which contains the following seven items, you will not only look younger than your chronological years; you'll feel much younger as well.

Avocado

The monounsaturated fats in avocado oil will boost your cardiovascular function by lowering your cholesterol, but even better, they will hydrate and smooth your skin so that wrinkles are minimized. Any fats which can keep your skin supple are the right fats to be eating.
Avocados make great additions to salads and sandwiches, and who doesn't love fresh guacamole? You should, however, limit yourself to half an avocado each day because of their calories.

Salmon

Salmon, especially wild salmon, is loaded with both lean protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, which like the fats in avocados, will work wonders on your skin. Eating salmon three times each week will get you all of its heart and skin rejuvenating benefits.

Salmon is delicious grilled, roasted, or baked, served hot or added to salad, with a simple sauce of lemon juice and fresh dill. But even canned salmon will get you the Omega-3 fatty acids you need.

Eggs

In spite of what you may have heard about eggs being bad for you cholesterol levels, that only applies if you eat them to excess. Eggs are high in protein, cheap, and can be easily prepared in all sorts of dishes.

Yogurt

Probiotics are all the rage in healthy eating circles, and yogurt is simply bursting with probiotics. It also contains plenty of the lean proteins which will slow the rate at which your body metabolizes carbohydrates, keeping your blood sugar stable and helping you burn fat more efficiently.

Yogurts probiotics not only help you digest your food more completely; they will rid your intestinal tract of the unfriendly organisms which can wreak havoc on your intestines. You'll get the most benefits from all-natural or plain vanilla yogurt, free of the additives which simply take up space that could be given to the probiotics and protein.

Tofu and tempeh

Both tofu and tempeh are rich in both bad cholesterol-bashing flavonoids, and in lean protein. Tofu is exceptionally versatile as a protein source because it will assume the flavor of the foods with which it is cooked. Tofu has even been used as the base for delicious ice cream-like desserts, which except for t heir much lower fat content are amazingly close to the real thing!

Blueberries

The humble blueberry has not found tremendous respect as a source of free-radical destroying antioxidants, and blueberries make delicious additions t breakfast cereals, pancakes, and yogurt.

Spinach, broccoli, and Chinese broccoli

These leafy green vegetables are, like blueberries, high in antioxidants so they can minimize the free radical damage which plays such a significant role in the rate at which you will age. They will also regulate your body’s insulin levels, so that you can lose weight more easily and age more slowly.

By eating a large serving of leafy green vegetables with your protein meals, you will also counteract the proteinas acidifying affects on your body normal pH with the alkalizing effects of the vegetables. Keeping your body's pH its natural alkaline state is one of the best ways to avoid degenerative diseases.

As you can see, simply adding these seven foods to your diet will go a very long way to keeping you young and healthy. But eating these foods is also going to add some real enjoyment to your meals, so you really have no reason not to eat them, do you?

By Marcus Ryan

Effective Ways To Weight Loss

You're already trying hard to lose weight. You're exercising and eating right. You're drinking more water and less juice. So how about doing a couple extra things this year to lose a couple extra pounds? Let's take a look at a few things you could do to supplement your weight loss:

1. Eat a salad before every meal. If you eat a full salad without dressing before you order or make your main meal, you may not find yourself eating as much of the high calorie foods to get full. You may be able to cut as much as 100 to 200 calories from each meal, which could help you lose one to two pounds per week. More importantly, you'll be eating healthier.

2. Use cinnamon flavored gum as your only snack. Whenever you feel yourself getting hungry and it isn't meal time, try popping a piece of sugar free cinnamon gum in your mouth. We're not sure why, but cinnamon gum seems to provide a hunger satisfaction not received from fruit and mint flavors.

3. Take 20 to 30 minutes to relax before consuming meals. This relaxation time could be taking a walk or talking with friends. In the mornings you may want to have your devotional time before your meal. Water the plants in your house or read a newspaper. Don't watch TV, as contrary to what many think, this causes a physiological stress reaction in the body.

4. Try new types of fruits and vegetables whenever you see some you haven't eaten before. Every new healthy food that you discover a liking for is another variety of alternative low-calorie food for you to use in your weekly meal plans. Many diets feel because they lack variety of flavors, so the more healthy variety you add the less you'll crave a change in diet. You may even play in the kitchen and create two or three great new recipes out of each new food you find.

5. Almost never combine eating with other activities. The only exception are family meals when some healthy conversation at the dinner table may be of more value than weight loss. You will almost always eat more if you're entertained while you eat.

It is important to keep your family and friends close while you are working on your weight loss efforts. Keep your support system close and take time to talk with people. Isolating yourself can undermine your weight loss efforts. Reach out and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

There is more than one effective way of dieting; the question is which diet is the right one for you? To learn more about how to choose the right weight loss diet program check out these articles about weight loss plans in particular how to get fit through sustainable, but quick weight loss programs.

By Gary Holdon

Nutrition Supplementation

By Rolf Rasmusson

Nutrition Supplement - nutrition.

Nutrition supplement is a term familiar to most of us. So what is nutrition supplement and why is it so important? Nutrition, by dictionary definition, is the sum of the processes by which someone takes in and utilizes food substances. One of the main advantages of utilizing food substances is the intake of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, herbs, etc. These are the things that make our body healthy. The study of supplementation is very interesting and useful.

Nutrition Supplement - what is it?

When people don't get enough of nutrients through food and when a well-designed diet doesn't work, people turn to the help of some type of nutrition supplement or supplements. A nutrition supplement is added to the diet to make up for a nutritional deficiency. The supplement increases the intake of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, etc. But you have to careful when purchasing some supplement, since supplements are not required to meet FDA standards.

Nutrition Supplement - the usage?

Many people nowadays use some type of nutrition supplement. In 1996 alone, consumers spent more than $6.5 billion on dietary supplements, according to Packaged Facts Inc., a market research firm in New York City. Nutrition supplement or supplements can be found in many forms: nutrition bars, tablets, capsules, powders, liquids, etc. A lot of supplements do not require any prescription. You can purchase them in health food stores, grocery stores, drug stores, or through mail or Internet.

Nutrition Supplement - nutrition supplement bars.

Some of the most popular types of nutrition supplements currently available on the market are nutrition supplement bars. There are many questions people have about nutrition supplement bars. Are they good? What are you getting with them? According to advertising of major nutrition supplement bars' manufacturers, their bars contain high levels of protein and low levels of carbohydrates.

Low Cholesterol Diet

By Peter Emerson

Nowadays, cholesterol is becoming a real threat to many people. The main reason behind this is that people tend to consume more products that are rich in saturated fats, such as whole milk dairy products, poultry, and egg yolks.
Additionally, most people also rely on food chains for their daily diet or perhaps on processed foods, especially if their schedule is too hectic to accommodate home cooking. So if you are one of these people who love to eat these kinds of foods, it’s time to reassess your diet and start eating a low-cholesterol diet.
The low-cholesterol diet is a diet low in saturated fat, which helps lower your cholesterol level and protect you from various heart diseases. The foods that should be included in this diet are fat-free dairy products, lean meats, fish and shellfish, skinless poultry, and whole-grain foods. Fresh fruits and green vegetables, especially when combined with large quantities of olive oil and monostaturates, should also be included because these are rich in vitamins and minerals that are good for your body and reduce your risk for high cholesterol. In addition to these, certain foods that contain plant stanols or plant sterols such as cholesterol-lowering margarines and salad dressings can also be added to your diet to boost your body’s LDL-lowering power.
Meanwhile, foods that are high in cholesterol and saturated fats should only be eaten in moderation. If possible, these should not be included in your diet. Avoid liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, full-fat dairy products, high-fat processed meats, and fried foods. Limiting the intake of these foods can greatly reduce your cholesterol levels and decrease your chances of developing heart disease, as well as protect you from future heart attacks.
A simple low-cholesterol diet is a big help to you, but only if you observe and follow these guidelines regularly. Remember that your health is in your hands.

Parkinson's Disease

What is Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder that is chronic and progressive, meaning that symptoms continue and worsen over time. As many as one million Americans suffer from Parkinson's disease, which is more than the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig's disease. Incidence of Parkinson's increases with age, but an estimated 4 percent of people with PD are diagnosed before the age of 50. The cause is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are many treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage the symptoms.
Parkinson's disease occurs when a group of cells in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra begin to malfunction and die. These cells in the substantia nigra produce a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, that sends information to the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination. When a person has Parkinson's disease, their dopamine-producing cells begin to die and the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases. Messages from the brain telling the body how and when to move are therefore delivered more slowly, leaving a person incapable of initiating and controlling movements in a normal way.
Parkinson's disease can also cause several different symptoms. The specific group of symptoms that an individual experiences varies from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms of Parkinson's disease are:
• tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
• rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk
• bradykinesia or slowness of movement
• postural instability or impaired balance and coordination

Read more…

Identifying Depression

Everyone knows what depression feels like. Everyone feels the blues at times. Sadness, discontent, and fatigue are natural parts of life. There is a relation between the blues and clinical depression, but the difference is like the difference between the sniffles and pneumonia.

Depressive disorders are whole person illnesses; they touch the body, feelings, thoughts, and behavior. The depression itself can make us feel as if it's of no use to search for help. The nice news is that 80 to 90 percent of people with depression can be treated successfully, but the bad news is that only one sufferer in three seeks treatment. More bad news is that not quite half the American public perceives depression as a character flaw, rather than an illness or emotional disorder. In addition, only half of all cases of depression are exactly diagnosed, and only half of those get adequate treatment.

We tend to muddle depression, sadness, and grief. But the opposite of depression is not happiness, but vitality - the power to experience a full range of emotion, including happiness, excitement, sadness, and grief. Depression is not an emotion itself. It's not sadness or grief, it's an illness. When we feel at our worst, sad, self-absorbed, and helpless, we are experiencing what people with depression experience, but they don't recover from those moods without help.

The trademark of depression is a insistent sad or empty mood, sometimes experienced as tension or anxiety. Life is with out pleasure. People with slight depressions may go through the motions of eating, sex, work, or play, but the activities seem like pointless; people with more severe depression withdraw from these activities, feeling too worn-out, tense, or hostile to take part. There is often a nagging fatigue, a sense of being incapable of focusing, a feeling of being inefficient.

People with depression generally feel a lowered self-esteem. In a depression, you may feel that you are a defenseless victim of fate, but also feel that you don't deserve any better. Feelings of guilt, shame, and hopelessness are common.

There are often a host of physical symptoms, of which sleep disturbances are key. People may have trouble falling asleep or may wake up early without feeling refreshed. Others may sleep excessively, again without feeling rested. Appetite may increase or decrease. There may be difficulty in sexual functioning. There may be harassing aches and pains that don't act in response to medical treatment. But there are physical illnesses that cause symptoms like depression - Lyme depression, diabetes, thyroid conditions, anemia - and depressions can cause physical symptoms like other diseases.

If you are feeling depressed, it is important to be sure that an underlying health problem does not exist, and you should see your physician for a checkup. At the same time, if you know you have a health problem and are feeling depressed, don't presume you will feel better once the health problem is under control.

There is a sequential process in the recognition of depression. First is a stage of confused pain in which the sufferer knows he suffers, but doesn't know why. People often blame circumstances. Adolescents blame their home lives, married people blame their spouses, and employees blame their bosses. But there is recognition that the pain is not ordinary.

The second stage is recognition that something is definatley amiss. It may be that external circumstances have changed but the pain is on going, or it may be a slow recognition that the suffering is so dangerous that circumstances can't be blamed. This is a painful recognition that often takes years. It is an acknowledgment of a damaged self. But because of the nature of depression, the self-blame and guilt that are manifestations of the disease, this acceptance does not always lead to seeking help.

People then may move to the third stage, a crisis that frequently leads to professional intervention and diagnosis. It is often a suicide attempt or psychiatric hospitalization. The diagnosis often provides hope, that treatment or a cure is possible, and explanation, a way to understand what has only been confusion before. The fact is that this is a diagnosis of a mental illness, with all the shame and stigma that that entails.

The fourth stage involves acceptance of an illness identity. Depression comes to be seen as an outside agent invading the self, rather than as a manifestation of the self.

It is essential that anyone suffering from depression gets good help from a competent, qualified professional. If the warning signs are clear, always seek a professional diagnosis. Going to a health professional with your problems could prove, at worse, embarrassing, if the problem is really just a seasonal case of the blues that can be treated with without medical intervention, but the potential cost of failing to diagnose a serious case of depression should far outweigh any concern about conceivable embarrassment.


Source:
David B. Smith

5 Tips For Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally

For every three American adults, one is estimated to have high blood pressure. Around 65 million Americans over the age of 20 have high blood pressure. Scary statistics? You bet. Especially if you consider the fact that, if left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can result in leading causes of death like heart failure, stroke, aneurysm, heart attack, and kidney failure.

Here are the tips to lowering blood pressure naturally:

1. Go easy on the saltshaker.

People consume around two teaspoons of salt a day, an amount that must be lessened for those with high blood pressure. Since a large portion of the sodium you take in is from processed foods, watch out for these. In addition, try using spices, lemon, and salt-free seasoning blends for seasoning what you cook.

2. Improve your diet.

One of the important points in lowering your blood pressure naturally is improving your diet and eating healthier. By limiting the sweets and red meat you take in, and incorporating more fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains (the basics of the famed Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension - or DASH - diet), you're definitely on your way to lower blood pressure.

3. Exercise

Regular physical activity lowers blood pressure naturally and improves blood cholesterol levels. Exercise is important since it will help you maintain a healthy weight; being overweight raises your chances of developing high blood pressure. You will probably notice a decrease in your blood pressure within the first nine or ten weeks of regular exercise (around half an hour at least four or five days a week of physical activities like jogging, cycling, swimming, brisk walking and so on).

4. Decaf, please.

Stay away from caffeine, even if you may find it difficult to function in the morning without your cup of coffee. Caffeine does bad things to your blood pressure by increasing the effects of stress and getting your heart to start pumping like there's no tomorrow. To help lower your blood pressure naturally, get decaf instead.

5. Relax.

Close your eyes. Breathe in. Breathe out. Meditation, yoga, and other relaxation techniques can also help to bring your blood pressure down. You can learn these activities from videos or by taking classes.


By Tim Lee

Yoga breathing will induce relaxation of mind and body

A really positive benefit that you will discover soon after starting your yoga practice, that you will learn properly. Yes, you will start breathing in such a way as to bring an instant calmness and total relaxation into your life. As long as you are receiving good instruction, or following an accurate guide, the better you will get at this which will further enhance the quality of your life. Furthermore, if you find yourself in stressful situations, you will be better able to cope and remain calm thanks to your yoga training.

A really common fear or phobia that people suffer with is having to speak in public to an audience. Many of the public speaking courses include components on relaxation techniques. These are incorporated into the course as they are considered vital techniques to either eliminate or control panic, which is a common reaction when people address strangers in public situations. People who perform yoga breathing exercises on a regular basis are found to be a lot calmer as individuals, they seem better able to control these stressful situations better than those who are untrained in these or any other techniques.

If you remain calm and in control of your breathing, the fear of public speaking will subside and the apparent enormity of the situation will seem to be in perspective, making the situation easier to accept and control. By simply breathing correctly you will notice a feeling of calm that will enable a person to complete a public speaking engagement; or any other stressful situation for that matter.

Yoga has also benefited many professional sports men and women by allowing them to perform at, and sometimes beyond, their best by eliminating the tension and anxiety that they feel pre-event. In all sports events optimum performance demands that the muscles and breathing of competitors remain as relaxed as possible at all times to allow for maximum performances. Yoga is the vehicle to allow you to achieve that optimum yet relaxed state of mind and body. Other yoga stretching techniques train the body to become more flexible, which is an additional benefit to athletes as a supple body will pick up fewer injuries.

Correct Yoga breathing exercises will imbibe a relaxed, focused individual who will remain calm under pressure and un-phased in the face of adversity.

Source:
Michael J McKay

Old Age And Dieting

Adequate nutrition and a well balanced diet is of vital importance in old age so as to prevent the common hazards of aging. Many factors like poor income, decreased mobility, social isolation and depression are known to affect the health and well being of the elderly.

Under nutrition, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis have been identified as the most important and commonly prevalent nutrition related health problems in old age.

Since during old age the significance of nutrition is of immense importance, it is important to take care about the diet and nutritional adequacy of their diets. With age the energy needs are reduced and because of this the entire quantum of food intake is reduced but requirement of most of the other nutrients remains unaltered. Thus, it becomes important to supply adequate nutrients in decreased energy levels.

During old age, intake of energy rich food like sweets, fried or high fat stuff, cereals, starches should be reduced and milk, milk products, fresh fruits, vegetables should be increased. Calcium rich food is also very important due to gradual demineralization of bones associated with aging. Intake of simples sugars must also be reduced as they are packets of empty calories. due to the loss of teeth, modifications in the consistency of food may be done;diet should be soft, well cooked.

Since sufficient exposure to sunlight may not possible due to being confined to the bed because of illness, vitamin D is not taken in by the body and hence, vitamin rich food stuff should be included.

With old age appetite and tolerance reduces hence, the number of meals should be increased with small amounts of food each time. Food must also contain a lot of fiber as it helps those suffering from constipation, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

By Dixita Dutt

Five Key Elements to Health Body

With so many different obstacles in our way today it’s essential to do the things that are necessary to keep our bodies in top condition. Between diseases and pollution in our air and water, we must stay tuned into the needs of our bodies in order to assure a long and healthy life. Making the right choices in these areas will allow us to remain happy and productive many years past retirement.

1. Get plenty of sleep

Being well-rested is one of the most important elements in maintaining a healthy body. Sleep deprivation whether purposely or the result of insomnia can cause your body to become tired, fatigued, and run down. This lends its way to an invasion of many infections because of a compromised immune system. Sleep is the body’s best defence, so you need to make sure you obtain what your body needs. Each person requires on average between six and eight hours of sleep nightly, although some may function on as little as five hours while others need up to ten hours.

2. Exercise regularly

Besides having the ability to boost the metabolism, exercise also helps the body sleep most restfully. Whether you do a complete workout or just take a walk several times during the day, you will feel much better by participating in some kind of exercise. That doesn’t mean you have to do something boring—you can swim, bicycle, play tennis, ski, water ski, or do any other type of activity that you enjoy. The important thing is to make sure you do it regularly.

3. Eat healthy foods

In order to maintain a body that is healthy and active all of your life, you need to learn how to eat foods that are good for you. Certainly that high fat, high calorie burger from the local fast food place tastes good, but it is not good for you. You need to develop the habit of eating lean protein, steamed or raw vegetables, fresh fruits, and carbohydrates containing a low glycemic index such as whole grain cereals, brown rice, and wheat bread and pasta. That doesn’t mean you have to give up sweet desserts and snacks for good, but you need to learn to eat them in moderation.

4. Maintain a normal weight

Having excess weight puts a strain on both the heart and the back. In order to assure that you can stay active and do the things you enjoy, you need to make sure your weight is within normal range. If you are overweight but think you are still healthy, you need to review the things you are able to do compared to some of the things you used to be able to do. Certainly you are older which causes some difference, but your weight definitely has a detrimental effect on the level of activities in which you are able to participate.

5. Make sure you have an adequate supply of essential nutrients

No matter how many healthy foods we eat, it is likely we are not getting all of the nutrients we need. This is especially true of the Omega-3 Fatty Acids that help us maintain the health of our hearts. Although this nutrient is found in fish, few of us can eat enough fish to compensate, so we need to supplement this deficiency with fish oil supplements. The same holds true of many other nutrients such as Calcium, Iron, Folic Acid, and the B vitamins just to name a few.

A healthy lifestyle will help us keep our bodies healthy into our golden years, and following these tips will certainly help you in that process. You don’t need to give up your favourite foods to be healthy, but you do need to make sure you eat unhealthy foods in moderation. You also want to make sure to get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and supplement your diet with important vitamins and minerals.

source:
Author: Marie Watson

The Immortality Enzyme

A newly discovered gene may help scientist combat cancer and linked to aging.

As the human body ages, it loses bone. Individual cells lose something equally vital. Every time one divides, it sheds tiny snippets of DNA known as telomeres, which serve as protective caps a hundred divisions, a cell’s telomeres become so truncated that its chromosomes- site of the cell’s genes-begin to fray, rather like shoelaces that have lost their plastic tips. Eventually, such age cells die-unless like “immortal” cancer cells, they produce telomeres. Scientists have long dreamed of drugs that would inhibit the immortalizing enzyme because, observes M.I.T. biochemist Robert Weinberg then maybe cancer cells would run out of telomeres and just poop out.

Wishful thinking? Maybe not . In papers published just a week apart in the journals science and cell, two teams of researchers – one led by Nobel-prizewinning biochemist Thomas Cech of the university of Colorado, the other by M.I.T.’s Weinberg have announced a breakthrough that could help bring about such a drug. Both teams have managed to clone a gene that controls the activity of telomerase enzyme in human cells. That could set the stage for development not only of inhibiting drugs but also of substances that switch on the enzyme which might help combat degenerative diseases associated with aging

Such possibilities to be sure are speculative but that didn’t stop Wall Street where the stock of Geron Corp a small biotech company based in Menlo Park California. That helped Chech’s group discover the gene more than double to 16 ¹/₈ a share.

In fact, Geron researchers have been looking for antitelomerase compounds for several years, using indirect-screening methods. Because tumor cells – the main source of the human enzyme – produce it in vanishingly small quantities, the scientists lacked pure telomerase, which could have sped the search for drugs that might be used against it.

With the new gene in hand the researchers should be able to churn out at will the protein for which it provides the genetic blueprint. That protein, they believe, is telomerase’s most important building block. For us, exults Calvin Harley, Geron’s chief scientist, it’s like having access to an organism’s brain.

The new protein, it turns out, bears an intriguing resemblance to an enzyme produced by HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS. Indeed, the AIDS dug AZT has already been shown to inhibit telomerase activity. But the viral enzyme and the human enzyme, says Colorado’s Cech, are only 20 % identical, which explains why AZT is not an ideal telomerase inhibitor. What we want, he declares, is a compound that fits telomerase the way a hand fits a glove.

The odds that such a compound will materialize now seem high. But experts caution that it could take years before the first telomerase inhibitors are ready to be tested on humans to determine if they’ll have any serious side effects – or if they’ll actually inhibit tumor growth. Such questions are perhaps one reason Geron’s stock leveled off at week’s end, closing at 12 ¼ share.

By J. Madeleine Nash

Great Diet for Busy moms

I've been researching a diet for moms that I think is one of the most effective ways to lose weight, keep the weight off and gain energy at the same time. The good thing about it is that it's not a pill or a quick weight loss scheme that doesn't work or makes you even more tired than you already are. Really all it takes is about 90 minutes per week and you won't lose any time that you would normally spend with your family.

You can still eat a variety of delicious and nourishing foods that you probably already eat so your family can be involved in your diet with you. The diet is actually called The Fit Yummy Mummy and I promise you won't find a better diet that works. It really works well for mothers who have just given birth and want to get their pre-baby body back. With this program you will reclaim your tight body and butt, tone your arms, legs and abs, lift your glutes, perk up your chest and reverse the aging process.

The results are quick and you would be pleased and excited about the diet, it's so easy. I recommend it to all moms regardless of age because there is practically no equipment to use so there is no dangerous strain from big equipment. You won't have to worry about what people are saying after you pass by or while you're standing on the sidelines at soccer games. This diet is a healthy alternative to all the scam diets and dangerous pill diets that women are trying. I highly recommend you ladies check it out.
By Gary P Martin, Jr

Tips a Healhty Life for Men

Here, a great tips for healthy life for Men:

1. Eat healthy
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." There's more truth to this saying than we once thought. What you eat and drink and what you don't eat and drink can definitely make a difference to your health. Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day and less saturated fat can help improve your health and may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Have a balanced diet, and watch how much you eat.

2. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Obesity is at an all time high in the United States, and the epidemic may be getting worse. Those who are overweight or obese have increased risks for diseases and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Eat better, get regular exercise, and see your health care provider about any health concerns to make sure you are on the right track to staying healthy.

3. Get Moving
More than 50 percent of American men and women do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits. For adults, thirty minutes of moderate physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week is recommended. It doesn't take a lot of time or money, but it does take commitment. Start slowly, work up to a satisfactory level, and don't overdo it. You can develop one routine, or you can do something different every day. Find fun ways to stay in shape and feel good, such as dancing, gardening, cutting the grass, swimming, walking, or jogging.

4. Be Smoke-Free
Health concerns associated with smoking include cancer and lung disease. Smoking triples the risk of dying from heart disease among those who are middle-aged. Second-hand smoke - smoke that you inhale when others smoke - also affects your health. If you smoke, quit today! Help lines, counseling, medications, and other forms of support are available to help you quit.

5. Get Routine Exams and Screenings
Sometimes they're once a year. Other times they're more or less often. Based on your age, health history, lifestyle, and other important issues, you and your health care provider can determine how often you need to be examined and screened for certain diseases and conditions. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, and cancers of the skin, prostate, and colon. When problems are found early, your chances for treatment and cure are better. Routine exams and screenings can help save lives.

6. Get Appropriate Vaccinations
They’re not just for kids. Adults need them too. Some vaccinations are for everyone. Others are recommended if you work in certain jobs, have certain lifestyles, travel to certain places, or have certain health conditions. Protect yourself from illness and disease by keeping up with your vaccinations.

7. Manage Stress
Perhaps now more than ever before; job stress poses a threat to the health of workers and, in turn, to the health of organizations. Balancing obligations to your employer and your family can be challenging. What's your stress level today? Protect your mental and physical health by engaging in activities that help you manage your stress at work and at home.

8. Know yourself and Your Risks
Your parents and ancestors help determine some of who you are. Your habits, work and home environments and lifestyle also help to define your health and your risks. You may be at an increased risk for certain diseases or conditions because of what you do, where you work, and how you play. Being healthy means doing some homework, knowing yourself, and knowing what's best for you... because you are one of a kind.

9. Be Safe-Protect yourself
What comes to mind when you think about safety and protecting yourself? Is it fastening seat belts, applying sunscreen, wearing helmets, or having smoke detectors? It's all of these and more. It's everything from washing your hands to watching your relationships. Did you know that men at work die most frequently from motor vehicle incidents, machine-related injuries, homicides, and falls? Take steps to protect yourself and others wherever you are.

10. Be Good to yourself
Health is not merely the absence of disease; it's a lifestyle. Whether it's getting enough sleep, relaxing after a stressful day, or enjoying a hobby, it's important to take time to be good to yourself. Take steps to balance work, home, and play. Pay attention to your health, and make healthy living a part of your life.