Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts

2/5/13

Supplement Your Health - What To Take And When


For many of us, it's a no-brainer to take take care of our vehicles. After all, without transportation, how else would we manage to arrive at work, or obtain our basic needs? I might be a little oddball, I happen to prefer walking,and cycling, to driving. So when it comes to maintaining my personal vehicle it comes in the form of diet and exercise rather than ethanol-free gasoline and regular oil changes.

Supplements are Not a Substitute

I wasn't always so serious about my health. A major health scare was the wake-up call I needed to take a hard look at the sort of fuel I was putting into my body. For years I had been telling myself that I simply didn't have time to exercise or prepare healthy meals, relying on the fad diet and “miracle” pill of the moment to help me keep my weight in check.

Not all supplements are created equal, I've learned. Some are truly beneficial, and have become part of my daily routine, while others have simply been a waste of money. I wouldn't recommend anyone rely solely on supplements as a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. Combined with a sensible diet and moderate exercise, supplements may be something to consider as you work towards your own weight loss goals.

The When, What, and Why of Supplements 

  • Wake Up – Sufficient hydration is important. To aid the body in expelling toxins, start the day with a tall glass of clean, pure water with a multivitamin. I like to drink a cup of hot lemon water in the morning before I have any coffee or breakfast, it's a great way to clear out all the excess goo that collects in my sinuses at night. Try it for a week, you'll see what I mean.
  • Breakfast – It used to take me a couple of hours to really wake up in the morning, then I started eating a light meal consisting of high protein and low carbohydrates to really supercharge my day. There's nothing quite like a big plate of fruit to get me going. When I'm on the go, I simply toss everything into a Vitamix blender and whip into a delicious smoothie. If I'm feeling adventurous I might toss in a scoop of protein powder for an extra punch of nutrition.
  • Mid-Morning Snack – When it comes to the mid-morning snack, it's wise to Include nuts and fruits, sources of protein to avoid the mid-afternoon carbohydrate crash. Fruits and vegetables include plenty of natural carbohydrates that the body can burn efficiently. Compared to refined products such as white bread and pretty much anything that comes in a box with a label.
  • Lunch – Rather than loading up on large, heavy meals throughout the day that take a lot of excess energy to digest, eating smaller size portions throughout the day will keep energy levels on a more even keel. At lunch time, enjoy a colorful garden salad with some flax seed, and hemp seed to aid digestion.
  • Afternoon Snack – Short breaks in the afternoon call for a quick snack that's easy to prepare. I happen to love banana smoothies. Simply toss a blend of fresh and frozen bananas into a blender with a splash of coconut water and some raw cocoa nibs, adding in a scoop of whey protein is optional, the final result tastes just like a Mounds candy bar without any of the guilt.
  • Dinner – Keep this meal small to ensure your sleep is actually focused on restoration rather than digestion. Some great dinner options include lean protein, simple carbohydrates, fish, and quinoa. This is a good time to take some magnesium and zinc as well because most dieters simply don't consume enough nuts and seeds.
  • Evening Snack – Cravings are bound to strike, we are a nation of nibblers after all. A cup of tea is a great way to keep your body hydrated. If you really need something to chew on, keep it simple, light, and healthy. Popcorn, or a small handful of trail mix are fantastic options. That microwave popcorn or store-bought trail mix packed with candies, sugar, and salt, doesn't count – not by a long shot.

Supplements – What to Look For

Because your health is important, take a little bit of time to comparison shop and read the labels of various products. Look for certified pure and organic products, if you're looking for high quality supplements and vitamins make sure the product is manufactured in the United States since not all products are made of the same quality. Not all stores may stock what you're looking for, when it comes to finding the best organic vitamins it's easy to find them online.

Freelance writer, Mark Harris, loves to be outdoors. He loves his stay-at-home job because it allows him to work from any place his laptop can pick up a signal. Loving the feeling of being a tourist in his hometown of White Rock BC where he lives with his wife. Wanting to enjoy as many outdoors adventures as possible with his spouse, Mark often browses sites like www.biogirlhealth.com for the best information that will keep her by his side for years to come.

12/21/11

Home Remedies for Beautiful Skin

It is everyone’s desire to have beautiful skin. However, many people face skin damage by the appearance of dark spots in their skin. These spots can be caused by things such as aging, use of birth control bills, exposure to the sun and consumption of certain medications. Most of these causes are not evitable, it is, therefore, important that you know how to deal with the dark spots on your skin. There are many skin care products in the market claiming to treat such skin problems; however, once you stop using them, your skin turns to its previous condition. If you have dark spots in your skin, the best and safest way to treat them is to apply the available home remedies for beautiful skin.

Unlike skin care products, home remedies not only retain your desired look, but also keeps your skin beautiful for long. Although home remedies for beautiful skin take long to be effective, they are safe with no side effects. The best thing with these remedies is that they can be applied by anyone regardless of your gender and age. Below are some of the most effective home remedies:

1.       Regular moisturizing and cleansing of your face.

By using the available home recipes, you can easily make your own home cleanser to cleanse your face.
For those with normal skin, make a cleanser by mashing some strawberries. You can treat your skin by straining their juices and rubbing the strawberries on your face. For better results, leave it on, and wash your face after 20 minutes.

For oily skin, you can make a home cleanser by mixing 2 teaspoons of dry peppermint and dry lavender each, 1 cup almonds, and 2 cups of oats and white cosmetic clay each. Grind the herbs, almonds and oats together using a blender. You should then mix the ground herbs with the clay and store the solution in a covered container. Rub the mixture on your skin by adding with some water on it to form a paste. Rinse your face after 20 minutes.

For dry skin, the best remedy is applying sesame oil as the cleanser. Treat your dry skin by rubbing it on your skin and later gently swipe it off using a warm wash cloth.

2.       Use sunblock

To prevent darkening and tanning of your skin, ensure that you use sunblock with SPF 15 minimum whenever you are moving out during the summer. These sunblock are very important as they block your skin from harmful UV rays which cause skin spots, premature aging and cancer.

3.       Use a homemade facial mask

You can make a homemade facial mask by mixing lemon juice and tomato juice with cucumber juice. Rub it on your face, and leave it to dry. You can later rinse your skin with water.

4.       Exfoliating your skin

This home remedy removes dead skin cells, and leaves your skin light and bright. It involves rubbing of a solution 2 tablespoons of oatmeal, brown sugar and a small amount of milk.

5.       Use licorice extract

This is a natural ingredient if used regularly helps to lighten ones skin. Apply licorice extracts at least twice a day for better results.

These are the home remedies for beautiful skin. A healthy skin depends on your effort to take care of it. These remedies guarantee you smooth, light and beautiful skin.

12/18/11

Diabetes and Kidney Disease

Diabetes is a potentially crippling problem that affects kidneys, blood vessels, heart and every other organ in the body. It is a condition in which the body is unable to properly use or produce insulin. Insulin, a hormone that is necessary for converting starches, sugar and other food into energy. The factor leading to diabetes is unknown and there is no known cure. It can early onalso be controlled through proper diet. And you should know, effective control may be achieved under a endocrinologist's care.

In 2005, it was estimated that there were 20.8 million children and adults who are afflicted by this disease. That is pretty close to 7% of the population. Of those, 14.6 million people were diagnosed, but 6.2 million people were thought to have diabetes but were undiagnosed. Additionally, nearly fifty four million children and adults are pre-diabetic with 1 1/2 million new disease found in people over 20, showing up yearly.

Diabetes is the number one cause of renal disease. For a fact, hypertension and diabetes are the primary causes of kidney disease, causing probably 70 percent of renal failure with diabetes accounting of 44 percent of kidney failure cases. The early stages of kidney disease have no symptoms . It attacks your body and eventually when it is finally detected, the injury is so great that it often is too involved to prevent kidney failure. Once your kidneys fail, you have two options: dialysis or kidney transplant. If you do not receive either one of these, you will eventually die.

How Diabetes causes Renal Disease

When both kidneys are working as they should, the glomeruli (tiny filters that are in the kidneys) keep your serum proteins inside of your blood. Protein is necessary for quite a few operations inside of your body and are required to keep you healthy. Diabetes causes a greater concentration of glucose in the blood which damages the glomeruli. The result is that they are no longer effective in keeping the protein in the body and it leaks into the urine from the glomeruli.

When kidneys are damaged they no longer function correctly and do not cleanse our extra fluids and waste as they should. When this occurs, the waste and fluids build up in the body instead of being expelled in the urine. The longer this happens, the worse the damage becomes until the kidneys eventually cease to function.

The Progression of Renal Disease

It can take years for kidney disease from diabetes to develop. Some people experience hyperfiltration in the first few years of their having diabetes. This means that the glomeruli actually function at a much higher capacity than normal. Once damage starts, however, it is progressive. As a person develops kidney disease, they will have a blood protein named albumin that finally starts to flow into the urine in small amounts. At that time, normally the glomeruli are really working normally.

The progression of the disease leads to more protein passing into the urine and the glomeruli begin to systematically fail as the filtering mechanism begins to decrease. Waste is kept in the body because of the filtration failure. As a result, the kidneys fail.

How to Prevent Kidney Problems if you have Diabetes

Having diabetes, you can often prevent kidney problems. Use these suggestions to keep your kidneys healthy: * Control your blood sugar by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly * Take your medication according to your doctors orders * Have your physician test your blood and urine regularly for kidney problems * If the urine test shows that you do have kidney problems, consider medications like ACE inhibitors and ARBs that can help keep your kidneys healthy.

A diagnosis of diabetes does not have to mean kidney disease. As long as you stay on top of your condition, manage it well and follow your physician's orders, there is no reason that you can't live a long, healthy, happy life - without kidney disease.

The Cancer Prevention Diet

You may know how miserable it is to die from Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma. That is true, but there is good news.

Doctors have known for quite a few years that diet can help you avoid disease. In fact, it is now thought that about 34% of all cancer is related to what you eat and drink. And it has also been shown that diet can help you avoid cancer.

Nutrients in some food can decrease your chance of cancer. You can also improve your chances of not getting cancer by avoiding some foods.

The Power of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits, like Peach and Lychee and Pommerac  and Sweet granadilla and Melinjo and Rangpur, and vegetables have been shown to help prevent many cancers including cancer of the lung and stomach. Currently, it is unknown if there are any specific nutrients in these foods that provide the protection. There have been experiments on some of the nutrients found in fruits and vegetables like beta-carotene. However, isolating these substances from the original source have not been found to prevent cancer. In fact, some by themselves are found to be harmful. So remember - the whole fruit is many times better than some supplement taken from that food.

Scientists recommend that you eat at least one serving of a fruit or vegetable with each meal. They can be fresh, canned or dried. But, they should not be fried like chips.

Whole Grains Keep You Moving

Whole grains like cockscomb brown rice, cracked wheat and corn on the cob are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. These have especially been found to help prevent cancer of the colon. Despite being vital, just using a fiber supplement is not as effective because you need the other nutrients in the whole grain.

Doctors think that the high fiber content of the grain helps to keep the stool in the bowel moving smoothly. This prevents slow passage in the colon. That being said, there is no evidence that laxatives or any colon cleansing regimen is of any help. In fact they have often been shown to be harmful.

Foods to Avoid

Red meat is a proven contributor to cancer especially cancer of the colon and cancer of the prostate. The latest recommendations are that you keep your portions to less than three ounces a day. Cutting it out altogether is even better.

Any food high in fat will have much the same effect. All of those french fries and potato chips that you have been eating? It turns out that they may contribute to your chance of growing a cancer.

And now another bit of bad news for some of you,  alcohol is another culprit. The latest research shows that any alcohol can increase your chance of getting cancer. But, it is especially a big problem if you down more than two drinks a day for men and one for women. Sorry ladies. Alcohol along with cigarettes contribute to cancer of the mouth, esophagus and larynx (your voice box).

The Four Rules of Diet

1. Most of your food should be directly from plants.

2. Really cut down on fatty foods, particularly from animal sources.

3. Get moving: Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Ok. So this one is not directly diet related - but, you should limit your intake to the amount needed to keep your weight at a good level.

4. No more than one or two drinks a day, if you drink at all.

Use these four rules and you will dramatically decrease your chances of getting diet related cancer.

Eliminate Stress From Your Life

The health problems related to stress should not be ignored since mortality rates from some of these conditions suggest you should take action to confront any issues you may have. It is not just your health that is a concern here, since it can also impact on your relationships and your overall quality of life. Increased anxiety and worsening health can be the warning signs that this is a problem, since you may have been suffering for some time without even realizing this. If stress has become part of the way you live, then read on as we explore how you can cope with it.

As with anything, the first thing you need to do is accept you have a problem and try to get to the root cause of it. Financial problems can be a big factor as can being unhappy with your job or relationships. This first step is important since you can decide if you need help to solve the problem and just by talking to someone this can provide some sort of relief. At times, it seems easier to ignore a situation such as money concerns and yet the kind of assistance you can get in this area can offer a sense of relief by just knowing what your options are. If your place of work is becoming unbearable, you may have to consider a change of employment regardless of whether you think this is possible.

The physical feelings associated with stress is an area you can work on yourself to minimize the effects as much as possible. It is a strange fact that when we feel stressed we often resort to unhealthy habits to find comfort such as drinking alcohol or eating unhealthy foods. Unfortunately, this will often make you feel worse in the long term and so consider your diet as a way to help you cope with your problems. If you eat healthy foods, you will feel better generally and you can also consider vitamin supplements since there are particular ones that are recommended for a stressful lifestyle. In looking at what supplements to take, you can start with certain types of vitamin B.

If you start exercising more, this will make you feel even better alongside your new healthy eating habits. The way you breathe changes when you exercise and this added to the fact that your focus is on what you are doing eliminates stress. You will discover after exercising hard, that there is a general feeling of being calm. Sleeping patterns can be affected by stress and exercising can relieve this as well as the fact that how you feel inside will begin to show an improvement. In terms of your overall health, you should also pay attention to your mental well being. A new hobby, meditation or just walking in the countryside can all help here.

The way you feel and live can be impacted by stress if you do not give it your attention. It is possible to enjoy your life if you take the steps to make yourself stronger in both body and mind.

12/17/11

The way to Mend Bruised Bone fragments

The term 'bruised bones' explains an ailment when the periosteum, some sort of heavy fibrous tissue coating the top of your bones, becomes wounded. Whilst the precise bone tissue isn't getting destroyed, several contemplate it as a forerunner for you to fracture. The injury may result in serious internal bleeding under the particular periosteum in addition to bring about unbearable agony within the area affected.

Consequently, harm to this periosteum can prohibit your blood circulation if your blood loss won't cease. Any injury the place that the bone fragments can be confronted with severe impression leads to bruised bone tissues. This kind  of accidents are normal inside individuals enjoying soccer and also rugby. Next report talks about about how precisely to recover bruised bone tissues.

Recovery Bruised Bones
Tips on how to mend bruised bones? Several of the bone bruise treatment options which will answer the actual dilemma 'how to be able to treat bruised bones inside leg or perhaps in some other area' are shown beneath:

Ice
Using its polar environment is just about the ideal home made remedies that operates to relief irritation connected with bone bruise. Directly using the ice-cubes around the affected area can damage the shallow skin tissue. Therefore, first of all cover it with a thin textile then rub it within the painful area. This technique will surely assist with reduce this painful moment.

NSAIDS
Usage of not for steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines is yet another proven remedy not merely decreases the discomfort but also the redness linked to bruised bones. NSAIDS like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol) as well as motrin tend to be proposed to manage bruised navicular bone pain.

Prevent Arduous Routines
The secret to 'how for you to treat bruised your bones quickly' depends on avoiding routines that become worse the discomfort. Excess weight within the bruised bones have to be definitely avoided.  When the bruised bone tissue is in the knee, you need to steer clear of warming up that. Don't  rush to return to your daily routine while stressing your bruised bone tissue inside elbow spot often could boost the likelihood of bone fracture.

Kinesio Taping
Just one more method to include the harmed cells, reduce the inflammation as well as the soreness is by using kinesio tape. This is a organic cotton video tape added to the actual stretch skin. Your recording branches within the put on place and gives respite from pain and inflammation related to edema. Speak to an avowed kinesio tape doctor (CKTP) prior utilizing it with regard to bruised bone tissues.

Microcurrent Treatments
Microcurrent remedy entails transferring an incredibly tiny ampere (amplifier) electric current through the ruined tissues. The human brain communicates electric powered signals throughout the anxiety to master actual physical motion. This particular electric exercise with the human body will get upset in case of an accident say for example a bruised bone tissue. Microcurrent treatment attempts to mirror these types of electric powered impulses in the entire body, which supports to relief pain and inflammation.

Supplements
Medical doctors might suggest particular health supplements to speed up recuperation. Several studies have show that  vitamin K2 facilitates healing. It restricts lime scale burning through your bones and in fact raise the potential associated with bones to soak up calcium. To increase navicular bone energy within the ruined tissue, taking vitamin K dietary supplements is a great alternative. Bromelain, the molecule that obviously occurs in pineapple can be necessary to reduce infection. Thus taking bromelain supplements could also give rise to reduce inflammation.

Physical exercises
Since aforesaid, adequate sleep is very important to prevent injury by failing. Nonetheless, since the discomfort along with the lessens irritation , you need to make an attempt to proceed the injured muscle through a choice of motion. In order to gain back initial strength from the broken muscle and also the bone fragments, doing specified list of physical exercises is usually recommended.

Many people ask 'how prolonged will it require bruised your bones in order to heal'. The healing of bruised  bones is determined by several variables like how significant will be the injury. Not limiting those activities can certainly irritate the trouble along with prolong your recovery time. Depending upon how bad the injury is, the recovery process is different at a couple of months to about a year or more.

What Back Pain Treatment Can Be Available At Home?

Some of the more interesting back pain remedies are inexpensive and safe to test out. That old adage of "you have nothing to lose" might actually fit in this case.

One back pain remedy that has been making the rounds for years focuses on cayenne pepper. Peppers have a natural substance that's called capsaicin. It is found in many commercially made remedies that are used to aid in fighting the results of arthritis. There are individuals who claim that if you mash up a red pepper and spread the mixture on your back you'll have almost instant pain relief. Also try this that won't make you smelling so spicy is to mix the mashed pepper with a body lotion. You simply spread the pink concoction about the painful region and let the pepper work its magic.

Another home cure for back pain centers around peppermint oil. You simply give a little bit of it with a safflower oil and heat the mixture within the microwave. Take care not to heat it for too long. Once heated after that you can rub the mixture to the sore section of your back; it is stated to assist relieve this. An additional bonus is the fact that you'll smell lovely too.

The ages old concept of heat and cold can also be recommended. After you notice the pain initially you should use an ice pack about the area for a few days. The ice will even help with any swelling also it does seem to go ahead and take edge off of the pain. Once you have done the ice routine you're then instructed to use heat packs for several days. Some doctors will recommend this remedy to football players following a particularly brutal game.

Asking your partner for a massage is a great back pain remedy. Many of the effective if your back pain has been caused by stress. Some scented massage oil will be helpful and it's important for you to definitely detail exactly where the pain is happening. If the person providing you with the massage is pressing too hard and it's causing unbearable pain, let them know.

Bed rest appears like an obvious lower back pain remedy and something that lots of people turn to simply because it's too painful to complete anything else. The problem using this type of lower back pain remedy is that you might be causing more harm than good. The muscles inside your back need to be mobile and when you sit still they're not going to obtain the exercise you'll need.

Low back pain exercises at home  are definitely vital to ensure overall back health. I totally recommend Pilates exercises for lower back pain that can help give relief and enable you to recover to some phase whenever you execute more strenuous workouts.

Back pain remedies can vary but you are all working towards the same goal which is to help relieve the pain. Try a few remedies before you find one that works for you.

12/15/11

Cure Insomnia Tips

A surprising number of people find it difficult to fall asleep, and/or to sleep through the night. It's fairly common now for people to do their best to adjust to getting a bare minimum of rest. Another response is to take various medications, or possibly alcohol to help you sleep -which can have serious side effects even if it works. You shouldn't become reconciled to getting by on less sleep than you need. If you want more sleep, you may require you to examine your habits and change a few of them, but wouldn't it be worth it? The approaches we'll be covering in this article have helped many people overcome insomnia, and they may work for you as well.

First off, as you've probably heard before, if you consume anything with caffeine and tobacco in the late evening, you should stop doing so. Many people need their cup of "java" first thing each day to kick start their bodies. So, it's not hard to understand why caffeine would not be a good choice late at night if you want to get some decent sleep. One rule a lot of people follow - and it works well for them - is to set a time after which they will no longer drink anything containing caffeine. Herbal teas make a good substitute. One time that a lot of people say is successful is 4:00 pm. That gives their systems plenty of time to clean out any stimulants they may have consumed before they go to bed.

It is hard to sleep when it is hot, so it is pretty obvious that cooler rooms help in sleeping. During the summer this can be a problem, but during the winter months it is pretty easy to accomplish. Have a fan handy or an air conditioner that you can use to keep the room at a constant cool temperature during your sleeping hours. You might ordinarily be kept awake by background noises, but this can be prevented as you use your air conditioner as a "white noise" machine.

Resist any temptation to try sleep products sold at pharmacies over the counter. You should seek professional help if your sleeplessness feels like it needs an immediate remedy. If you start self-medicating with OTC sleep aids, you could easily develop a habit of taking them. The problem is, if these sleep aids are effective, then you'll soon feel like you have to take them every single night. Don't think that just because you don't need a prescription for a drug that it's safe or not habit forming. If you want to take something to help you sleep, you're better off sticking to natural and herbal products, though you should research these as well for things like side effects.

There are a lot of things that you can do to help yourself get a better night's sleep.

A doctor's advice is required if the cause of your insomnia is a health issue. Yet you can often get very good results by making some basic changes (your mattress, diet, nighttime routine, etc) and using some remedies you can buy in a store or online. Don't overlook these possible solutions to your sleeping problems, as they can be quite effective. You can get the sleep you need, so be patient and do some experimenting to find out which tactics or habits may hold the key to getting a good night's sleep.

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