the way to a good health start from here ! !

Improve Your Running with Proper Breathing

2009-06-28T12:54:00.002+01:00

There seems to be a great deal of confusion these days over the proper way to breathe while running or jogging.

According to the text Physiology of Sport and Exercise by Wilmore and Costill the need to breathe increases in direct proportion to the intensity of work. A mild workload such as brisk walking prompts expansion of the lungs and deeper breathing. As the work becomes more difficult, the rate of breathing also increases.

With the exception of conditions such as asthma, breathing should not limit your ability to run or perform exercise, even at hard efforts. The volume of air entering the lungs is not the problem; it is the bodys inability to extract and use enough oxygen to meet the increased demand that causes you to be out of breath (inspired air contains roughly 20 percent oxygen while expired air has about 16 percent).

Many beginning runners have been misled to believe that the proper way to breathe is to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. While it is true that air is dryer and cooler when inhaled through the mouth, this should not pose a problem unless you are prone to exercise induced asthma.

I call this nose breathing technique self-induced asthma, since inhaling through the nose severely limits the volume of air that can be delivered to the lungs. I suspect breathing this way has a negative impact on running performance similar to asthma, particularly as speed increases.

Runners should be inhaling and exhaling through both nose AND mouth to a set pattern or rhythm. According to Jack Daniels, a well-respected coach and author of Daniels Running Formula, most elite runners breathe to a 2-2 rhythm. They breathe in while taking 2 steps and out while taking 2 steps. At an easy pace they may switch to a 3-3 rhythm.

2-2 breathing rhythm

Left foot- begin exhale Right foot- continue exhale Left foot- begin inhale Right foot- continue inhale

One problem with this approach is the habit of always inhaling or exhaling on the same footfall, which some experts and coaches believe could lead to side stitches. If you are one of those unfortunate runners prone to side aches, try periodically switching which footfall you exhale on, or even change your breathing rhythm to exhale on alternating right and left footfalls. That gets a little tricky since you will have to adapt an uneven 3-2 or 4-3 breathing pattern (breathing out for more counts than breathing in).

3-2 breathing rhythm

Left foot- begin inhale Right foot- continue inhale Left foot- begin exhale Right foot- continue exhale Left foot - continue exhale Right foot- begin inhale

According to DePaul University Track Coach Bill Leach, uneven breathing cycles are effective because pressure in the lung is lower than the atmosphere, causing air to rush in quickly. Take a little extra time to exhale, since leaving residual carbon dioxide in the lungs can impede the delivery of oxygen on the next inhale.

It will help if you practice your breathing pattern while walking before you start running. Carry the technique over to easy jogging and finally during hard race pace running.

Before long your new breathing pattern will become second nature during races and hard training sessions.

How to Treat Acid Reflux Naturally

2009-06-11T16:08:00.003+01:00

Acid reflux is otherwise known as gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). It is a condition where the acid from the stomach backs up into the esophagus (reflux) particularly at the lower esophageal sphincter that connects the esophagus to the stomach. The reflux of acid in the stomach is often associated with persistent heartburn which is basically its most common symptom. Factors that cause gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) include overeating, going to bed after meals, drinking too much carbonated drinks or alcohol, bending down after eating, or having a weak esophageal muscle caused by hiatal hernia--a protrusion of the upper part of the stomach into the chest cavity through the diaphragm opening called esophageal hiatus.

Instructions

1- Make some changes in your diet. To improve your condition, you should learn to cut off foods and drinks that can trigger the occurrence of your acid reflux. If you find it difficult to make direct diet changes, you can do it gradually by setting up limitations. Some of the stuffs that you need to cut off in order to reduce episodes of acid reflux are carbonated and caffeinated drinks, alcoholic beverages, spicy foods and foods that are high in complex carbohydrates and fats.

2- Drink healthy liquids. Water is one of the best natural treatments for GERD. Drinking lots of water will dilute acid contents and help balance the pH of your stomach--which will then reduce the onset of your acid reflux. Drinking a glass of whole milk, skim milk or butter milk is another effective remedy for acid reflux that neutralizes stomach acids and provides immediate relief.

3- Do not gorge and eat smaller meals instead. Take your time when you eat and do not swallow too much food. Taking in smaller amount of food at a time will help reduce the pressure on your digestive tract and will prevent the acid from your stomach to back up into your lower esophageal sphincter.

4- Manage your weight. Being overweight is one of the main causes of constantly experiencing acid reflux. The excess fats on the area of your abdomen can push up to your stomach and will cause some of its acid contents to back up into your lower esophageal sphincter. So change your slow lifestyle into an active one. Exercise daily along with proper diet to not only get rid of your acid reflux but to also keep your whole system healthy.

5- Avoid inappropriate body positions or applying any pressure around your abdominal area after meals. After eating, refrain from doing stuffs that can trigger acid reflux including lying down, bending and stooping. You should also loosen your belt to avoid pressure on you abdomen after eating. If your belt is tightly fastened around your waist when you're full, there will be a huge tendency for it to build pressure around your abdominal area which can cause stomach acids to flow back into the lower esophageal sphincter.

6- Go for herbal teas and aloe vera juice. Herbal tea is known for its soothing effect when it comes to GERD. Some known teas that provide good relief for acid reflux are chamomile tea, fennel tea, and the bitter chicory root tea. You can boil any of these teas for a few minutes, let it stand until it is moderately warm enough to drink. It is best to sip these teas and not gulp it to avoid pressuring your esophageal muscles. Aloe vera juice is another natural remedy for gastroesophageal reflux. Take ¼ cup of this juice 20 minutes before meals--it may not have a pleasant taste but it sure does help in alleviating symptoms.

7- Use cinnamon to treat your acid reflux. Cinnamons are not only known for its antiseptic effects to treat colds and flu, but it is also a potent agent that neutralizes acidity. You can use cinnamon by adding it as a topping on your bread. Toast a raisin bread, butter it up, and sprinkle cinnamon on top of it. When eating the bread, try to chew it well before swallowing to allow your stomach to digest it effectively.

8- Alleviate your acid reflux with grapefruit skin. If you go for this treatment, make sure that you are using the skin of an organic grapefruit. Finely scrape the skin of an organic grapefruit with a grater, spread them evenly on a spacious flat dish, and leave them there to dry. The skins will appear wrinkly when they are completely dry and by then you can store them in a properly sealed container. When your acid reflux sets in, you can chew and eat these dried grapefruit skins to help relieve your stomach. Eat a few of these skins at a time until you feel relieved.

9- Try chewing garlic or almonds. Both of these agents are effective natural remedies for acid reflux. If you opt for using garlic as treatment, you should use those that are fresh. Just chew a clove of garlic when your acid reflux occurs or you can also crush the clove with a spoon before chewing and swallowing it. For almonds, chew and eat some in the morning or after every meal.

Tips & Warnings

- Make sure to check with your physician first before trying any of the natural remedies mentioned here. They may all be effective but remember that not all acid reflux conditions are the same. It is possible that some of the natural treatments may be effective on the case of others but not on yours.

- You can have gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) without heartburn. But you may experience other symptoms such as constant clearing of your throat, swallowing problems, chest pains and burning sensations in your mouth.

How to Keep Healthy

2009-05-11T14:01:00.002+01:00

A lot of people, when they come to college, don't realize how bad their diets are until they start gaining the infamous "freshman 15". Here are a few steps anyone can follow to stay or become more healthy.But it takes you just a few seconds to know something, maybe so useful.
1. In years ago people said heath is just not being ill. But nowadays it has an other definition."Being healthy" is more than just not being ill. It has many parts as body health & mental health. Mental health is just as important as physical health.

2. Being healthy in past years was to have the health of each cell by whole body, but now we search and try to have each cell's health and whole body's health is a result!

Steps

1. Focus on today. You may think, that you'll never stick to being healthy, but if you focus on today, not tomorrow or next week or next month, you can do it.
2. Incorporate a little Coconut Oil into your diet by purchasing a jar at a healthfood store. Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid which is abundant in coconut oil and is considered responsible for many of its health benefits. Coconut oil is about 50 percent lauric acid. The only other abundant source found in nature is in human breast milk. Coconut oil can help you achieve a healthy body weight level just by cooking with it a few times per week.

3. Eat between 3 and 5 meals a day. Stick to portions and you will be hungry when your body is ready for the next meal. Remember: Food = Fuel. Too much Fuel = Fat. Not enough Fuel = Empty tank + Fat (because when your tank is empty, your body is tricked into thinking that because you're not putting any more fuel in, it's time to store up as much fuel as possible to save for later, hence creating more fat).
4. Don't overdo Carbs! Try eating heavy carbs one night and see how much you'll be starving for more the next morning. Carbs are turned into insulin, and if not burned off will tell your body to store fat.
5. Get your air as clean as possible. The military, midwesterners, Indians, and probably several people you know, all have 3 things in common about being naturally healthy. They spend a lot of time outdoors, sleep with the windows open, and eat vegetables at least once a day. While a certain reporting magazine says that air filters are only decent at best with the motor on high, there are now university reports of air purifiers that kill surface bacteria including Staph and MSRA, and eliminate air contaminants as well as airborne particulates. These are machines that are made to be kept on LOW! Ever notice how astronauts don't get sick like they used to? Remember- Hospital odors are chemicals they use to clean everything. Studies show many people get sicker the longer they stay in one. The EPA has long been quoted saying that over 50% of all illnesses can be attributed to the air you breathe in your home. So- Get a good nights sleep with clean air, it's when your body regenerates.
6. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. If you do not have a gym or karate membership and can afford one, get one! If you can't afford it, just go for a jog or bike ride. If you have a bad back, a reclined bike may be best.
7. Nutrition is key. Anything "fast-food" is probably too fast to contain anything good for your body, anyway. Also avoid other cholesterol-rich foods. Take the time to prepare your meals and include plenty of vitamin rich vegetables in every meal. Not doing this robs your body of essential elements that keep you healthy and sickness-free. You need to eat a lot more fruit and vegetables.
8. If you're taking vitamins, know that there are good, and there are great. Don't expect great vitamins in giant cut-rate chain stores. Ask a health food store or Google "best vitamin forum". You'll find people who are bragging or complaining. You'll be amazed at just what some companies have for you. ADHD? Diabetic? Safe Sleep-aid? Vegan or Vegetarian? Short memory? Energy? They're out there.
9. When choosing soft drinks or sweets, DON'T go with diet or sugar-free options. Sucralose and aspartame, the two most common artificial sweeteners are FDA-approved and while they say they are completely safe there are non-industry funded studies that show different results. There is Stevia, but it's hard to find, there's not a lot of studies yet, but we know our bodies can break it down naturally. All the artificial sweeteners, unlike natural sugars, have almost zero calories but put stress on our liver. It’s your liver’s job to distinguish between the nutrients you need to absorb and the dangerous or unnecessary substances that must be filtered out of your bloodstream. When the liver is clogged and overwhelmed with toxins, like artificial sweeteners, it can’t do a very effective job of processing nutrients and fats. If your liver can not process the nutrients and fats that your body needs, this may cause weight gain, cravings and poor health.
10. Diet soft drinks? Many doctors are now telling us to stay away from ALL sodas, period. Need the pick-me-up? Try vitamins and water, or an apple.
11. Lifestyle is a huge factor, too. If you do not have access to at least an hour of sunlight, every day, you can become deficient in vitamin D which can lay the tracks for common types of cancers. There's even a popular doctor advising his clients and readers to get 15 minutes of full nude sunlight at around noon every day. Or take extra vitamin D supplement.
12. Come up with a time table for your plan. It is not only easy for you to control, manage the time, but also to push down the presser on your work. It makes you feel better and no depression in work. You are happy, of course, you will healthier.
13. Take enzymes!!! We don't always produce enough enzymes to properly digest our food including our nutrients. A healthy body begins inside the intestines.
14. Stop smoking & reduce your consumption of alcoholic beverages. If you have to drink, drink for quality, not quantity. If you want to know what it can do to you, just look at older people who have done both for a long time. Try an experiment: Stop smoking and drinking for a day, clean up, and go talk to people who don't smoke, about people who do. Try the opposite sex. And get into a 12 step program just in case. It doesn't hurt and it can ad spiritual and/or psychological strength to your life.
15. Have a job or school to go to every day that is placed a couple of kilometers from your home. Buy a road bike (your size) and bike there every day as fast as you can. That gives you abut 10 minutes of hard training every day.
16. When you have run out of things to do - go work in your yard, wash your car, run the dog, chase the kids, rearrange your living room or just plain exercise!
17. If you are having a hard time starting a healthy habit or giving up an unhealthy one, try using Monday as the day to recommit to your new routine. Healthy Monday is a national public health campaign in association with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health that makes Monday the day for all things healthy. It can be the day to recommit to eating healthier, start exercising, or quite smoking.
18. Each and every moment is a brand new one. A fresh start. The mere realization of a fresh start at any moment can help stimulate the mind and body to become more energetic. By realizing we can wipe the slate clean, start over again and again actually boost our mental outlook. This motivates us to improve on any given moment and one runs into the next. Then one day we find ourselves living a healthier lifestyle.
19. Remember to always keep clean by taking a shower everyday, washing your hands, brushing your hair and teeth, and using mouthwash and floss. When you do this, you have a better chance of not getting sick. Also be careful about the germs in public areas. When you leave a public place, always wash your hands when you get home. Our hands have natural oils that act as a barrier against germs but they are one your hands and must be hygenically removed to insure cleanliness. Try to avoid hand sanitizers as they are harmful if ingested. Also, rinse antibacterial soaps completely.
20. Remember, our bodies are amazing! It's what we put in it that makes the difference.

Tips

Counting calories is annoying, so instead of doing that, just eat the portion size and when ordering a large portion of something, save the rest of it for another meal. The food will not disappear!
Some foods, like celery and gum, help you burn calories by chewing.
Snacking on vegetables fills you up quicker than snacking on sugar substance and tastes better, too.
Too much sugar is the devil. Too much soda is the devil. Avoid the Devil by drinking water and staying away from sweets. Those are bad for you.
Eat fruits when craving something sweet. The thought of fresh fruit may not sound as satisfying before you bite into it but it actually is more satisfying than junk food. And then your mind craves the real foods again not the junk.
Jog up and down stairs in your house if there is no park close to where you live.
Make an attempt to walk to work or school if it is not too far away. You can do this everyday or just twice a week.
Pack your lunch instead of buying one out.
Never skip a meal. It can really mess with your metabolism. It will also cause you to overeat later on in the day and that makes you fat.
Drink lots of water to help keep you hydrated
Make sure you are getting enough sleep as little as it seems about 8 hours of sleep is just right.
Try to have a good serving of each food group a day.
Avoid pasturized milk. Eat yogurts as they contain many wonderful healthy beneficial bacteria that strengthens the ammune system. Make sure it is the kind with the fruit in the bottom or plain yogurt.
Try and find a local Certified Raw milk source. It is unhomogenized, which studies say is better for you; the small fat globules resulting from homogenization are unnatural to your body and may not be digested properly. Raw milk also contains vital nutrients and enzymes that are destroyed by the pasturization process that normal 'store brand' milk have undergone. You'll need to go online to search for a source, as Raw milk dealers cannot advertise in some states.
Become more aware of what you eat. Try to eat sugars 20 minutes before proteins and heavy starches like potatoes, breads and pastas. Otherwise it takes the sugars too long to digest and they ferment in the stomach and can cause bloating and fatigue.+

Warnings

Look around you: Most people don't have a clue as to how to treat their bodies. You're surrounded by either horribly unhealthy people or those that treat their bodies as beautiful temples of love. Which are you?
Starving yourself will NOT help you lose weight. Eventually when you start eating again, you'll retain more fat. If you have the temptation to induce self-vomiting, seek professional help quickly.
Remember to visualize your body in a way that makes you happy. Picture your body in a state of health! Vitality! And make sure you love your body and you will have a better one!!!

Encyclopedia of Foods (eBook)

2009-04-24T17:03:00.002+01:00

Encyclopedia of Foods
A Guide to Healthy Nutrition
The Encyclopedia of Foods: A Guide to Healthy Nutrition is a definitive resource for what to eat for maximum health as detailed by medical and nutritional experts. This book makes the connection between health, disease, and the food we eat. The Encyclopedia describes more than 140 foods, providing information on their history, nutrient content, and medical uses. The Encyclopedia also describes the “fit kitchen”, including the latest in food safety, equipment and utensils for preparing fit foods, and ways to modify favorite recipes to ensure health and taste.

Download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/203924971/Encyclopedia.of.Foods.rar

Links:
http://www.easy-share.com/1903841512/Encyclopedia.of.Foods.rar

Hot Cup of Tea can cause Throat Cancer Risk

2009-04-11T16:12:00.001+01:00

British Medical Journal has published a new study that the people who drink hot cup of tea has higher risk of throat cancer than who prefer a cool cup. Generally alcohol and smoking are linked with oesophagus cancer but study shown that hot drinks can also be a reason of throat cancer.

To get more detail about it, Iranian researchers visited to Golestan province. This area has one of the highest rates of oesophageal cancer in world. People drink large quantities of hot black tea more than a litre (1.8 pints) per day per person. Reza Malekzadeh lead a team of Digestive Disease Research Centre at Tehran University of Medical Sciences who diagnosed 300 people with a throat cancer and a matched group of 571 healthy people of same area.

Result

People who drank hot tea (between 65-69 degrees Celsius) were likely to develop a throat cancer twice in comparison with those who drank warm tea (temperature less then 65 C). Those who had very hot tea (70 C, 158 F) was leading to an eightfold increased risk.

Previous studies show that average temperature 56-60 C to drink a cup of tea. You should wait at least four minutes before drinking a boiled cup. The study has proved that there is no link between the consumed amount of tea and the risk of throat cancer.

effective Solution To Hair Loss

2009-04-11T14:06:00.001+01:00

Is your hair loss giving you sleepless nights? I understand how horrible it can be for you, but you really ought to be happy that you were born in this era of advanced medical technology because hair loss now has solutions that work to restore your hair.

Many people still carry their bald hairs around and do nothing about it because they don't know a solution exists. That's one of the sad aspects of life. People continue to do things the old way because they don't know any other way of doing them. That shouldn't apply to you. If you feel threatened by hair loss, there's a whole lot you can do about it. You don't have to live the rest of your life with the condition. A whole lot can be done.

First, there are several many hair loss treatment out there that really work. While not all of them work, lots of them do work and can help you get rid of hair loss, if you try them. I know you might have a friend who insists a certain hair loss treatment worked for them, but that doesn't mean it must work for you. It all depends on your hair type and the cause, level and type of hair loss you are suffering from. That's why it's always highly recommended that you seek your doctor's help and guidance when it comes to the right hair loss solution.

Secondly, if you have tried all types of hair loss solutions and they fail, you can consider going for hair transplant. It's very expensive I know, but it will be worth it for you, especially if you can afford it. If you have suffered bald hair for a long period of time, such solutions can be very wonderful for you. Within a short time your previously bald hair will be with hair once again. Isn't science and technology wonderful? I think it is and I do not know why anyone shouldn't take advantage of the awesomeness of such medical breath through. Anyone that doesn't take advantage of such is just kidding themselves.

Conclusively, hair loss is indeed not a big problem anymore. With the many hair loss treatments out there and hair transplant, you can get your hair back and full whenever you want to. It's all about whether or not you can afford to get your hair back, not whether it is possible!

How To Lower Your Cholesterol Levels

2009-04-11T14:03:00.001+01:00

Getting Down high cholesterol levels will lengthen your life and raise the quality of life because it reduces the hazard of heart disease and stroke. Whenever possible it's safest to control cholesterol points without medicine, first. Constantly consult with your primary care physician about this. Even if you feel yourself demanding medicine to lower cholesterol, you may ask less if you can reduce the degrees about without medicine. The methods to get down cholesterol without medicine:

1. Diet
2. Working out

DIET

Diet exchanges can be hard and challenging, but once you develop recent eating usage and begin feeling healthier, it will bring fewer attempt. The methods to switch your food eating habits to aid in decreasing cholesterol levels :

Eliminate and cut foods that are higher in cholesterol - some suggest that cholesterol that occurs from food should be fewer than 300 mg per twenty-four hours. For those with high cholesterol who wish to take down their cholesterol may need to keep down the amount to 200 mg. Foods which have high cholesterol levels:

1. Eggs (mainly the yolk)
2. Chicken
3. Liver
4. Beef
5. Hotdogs
6. Butter
7. Sponge cake
8. Ice cream
9. Processed and deep fried foods

Limit foods that take trans fat or saturated fats- your human body will produce cholesterol from both saturated fats and trans. The government has intervened and implemented rules regarding trans fat. Most fast food eating places adopted voluntarily with the recent guidances while others were forced to. Some needed a little longer due to the desire to have exchanges but didn’t desire to convert the taste of their products. The head requires some fats for proper function, so be certain you don’t wipe out every fat from your diet.

Upgrade soluble fiber- it binds with fatty acids and gets the stomach to empty more slowly so that the rate of sugar release and absorption is prolonged. Soluble fiber shrinks the cholesterol that is absorbed in the intestines. Sources of soluble fiber:

1. Oats/bran
2. Nuts
3. Barley
4. Fruits
5. Vegetables
6. Flaxseed

Increase healthy foods to take down your fish, cholesterol-fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and lean meats will aid cut cholesterol.

Converting the direction you eat may get the beneficial side impact of weight loss. This is advantageous because sometimes even a 5-10 lb weight loss can take down cholesterol levels. Decreasing cholesterol too drastically will cause the body to produce its own cholesterol and that is more complicated to control and often will take medication.

Cholesterol is wanted for the following :

1. Fixing cell and broken tissue
2. Antioxidant properties
3. Part of every cell
4. Necessary for correct brain use and memory
5. Bile (aids in digestions) portion
6. Shaping of hormones
7. Keeps inflammation
8. Portion of vitamin production

Consume a high protein immune globulin supplement – a report released in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005 81 (4) p 792) discovered that men and women who carried reasonably high cholesterol, between 210 and 270 whole calculate, experienced a 6% drop in all cholesterol after only 3 weeks of having an immune globulin supplement.

Of importance to mark, the LDL cholesterol point dropped 7% while the HDL cholesterol degree stayed constant.

EXERCISE
HDL (positive cholesterol) raises with exercise and will contribute to taking down high cholesterol degrees.
Doing exercise at least 4 days out of the week- when the workout is mild activities ; it's advisable to strain to do it every twenty-four hours. Conventional exercises, weight lifting, and running aren’t the only exercises you can do to aid reduce cholesterol; the following activities can be part of cholesterol taking down workout habits:

1. Walking
2. Gardening
3. Chores
4. Dancing

Exercise at least thirty minutes per twenty-four hours- the minutes can be separated into lesser workout sessions as long it amounts thirty minutes by the end of the day.

Life-style exchanges like eating right and exercising take time to become portion of a daily act. Stick with it and the benefits will be valuable. When efforts to take down your cholesterol haven't been successful, your doctor may decide to put you on medication to take down your cholesterol levels.

Are Boys Food Needs Different

2009-04-10T17:40:00.000+01:00

Are boys food needs different from girls or adults? Boys tend to have high-energy needs and can be more athletic. They need food that appeals to them while providing the extra nourishment to keep them healthy. A menu for boys’ food should consist of a balanced diet without a lot of junk food. Boys like things that are crunchy, greasy, salty or sweet.

Here are some suggestions for your boys to try:

Crunchy: You might as well give the broccoli, carrots and celery to the local rabbit shelter. Boys and girls probably aren’t going to eat them alone. Try serving carrots and celery with peanut butter dip or broccoli with a low fat dressing. They’re sure try them. Apple or pita chips, homemade tortilla chips and crispy English muffin pizzas are more winners in boys’ food category.

Salty: Try to avoid too much salt. It’s not any healthier for boys than adults. Just use a lighter touch when seasoning your stuff. Look for lightly salted peanuts, pretzels and unbuttered popcorn to satisfy that craving for salty food.

Greasy: Stay away from the greasy fried foods. French fries prepared in the oven are just as good but a whole lot healthier. Grill hamburgers instead of pan-frying. Add healthy cheese for a savory treat. If you have to fry foods, use lighter, healthier oil like peanut oil.

Sweet: Do they crave sweets? Fresh fruit is filled with natural sweetness. Add low fat yogurt or pudding to the fruit for more enticement. Low fat whipped cream, frozen yogurt, low fat ice cream or flavored gelatins are all good options as well. Try adding a little dash of cinnamon sugar mixture to toast or cereal. Instead of sugary empty calorie sodas, offer milk or flavored water.

A boys food needs different from girls can be met by providing appealing, nourishing options.

Obesity, acid reflux, smoking increase esophageal cancer risk

2009-01-31T15:41:00.001Z

Obesity increases the risk of esophageal cancer, regardless of whether a person has other risk factors such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or smoking, according to a study in the November issue of Gut. Among 800 people with esophageal cancer who were compared to 1,600 people without the disease, obese people were six times more likely to have esophageal cancer than people who were not obese.

Esophageal cancer is known to be more common in people with GERD, but this is the first study to indicate that obesity alone could increase the risk. As expected, smokers in the study had a higher incidence of both GERD and esophageal cancer. The investigators recommend that obese people lose weight, and if they smoke, quit. Medications to reduce GERD symptoms also should be considered.

10 Things You Can Do To Fight Bad Breath

2009-01-31T15:09:00.002Z

Another quick test is floss and then smell whatever is dislodged. If it doesn't pass the sniff test, you may suffer from halitosis. Of course, you could always ask a close friend or family member that you trust to give you an honest answer. Whichever method you choose, if you think you may have halitosis, don't worry... here are some things you can do to help you come out smelling like a rose.

Avoid The Garlic. Many spicy foods like peppers, garlic and onions tend to live on through oils left in the mouth for up to twenty four hours after consuming. Brushing your teeth won't help, so avoid these food products if you have an important meeting or other face to face encounters planned in the immediate future.

Skip The Deli. Other food products which leave these long lasting oils behind are spicy meats like pepperoni, salami and pastrami so if you don't want others trying to guess what you had for lunch, you may want to pass on these meat products for at least twenty four hours before any close contact meetings.

Hold The Cheese. Certain cheeses are known as strong cheeses. A few of these include blue cheese, Roquefort and Camembert. They taste great but can leave your breath smelling less than sweet.

Hold The Anchovies. Do you like anchovies on your pizza? If so, it may be best to order your favorite pizza loaded with anchovies on a Friday night when you can safely hide out for a few days and not risk being trapped in the elevator with your boss or top client. Another fishy food product would be Tuna so having your Tuna Melt on a Saturday should give your breath enough time to recover before the big meeting on Monday.

Drink Plenty of Water. Water is clean and non-residual unlike beverages such as whiskey, wine, beer or coffee which tend to linger by attaching to plaque releasing little bits of itself into the air when you breath.

Brush Your Teeth. Let me say it again, brush your teeth and in case it hasn't sank in yet, brush your teeth. Brushing your teeth after meals is the most effective method of eliminating smelly breath. You've heard of plaque but just in case you aren't sure exactly what this is, let me clarify. Plague is the film that coats your gums and teeth consisting of dead and living bacteria, up to fifty trillion of them. These micro-organisms absorb odors from the foods you eat as well as their own unpleasant odors. When you exhale, some of this bacteria leaves your mouth as well carrying these odors with them.

Rinse When You Can't Brush. Brushing is best but sometimes you just don't have the time. If you can at least rinse with water, this will help remove many of the food particles that can cause bad breath, not only now but later.

Three Squares A Day. Skipping meals can be bad for your breath. Your mouth provides a moist, warm environment for bacteria to grow and consuming food and beverages is part of the natural cleansing process. Don't forget to brush afterwards or at least rinse.

Quick Temporary Fix. Ok, you've ignored everything above. You had a large anchovy pizza last night with a side helping of wings with blue cheese dressing, an omelet this morning covered in onions and an Italian lunch with extra garlic and now your boss has just called you into his tiny office to discuss your new promotion. As long as you can talk fast, you may just get by with a good gargle of some minty fresh mouthwash. If he gets caught on a lengthy phone call while you're there, you may be doomed but as long as you can get in and get out within 20 minutes you may still get the raise. You can always carry a coffee cup with an emergency dose of mouthwash just in case the meeting runs long but that's up to you.

Smoking and Dental Care

2009-01-31T15:05:00.001Z

Smoking is associated with a very wide range of health problems ranging from lung cancer to delayed wound healing. Plenty of anti-smoking campaigns highlight the harmful affects of smoking and work hard to encourage people to give up smoking.

We all know smoking effects not only the smokers but the people around them due to passive smoking. Hence, plenty of non-profit organizations and government funded campaigns have cropped up which aim to get people to give up smoking by highlighting the harmful effects of smoking on general health.

What these campaigns tend to ignore is the effect of smoking on dental health. Neither there exists any campaign nor any awareness in the general public on the harmful effects of smoking on dental health. Cigarette smoke is as good as poison to the oral cavity.

Let us discuss the harmful effects of cigarette smoke on dental health.

Nicotine and Tar are two major components of cigarette smoke. These chemicals have a tendency to stick to the teeth as residue. This heavy residue is responsible for discoloration of the teeth. The discoloration can range from yellowish to dark brown. When a cigarette is being smoked, not all the smoke is being expelled out. Some of the components remain in lungs and some in the oral cavity. Nicotine and Tar are heavy and get settled on the teeth as dark residue. This discoloration is not easily removable. Vigorous brushing can not help the cause either. However, brushing with the tooth whitening pastes in the market tends to lighten the dark stains.

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer but we can't ignore the fact that over 90% of oral cancer patients are also smokers. This can be attributed to the carcinogenic capacity of cigarette smoke. A study published in the Journal of Periodontology also proves direct correlation between the number of cigarettes and incidence of oral cancer. People who smoked less than a half a pack a day were three times more likely to get oral cancer and people who smoked more than one and half packs each day were six times more likely. Cigarette smoke contains many carcinogens (cancer causing agents).These irritate the oral cavity and initiates cancer formation.

Smoking also hampers wound healing and hence is responsible for failure of many dental procedures. The success of many oral surgeries is affected to the delayed wound healing caused by smoking as smoking hinders the body's defense mechanism.
Recent studies have pointed an increased success of dental implants in non-smokers than in smokers.

A very obvious and annoying effect of smoking is bad breath. The contents of the cigarette smoke cause a typical bad breath known as smokers breath. It also causes Halitosis which is the common bad breath. This is because cigarette smoke causes drying of the mouth and hence reduced salivation. Saliva is an effective anti-microbial agent which fights bad breath. Reduction of salivation causes the bad breath causing bacteria to thrive.
Smoking is held responsible as a causative agent for many cases of advanced Periodontitis.

With so many harmful effects of smoking on oral health, it is best to call it quits today.

Simple Tips to help You Achieve a Healthy Weight

2009-01-31T14:45:00.002Z

With some many weight loss programs out there promising all sorts of different things it becomes very difficult to know exactly what needs to be done for effective weight loss. One fact about weight loss is that if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. Every diet around the world relies on this fact. However, most of you probably do not realise that people putting on weight are only eating slightly more calories than they are burning, and if small changes were make to their diet or excise, weight loss could occur with very minimal effort. There are many ‘smart choices’ you can make that will make weight loss easy.

Some of these weight loss changes could be:
- Have vegetables soup, sandwiches or wraps for lunch.
- Make sure the snacks you have are low in fat (low fat yoghurt or wholegrain biscuits)
- Have reduced fat dairy
- Use spray oils instead of out of a bottle
- Cut all visible fats off meat
- Avoid high fat snacks such as chips, wedges, pizza or nachos.
- Try to use low fat cooking such as grilling, roasting or steaming

With some proper planning there are some easy weight loss tips to help improve your general eating habits.
- Have breakfast and regular snacks each day. This stops you from getting too hungry and overeating on your next meal
- Limit the amount of alcohol you drink in one sitting
- Serve your food on a smaller plate to reduce your serving sizes.

The last component to weight loss is exercise. In terms of weight loss it is often more import to regulate your food intake, but exercise is so critically important to the overall health of your body. With exercise try to:
- Walk more. Try to build up to 10,000 steps per day.
- Watch less TV
- Start exercising with a friend
- Chose exercises that you enjoy

If you can try a few of these suggestions you will be well on your weight to sustained weight loss. There is no need to make drastic changes, but my making a concerted effort of making small changes you will notice a big difference. There has never been a better time for weight loss than right now!

45 best health tips ever

2009-01-17T18:31:00.002Z

here they are: the 50 best health tips..

1. Copy your kitty: Learn to do stretching exercises when you wake up. It boosts circulation and digestion, and eases back pain.

2. Don’t skip breakfast. Studies show that eating a proper breakfast is one of the most positive things you can do if you are trying to lose weight. Breakfast skippers tend to gain weight. A balanced breakfast includes fresh fruit or fruit juice, a high-fibre breakfast cereal, low-fat milk or yoghurt, wholewheat toast, and a boiled egg.

3. Brush up on hygiene. Many people don't know how to brush their teeth properly. Improper brushing can cause as much damage to the teeth and gums as not brushing at all. Lots of people don’t brush for long enough, don’t floss and don’t see a dentist regularly. Hold your toothbrush in the same way that would hold a pencil, and brush for at least two minutes. This includes brushing the teeth, the junction of the teeth and gums, the tongue and the roof of the mouth. And you don't need a fancy, angled toothbrush – just a sturdy, soft-bristled one that you replace each month.

4. Neurobics for your mind. Get your brain fizzing with energy. American researchers coined the term ‘neurobics’ for tasks which activate the brain's own biochemical pathways and to bring new pathways online that can help to strengthen or preserve brain circuits. Brush your teeth with your ‘other’ hand, take a new route to work or choose your clothes based on sense of touch rather than sight. People with mental agility tend to have lower rates of Alzheimer's disease and age-related mental decline.

5. Get what you give! Always giving and never taking? This is the short road to compassion fatigue. Give to yourself and receive from others, otherwise you’ll get to a point where you have nothing left to give. And hey, if you can’t receive from others, how can you expect them to receive from you?

6. Get spiritual. A study conducted by the formidably sober and scientific Harvard University found that patients who were prayed for recovered quicker than those who weren’t, even if they weren’t aware of the prayer.

7. Get smelly. Garlic, onions, spring onions and leeks all contain stuff that’s good for you. A study at the Child’s Health Institute in Cape Town found that eating raw garlic helped fight serious childhood infections. Heat destroys these properties, so eat yours raw, wash it down with fruit juice or, if you’re a sissy, have it in tablet form.

8. Knock one back. A glass of red wine a day is good for you. A number of studies have found this, but a recent one found that the polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) in green tea, red wine and olives may also help protect you against breast cancer. It’s thought that the antioxidants help protect you from environmental carcinogens such as passive tobacco smoke.

9. Bone up daily. Get your daily calcium by popping a tab, chugging milk or eating yoghurt. It’ll keep your bones strong. Remember that your bone density declines after the age of 30. You need at least 200 milligrams daily, which you should combine with magnesium, or it simply won’t be absorbed.

10. Berries for your belly. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries contain plant nutrients known as anthocyanidins, which are powerful antioxidants. Blueberries rival grapes in concentrations of resveratrol – the antioxidant compound found in red wine that has assumed near mythological proportions. Resveratrol is believed to help protect against heart disease and cancer.

11. Curry favour. Hot, spicy foods containing chillies or cayenne pepper trigger endorphins, the feel-good hormones. Endorphins have a powerful, almost narcotic, effect and make you feel good after exercising. But go easy on the lamb, pork and mutton and the high-fat, creamy dishes served in many Indian restaurants.

12. Cut out herbs before ops. Some herbal supplements – from the popular St John's Wort and ginkgo biloba to garlic, ginger, ginseng and feverfew – can cause increased bleeding during surgery, warn surgeons. It may be wise to stop taking all medication, including herbal supplements, at least two weeks before surgery, and inform your surgeon about your herbal use.

13. I say tomato. Tomato is a superstar in the fruit and veggie pantheon. Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful cancer fighter. They’re also rich in vitamin C. The good news is that cooked tomatoes are also nutritious, so use them in pasta, soups and casseroles, as well as in salads. The British Thoracic Society says that tomatoes and apples can reduce your risk of asthma and chronic lung diseases. Both contain the antioxidant quercetin. To enjoy the benefits, eat five apples a week or a tomato every other day.

14. Eat your stress away. Prevent low blood sugar as it stresses you out. Eat regular and small healthy meals and keep fruit and veggies handy. Herbal teas will also soothe your frazzled nerves. Eating unrefined carbohydrates, nuts and bananas boosts the formation of serotonin, another feel-good drug. Small amounts of protein containing the amino acid tryptamine can give you a boost when stress tires you out.

15. Load up on vitamin C.We need at least 90 mg of vitamin C per day and the best way to get this is by eating at least five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. So hit the oranges and guavas!

16. No folly in folic acid. Folic acid should be taken regularly by all pregnant mums and people with a low immunity to disease. Folic acid prevents spina bifida in unborn babies and can play a role in cancer prevention. It is found in green leafy vegetables, liver, fruit and bran.

17. A for an A. This vitamin, and beta carotene, help to boost immunity against disease. It also assists in the healing process of diseases such as measles and is recommended by the WHO. Good natural sources of vitamin A are kidneys, liver, dairy products, green and yellow vegetables, pawpaw, mangoes, chilli pepper, red sorrel and red palm oil.

18. Pure water. Don’t have soft drinks or energy drinks while you're exercising. Stay properly hydrated by drinking enough water during your workout (just don't overdo things, as drinking too much water can also be dangerous). While you might need energy drinks for long-distance running, in shorter exercise sessions in the gym, your body will burn the glucose from the soft drink first, before starting to burn body fat. Same goes for eating sweets.

19. GI, Jane. Carbohydrates with a high glycaemic index, such as bread, sugar, honey and grain-based food will give instant energy and accelerate your metabolism. If you’re trying to burn fat, stick to beans, rice, pasta, lentils, peas, soya beans and oat bran, all of which have a low GI count.

20. Mindful living. You've probably heard the old adage that life's too short to stuff a mushroom. But perhaps you should consider the opposite: that life's simply too short NOT to focus on the simple tasks. By slowing down and concentrating on basic things, you'll clear your mind of everything that worries you. Really concentrate on sensations and experiences again: observe the rough texture of a strawberry's skin as you touch it, and taste the sweet-sour juice as you bite into the fruit; when your partner strokes your hand, pay careful attention to the sensation on your skin; and learn to really focus on simple tasks while doing them, whether it's flowering plants or ironing your clothes.

21. The secret of stretching. When you stretch, ease your body into position until you feel the stretch and hold it for about 25 seconds. Breathe deeply to help your body move oxygen-rich blood to those sore muscles. Don't bounce or force yourself into an uncomfortable position.

22. Do your weights workout first. Experts say weight training should be done first, because it's a higher intensity exercise compared to cardio. Your body is better able to handle weight training early in the workout because you're fresh and you have the energy you need to work it. Conversely, cardiovascular exercise should be the last thing you do at the gym, because it helps your body recover by increasing blood flow to the muscles, and flushing out lactic acid, which builds up in the muscles while you're weight training. It’s the lactic acid that makes your muscles feel stiff and sore.

23. Burn fat during intervals. To improve your fitness quickly and lose weight, harness the joys of interval training. Set the treadmill or step machine on the interval programme, where your speed and workload varies from minute to minute. Build up gradually, every minute and return to the starting speed. Repeat this routine. Not only will it be less monotonous, but you can train for a shorter time and achieve greater results.

24. Your dirtiest foot forward. If your ankles, knees, and hips ache from running on pavement, head for the dirt. Soft trails or graded roads are a lot easier on your joints than the hard stuff. Also, dirt surfaces tend to be uneven, forcing you to slow down a bit and focus on where to put your feet – great for agility and concentration.

25. Burn the boredom, blast the lard. Rev up your metabolism by alternating your speed and intensity during aerobic workouts. Not only should you alternate your routine to prevent burnout or boredom, but to give your body a jolt. If you normally walk at 6.5km/h on the treadmill or take 15 minutes to walk a km, up the pace by going at 8km/h for a minute or so during your workout. Do this every five minutes or so. Each time you work out, increase your bouts of speed in small increments.

26. Cool off without a beer. Don’t eat carbohydrates for at least an hour after exercise. This will force your body to break down body fat, rather than using the food you ingest. Stick to fruit and fluids during that hour, but avoid beer.

27. ‘Okay, now do 100 of those’. Instead of flailing away at gym, enlist the help – even temporarily – of a personal trainer. Make sure you learn to breathe properly and to do the exercises the right way. You’ll get more of a workout while spending less time at the gym.

28. Stop fuming. Don’t smoke and if you smoke already, do everything in your power to quit. Don’t buy into that my-granny-smoked-and-lived-to-be-90 crud – not even the tobacco giants believe it. Apart from the well-known risks of heart disease and cancer, orthopaedic surgeons have found that smoking accelerates bone density loss and constricts blood flow. So you could live to be a 90-year-old amputee who smells of stale tobacco smoke. Unsexy.

29. Ask about Mad Aunt Edith. Find out your family history. You need to know if there are any inherited diseases prowling your gene pool. According to the Mayo Clinic, USA, finding out what your grandparents died of can provide useful – even lifesaving – information about what’s in store for you. And be candid, not coy: 25 percent of the children of alcoholics become alcoholics themselves.

30. Do self-checks. Do regular self-examinations of your breasts. Most partners are more than happy to help, not just because breast cancer is the most common cancer among SA women. The best time to examine your breasts is in the week after your period.

31. My smear campaign. Have a pap smear once a year. Not on our list of favourite things, but it’s vital. Cervical cancer kills 200 000 women a year and it’s the most prevalent form of cancer among black women, affecting more than 30 percent. But the chances of survival are nearly 100 percent if it’s detected early. Be particularly careful if you became sexually active at an early age, have had multiple sex partners or smoke.

32. Understand hormones. Recent research suggests that short-term (less than five years) use of HRT is not associated with an increase in the risk of breast cancer, but that using it for more than ten years might be. Breast cancer is detected earlier in women using HRT, as they are more alert to the disease than other women.

32. Beat the sneezes. There are more than 240 allergens, some rare and others very common. If you’re a sneezer due to pollen: close your car’s windows while driving, rather switch on the internal fan (drawing in air from the outside), and avoid being outdoors between 5am and 10 am when pollen counts are at their highest; stick to holidays in areas with low pollen counts, such as the seaside and stay away from freshly cut grass.

33. Doggone. If you’re allergic to your cat, dog, budgie or pet piglet, stop suffering the ravages of animal dander: Install an air filter in your home. Keep your pet outside as much as possible and brush him outside of the home to remove loose hair and other allergens. Better yet, ask someone else to do so.

34. Asthma-friendly sports. Swimming is the most asthma-friendly sport of all, but cycling, canoeing, fishing, sailing and walking are also good, according to the experts. Asthma need not hinder peak performance in sport. 11 percent of the US Olympic team were asthmatics – and between them they won 41 medals.

35. Deep heat. Sun rays can burn even through thick glass, and under water. Up to 35 percent of UVB rays and 85 percent of UVA rays penetrate thick glass, while 50 percent of UVB rays and 77 percent of UVA rays penetrate a meter of water and wet cotton clothing. Which means you’ll need sunscreen while driving your car on holiday, and water resistant block if you’re swimming.

36. Fragrant ageing. Stay away from perfumed or flavoured suntan lotions which smell of coconut oil or orange if you want your skin to stay young. These lotions contain psoralen, which speeds up the ageing process. Rather use a fake-tan lotion. Avoid sun beds, which are as bad as the sun itself.

37. Sunscreen can be a smokescreen. Sunscreen is unlikely to stop you from being sunburned, or to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. That’s because most people don’t apply it properly, and stay in the sun too long. The solution? Slather on sunscreen daily and reapply it often, especially if you’ve been in the water. How much? At least enough to fill a shot glass.

38. Laugh and cry. Having a good sob is reputed to be good for you. So is laughter, which has been shown to help heal bodies, as well as broken hearts. Studies in Japan indicate that laughter boosts the immune system and helps the body shake off allergic reactions.

39. It ain’t over till it’s over. End relationships that no longer work for you, as you could be spending time in a dead end. Rather head for more meaningful things. You could be missing opportunities while you’re stuck in a meaningless rut, trying to breathe life into something that is long gone.

40. Strong people go for help. Ask for assistance. Gnashing your teeth in the dark will not get you extra brownie points. It is a sign of strength to ask for assistance and people will respect you for it. If there is a relationship problem, the one who refuses to go for help is usually the one with whom the problem lies to begin with.

41. Save steamy scenes for the bedroom. Showering or bathing in water that’s too hot will dry out your skin and cause it to age prematurely. Warm water is much better. Apply moisturiser while your skin is still damp – it’ll be absorbed more easily. Adding a little olive oil to your bath with help keep your skin moisturised too.

42. Here’s the rub. Improve your circulation and help your lymph glands to drain by the way you towel off. Helping your lymph glands function can help prevent them becoming infected. When drying off your limbs and torso, brush towards the groin on your legs and towards the armpits on your upper body. You can do the same during gentle massage with your partner.

43. Sugar-coated. More than three million South Africans suffer from type 2 diabetes, and the incidence is increasing – with new patients getting younger. New studies show this type of diabetes is often part of a metabolic syndrome (X Syndrome), which includes high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease. More than 80 percent of type 2 diabetics die of heart disease, so make sure you control your glucose levels, and watch your blood pressure and cholesterol counts.

44. Relax, it’s only sex. Stress and sex make bad bedfellows, it seems. A US survey showed that stress, kids and work are main factors to dampen libido. With the advent of technology that allows us to work from home, the lines between our jobs and our personal lives have become blurred. People work longer hours, commutes are longer and work pervades all aspects of our lives, including our sexual relationships. Put nooky and intimacy on the agenda, just like everything else.

45. Good night, sweetheart. Rest heals the body and has been shown to lessen the risk of heart trouble and psychological problems.

How smoking affects your heart

2009-01-17T18:28:00.004Z

In South Africa, seven million people smoke, 80% have tried to quit at least once and 90% of people started smoking before the age of 18. A child growing up in a smoker’s house has inhaled 102 packs by his 5th birthday.

Smoking is the single greatest cause of heart disease. Smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity and a poor diet all take their toll on the heart. The compound effect increases the risk of cardiac incident exponentially. Cigarette smokers also face a greatly increased risk of respiratory disease.

The detrimental effects of smoking
Smoking narrows the blood vessels and enlarges the naturally occurring blood clots, thus causing clogged arteries and restriction of blood to the heart. Cholesterol is more likely to be trapped in the lining of the blood vessels and forms plaques, which could further restrict blood flow. Smoking can also increase blood pressure and the carbon monoxide formed during smoking, reducing the oxygen in the blood.

Smoking increases the risk of heart disease by two or three times and by 10 times for a woman on oral contraceptives. Smoking doubles the risk of stroke and takes an average of 14 years off your life span.

Passive smoking is the result of non-smokers breathing smoke produced by a smoker. Non-smokers who breathe second-hand smoke suffer many of the diseases of active smoking. Only 30 minutes of exposure can damage a non-smoker’s heart and increases the risk of heart disease by 30%.

Never too late to quit
The good news is that it is never too late to benefit from giving up smoking. Some of the harmful effects of smoking are reversible. Within eight hours of giving up smoking, blood oxygen levels and carbon monoxide levels return to normal. Within days, blood clotting improves and within three weeks, exercising becomes easier. Within five to 15 years, the risk of heart disease is the same as someone who has never smoked.

Eight out of 10 people find it most effective to stop smoking abruptly. Stay motivated; the first few days are always the hardest. It is important when planning to quit smoking that you find support, either in a group or with some friends and family.

Help your friends and family to understand that you might be irritable and difficult because of the craving and that this will improve over time. Where possible, avoid other smokers and smoke-filled environments. Think of things to do when you normally would have smoked, in order to distract you and keep your mind off smoking.

Even an occasional cigarette or passive smoking increases your risk for heart disease; there is no safe level of smoking. The more you smoke, the greater the risk and the sooner you quit, the sooner you can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Source: The Heart Foundation of South Africa

Indigenous plant helps diabetics

2009-01-17T18:25:00.003Z

Diabetics will now be able to use a natural herbal supplement containing the extract of an indigenous medicinal plant, the Sutherlandia frutescens, to assist them in managing their blood-sugar levels.

The supplement, called ProBetix, has been developed by Eastern Cape neutraceutical manufacturer Value Added Life following groundbreaking research conducted by a team of researchers at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in Port Elizabeth. The researchers found that a Sutherlandia frutescens extract lowered the blood-sugar levels of diabetic rats, reversed their insulin resistance and decreased intestinal glucose uptake.

Sutherlandia frutescens, also known as "cancer bush", is a hardy herbal plant that has for over a century been used by local people as a medicinal plant for treating a variety of ailments, including diabetes.

The research study
The aim of the NMMU study was to verify the claims made for diabetes treatment and to investigate the safety of the plant’s usage. Their scientific experiments were conducted over six years with financial assistance from the National Research Foundation and Value Added Life.

Using a specific Sutherlandia frutescens extract, the team managed to reduce the blood sugar levels of diabetic rats to normal within a few days. Rats were used since the development of diabetes in these animals is very similar to that occurring in humans.

The results of the findings were published in the scientific Journal of Ethnopharmacology (109 (2007) 121–127). The research has been peer reviewed and found to be scientifically sound. It has also been independently verified by scientists in other parts of the world.

The University of the Western Cape in 2007 undertook a clinical toxicity study on the plant and declared it safe for human use.

Blood-sugar levels remain stable
Dr Saartjie Roux, who conducted the research alongside Dr Maryna van de Venter and a team of post-graduate students from the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at NMMU, also found that the rats’ blood-sugar levels remained stable and within normal range and that the levels didn't drop too low, as is often the case when diabetics accidentally inject too much insulin.

When investigating the plant’s interaction with a popular type-2 diabetes medication, the researchers found that Sutherlandia frutescens decreased intestinal glucose uptake more significantly than the medication. No drug interactions or unwanted side effects were evident when administered simultaneously with the diabetics drug.

The researchers also studied the effects of Sutherlandia frutescens on blood sugar when insulin was administered simultaneously, and found that the blood sugar remained at stable, normal levels and neither compound was influenced by the other.

The study showed that Sutherlandia frutescens can restore a pre-diabetic state (the various earlier stages before full-blown diabetes develops) to normal levels of blood glucose and insulin. It further established that Sutherlandia frutescens could reverse insulin resistance by increasing glucose uptake by muscle and fat tissue.

Specific combo is key
Dr Roux stressed that the extraction process was key to obtaining the specific combination of compounds from the Sutherlandia plant. She said that the content and efficacy of herbal medicine made from the same plant species were known to vary.

Since the studies at NMMU were conducted with a specific extract, it could not be assumed that all products made from Sutherlandia will have the same effects.

ProBetix can be found at leading pharmacies countrywide.

Source: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Trust, November 2008

How to Apply Lipstick

2009-01-17T18:16:00.003Z

A beauty tip I've always sworn by is to pick your best feature and play it up. If you are complimented often on your lips, consider yourself lucky, it's time to play them up. Here's 16 tips on how to apply lipstick.

Don't play up the eyes and the mouth Women who wear heavy eye makeup and dark lipstick can look clownish. If you want to wear red lipstick, keep the rest of your makeup light. If you are playing up the eyes, keep your mouth light with a gloss or light lip color that doesn't stand out.
For "plump" lips, apply liner just outside your natural lipline. Dab a bit of gloss in the middle of your bottom lip.
How to apply lipstick? I don't believe in rules to applying lipstick. Some women use special lipstick brushes (pictured here). I own one and never, ever use it. Others use their middle finger (I once said this was a beauty faux pas and got reamed by a reader, I have since changed my mind). Most women apply right from the tube. Choose what's right for you, as long as the color gets on the lips, you're good.
Use liner on your lips as a base. Lipstick will last longer if you fill in your lips with the liner first. If you're using light lipstick, try a nude liner. Then slick your lipstick on top.

Lip gloss is infamous for wearing off fast, but if you fill in lips first with the liner, the gloss has something to stick to.
You can line before or after you apply lipstick or gloss. Some women prefer to apply liner first, arguing that you won't be able to see the natural line of your lips if you apply lipstick first. But I find lips look more natural when I line lips after I apply lipstick.
Never use a dark liner with light lipstick. Defined lips are great, but make sure the liner matches the lipstick or gloss. Dark liner and light lips is tacky.
Never use a test lipstick on your lips. It's just plain unhygienic. Instead, test lipstick on your fingertips. It's a closer fit to your lips than the back of your hand.
Don't throw out a bad color lipstick. Beauty editors know you can create a great lipcolor by blending lipsticks you don't like. You can also color in lips with a darker liner before applying a lipstick that's too bright.
Keep lipstick off glass. Discreetly lick your lips before taking a sip from a glass. It works!
Keep lipstick off your teeth with this trick. After applying lipstick, take your index finger and pop it in your mouth, then pull it out. The excess lipstick will come off on your finger rather than your teeth.
Lipstick can act as a blush. But never use blush as a lipstick.
The older you are, the "creamier" your lips should look. If your lips are thinned out and wrinkled, avoid matte or a gloss and stick with a creamy lipstick.
Not all lipstick shades look good on everyone.Your skin color will determine what shades are right on you. You may like a lipstick on your friend, but it may not look good on you. Orange or brown shades, including corals, look good on few people. These shades tend to make teeth appear yellow.
Camouflage yellowed teeth. To downplay a yellow cast to teeth, try lipsticks with a bluish undertone. Shades that work include plums, pinks, wines and violets, according to Lazarus, a NYC makeup artist, in the June, 2007, issue of O magazine.
Heal -- don't throw out -- a broken lipstick. If your lipstick breaks off, simply take off the broken portion with a tissue, then slowly wave a lit match under the broken piece of lipstick. When it's melted a bit, put it back on the base, swivel it down and put it in the fridge -- uncovered -- for 30 minutes.
Lipstick done? You might notice there's still a bit of lipstick down in the tube. Scrape out the last bits with a cotton swap or orange stick and mix it with Vaseline or lip gloss in a lipstick palette. Use a lip brush to apply.

I also love this tip shared by reader Patti Campbell. She scoops out the lipstick remnants from the bottoms of her tubes and she puts them in a pill case, "the one with the days of the week individually capped." She then nukes the pill case until the lipstick melts. Campbell uses a lip brush and enjoys seven new lipsticks. I would think this is perfect for the purse.

The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults

2009-01-17T18:03:00.002Z

This guide was developed in cooperation with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). It is based on the Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: Evidence Report developed by the NHLBI Expert Panel and released in June 1998. The panel used an evidence-based methodology to develop key recommendations for assessing and treating overweight and obese patients. The goal of the guide is to provide the tools you need to effectively manage your overweight and obese adult patients. 78 pages.

If you have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, you may view the document as:

* Full color (1.5 MB)
* Black and white (1 MB)

Cancer and Obesity

2009-01-17T17:59:00.002Z

Evidence for a link between cancer and obesity and overweight:

Considerable evidence suggests that obesity and overweight play an important role in cancer. Obesity and overweight have been clearly associated with increased risks for kidney cancer in both men and women (two-fold increased relative risk), and in women, endometrial cancer (one and a half-fold relative risk) and postmenopausal breast cancer (two-fold relative risk). Building evidence suggests that obesity and overweight also are associated with an increase risk of colorectal cancer, gall bladder cancer, and perhaps more modestly, the risk of thyroid cancer in women. For colorectal cancer, the effect of obesity and overweight on risk may be due in part to low physical activity, as consistent evidence exists for a strong protective effect of physical activity against developing colorectal cancer. Recent studies suggest that obesity and overweight may also play a role in the increasing incidence of some types of esophageal cancer, possibly through obesity's association with gastric reflux. For prostate cancer risk, inconsistent findings from studies evaluating obesity may result from limitations in the measurement of obesity, as more consistent results have come from recent studies of biological factors that are more directly associated with specific aspects of body composition (e.g., total fat)

For other types of cancer, in general, too few studies have been conducted to draw conclusions about the relationship between obesity and risk of disease development. However, strong experimental research in animal models of cancer development and disease progression have shown that maintenance of adequate and not overweight body size can delay development of cancer. Whether this can be achieved in humans has not been evaluated in prospective randomized trials.

Cancers with lower rates among obese:

Obesity may also be somewhat protective against other forms of cancer. Among premenopausal women, heavier women appear to experience modest protection from breast cancer compared to leaner women (0.7-fold relative risk). Lung cancer is also less prevalent among the obese relative to leaner individuals (relative risk 0.7), possibly because of smoking-related effects on metabolism, although some investigators have argued that smoking or weight loss due to undetected disease may bias reported findings.

Cancer Death Rates and Obesity:

Evaluating the influence of obesity on survival from cancer is complicated by a number of factors including variation in treatment regimens and completeness of vital status follow-up. For most types of cancer, little data exists on this topic, except for breast cancer. Most studies of obesity and breast cancer survival, but not all, suggest that obese women have poorer survival than leaner women. To date, little is know about the mechanisms that might contribute to this effect and no prospective randomized trials have been conducted.

Trends in cancer related to obesity:

Like obesity, cancer is a major health problem in the United States and in other countries as well. Based on the American Cancer Society's 2002 estimates for cancer incidence, cancers linked to obesity among women comprise approximately 51% of all new cancers diagnosed among women in 2002: 2% thyroid cancers (15,800 new cases), 6% uterine cancers (39,300 new cases), 12% colorectal cancers (75,700 new cases), and 31% breast cancers (203,500 new cases). Among men, cancers linked to obesity comprise approximately 14% of new cancers: 3% kidney cancers (19,100 new cases) and 11% colorectal cancers (72,600 new cases). In terms of mortality, for women, obesity-related cancers are estimated to comprise 28% of cancer-related deaths in 2002: 15% breast cancers (39,600 deaths), 2% uterine cancers (6,600 deaths), and 11% colorectal cancers (28,800 deaths). Among men, obesity-related cancers are estimated to comprise 13% of cancer-related deaths in 2002: 10% colorectal cancers (27,800 deaths) and 3% kidney cancers (7,200 deaths).

Overall, while the mechanisms underlying the obesity-carcinogenesis relationship are not fully understood, sufficient evidence exists to support recommendations that adults and children maintain reasonable weight for their height and ages for multiple health benefits, including decreasing their risk of cancer

Your Weight and Diabetes

2009-01-17T17:53:00.002Z

What is diabetes?

Over seventeen million Americans (6.2% of the population) have diabetes. Almost 6 million Americans are unaware they have the disease. There are two main types of diabetes. Both types are caused by problems in how a hormone called insulin (that helps regulate blood sugar) works. Type 1 diabetes most often appears in childhood or adolescence and causes high blood sugar when your body can't make enough insulin. Over 90% of all diabetes cases are what we call type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed after age forty; however it is now being found in all ages including children and adolescents. Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity and physical inactivity. In this form of diabetes your body makes insulin but can't use its insulin properly. At first, your body overproduces insulin to keep blood sugar normal, but over time this causes your body to lose its ability to produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels in the normal healthy range. The result is sugar rises in your blood to high levels. Over a long period of time, high blood sugar levels and diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, leg and foot amputations, and pregnancy complications. Diabetes can be a deadly disease: over 200,000 people die each year of diabetes related complications

How does my weight relate to type 2 diabetes?

Carrying extra body weight and body fat go hand and hand with the development of type 2 diabetes. People who are overweight are at much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than normal weight individuals. Being overweight puts added pressure on the body's ability to properly control blood sugar using insulin and therefore makes it much more likely for you to develop diabetes. Almost 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. The number of diabetes cases among American adults jumped by a third during the 1990s, and more increases are expected. This rapid increase in diabetes is due to the growing prevalence of obesity and extra weight in the United States population.

What can you do to prevent diabetes?

The good news is type 2 diabetes is largely preventable. Research studies have found that lifestyle changes and small amounts of weight loss in the range of 5-10% can prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes among high-risk adults. Lifestyle interventions including diet and moderate-intensity physical activity (such as walking for 150 minutes per week) were used in these research studies to produce small amounts of weight loss. The development of diabetes was reduced 40% to 60% during these studies that lasted 3 to 6 years. Preventing weight gain, increasing activity levels and working toward small amounts of weight loss if you are overweight can have a big impact on the likelihood that you will develop diabetes in the future. Managing your weight is the best thing you can do to prevent the development of diabetes.

What can you do if you already have diabetes?

You can have a positive influence on your blood sugar and your overall health by choosing foods wisely, exercising regularly, reducing your stress level, and making modest lifestyle changes. Small amounts of weight loss (losing 10 pounds or more) can also have a big effect on how easily you can keep your blood sugar in the healthy range and can help prevent the complication of diabetes. Small amounts of weight reduction can decrease the amount of medication you need to keep your blood sugar in the healthy range. Overall better nutrition, physical activity, and control of blood glucose levels can delay the progression of diabetes and prevent complications.

Obesity, acid reflux, smoking increase esophageal cancer risk

2009-01-17T17:32:00.001Z

Obesity increases the risk of esophageal cancer, regardless of whether a person has other risk factors such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or smoking, according to a study in the November issue of Gut. Among 800 people with esophageal cancer who were compared to 1,600 people without the disease, obese people were six times more likely to have esophageal cancer than people who were not obese

Esophageal cancer is known to be more common in people with GERD, but this is the first study to indicate that obesity alone could increase the risk. As expected, smokers in the study had a higher incidence of both GERD and esophageal cancer.

The investigators recommend that obese people lose weight, and if they smoke, quit. Medications to reduce GERD symptoms also should be considered