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Cranberries: Evergreen And For Ever Healthy

2011-02-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

Thoughts of the cranberry probably bring forth memories of Ocean Spray commercials or circular slices of the jellied variety adorning a Thanksgiving platter, yet cranberries are one of the most healthful and multifarious fruit available. Found and grown in bogs throughout the northern hemisphere, cranberries are actually a type of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines. With skinny, wire-like stems, and dark pink flowers, they are popular with the honeybee and anyone who likes a sweet fruit with an acidic kick.

In the US and Canada, cranberries are a major commercial crop. They can be made into cranberry juice (hence the images of the Ocean Spray commercials), cranberry sauce, cranberry jelly, or dried into candy-like treats, although many people enjoy them fresh. Cranberries have been increasingly recognized as a super fruit, along with the Acai berry and blueberry, among others, because of their antioxidant and nutrient content.

Vaccinium oxycoccos (Northern Cranberry) is a species of cranberry found in Europe, northern Asia, and North America. These cranberries are small, pale pink, and have a tangy flavor. The Vaccinium microcarpum (Small Cranberry) is a species of cranberry found in Northern Europe and Northern Asia. Vaccinium macrocarpon (Large Cranberry) is a species of cranberry found in northeastern North America, and is one of the most popular varieties due to its closeness to an apple taste. Cranberries are close cousins to huckleberries, bilberries, and blueberries.

Cranberries got their name by early European settlers. These pioneers believed that the flower, stem, calyx, and petals of the cranberry plant looked very much like the neck, head, and bill of a crane, so naming the fruit the

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Rosemary Is Good For Your Health

2011-02-13T09:07:00.000-08:00

Rosemary is a herb that is used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. The rosemary plant is native to the Mediterranean area, but it is found in other regions such as France and even as far south as South Africa. The plant itself is an evergreen and has leaves which resemble the needles of an evergreen tree. The rosemary plant is has leaves that are considered to be thick and leather-like in appearance, and they are accented with blooms which can be blue, white, pink or purple in color.

Another feature of the rosemary plant is its very aromatic smell and the wooly white substance that can be found on the underside of the leaves. The rosemary plant can reach heights of over five feet. The name rosemary is Latin for

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Vitamins That Help Improve Your Eyesight

2011-02-13T01:07:00.000-08:00

Eyesight degeneration is something that naturally happens to everyone during the process of aging. Prescription or over-the-counter treatments can help slow or remedy this process and laser eye surgery has been increasing in popularity recently but there are less expensive ways to prevent or even reverse sight loss. One way of doing this is by ensuring that you consume specific vitamins through certain foods and by supplementing your diet with vitamins if necessary.

Refocusing your eyes at regular intervals, wearing sunglasses when in the glare, and refraining from unnecessarily straining your eyes are ways to keep them healthy

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Asthma vs. COPD

2011-02-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

While the signs of asthma and Cardiopulmonary Obstructive Disease (COPD) may appear similar, they differ from each other in distinct way. One causes irreversible damage, while the other is completely reversible. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are common terms used to describe COPD, not asthma.

Keep in mind, that an individual can have COPD as well as asthma. Additionally, the asthma treatment and the treatment for COPD, for attacks, are similar. By using new methods, such as a good exercise regiment, effective breathing practices, and a healthy diet, you can learn to cope with the signs and effects of asthma and COPD.

Asthma symptoms and symptoms of COPD can easily be confused, because they appear to be the same; however, they are very different. The signs of asthma and COPD include difficulty breathing, tightness of the chest, wheezing, coughing, and sneezing. Asthma and COPD cannot be cured. However, asthma attacks and the effects of COPD can be alleviated.

Additionally, with all the similarities between asthma and COPD, their differences are notable. One distinct difference is that COPD develops as a result of a lifestyle, while asthma is cause by more a mixture of genes and individual exposure to allergens. Additionally, in COPD, the damage of the obstruction of the airways is permanent and irreversible, while the effects of asthma are reversible and the airways of the lungs are just restricted.

The treatments for COPD and asthma are the same. Anyone suffering from the effects of asthma or COPD will benefit greatly from starting a good exercise regiment. Even asthma in children can be affected positively by exercise. Exercise aids in the improvement of muscular functionability. However, when exercising, individuals should be careful not to overexert themselves, as this will result in difficulty breathing.

Breathing exercises are effective and calming for anyone suffering from asthma or COPD. Breathing may be automatic for anyone suffering from the effects of asthma and COPD, but proper breathing is not. By using proper breathing exercises, asthma and COPD effects and be greatly improved. Two breathing techniques that help increase the level of oxygen in the blood are pursed-lip and diaphragmatic breathing. The purpose of these breathing exercises is to slow the breathing down and empty the lungs completely.

Proper nutrition, like breathing exercises, is another essential element in the effective treatment for asthma or COPD. It increases your energy level, strengthens your bones and muscles, reinforces your immune system, and helps to maintain a healthy weight. Dark green vegetables are a nice source of vitamin B12 and improve the metabolism.

Vitamin E, complex carbohydrates, and protein are essential in the diet to promote stronger muscles. Vitamin E can be found in apples, olive oil, and whole grain pasta. Complex carbohydrates are found in grain, broccoli and nuts; and proteins can be derived from lean meats, peanut butter, and eggs. Ensure that your diet includes these staples to experience the benefits and advantages on the symptoms of asthma.

By now, it should be apparent that asthma and COPD have their similarities as well as their differences. The signs of asthma and COPD and the treatment for asthma and COPD are generally the same. However, COPD is associated with permanent damage, while the effects of asthma are reversible. Just by incorporating an exercise regimen that includes breathing exercises and proper nutrition, the negative effects of asthma and COPD, in children or adults, can be improved, although not cured.

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When a Women is Allergic to Condoms

2011-02-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

Condoms are one of the best ways to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted disease (STD) and also a tool to control pregnancy. But what would happen if a woman is allergic to condoms?

Allergic to condoms is usually causes by the latex rubber, lubricants used in condoms or even both. These allergic reactions can occur only after a few minutes of contact with condoms or after a few hours later.

According to Healthmad, women who are allergic to condoms may experience symptoms as follows:

1. Rash
2. Red and itching in the genital area
3. Burning sensation during bowel movements and sexual intercourse
4. Sneezing repeatedly
5. Skin becomes sensitive
6. Sometimes it can cause dizziness and fainting
7. In extreme cases can lead to shock

Condom allergy symptoms are sometimes similar to a fungal infection that attacks the genitals, but the difference usually condom allergy dose not cause fluid to come out of the vagina.

But the study by Michigan State University shows that condoms can also increase the risk of genital yeast infections. This is triggered by nonoxynol-9, which is a spermicide lubricants which can cause yeast infections.

What should be done if a women is allergic to condoms?

If women wants to control pregnancy, condoms contraception can be replaced with other alternatives such as birth control pills or intrauterine devices (IUDs). But unfortunately, these konstrasepsi choice can not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

Better find out what the cause of the allergy is, whether it is the rubber latex or the lubricants. If you want to keep using condoms, you should use a non-latex or non-lubricating condoms.

To determine if you suffer from allergies to condoms, the best thing to do is consult with your doctor or your health care provider.

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Have an Ideal Body Weight by Drinking Wine

2011-02-12T01:07:00.000-08:00

A researcher examined 20,000 women with normal body weight for 13 years, and found that women who have a habit of drinking one glass of wine per day can maintain weight 30% better than women who did not drink wine.

According to Jana Klauer, a nutritionist from New York, wine is rich in antioxidants that can reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. One reason that wine can maintain an ideal weight is when it is digested, it triggers the body to burn calories.

“Women have a little enzyme that metabolizes alcohol than men. To be able to digest the wine, they should continue to produce this enzyme so that the body continues to burn energy,” she said.

The effect of drinking wine is the increase in body temperature. This effect occurs because the alcohol burns calories and creates heat.

However, it does not mean you can drink wine as much as possible to get an ideal weight. Because keep in mind that wine has 125 calories per 5 ounces, drinking too much wine can even result in risks such as breast cancer. Drink one glass per day combined with a healthy diet and exercise is a great way to get an ideal body shape.

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Why Men Lose Weight Faster

2011-02-11T17:07:00.000-08:00

In terms of weight loss, women often ‘loose’ to men. Perhaps you also had noticed how men lose weight easily without having to try extra hard. Surely this invites curiosity.

For that, know three things why men lose weight easier, according to Reader’s Digest.

1. Men are not too obsessed with food
Women are more obsessed with food than men. According to a recent survey, about 25 percent of women think about food every half an hour. Thinking about food makes the desire to eat increases. This makes women eats more.

2. Men do not relate food and emotions
Women tend to ease their emotions on food, while men do not. According the book ‘Conquering Heart Attack & Stroke’ , from brain scans, researchers showed food in men and women who had not eaten all day and ask them to hold their hunger.

It was known that male brains showed much less activity in terms of regulation, emotion, memory, and motivation than women. As though, men are more easy to ‘turn off’ their passions in their favorite foods.

3. Men metabolism is faster
Metabolic system of men is faster than women. A study found that the average man’s metabolism is 5 to 10 percent higher than women who have the same weight and height.

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Oral Sex Causes Transmission of Oral and Neck Cancer

2011-02-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

January 27, 2011 By: medicmagic Category: Cancer, Sexual Health

Cancer on the head and neck are related to sexual activity. This is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) which is the principal cause of this cancer. HPV can be transmitted through an oral sex type of sexual activity.

“This relationship is strong, especially oral sex associated with the increase in HPV infection,” said Dr. Greg Hartig, professor of Otolaryngology Head and neck surgery at the faculty of medicine and public health University of Wisconsin, according to healthday.

A study in 2007 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that young people with cancer on the head and neck were positive for HPV infection in the mouth are more likely to have a lot of vaginal and oral sex with their partners in their lives.

In the study, having six or more oral sex partners during lifetime have a 3.4 times higher risk for oropharyngeal cancer – cancer of the tongue base, back of the throat or tonsils.

Researchers also reported that the tonsils and base of the tongue cancer has increased every year since 1973. The increase is also related to oral sex activity that is spreading among teenagers. In it, French kiss is also vulnerable to transmit HPV. Some types of HPV can cause cervical cancer.

According to Dr. A. Amesh Adalja, instructor in the Section of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, HPV tend to have specific locations. HPV tend to survive in the first body area it meets. It can be the vagina (which in some cases can cause cervical cancer), or the mouth and throat.

In other words, the changing trend of sexual activity also cause changes HPV infection.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that, in 2002, about 90 percent of men and 88 percent of women aged 25 to 44 years old were claimed to have had oral sex with opposite sex couples. Compared to 1992 which showed about 75 percent of men aged 20 to 39 years old and almost 70 percent of women aged 18-59 years old had oral sex.

HPV attacks will get more vicious if the person also smokes. Of the patients with HPV who smokes, only about 45-50 percent who survive. Meanwhile, from among non-smokers, 85 percent of people with HPV-positive tumors survived.

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Techniques to Cope With Stress and RA

2011-02-11T01:07:00.000-08:00

Dealing With Stress and RA Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

RA Accommodations at Work

2011-02-10T17:07:00.000-08:00

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Employment: Making Accommodations for RA at Work Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

6 Heart Health Myths and Facts: Is Your Heart in Danger?

2011-02-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

Broken Heart Syndrome (Stress Cardiomyopathy) Symptoms, Causes, Treatments

2011-02-10T01:07:00.000-08:00

Understanding Calcium: Supplements, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Citrate, and More

2011-02-09T17:07:00.000-08:00

What Is Palliative Care?

2011-02-09T09:07:00.000-08:00

By Katherine Kam
WebMD Feature Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Since Kathleen Huggins was diagnosed with lung cancer last November, doctors have been working hard to try to cure her. Surgeons removed part of her lung and soon she'll begin chemotherapy.

But the 56-year-old New York City resident also benefits from a new type of medical specialty called palliative care. It has its own distinct mission: to relieve suffering and improve quality of life for people with serious illnesses.

For example, Huggins had a large, painful surgical incision in her torso. Her palliative care doctor made sure the pain was managed properly.

"They would constantly ask me what my pain level was and adjust my medication to what I needed to make me comfortable," Huggins tells WebMD.

In the days before surgery, she had prepared spiritually by talking to a rabbi -- a member of her palliative care team. Then right before doctors took her to the operating room, that same rabbi appeared at her bedside.

"She sat there with me the whole time and just held my hand," Huggins says.

A social worker -- also on the palliative care team -- now is helping her with practical matters: obtaining a wig before she loses her hair and arranging transportation for chemotherapy sessions.

Twice each week, she meets with a counselor. This team member helps her to deal with the intense emotions that come with having cancer.

Say "palliative care" and most people imagine cancer patients being made comfortable in an end-of-life hospice setting.

But palliative care is actually a new medical specialty that has emerged in the last decade -- and no, it's not the same as hospice. It doesn't serve only the dying. Instead, it focuses more broadly on improving life and providing comfort to people of all ages with serious, chronic, and life-threatening illnesses.

These diseases may include cancer, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, AIDS, and Alzheimer's, among others. "It's the whole spectrum, really," says Joseph Chan, MD, a palliative care physician in Fort Smith, Ark.

"The vast majority of America's medical schools have palliative care programs and are teaching medical students and residents about palliative care. That didn't occur 10 years ago. There was literally no education occurring on the topic," says Diane Meier, MD, director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

Currently, there are more than 1,400 hospital palliative care programs in the U.S., according to Meier. About 80% of large U.S. hospitals with more than 300 beds have a palliative care program, she says. Among smaller hospitals with more than 50 beds, about 55% have programs.

Typically, a palliative care team includes a physician, nurse, and social worker, Meier says. But it often involves a chaplain, psychologist or psychiatrist, physical or occupational therapist, dietitian, and others, depending on the patient's needs.

Fewer Strokes After Heart Bypass Surgery

2011-02-09T01:07:00.000-08:00

Researchers Say Improvement in Surgery Techniques Contribute to Decline in Stroke Rate By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Most People With Flu Don’t Stay Home

2011-02-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

Survey Shows Two-Thirds of Americans Stick to Their Routines Despite Flu Symptoms By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Sex, Love, and Rheumatoid Arthritis

2011-02-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Intimacy, Sex, and Secrets of Lovemaking to Keeping Your Relationship Strong and Avoid Pain Skip to content Home & News WebMD Home WebMD News Home Free Health Newsletters WebMD Community & Experts See All Expert Blogs WebMD the Magazine Digital Health A-Z ADD/ADHD Allergies Allergy TV Alzheimer's Anxiety Disorders Arthritis Asthma Back Pain Bipolar Disorder Bipolar TV Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Communities Cholesterol Cold & Flu Colorectal Cancer COPD Depression Depression TV Diabetes Epilepsy Erectile Dysfunction Fibromyalgia Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Herpes Hypertension IBS Incontinence/OAB Inflammatory Bowel Menopause Mental Health Migraines Multiple Sclerosis Osteoporosis Pain Management Parkinson's Disease Rheumatoid Arthritis Sexual Conditions Shingles Skin Problems Sleep Disorders Stroke See All Topics Videos A-Z Community & Experts Experts A-Z First Aid A-Z Games A-Z Tests & Tools A-Z Slideshows A-Z Drugs & Medications Center Find or Review a Drug Pill Identifier Drug News Mobile Drug Information Find a Vitamin or Supplement First Aid & Emergencies WebMD Community & Experts WebMD Ask the Pharmacist Healthy Living Women's Health Men's Health Pet Health Oral Health Emotional Health Mental Health Communities Find a Therapist Green Living 50

Allergy Pill Allegra To Be Sold Over the Counter

2011-02-08T01:07:00.000-08:00

Jan. 25, 2011 -- The FDA today approved over-the-counter sale of Allegra, the best-selling antihistamine also sold generically as fexofenadine.

Allegra maker Sanofi-aventis says Allegra will be on retail shelves on March 4, in plenty of time for spring allergy season.

Other Allegra products will also be sold over the counter. In addition to Allegra 24-Hour and 12-Hour Tablets for adults and children ages 12 and older, these products include:

Children's Allegra 12-hour tablets for children ages 6 years and older. Allegra Liquid for children ages 2 years and older. Children's Allegra 12-Hour Orally Disintegrating Tablets for children ages 6 years and older. Allegra-D 24-Hour and 12-Hour Allergy and Congestion Extended Release Tablets for adults and children ages 12 years and older.

Allegra-D products combine the antihistamine fexofenadine with the decongestant pseudoephedrine.

How much will it cost? "Pricing for the Allegra family of OTC products will be at the discretion of each retailer," a spokesperson for Sanofi-aventis U.S. tells WebMD via email.

Several companies sell generic fexofenadine but have not yet announced their plans for OTC sale.

Slideshow: Top Items for Your Allergy Relief Kit

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Does Raising the Thermostat Increase Obesity?

2011-02-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

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U.S. Smoking Rates Keep Life Expectancy Down

2011-02-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

Study Shows High Smoking Rates in Earlier Decades Affects Life Spans in U.S. By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Animal Farms May Produce Superbugs

2011-02-07T01:07:00.000-08:00

Flies, Roaches on Pig Farms May Spread Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria to Humans By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Traffic Noise Raises Stroke Risk

2011-02-06T17:07:00.000-08:00

As Traffic Noise Rises, So Does Risk of Stroke in Older People, Study Finds By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Obama Defends Health Care Law, Offers Fixes

2011-02-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

Jan. 25, 2011 -- President Barack Obama defended the health reform law against Republican attacks in his State of the Union address Tuesday, offering to tweak the law but refusing efforts to gut it.

The president’s speech came less than a week after the newly empowered GOP House majority voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. It was seen as a largely symbolic act, meant more to fulfill campaign promises than to actually make substantive changes to the law.

Still, voters remain largely negative about the law in polls, particularly the part that requires most Americans to have health insurance by 2014. Obama used part of his prime-time speech to beat back the repeal effort while still signaling that he is open to altering the law.

Breast Implants Linked to Rare Cancer

2011-02-06T01:07:00.000-08:00

FDA Links Both Saline and Silicone Breast Implants to Lymphoma, but Risk "Very Low" By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Taking Too Many Vitamins? Side Effects of Vitamin Overdosing

2011-02-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

Moms Heed Advice on Baby Sleep Position

2011-02-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

The More Moms Hear About Putting Babies on Their Backs, the More Likely They Are to Do So By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

11 Ways to Manage OAB at Work

2011-02-05T01:07:00.000-08:00

By Gina Shaw
WebMD Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Eloine Plaut has had problems with an overactive bladder for years. Now 59, she's fought back the urge to urinate while lecturing marketing classes at a university, flying back and forth on business trips between Chicago and New Mexico, and presenting at bank business meetings.

"I've never had an accident at work or in public," she says. "But I live in chronic fear of that occurring."

As many as one in four adult women experience episodes of urine leaking involuntarily, according to the National Association for Continence. And about 17% of women and 16% of men have continuing problems with overactive bladder (OAB).

If you have OAB, you know how difficult and embarrassing it can be to manage your overactive bladder at work. How can you keep things dry and professional? Many experts will advise you to try behavioral therapy, and if that fails, seek medical or surgical treatment. All that can take time. Here are some tips to help you manage OAB at the office, at the shop, and on the road.

What's Normal? What's Serious?

Video: OAB Experts Answer Your Questions

1. Don't dehydrate yourself at work.

You may think you should restrict beverages so you'll urinate less, but fluid restriction can be counterproductive.

"The bladder sometimes squeezes with no relationship to how much is in there," says Pamela Ellsworth, MD, associate professor of Urology at Brown University and the author of 100 Questions & Answers About Overactive Bladder and Urinary Incontinence. "And concentrated urine actually acts as a bladder irritant." Instead, maintain a healthy fluid intake throughout the day.

2. Keep on schedule.

Scheduled fluid intake and urination are the keys to managing OAB. If you know you'll have a big presentation at noon, stop drinking fluids at about 11 a.m., and then take a bathroom break right before stepping into the room.

That's how Patty Meek, a retired Army aviator who spent years as a maintenance pilot, kept her OAB in check. "I made sure I went to the bathroom before we went out and tried to make sure that the aircraft was not going to take that long," she says. "If it did, after a couple of hours, I'd say, 'I need to go back in.'"

3. Know where the restrooms are located.

Familiarize yourself with all the restrooms on your floor, especially when you're on a visit to a different office or at a conference.

4. Give yourself an exit.

"The power spot at most work meetings is at the front of the room, but I give up the power spot," says Plaut. "I sit as close to the door as I can." Sit in the back of the room and at the end of the aisle for presentations.

5. Know your triggers.

Stay away from obvious OAB triggers in work situations -- coffee and anything else with caffeine, acidic drinks like orange juice, chocolate, and spicy foods.

"Save them for at home when you have more control over when you go," says Ellsworth. In addition, many people with OAB have noticed other factors that trigger the urge to urinate -- like cold weather. "Pay close attention to these triggers, especially on days with more hectic schedules."

Expert Reviews: Timothy Ferriss’ 4-Hour Body

2011-02-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

CDC: 26 Million Americans Have Diabetes

2011-02-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

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FDA OKs Viibryd to Treat Depression

2011-02-04T01:07:00.000-08:00

New Antidepressant Gives Patients New Option for Treating Major Depressive Disorder By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Want to Sleep Better? Make Your Bed

2011-02-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

Jan. 26, 2011 -- Spending too many nights tossing and turning? You may want to vacuum your bedroom, wash your sheets, and throw out that lumpy mattress before you reach for a sleeping pill.

Results from a survey commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) suggest that people sleep much better when their bedrooms are comfortable and clean.

The group’s first ever "bedroom poll" surveyed sound sleepers and poor sleepers about how the bedroom environment affected their ability to get a good night’s sleep.

Childhood Leukemia, Brain Cancer on the Rise

2011-02-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

Experts Say Exposure to Toxic Chemicals May Be Partially Behind the Increase By Denise Mann
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Yes, you can eat to lose weight

2011-02-03T01:07:00.001-08:00

/Cory QuirinoOmega-3 promises easy, healthy weight lossOmega-3 promises easy, healthy weight lossInner Awareness: What orbs are and why they appear /Jaime LicaucoWhat orbs are and why they appearCarl Jung didn

The Top Selection For Gorgeous Nails

2011-02-01T09:05:00.000-08:00

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It takes a long time to develop lovely, stunning fingernails. Our hands take a beating with weather, water and daily duties. It appears like just when your nails start to grow, one chips or breaks. Then an additional goes. Then one more. You file them all down towards the same length and start over.

It is a discouraging process, which is the reason countless ladies opt for fake fingernails. There are several diverse kinds of nails out there. From tips to complete nails, some have nail glue to hold them in place, some use two sided tape.

The problem with these nails is resilience. If the complete set lasts an entire day without at least one falling off, you’re either really lucky, or you have not used your hands all day. If, like almost all of us, you’ve got a life that involves use of your hands, you should think about giving acrylic fingernails a try.

Acrylic nails come in all kinds of designs from french tips to lengthy diva nails, so you can locate a nail that finest suits your character and style. Even though it is achievable to use your own acrylic nails at home, you will obtain the best outcomes from a beauty salon.

Having your nails properly applied means they’ll endure longer and be properly shaped for your fingers. Even though some high end nail spas might charge a high end value, you can obtain an excellent set of acrylic nails at a fair price should you shop around. It does not take long to have them put on, and they harden rapidly so you can leave the salon and carry on with your day.

Care for your new fingernails for longer durability. Improper care can lead to infection, and a typical difficulty with acrylics comes from water being trapped between the natural nail and the acrylic one. This may dissolve the nail glue and cause it to come loose. If this happens, merely talk to your nail technician to have the nail re-glued or replaced as necessary.

You can file, form and paint acrylics just as you’d with normal nails. Pay a visit to your nail salon every two weeks or so for a nail adjustment, or reapplication as your natural nail grows. Apart from that, you can delight in your fabulous fingernails. The only issue you’ll have left to complete is make a decision whether or not you will tell people your beautiful nails are in fact acrylic.

Find out about powder eyeshadow plus several other beauty tips.

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What You Need For A Six Pack Abs Workout

2011-02-01T01:05:00.000-08:00

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Have you decided you want a washboard stomach? Not sure how to go about it? A six pack abs workout need not be complicated. All you need is one or a couple of pieces of equipment and a commitment to exercise and eat right. Then you can be on your way to the coveted flat stomach.

For not a whole lot of money, you can get yourself an exercise mat. These mats, generally consisting of foam coated with vinyl are the perfect place to comfortably do all your crunches and sit-ups while protecting your spine from hard floor surfaces. They easily roll up for storage and are lightweight making them easy to transport.

Another fairly inexpensive item is the exercise ball. These inflatable balls are great for doing crunches while also working on balance and flexibility. When choosing a ball, focus on the size. When seated on the ball, your knees and hips should be level.

If you are looking to build a home gym, an addition you might want is an ab crunch machine. There are many varieties of ab machines. With these, you will be seated, sometimes with a backrest. A crunch is performed by pulling handlebars in a certain direction. When choosing such a machine, look for one that offers different levels of weight resistance and also that provides neck and back support.

You will also need to supplement your muscle target training with some cardiovascular exercising. While the ab training will build muscle, you need aerobic activity to burn fat. Treadmills, stair climbers and bikes are great machines on which to accomplish this. Or you may prefer things like swimming or jogging.

Of course, no routine will have the effects you want without proper diet. You will need plenty of protein to tone muscles. Good protein sources include poultry, fish, beef, pork, eggs, nuts, beans, dairy and soy products. It is also best to avoid sugar and fats.

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Get Rid Of The Old Problem Regarding Hair Loss

2011-01-31T17:05:00.000-08:00

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Adult men are certainly not the only kinds looking for a remedy regarding locks loss . A number of females are impacted. 1 solution is delving in the Internet for solutions. The net will provide you with several methods to this specific confidence-breaking difficulty. You can even sift through many different reviews submitted by simply those who possess tried distinct products.

Based on what you’re prepared to devote, there’s definitely relief from hair loss suitable to you personally. My partner and i remember whenever our more mature sibling started out shedding his / her dew in the direction of the final involving high school graduation. I thought awkward relating to this I have to admit. Exactly why do a number of fellas start sacrificing their head of hair from such a tender get older? Very much truly is dependent upon inherited genes and strain. I’m speculating it absolutely was tension in this case since our single parent’s dad carries a entire locks.

Should you watch television, and then you’ve got most likely seen a new baldness business or perhaps 2. Individuals often nice, yet cheesy ads never present a lot peace whenever we start off planning bald up best or the brow begins to expand. Luckily there are good quality options at hand. Step one you ought to acquire concerning an end to hair thinning is consulting a family doctor or possibly a trichologist. They are able to make available to you a number of respectable alternatives.

Thankfully lots of these solutions are impressive, but not so high-priced today. You may get hair back. You need to simply exhaust your current assets so that you can determine that perfect treatment pertaining to hair thinning.

This specific is the most basic selection, nonetheless it doesn’t have being your own just alternative. You’ll find a highly effective cure for hair thinning should you choose the homework. Within the cosmetically sophisticated entire world we currently live in, there is not any good reason that you need to consider your hair decline just like a person.

Do you think you’re inside eager research of an treat for baldness? A lot of men across the world happen to be dealing a day-to-day have trouble with hair thinning. Your unavoidable ailment sadly becomes possible for a lot of folks. Though most guys do not like any balding remaining hair, a number of take this specific path along with avoiding your battle altogether.

This can be helpful in your search most effective as well as excellent treat regarding baldness. You’ve just got to love the Internet. If you discover a great over-the-counter cure regarding curly hair loss , you can most likely pick it up in virtually any place pharmacy.

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Benefits Of Using Homemade Soap

2011-01-31T09:05:00.000-08:00

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There are several distinct reasons a person could recite for opting to create their own soap at home. For one thing, the price is right. Comparing prices bar for bar, creating your own soap is extremely less pricey than purchasing commercial soaps. In addition, the cost only goes up if you’re purchasing organic soaps or specialty soaps with vital oils in them.

Taking charge of the ingredients is one more reason many customers are mastering the art of soap making. A lot of commercial soaps contain unwanted fragrances, chemicals or preservatives that are not always excellent for your skin. Making your own soap means you have full control over what goes into it, and you can personalize the soaps to satisfy your individual or family needs. Here is a quick resource for more beauty advice.

There are several different varieties of soap making strategies you can use, but the dissolve and pour method is almost certainly the easiest for amateur soap makers.

Whenever you make your own soaps, you can add important oils, scents or organic elements at your discretion. It’s great for people with vulnerable skin, allergies or conditions such as eczema, because they can keep from substances that irritate the skin and result in a reaction.

If you have by no means ventured into making your own soaps previously, the best reason to give it a try is because it is lots of fun. Making melt and pour type of soaps means you’ll be able to melt all your ingredients into a pot after which pour the soap mixture into a mold to set. These molds can be anything you like, and it is possible to even utilize cookie cutters or play dough cutters to create fancy shapes. Another excellent soap mold is bulk candy molds, enabling you to put interesting appliques and designs on your soaps.

Creating your own soaps not only gives you better selections when it comes to the safety and care of your skin, it’s also an excellent gift idea. A couple of specially designed soaps made with your tender loving care seems great in a gift basket for any birthday, bridal shower or other special occasion.

Learn more gorgeous beauty tips and advice at our beauty website.

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Organic Vitamins For Healthy Living

2011-01-31T01:05:00.000-08:00

People need vitamins for healthy living and for proper functioning of their body parts. The need for vitamins differs from each other depending on certain things such as type of work, age, environmental stress load, genetics, and lifestyle. The vitamins can be obtained from the natural foods as well as from the supplements. The organic vitamins are the best for long-lasting effect and healthy living.

Most of the vitamin supplements are produced from chemicals. The chemicals used are made to mimic the natural properties of vitamins in the natural foods, but as they are synthetic, they do not yield perfect result for the body. The vitamin that is got from the natural food is the perfect one for everyone and they are exactly what everyone needs. Also, natural foods contain other required nutrient for the body. Organic vitamins are primarily made to enhance the vitamin level in the blood and they also support good health.

Therefore, it is highly recommended to get vitamins from the organically grown foods than the chemically grown foods. If a person does not enough vitamins from the natural foods, then vitamin supplements are highly recommended. Organic vitamin supplements are considered better over synthetic as they do not contain any kind of fillers, additives, and dyes. Some of the inorganic supplements contain animal byproducts, which are very harmful for many people. For example, some people are very allergic to food dyes.

Because organic vitamins are made from natural substances, they contain pure form and highest quality of essential and beneficial nutrients for the body. Organic vitamins prevent the body from being exposed to various kinds of diseases and also cure the body from the existing diseases. Studies show that organic vitamins preserve the nature energy in the body and make people more active and keep people more energized throughout the day.

Non-organic also provide essential nutrients, but the method used for making this vitamin is not natural and hence the body will not be able to get the full vitamins and nutrients from these synthetic supplements. The unused parts of the synthetic vitamin go wasted and because of this organic whole food vitamins are highly recommended.

The organic vitamins can be easily chosen by carefully looking at the label pasted on it. The ingredients listed on the organic materials should not contain any kind of filler substances. In addition to the organic vitamin, it is better to take natural food items to have a balanced diet. Today, there are special organic vitamins that aim at particular parts of the body such as joints or particular muscles and these types are useful for many sport activities.

Organic vitamins help in faster recovery and provide higher energy required for the body. Organic vitamin is suitable for weight control and organic multivitamin provides several types of benefits for the body. With many choices available in the market, it makes easier for anyone to get more healthy and fresh by just consuming the organic vitamins regularly.

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Tips to Prevent Varicose

2011-01-30T17:05:00.000-08:00

January 26, 2011 By: medicmagic Category: Health Tips, Varicose Veins

Varicose veins is a condition where the veins swell and forms a winding stream.

Varicose veins occur because the blood vessel muscle structure are weak and are not strong enough to push blood back into circulation. As a result, blood flow stops and are gathered at the base of the vein, so the veins swell. Then appears blood sedimentation on the vessels.

Well, here are veins, according to healthday.

- Give skin sunscreen daily.
- Exercise regularly to get stronger legs and improve blood circulation. Especially exercise for the leg.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Do not cross your legs frequently.
- Move frequently, avoid sitting or standing for long periods.
- Do not wear clothes that are too tight. Avoid high heels.
- If you wear stockings, use elastic ones.
- Eat more fiber to help prevent constipation, which can lead to varicose veins.
- Reduce salt intake.

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Why Men Lose Weight Faster

2011-01-30T09:05:00.000-08:00

In terms of weight loss, women often ‘loose’ to men. Perhaps you also had noticed how men lose weight easily without having to try extra hard. Surely this invites curiosity.

For that, know three things why men lose weight easier, according to Reader’s Digest.

3. Men metabolism is faster
Metabolic system of men is faster than women. A study found that the average man’s metabolism is 5 to 10 percent higher than women who have the same weight and height.

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Traffic Noise Causes Stroke in Elderly People

2011-01-30T01:05:00.000-08:00

Exposure to loud noise can cause a stroke in the elderly.

According to a research by the Institute of Epidemiology Cancer Society in Copenhagen, Denmark , exposure to noise traffic which is very loud is associated with stroke in people aged 65 years old or more.

The researchers found that for every 10 decibels or more from road noise, a person’s risk of stroke increased by 27 percent. Researchers also found evidence that noise limit for elderly people is about 60 decibels. For those aged less than 65, a significant risk is not founded.

The study involved more than 57,000 people between the age of 50 and 64 who lives near Copenhagen and Aarhus between 1993 and 1997.

According to the study authors, Mette Sorensen, a senior researcher at the Institute of Epidemiology Cancer Society in Copenhagen Denmark, researchers analyzed medical records and location of their home during the period.

Researchers then measured the exposure of traffic noise. When starting the study, 35 percent of participants have been exposed to noise levels greater than 60 decibels, and the majority (72 percent) lived in the same address during the study. The researchers estimated that the lowest level of exposure to noise is 40 decibels and the highest to 82 decibels. The result shows that 1,881 people had a stroke.

While this is the first study linking traffic noise and stroke, they were not surprised with the results. “Most previous studies have found the traffic noise are associated with other cardiovascular disease,” said Sorensen.

The study authors noted that their study occurred in urban areas and do not represent all of Denmark. He said that further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Sorensen estimates that 600 new cases of stroke each year in his country can be linked with road traffic noise. The 5.5 million population of Denmark had 12,400 new cases of stroke each year. Sorensen believes stress could be a factor why people are attacked by stroke.
“Exposure to traffic noise is believed to provoke the stress response and interfere with sleep, which may increase the risk of strokes, through mechanisms including increased levels of stress hormones, increased heart rate and blood pressure and impaired immune systems,” said Sorensen. Other risk factors for stroke may also influence such as air pollution, aircraft noise, smoking, diet, alcohol and caffeine consumption.

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8 Preparation Before Pregnancy

2011-01-29T17:05:00.000-08:00

Some newly married couples decide to postpone having children for their career or because they are not ready to have kids. But, if you and your husband is one of the couples who delay pregnancy, it does not mean you should not maintain fertility. Fertility must be maintained and even improved so that when you are ready to have children, it all runs smoothly and properly.

What can you do to increase fertility? Here are tips specifically for you, according to Cosmopolitan.

1. Always perform safe sex
Unless you believe that couples avoid sexually transmitted diseases, condoms are a good safety device to prevent threats to fertility, such as chlamydia which can cause infertility.

2. Learn to cope with stress
Have you experienced periods twice a month while under pressure? Stress can damage the monthly cycle, and prevent ovulation. A study shows, women with high stress levels are generally difficult to get pregnant. So it is very good if you start to learn to cope with stress so it does not affect your cycle.

3. Stop smoking
Cigarettes are very harmful to fertility. Toxins in cigarettes is very harmful to the fallopian tubes, it can cause damage to chromosomes in the egg, and weaken the ability to produce estrogen that is necessary to prepare the uterine lining before the pregnancy. Women who smokes are also prone to miscarriage.

4. Do not be afraid of getting fat
Being slim is the dream of most woman, but do not think to continuously lose body weight. Because fact is, people who are too lean are difficult to conceive because of the lack of fat that can support pregnancy. However, in the other hand, do not ever think to fail to maintain weight because people who are too fat will experience irregular ovulation process.

5. Select seafoods
If you are planning a pregnancy next year or in subsequent years, make sure you are getting ready to sort out your food. There are some seafood that contains mercury in it like a shark and mackerel. Mercury can cause infertility, miscarriage, and even birth defects.

Meanwhile, to eliminate mercury from the body, it takes more than a year. Therefore, choose seafood that is has very low levels of mercury such as shrimp, salmon, or tuna to maintain fertility. If you are unsure of the level of mercury in your body, check it to the doctor.

6. Find out if your mother had fertility problems.
Not only in body shape or physique that you can inherit from your mother, fertility case can genetically attach to you as well, such as endometriosis or patches of endometrial tissue that grows outside the uterus, uterine tumors, and premature menopause. Knowing the parents’ fertility history will help you better know your female organs.

7. Do not worry about the consumption of pills
There is a growing myth that taking birth control pills lead to difficulty in obtaining a child. Do not be misguided. “Contraceptive pill has no side effects on fertility rates in the future,” says Dr. Guy Ringler, a fertility expert from California Fertily Partners in Los Angeles, USA. Most women will be fertile again within one to three months after not using contraceptive pill.

8. Note the calendar
It is very good to delay pregnancy until you are very ready, but not for too long. Even if you keep your body to stay healthy by eating healthy foods or doing yoga, your biological clock will keep ticking. Women in their 30’s only have 30,000 eggs and are very susceptible to miscarriage and genetic diseases. Women under 30 years old have 25% more chance to get pregnant, while 40-year-old woman’s chances for pregnancy is reduced by 5% according to the American Fertility Association.

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Can We Make Skin Pores Smaller?

2011-01-29T09:05:00.000-08:00

Display of skin pores often interfere with performance. Many women try to reduce it in various ways. Starting from using egg white mask to compressing the skin with cold water.

Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist from New York, said that pore size is genetically determined. That means, you can not make the pores become smaller physically.

The function of the pore, one of them, it to open the hair follicles. Each contains sebaceous glands, which produce oil for the skin. Pores are more clearly visible in the face, such as the forehead and nose, where there are larger oil glands.

According Jaliman, skin type also plays a major role determining the size of the pores. Owners of dry skin have less visible pores. While pores in oily skin appear more clearly. Lite colored also usually have smaller pores. While dark skin have larger pores.

But there are things you can do to keep the pores less visible. The key is to keep it always clean. Use noncomedogenic moisturizer and makeup.

Avoid products that contain heavy materials, such as petrolatum and mineral oil. Both can clog pores and make it look bigger.

“Always wash your face with a gentle cleanser before bed to prevent dirt and makeup that can clog pores,” says Heidi Waldorf, a dermatologist from New York, according to Real Simple.

Always clean the skin before and after exercise. That’s because sweat can bring the rest of makeup on the skin which will stretch the skin and open pores. Also, also do Exfoliate regularly.

You can do one to three times a week. Select Exfoliate cleanser with gel texture, mask or cream containing alpha hydroxy acids, retinol, or fruit enzymes. “Exfoliate sremove dead skin cells from the skin surface that makes pores enlarged,” said Jaliman.

But remember, when you have finished doing Exfoliate, you must use a moisturizer that contains SPF 15, because by eliminating the cells that die, the skin becomes more sensitive to ultraviolet light.

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Why Muscle Hurts After Exercising for the First Time

2011-01-29T01:05:00.000-08:00

Many people experience muscle pain when they exercise for the first time. Because of this reason, many people tend to avoid working out in the gym. So what actually causes the pain when you exercise for the first time.

Pain or discomfort that arises is an adaptation period to make the muscles become stronger and able to perform the next task. Therefore, one should not be discouraged or even stop exercising.

“When a person is exercising the first time, the muscles will experience less physical stress. Pain or tenderness is a natural thing of all kinds of physical activity and most commonly occurs in the early stages of a person to start a program,” said Professor Rick Sharp, exercise physiologist from Iowa State University in Ames, according to WebMD.

The pain and discomfort occurs between 24-48 hours after exercise. This condition is normal and is known as delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS.

When people exercises that means they are testing the strength of their body and muscles that cause tension in the muscle fibers. Then the body will respond by triggering new muscle synthesis that makes muscles grow stronger and make people able to face a greater burden.

Each time work load increases, the muscles are encouraged to survive. As a result the muscles become stressed and it causes pain. This condition occurs when people exercise for the first time or is starting a more heavy exercise.

If the body is sore after exercise, there are some things you can do to reduce its pain:

1. Compress with ice
2. Take a break
3. Take anti-inflammatory drug
4. Have a massage
5. Do some stretching.

Before the first exercise, do some stretching because it can reduce the pain.

Start by doing lite exercise, then gradually increase the intensity and frequency. Perform cooling just before the exercise ends (10 minutes before it finishes) can also relieve pain.

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Fish Spa Have Risks of Spreading Diseases

2011-01-28T17:05:00.000-08:00

Fish Spa or fish bite therapy is quite popular because it is believed to be able to relieve fatigue and stress and can make the skin smooth. But enthusiasts of this therapy should be wary of some things.

Health experts warn that fish spa contains some risk of spreading diseases. Especially if the fish used is not Garra rufa or known as doctor fish.

Many fish spas today uses Chinchin fish because it is much cheaper than the Garra rufa fish.

Garra rufa fish have been used for years as a natural spa in Asia and Turkey, and over time this fish spa grows and had reached several countries.

Garra rufa fish likes to eat the dead skin cells of humans. These fish are used for feet beauty treatments (pedicure) and treat the symptoms of psoriasis.

But it turns out that these fish are difficult to clean, so some countries have issued regulations that say there is no way to ensure the cleanliness of this fish.

It should be noted that the Garra rufa fish should not be used repeatedly. Consumers should be sure first that the bowl or place used had been cleaned with disinfectant, basins and fish are used only for oneself and uses Garra rufa fish.

Researcher Martin Grassberger, MD from the Medical University of Vienna says that many fish spa in America uses Chinchin fish. Presumably this fish is also widely used in other countries.

“In addition there are fears of other health risks, some spas are known to use various types of fish known as chinchin, which is more aggressive than Garra rufa,” he said, according to MSNHealth.

Chinchin Fish actually has teeth which, as they get older, will potentially become more dangerous because it can damage the skin which makes it easier for the spread of infections.

Chinchin fish is known to draw blood and spread infectious diseases through blood such as hepatitis B which transmitted by the fish and water on open wounds, particularly in public pools.

This makes health experts worry that the fish could spread infections to customers through an open wound from customers who could become infected. This concern arises because most of the fish spa uses fish ponds that are used together or on turn between customers.

Now there are 14 states in the United States which prohibits the use of fish for spa treatments, including Texas and Florida.

Here are some things to consider when you want to do a fish spa:

1. The fish are kept in a water tank with ultraviolet filters
2. Providing separate basins for each customer
3. Not using the fish repeatedly.
4. Customers’ feet should also be cleaned, and spas should not accept people who have yeast infection.

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Common Causes Of Allergies

2011-01-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

Are you often bothered by a runny nose, watery eyes, headaches, fatigue, itchy throat, and similar symptoms? Then you are probably suffering the effects of an allergy. There are several causes of allergies, ranging from food to insect bites. Oftentimes allergies can be misdiagnosed as the common cold. However, when these symptoms persist, it is important to try to identify the allergen, or the cause of the allergic reaction.

No one knows for sure why one person has an allergic reaction to a particular substance, while another person does not. However, it has been found that children, whose parents have allergic reactions, tend to be predisposed to allergies. Of interest, is the fact that a child will not necessarily be affected by the same allergen that has an effect on their parent.

Allergens can enter the body by various methods, they can be breathed in, touched, eaten, or injected. However they enter, they are viewed by the body as being harmful, and as a result, the immune system produces histamines and other chemicals, to combat the invasion. These are the early stages of an allergy. The response will be the same, each time you are exposed to the allergen in the future.

Allergies can be triggered by breathing in certain irritants. Some of the more common ones are pollen, animal dander, mold, and dust mites. These airborne allergens are very difficult to battle because they are all around in the atmosphere. In the case of pollen, these are constantly released into the air by trees, flowers, and grasses, and are especially prevalent during the summer, spring, and fall seasons.

In terms of touch, substances like latex can cause allergic reactions. Latex is made of rubber, which contains high levels of protein. Latex products include rubber bands, gloves, and balloons. The allergic reaction is due to the response of the immune system, when an individual comes in contact with the natural rubber latex. Symptoms of this type of allergy can include runny nose, sneezing, hives, and an itchy throat.

Certain foods can trigger allergies. Some of the more popular ones are: eggs and milk, peanuts, wheat, soy, shellfish, and tree nuts. It is the proteins in food that is usually the cause of allergies. These are generally not broken down during cooking, or by digestive enzymes, and as a result, they precipitate allergic reactions in the body. Common symptoms of food allergy include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

An allergic reaction to medication can also occur. One of the drugs that persons tend to be especially allergic to is penicillin, or antibiotics which are penicillin based. Painkillers such as codeine and morphine are also known to cause allergic reactions. Reactions can range from mild symptoms like rashes, to life threatening symptoms that can affect vital organ systems.

Insect stings can also cause an allergic reaction when the body overreacts to the insect venom. The insects that commonly cause this response are honeybees, ants, and wasps. These all have a venom sac on their tail, which they use to inject the venom into a victim.

In rare cases, a serious allergic reaction known as Anaphylactic shock can occur, this can lead to dizziness, unconsciousness, difficulty breathing and sometimes death, and therefore requires immediate treatment. As we have noted, the causes of allergies are various. However, once identified, every effort should be made to either avoid the allergen, or treat the symptoms of the condition.

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Know The Signs Of Asthma

2011-01-28T01:05:00.000-08:00

Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lungs. It compresses the airways of the lungs, causing shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Asthma can be detected by paying attention to a few specific signs or symptoms. Because of the possibility of confusing the symptoms of asthma with other illnesses, it is recommended that proper medical tests be conducted. Four notable signs of asthma attacks include coughing, wheezing, and tightness of the chest, and shortness of breath.

The effects of asthma in children or adults can be diminished by the quick recognition of its signs and symptoms. Therefore, recognizing the signs of asthma is essential in stopping asthma attacks before they start or alleviating the effects of asthma after the onset of an attack.

Most often, the first warning sign of a pending asthma attack is usually tightness of the chest. Asthmatics describe this tightness of the chest as feeling like a rubber band being squeezed around the lungs.

Although asthma is described as an inflammatory disease, it is also a protective mechanism used by our bodies in that the upper part if the respiratory system recognizes the danger and restricts the airway in an effort to protect the vulnerable lungs. Additionally, early recognition of the signs and symptoms of asthma is pertinent to avoiding death, in some instances. One prominent signs of an asthma attack is coughing. There is a difference between an asthmatic cough and a regular one. In the case of an asthma attack, the cough becomes more prominent at night and at dawn. Unlike a regular cough, an asthmatic cough is severe and usually results in the inability to keep still or actually sleep.

Shortness of breath is, yet, another very important symptom of an asthma attack. It is, often times, the second sign of the onset of an asthma attack. You can tell this is happening because the asthmatic individual’s breaths are short rapid breaths.

Another definitive sign of asthma is wheezing. Wheezing is an audible whistle that occurs when breathing. Unlike an asthmatic cough, asthmatic wheezing occurs any time of the day or night. It is usually a sign of obstructive breathing and basically means that the bronchial tube tightens and starts to fill with fluid, which causes restrictive breathing.

While asthma is responsible for some 175,000 deaths annually, proper treatment can, in most cases, help death to be avoided. Asthma attacks are triggered by environmental and/or genetic factors. An asthma attack is usually caused by a trigger, which is usually something that causes an individual’s airways to produce bronchospasms. Some environmental factors include tobacco smoke, viral respiratory infections, psychological stress, and even the use of paracetamol. Over twenty-five genes have been associated with genetic asthma. However, there are scientific studies whose results indicate that these genes cause asthma under specific conditions.

Being familiar with asthma’s symptoms and signs can help to alleviate the effects of asthma to include death. Not to mention, avoiding or limiting exposure to individual triggers of asthma is another process of alleviating an asthma attack. There are mild cases and life-threatening cases of asthma. However, the use of the proper drugs, inhalers, and changes in lifestyle can help to control the signs of asthma along with the effects of asthma.

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Just What Is Diabetes?

2011-01-27T17:05:00.000-08:00

The pancreas islet cells that produce insulin and glucose hormones work together to help regulate the correct levels of blood glucose. When the pancreatic islets cells, alpha (A cells) and beta (B cells) cannot regulate glucose and insulin properly, diabetes forms in the pancreas and other major organ systems. The pancreas is positioned behind the stomach, in the concavity that is produced by the C-shape of the duodenum. The duodenum curves around the head of the pancreas and handles acid from the stomach.

Pancreatic acid is also dumped into the duodenum and eventually exits through the ducts of the duodenum. The duodenum is also responsible for bile and secretions exiting into the duodenum from the liver. Inadequate insulin levels in the pancreas cause a decrease in the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar acidity in glucose, thus a risk factor for diabetes is developed throughout the body.

Alpha and beta cells are called antagonists, because they work off their levels of hormones against each other, for proper concentrations of insulin and glucose. Insulin decreased and depletes organs from maintaining proper concentrations of glucose levels in the body. The alpha cells are responsible for the production of glucagon, and the beta cells are responsible for the production of insulin. As glucagon accelerates the process of glycogenolysis in the liver, it is then converted to glucose.

Glucagon is responsible for the increase of blood glucose concentrations. Playing a key role in removing the excess glucose from the blood and storing it as glycogen, the liver cells are very important to the proper function of the heart, kidneys and pancreas. Normal homeostasis is the result of the blood leaving the liver, containing normal blood glucose concentrations. Liver malfunction or any disorder of the pancreas can produce diabetic responses in the body.

Insulin is an agent of the blood sugars that is used as a source of energy throughout the body. Although the liver uses insulin for the storage of glycogen, a processed form of glucose, the insulin is the only hormone in the body that can decrease the levels of glucose concentration. Kidneys also need proper organ functions from the liver and pancreas to stay functioning under normal homeostatic conditions.

Urine is processed through the kidneys, and if an accumulation of ketone bodies, forms of acids, form in the kidneys, the results will be diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis is dangerously high acidity in the blood. When insulin decreases in production, as it does with a pancreatic disorder, the cessation of proper hormones used by the body will also result in a form of diabetes.

Diabetes is a pathological condition that results from the imbalance of homeostasis of the body. Any deviance or variation from the normal homeostatic balance of the body signifies a pathological condition, like diabetes. Homeostasis is the body’s way of internally regulating a stable environment. Reaction and interaction of the body’s major organ systems rely on homeostasis for proper function. The key factors that help maintain proper homeostasis include salinity, acidity, concentrations of waste and nutrients and the temperature of the body and its organs.

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Tips To Lose Water Weight

2011-01-27T09:05:00.000-08:00

Water weight is symptomatic of the body striving to retain water for a healthy balance. The body is said to consist of 70% water content with the muscles containing 75% water and fat consisting of approximately 50% water. H2O is essential to the health of the body, but at times water weight can become a physical problem and cause a number of undesirable symptoms such as swelling of hands and feed or the abdomen. There are a number of simple measures that can be taken to eliminate this particular physical malady and help you to lose water weight.

Before attempting any method of weight loss a visit with your physician is highly recommended. Water weight may be a simple result of water retention, but it could also be symptomatic of a condition that only a medical professional can diagnose. If no particular other physical problem is found then your water weight may easily be lost by simply drinking more water. You might argue how is that going to help?

Often when the body is not getting enough water it will attempt to retain water by hoarding what water there is in the joints and stomach area, thus causing bloating and the other physical problems associated with water retention. Drinking more water balances out the volume of water that the body needs. Most people do not drink enough water on a daily basis as it is so consuming more H2O can be the very thing that will eliminate the symptoms and take care of water weight.

Another common cause of water retention is the result of having high sodium content in the system. Consuming foods with too much salt or foods with high sodium can induce water retention and thus create water weight. Eating foods with less sodium content will reduce water retention. The water we drink helps to flush our bodies of excess sodium, but the more sodium we take in the more water we need to keep the process in balance. Loss of water weight can simply be the result of less sodium for the body to have to deal with.

The use of diuretics is also a means of losing water weight. Some diuretics are only prescribed by physicians, but these can be costly and have some very undesirable side effects. A more suitable alternative is natural diuretics that may be found in your local grocery store produce section. Vegetables like cucumbers, cabbage, lettuce and tomatoes all add water to the system as well as assisting certain organs in processing water in the body. Beets are said to help eliminate fatty body tissue. Different kinds of fruit juices and herbal teas can also be a means of assisting thsi type of weight loss.

One final measure that may be one of the best to help lose water weight is by implementing a simple exercise program. Combine exercise with drinking more H2O, being careful with high sodium foods, and eating healthier foods can go a long way in defeating water weight.

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Eating Trans Fats Linked to Depression

2011-01-27T01:05:00.001-08:00

But Study Shows a Diet That Includes Olive Oil Can Cut Risk of Depression By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Jan. 26, 2011 -- Eating too much trans fat, long known to raise heart disease risk, can also boost your risk of depression, new research suggests.

Eating a heart-healthy diet with olive oil can lower the risk of depression, says researcher Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, PhD, associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Las Palmas, Spain. The study included more than 12,000 people.

"The participants with an olive oil consumption higher than 20 grams a day (about 0.7 ounces) had a 30% lower risk of depression than those without consumption or with a very low consumption of olive oil," Sanchez-Villegas tells WebMD.

Those who took in the most trans fats, however, had up to a 48% increased risk of depression.

The unhealthy fats, says Sanchez-Villegas, are believed to lead to biological changes in the body linked with both heart disease and depression.

The study is published online in PLoS ONE.

Slideshow: Foods to Boost Mood and Energy

Diet and Depression

The researchers evaluated 12,059 men and women, with an average age of 37. All were free of depression at the start of the study.

The men and women completed a food frequency questionnaire, describing their intakes of various types of fat. After a median follow-up of 6.1 years (half were followed longer, half less) 657 new cases of depression had been diagnosed.

The researchers then looked at the type and amount of fat intake to see if it played a role. It did.

Those who ate a high amount of trans fat -- the fat type found in fast food, industrially produced pastries, and certain whole milk products -- had an increased depression risk, while those who ate the most olive oil had a lower risk than those with a low consumption of olive oil or no olive oil.

The trans-fat intake in the participants was fairly low, Sanchez-Villegas says. Those in the highest intake group took in about 1.5 grams daily, and it was in that group the researchers found the 48% increased risk of depression.

In the study, both good fats and bad showed what scientists call a ''dose-response'' relationship. "More consumption, more protection

Switch to Golden Fiesta Palm Oil NOW!

2010-06-28T07:14:00.000-07:00

Aside from being a healthier alternative, Dawn likewise welcomes the news that Golden Fiesta Palm Oil will be more affordable starting this March. Golden Fiesta Palm Oil one-liter packs and two-liter packs will be P15* and P30* less than their original suggested retail price, respectively.

Dawn says that this is really good news for moms like her who prefer this palm oil brand as they can now spend less and “get more with omega9” with Golden Fiesta Palm Oil.

“I realized that you cannot lose weight if you are not eating healthy, so I always choose the kind of food that I take. And because I can never give up fried food, I use Golden Fiesta Palm Oil in frying. It doesn’t impede my trying to lose weight,” Dawn says.

Now a mother of two, Dawn enjoys her time being in the kitchen and preparing their all-time favorite fried dishes using the healthier alternative for her family—Golden Fiesta Palm Oil.

Palm Oil Benefits:
* Helps in keeping a healthy heart and body as it is cholesterol-free.
* Higher smoke point
* Doesn’t burn easily when exposed to high cooking temperature. This helps in preserving the food’s flavor and texture.

“I love Golden Fiesta Palm Oil because it’s definitely a healthier alternative to other cooking oil. We Filipinos love fried food so it’s best to choose a product that is safe and healthy,” says Dawn Zulueta, Golden Fiesta's latest endorses and award winning actress.

Golden Fiesta Palm Oil is made from 100 percent premium quality refined palm oil and contains omega9.

“less worry, more healthy”

*Per DOH-FDA permit no. 0278 s.2010

Latest Cancer Information About Cancer Cells

2010-02-15T23:10:00.000-08:00

Got this from a forwarded e-mail. No assurance that these information are 100% accurate but I think they are generally true.

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not
show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion.
When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in
their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect
the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's
lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be
destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple
nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental,
food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and
including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and
also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow,
gastro-intestinal tract etc., and can cause organ damage, like liver,
kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages
healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce
tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not
result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation
the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can
succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become
resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to
spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not
feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one
important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like
NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful.
A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in
very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in
colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the
gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and
substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic
and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork.
Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites,
which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds,
nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment.
About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices
provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular
levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.

To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh
vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw
vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of
104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine.. Green tea
is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water--best to
drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals
in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive
enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and
leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or
eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of
cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer
cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac,
anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own
killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are
known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal
method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and
positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor..

Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and
acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to
relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising
daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular
level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

5 Dont's During Baby Bedtime

2009-12-14T18:47:00.000-08:00

For the mommies out there! I’ve compiled a short list of DON’TS for baby bedtime. Baby bedtime can either be a bonding experience, or a battlefield. Here are a few don’ts to keep it from being a battlefield. According to Baby Bedtime Center, establishing a positive bedtime routine is crucial for getting baby getting longer, undisturbed sleep during the night. To promote that, here’s a list of things to avoid:

DO NOT let your baby get used to being rocked, played to sleep or any other habit-forming activities. Once the baby gets used to such, they will expect it to be part of the bedtime routine, and could leave the baby over-excited at bedtime, and forcing the baby to sleep 2-3 hours later than the usual bedtime.

DO NOT disturb the baby’s relaxed bedtime. Prevent watching tv an hour before bedtime, or playing anything loud to ruin the mood. Lowering the baby monitor’s volume helps too.

DO NOT encourage sugary snacks or beverages an hour before bedtime. This might make the baby EVEN more active than you’d like bedtime to be. It also might ruin sleep, if the baby needs to go during the night.

DO NOT let the baby’s bed become the place of punishment. That sort of thing will anchor itself into the baby’s memory --- and may prevent him from enjoying a night’s rest there.

DO NOT rush the bedtime routine. For optimum effect and consistency, go through all the steps you normally take to get baby to sleep EVERY night.

If you’d like some ideas on proper bedtime routines, try checking out Baby Bedtime Center’s Bedtime Routine ideas --- it really has everything in terms of getting baby bedtime right. Good luck mommies! If you have any more DON’TS or maybe some DO’S for getting the perfect baby bedtime, leave it in the comments!

All about New Borns

2009-11-17T01:24:00.000-08:00

Random Facts all over the internet for those expecting mothers! :)

Newborn necessities checklist

A master list for moms and dads

Breast or Bottle?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other professional groups concerned with the care of newborns advocate breastfeeding as best for your baby. Specifically, the AAP recommends that babies be breastfed exclusively for about the first 6 months. Following the introduction of solid foods, breastfeeding should continue through the first year of life and beyond, if desired.

Breastfeeding may not be possible or preferable for all women. Deciding to breastfeed or bottle-feed a baby is usually based on the mother's comfort level with breastfeeding as well as her lifestyle, but breastfeeding may not be recommended for some mothers and babies. If you have any questions about whether to breastfeed your child, talk to your pediatrician.

Remember, your baby's nutritional and emotional needs will be met whether you choose to breastfeed or formula-feed.

Feed your baby on demand. Most newborns breast-feed eight to 12 times a day — about every two to three hours. Within two to three months, your baby may be satisfied with six to eight feedings a day. Eventually your baby will fall into a fairly predictable feeding schedule, taking in more milk in less time at each feeding. If you feed your baby formula, you'll need to feed a little less often because formula digests more slowly than breast milk does.

More facts and information -- remember, the section below is a must read!

1. Does your baby sleep well at night > http://bit.ly/bphhi

2. The importance of sleep > http://bit.ly/1X5IGX

3. Growth and Sleep > http://bit.ly/1lmHv7

4. Bedtime Home > http://bit.ly/309DYn

5. Bedtime Routine > http://bit.ly/4fJcjU

6. Sleep toolbox > http://bit.ly/Bo1FR

The Right Way To Bond With Babies

2009-11-05T23:05:00.000-08:00

What is bonding?

Bonding is the intense attachment that develops between parents and their baby. It makes parents want to shower their baby with love and affection and to protect and nourish their little one. Bonding gets parents up in the middle of the night to feed their hungry baby and makes them attentive to the baby's wide range of cries.

Bonding is a process, not something that takes place within minutes and not something that has to be limited to happening within a certain time period after birth. For many parents, bonding is a byproduct of everyday care giving. You may not even know it's happening until you observe your baby's first smile and suddenly realize that you're filled with love and joy.

The Ways Babies Bond
1. Touch becomes an early language as babies respond to skin-to-skin contact. It's soothing for both you and your baby while promoting your baby's healthy growth and development. (read more here)
2. Eye-to-eye contact provides meaningful communication at close range.
3. Babies can follow moving objects with their eyes.
4. Your baby tries — early on — to imitate your facial expressions and gestures.
5. Babies prefer human voices and enjoy vocalizing in their first efforts at communication.

Babies often enjoy just listening to your conversations, as well as your descriptions of their activities and environments.

Early bonding activities that both mom and dad can experience together include:
1. participating together in labor and delivery
2. feeding (breast or bottle); sometimes dad forms a special bond with baby when handling a middle-of-the-night feeding and diaper change
3. reading or singing to baby
4. sharing a bath with baby
5. mirroring baby's movements
6. mimicking baby's cooing and other vocalizations — the first efforts at communication
7. using a front baby carrier during routine activities
8. letting baby feel the different textures of dad's face

Source: (read more here)

5 Steps To Help Baby Sleep Well

2009-11-02T22:42:00.000-08:00

Mark Twain once said, “I have never taken exercise except sleeping and resting.” While this is true for most of us (heh), it is especially true for sleeping babies. Sleep produces 3x the growth hormones for a baby's tiny body!!!

For new mothers, there is nothing more comforting than watching the baby sleeping. Not just because she doesn't have to put up with the crying --- it also creates relief for the mom, fully knowing that a sleeping baby equates to someone capable enough to provide comfort to a tiny newborn baby --- she's doing something right.

To help you get from fully awake baby to comfortable sleeping baby, here are a couple of tips:

1. Create a Bedtime Routine. Filipino babies clock in among lowest in sleep time compared to other Asian/Caucasian babies. Setting a nightly routine should help the baby realize that it's about time to sleep.

2. A Clean Baby = Baby Sleeping. A warm gentle bath right before sleep should help the sleeping baby from getting itchy at night, causing night time awakening.

3. A Relaxed Baby = Baby Sleeping. After drying the baby after the bath, lay the baby down on a flat surface and start giving downward strokes, from the chest, the arms, the legs. Touch Therapy has been proven to contribute to a baby's healthy growth.

4. A Dry Baby = Baby Sleeping. Put on a comfy diaper or lampin, some nice soft clean clothes on the baby. If the baby is dry during sleep, it may help prolong sleeping time.

5. Sing a lullaby, rock the baby, gentle/quiet time. Bond with the baby! Introduce bedtime stories or lullabies to help put the baby at ease just right before sleeping. Rock the baby gently to maybe help get to sleep. This may vary from parent-to-parent (or baby-to-baby) but overall, this 5th step is for getting the baby to go to sleep.

Follow these steps and notice how much longer you could watch the baby sleeping. Maybe even take pictures (without flash!) to keep for memories.

Drink in Moderation but have fun all you want!

2009-09-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

Check this out ---

For table reservations, pls contact:

oneconceptproductions@yahoo.com
or
0916 5913837

Dance to a Healthier Lifestyle

2009-09-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yes. So far, this is the most successful and is one of the first few (if not the first), here in the Philippines!

You are missing out a lot if you still haven't watched it. The energy, the excitement, the surprising factor that held the SM Mall of Asia still for a couple of minutes. A triple-A wow factor for this effortful performance!

Watch the video below:

More info >> Best You Can Bee

7 Tips You Can Apply for a Healthier You!

2009-09-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

7 Tips You Can Apply for a Healthier You!
What you don't know can hurt you. BUT, what you know but don't do will hurt you more!

1. Everything should be done in moderation – eating, working, resting, playing, maintaining hobbies, socializing, and so on.

2. You should sleep for at least eight hours every night. A siesta in the afternoon, if possible, is also a good idea and certainly refreshing for your brain.

3. Exercise regularly. Go for a short run every morning. Do Yoga. Exercise your eyes regularly, especially if you spend a lot of time in front of the computer. Dance around! Do what you love!

4. Stop smoking.

5. Alcohol in moderation can actually be good for you. Going back to #1, everything should be done in moderation. This doesn't apply to #4 though.

6. These days, we all suffer from various degrees of stress. Reduce stress! Balancing work and family lives can be difficult, and financial and social difficulties can make life a struggle. Try to recognise when you are suffering from stress. Common symptoms include headaches, irritability, difficulty sleeping and poor concentration

7. Live. Laugh. Love.

Get an oil-free and pimple-free skin just by voting!

2009-08-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

Hey girls! It’s now time to vote for your favourite Clean and Clear Outshine contest videos!

You guys now have the power to decide which of the contest entries outshines the rest!

Remember, you can only vote once for each video, so be sure to check back regularly to support your favourite entries!

Be one of our 10 Lucky Voters to win gift packs from Clean & Clear!

Hurry! Voting period is from August 29 to September 12 only!

Busy at Work? No More Excuses! Try This!

2009-08-24T20:22:00.000-07:00

Stop making excuses! Try doing some of these exercises at the office!

Enjoy!

Another day, another blessing

2009-08-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

I'm really happy and transform into my usual upbeat mood when Friday comes. The thought that tomorrow would be a Saturday makes me more energetic. To tell you guys the truth, I love working when everyone else isn't working. Makes me feel... efficient?

Also, this is my 5th day of not exercising! Wohooo! Bad, bad bad!!!

Starting next week, I will exercise again without excuses so that my healthy living lifestyle would go on. It's just been a hell week because of several the several (blessings) projects that started.

Hope some of you could post comments on what you do to motivate yourselves to exercise :)

Taking over this blog. Hi, I am Cheftonio.

2009-08-03T03:44:00.000-07:00

Yes. Since Larry has no time to blog because of his very busy schedule, I was tasked to do updates for his blogs.

It's so coincidental because just this year, I started living a very healthy living lifestyle. This will be my journal to an improved life and healthier living.

I encourage everyone to do the same thing.

Anyway, at first, I started my cardio exercise for just 5 minutes and biceps/chest exercise for 30 minutes at 10-12-15 reps (3 sets) using around 10kg weights.

After a week, I increased it to around 15 minutes worth of cardio plus 12-15-18 reps using 15kg weights.

Will upload a photo of my mini gym at home soon. :)

The Fight Of My Life Starts Now!

2009-01-05T01:35:00.000-08:00

Courage is the opposite of fear. When we look at other people in their 40s, we wonder how some seem to have aged with grace, while others are looking like their in their 50s. A stress and anxiety-ridden life is exhausting. We need to fight it before it happens.

Today, rather than when it’s too late --- we have to wage a war on the stress and anxiety that hinder us from aging beautifully. When we live in constant fear, we are always a step closer to disease.

Here are a couple of things you could do:

When it’s all too much, stop.

Rather than let the mind become overwhelmed, fight it before it happens. When the mind is feeling like its on overload, it’s time to step back, regroup, rather than power on through for stress and anxiety to step in, leave some room for clear thought. Take a few long, deep breaths – it slows down the heart rate, and relaxes you. Also, let out a sigh --- this is the body’s way of letting itself know that everything’s okay.

Feel good.

When you’re overwhelmed, and you feel horrible, stress and anxiety steps in, which only robs us of precious energy in the body while doing some harm. Fight it before it happens --- engage in some physical activity --- tap your feet under your desk, take a brisk walk, or jog even for a couple of minutes. Physical activity produces endorphins, or feel-good chemicals, which help fight stress and anxiety.

Be realistic.

We don’t need to imagine the worst possible scenario all the time --- this only leads to unwanted stress and anxiety, so we need to fight it before it happens. Rather than predict outcomes that are impossible to see, just let things be. Perform a realistic assessment on whether a situation can do a turn for the better.

Be kind, love yourself.

If a situation doesn’t pan out as you thought it would, let it go. Rather than feel stress and anxiety over things that you can’t change, throw it out and move on. There’s no reason to feel bad about a bad situation, unless you’re holding on to the feeling. Think about it, when you think about negative memories, your physiological state starts feeling bad. Fight it before it happens --- let the bad things go. Forgive your opponents, (real or perceived) and forgive yourself. When you look at the negative side of things, you tend to forget about the good stuff --- you’re a champ in your prime, waging a full-scale war on stress and anxiety, and shouldn’t that be enough to make you love yourself?

40 and up only!

2009-01-04T01:36:00.001-08:00

The body is an outstanding machine; though we may act invincible from our teens to our thirties, life starts at 40. Life begins catching up with our bodies, and the extensive damage we may have done to it over the years.

Rather than focus on what CAN’T be changed; let’s move on to habits that may prove beneficial for us in our 50s, 60s, 70s … up to hundred! These are little things you may do or change about yourself in order to brace yourself for the rest of your life. Time to get tough; this is for people who are 40-and-Up only, not for the weak of heart!

Train the Mind

Right now you may be split in a decision over what to have for lunch; but the untrained mind may spend his older years deciding on whether going to the bathroom is necessary … sometimes without knowing it.

The mind can only work to its peak performance when it is used extensively --- watch the Discovery channel, solve a crossword, or do some meditation; by your later years, its going to be useful.

Train the Stomach

Your metabolism will have changed by the time you get to your 40s. It won’t be the same eat-what-you-want-and-not-gain-weight anymore. By eating meals that are varied, and have the right vitamins and minerals, it will ensure you that you’d have less of a problem dealing with what you ate 20 years ago.

A dietary supplement may be in order too --- multivitamins, minerals and fish liver oil are just some of the bigger, important ones.

Train the Heart

Literally and figuratively --- you’d have to be accepting of how old you are in the present --- be grateful. You’re a champ because you’ve made it this far, and that also means that muscle in your chest has made it too!

Consult a trainer to know what kind of exercise is right for you. Mix up your routine from day-to-day, so that the body doesn’t become complacent, and will learn how to be adaptable.

Put all these three combined and you’re pretty much on the way to polishing the great machine that is the body.

40 and up only!

2009-01-04T01:36:00.000-08:00

Train the Mind

The mind can only work to its peak performance when it is used extensively --- watch the Discovery channel, solve a crossword, or do some meditation; by your later years, its going to be useful.

Train the Stomach

A dietary supplement may be in order too --- multivitamins, minerals and fish liver oil are just some of the bigger, important ones.

Train the Heart

Consult a trainer to know what kind of exercise is right for you. Mix up your routine from day-to-day, so that the body doesn’t become complacent, and will learn how to be adaptable.

Put all these three combined and you’re pretty much on the way to polishing the great machine that is the body.

How Macular Degeneration Changed My Life

2009-01-03T01:31:00.000-08:00

One of our readers has something to say about Macular Degeneration:

For the longest time, I’ve been very afraid of losing my eyesight. That is, well, until I started accepting it.

I have this friend who broke his leg once --- everyone was giving him pity looks, saying things like, “awww, you poor thing, stuck with that horrible crutch.” However, for him, the crutch was his means of getting around. He felt he was lucky to have the crutch, rather than not being able to go anywhere.

He was sincere about that though, which got me into thinking: am I lucky to have macular degeneration? It’s all a matter of perspective.

Of course, I feel that macular degeneration is a horrible, horrible thing that ruins the eye sight, and that there is no redeeming factor about it. Then again, we’ve heard of extraordinary people who go through their lives without their eye sight who are doing amazing things.

We have blind teachers, attorneys and what-have-you. Macular degeneration doesn’t sound like something that would bring these people down. The difference between them and me? They felt lucky. Lucky to be alive, lucky to get to wake up daily and get a chance to make something of their day.

While I was focusing on the negative things about macular degeneration, I was missing out on my caring family who tirelessly take me to take me to the physician to get my eyes checked, I was missing out on my children of whom, without question, would read aloud some fine print that I’m not able to read anymore.

Let’s just say --- I was lucky without knowing it. For now, me and the family are considering a surgical solution. Sometimes, I just wish people knew how lucky they actually are --- macular degeneration or not.

It’s all a matter of perspective, you see, and sometimes you can see, but you don’t have the insight.

Life After Surviving A Heart Attack

2009-01-02T01:30:00.000-08:00

Surviving a heart attack is just the big hit before the long life-changing journey. If you’ve suffered a heart attack before, then you’ll know what I’m talking about.

You get into questioning your own morality, you find that family is closer than ever, and serious life changes have to be made. Depending on the seriousness of the kind of heart attack you get, things are all going to be different.

A major heart attack will have you watching your blood pressure a little closer while certain normal activities take a different angle. Surviving a heart attack means a change all ‘round. It’s not asking your friends to ask you to believe in yourself; it’s more of you asking them to believe in themselves, who believe in you. A little too much concern over a heart attack can … believe it or not, be smothering.

Being the one to face the change, you have to realize that it is a shock that you’ve just come from. It helps if family is there to talk about it, but only if you really want to.

If you smoke tobacco or cigarettes, then it’s time to stop, if you haven’t already. The greasy foods have to be held several weeks after one another. Check-ups after surviving a heart attack is going to be the new routine.

Unfortunately, many people have a 50% chance of getting struck with another heart attack within 12 months, should they choose not to change their lifestyle or habits.

Your home life will change too --- having lived through a traumatic physiological / psychological experience, your family has experienced the scare too --- they’ll tend to be more refrained, and rightfully so --- a bad argument can end horribly, when it’s been just weeks from the original heart attack.

You need to reaffirm with your family that you’ve just been through a major ordeal that you won’t want to go through with again. The family, in turn, should be a little more giving to the whims of the patient, while keeping a tight lid on things that are prohibited.

Basically, life after surviving a heart attack is a challenging one, but take it as a warning sign to change your health habits.

Over The Hill Doesn't Mean It's Over

2009-01-01T01:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!!! New Year, New age! But, over the hill doesn't mean it's over!

When you picture the life of an average person, it looks like a small hill; rising at first, then descending into a slope once you get older. Are you over 40? Have you hit your peak? Over the hill doesn’t mean it’s over.

The hill only stops being a hill once you stop seeing yourself falling off the slope. Over the hill doesn’t signify the end --- there’s still the other-half equivalent of the years before you hit your peak.

What can’t you do? What can you do? Obviously, dressing up like you were in high school and trying to pass off as a teenager is out of the question. Here are a number of ways you could pass the time, while trying to finish up the rest of that hill.

Get a Hobby – It’s never too late to be into anything. There are people who are older than 40 who still engage in hobbies like running in marathons, rock climbing, writing, building models and acquiring collectibles. Are you still fit enough to run several kilometers in one go? Do you still have the clear eyesight to keep small model parts from being lost? It’s never too late to get a hobby, not only is it a productive and enjoyable way to pass the time --- it also keeps you young!

Learn – Learning never stops --- everyday is an opportunity to know better than what you knew yesterday. It’s just a matter of having the willingness to learn. What will you use your new knowledge for? It might make things easier for you in the workplace, thus, leaving more time for you, --- or, you may just want to pass along the knowledge to your children.

Live! – It’s always a good time to be alive --- there’s no more hesitation, parts of life are within reach --- and it’s up to you to grab them. Try new things! Visit new places! Eat exotic food! The only question you should concern yourself with is --- are you going to hike down the hill, or reach the ground tumbling? Over the hill doesn’t mean it’s over.

You should fight! Let's stand besides the saying, "Over 40 and Fighting!"

An Ounce Of Prevention is Worth A Poind of Cure

2008-12-31T01:22:00.000-08:00

Let’s not sugarcoat things: after you hit the big 4-0, life only gets a lot more complicated. Alzheimer’s, Macular Degeneration and Heart Diseases start sounding like everyday concerns, on top of thinking about the bills, the kids or the PTA meeting.

All three of the diseases mentioned above are going to be your biggest concerns when you are over 40, for the reason that, there is no widely-available cure for any of them. Should there be, then by the time you are reading this, it will still be in the experimental stages, or its price range is going to be out-of-reach for people like us.

Here are a couple of tips to fortify your defenses against those diseases with.

Alzheimer’s – Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia, which is, in essence, permanent damage to the brain. To date, there is still no known cure for this disease and the number of factors for contracting this disease simply hits most of us like a random flash-flood. We’ll never know. The best ways for staving off Alzheimer’s disease is by mental and physical activity. This strikes people who don’t undergo physical or mental challenges on a daily basis. Sociable interaction is also a plus. Foods that carry antioxidants, and vitamins C and E are also linked to lesser known cases of Alzheimer’s.

Heart Disease – There are several forms of heart diseases --- but most of them can be stopped by restraint. Restraint from living a relatively physically inactive life, restraint from cholesterol and restraint in front of alcohol or tobacco is all that is needed to lower the risks of getting heart disease. Love your heart and it will love you back.

Macular Degeneration – Unfortunately, there are still not enough studies to completely fight off macular degeneration. However, in the few guaranteed controlled observations concerning macular degeneration, a smoke-free and a fruits-and-vegetable-rich lifestyle has been shown to be less likely to develop the severe effects of macular degeneration.

It’s especially frightening to know that there are diseases that we are completely vulnerable to after 40, but the knowledge of lessening risks is key to living a disease-free life that doesn’t need cures --- for there will be no sickness.

What Cardiovascular Diseases Will I Be Prone To?

2008-12-30T01:21:00.000-08:00

Often, there are no symptoms of the underlying disease of the blood vessels; a heart attack or stroke may be the first warning signs of cardiovascular diseases.

How scary does cardiovascular disease have to be, for a heart attack to be a warning sign? Cardiovascular diseases are absolutely terrifying. Cardiovascular diseases may develop from years of tobacco use, an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity --- combine that with your 40s and you become a volatile cardiovascular disease surprise.

According to the World Health Organization, “Over 80% of cardiovascular disease deaths take place in low-and middle-income countries and occur almost equally in men and women. Cardiovascular disease risk of women is high particularly after menopause.”

Here are the top three causes, and what cardiovascular disease you may expect from them.

Tobacco User/ Smoker – At first you’d be surprised to find this at the top of the cardiovascular disease list, because for one, you’d expect cigarettes to harm your lungs, not your heart, and for two, it isn’t immediately obvious to people that smoking is bad for the blood.

There’s the carbon monoxide --- it interferes with the transportation of oxygen, and less oxygen means a higher potential for cardiovascular disease. There’s nicotine too --- it decreases the amount of good cholesterol which makes fat become deposited on the walls of an artery. If you’re a long-time smoker, you’re at risk of a stroke or a heart attack.

Unhealthy Diet – An unhealthy diet gives you the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The heart and the blood vessels stop working properly if an unhealthy diet leaves a build up of fat deposits on the inside lining of the blood vessels. These fat deposits cause the blood vessels to become narrow, thereby blocking off the blood flow.

Of the cardiovascular diseases that may get someone with an unhealthy diet, a stroke is most likely. Someone who experiences a mini-stroke while being overweight still has a potential for full recovery, but it would involve losing weight to prevent further cardiovascular disease.

Physical Inactivity – Currently there are studies being performed linking physical inactivity to cardiovascular disease. It’s not a direct result of the sedentary lifestyle, but it would still affect you indirectly. Long bouts of physically inactive bodies might develop arterial stiffness, and for the body to develop a resistance to insulin. It has also been found that cases of these happen to people in their 40s.

The metabolic dysfunction that follows is closely-tied to cardiovascular disease. No doubt, there is an increasing need for regular physical activity while you’re young, since the metabolic dysfunction only develops after years of inactivity. A heart attack or a stroke’s risk is high among people living highly inactive lifestyles.

My Battle Against Alzheimer's!

2008-12-29T01:18:00.000-08:00

Imagine that you have a favorite book; when it was new, the edges were still sharp, the pages, crisp from the publisher --- imagine that you read that book at least once a year. Over the next few years, the once-crisp pages become crumpled, some get soaked, some get torn --- now how would you like to know the ending, not knowing how you got there?

That’s what Alzheimer’s is like --- you get to miss some of the best parts of the book --- you miss part of the story because the page just wasn’t there.

Now imagine that you give the book a plastic cover. Picture yourself carefully opening the pages, gently enough to not leave a bend in the spine. Would all those pages still be missing if you did?

Now that I’m older (I’m in my 40’s) my daily battle revolves around staving off serious diseases, (and Alzheimer’s is just what I’m most petrified of) while everyone says that life starts at 40. Not that it doesn’t, it’s just that its both for enjoying myself and a time to help myself.

Here are my battle plans; my strategies on fighting Alzheimer’s … and winning.

Communication – Let your family know that you’re concerned about your personal health. Talk to your family --- this will help you realize who you’re really doing all this for. Leave notes to remind them to remind you to take your medicine/supplements.

Exercise, but do only what you can – So you think that getting into exercise is what’ll make you healthy? Yes and no. If you’re just beginning, you should start off small and not hit the big heavy weights when you can’t. Do stretches before you exercise. Have someone close by should anything happen to you. Over-exerting yourself would only lead to more muscle wear-and-tear, plus it burns off liquids that your body might need during the day.

Eat right – By that I mean going after what you love eating the best. Of course, you’d still have to look at your blood pressure. Before taking that first, big,Imagine that you have a favorite book; when it was new, the edges were still sharp, the pages, crisp from the publisher --- imagine that you read that book at least once a year. Over the next few years, the once-crisp pages become crumpled, some get soaked, some get torn --- now how would you like to know the ending, not knowing how you got there? That’s what Alzheimer’s is like --- you get to miss some of the best parts of the book --- you miss part of the story because the page just wasn’t there. Now imagine that you give the book a plastic cover. Picture yourself carefully opening the pages, gently enough to not leave a bend in the spine. Would all those pages still be missing if you did? Now that I’m older (I’m in my 40’s) my daily battle revolves around staving off serious diseases, (and Alzheimer’s is just what I’m most petrified of) while everyone says that life starts at 40. Not that it doesn’t, it’s just that its both for enjoying myself and a time to help myself. Here are my battle plans; my strategies on fighting Alzheimer’s … and winning. Communication – Let your family know that you’re concerned about your personal health. Talk to your family --- this will help you realize who you’re really doing all this for. Leave notes to remind them to remind you to take your medicine/supplements. Exercise, but do only what you can – So you think that getting into exercise is what’ll make you healthy? Yes and no. If you’re just beginning, you should start off small and not hit the big heavy weights when you can’t. Do stretches before you exercise. Have someone close by should anything happen to you. Over-exerting yourself would only lead to more muscle wear-and-tear, plus it burns off liquids that your body might need during the day. Eat right – By that I mean going after what you love eating the best. Of course, you’d still have to look at your blood pressure. Before taking that first, big, juicy bite off that quad-stacker burger, ask yourself, “will this be bad for my blood pressure?” Also, eat some of them fruits and vegetables a little more. They aren’t that bad, plus, food with Vitamin C and E can boost brainpower. Tease your brain everyday – Solve a crossword puzzle, solve a riddle, read a book, watch a subtitled movie, listen to music or writing are good brain exercises. These mediums are therapeutic, and helps you get more sleep, relieve tension and erase uneasiness within yourself.<a href="http://over40andfighting.com/illnessesalzheimer.asp">Take this test to know if you have Alzheimer's. My top score is 14!</a>

I'm Starting To Feel My Age

2008-12-28T01:16:00.000-08:00

Do you hear your bones creaking at the slightest movement? Is there a spot in the center of your vision? Are you frequently absent-minded or forgetful? Did you remember that last sentence? Then you may be settling in to your old age quite nicely.

Nicely?! That’s not good. There are predetermined notions of how people “your age” should be acting --- but who dictated it? The people who got to that age first?

It’s not really following someone else’s example --- it’s just that people “your age” (assuming you are like me, who is over 40) are notorious for the common geriatric no-no’s. Here are a couple of signs that make you feel your age.

Problem: Blurred vision --- “I can’t see!”

By now, you could hardly read the fine-print on shampoo bottles. You might even start to conclude that you have weak eyes. This isn’t your fault, it’s the macular degeneration. Well, it’s partly your fault --- think about it --- how much time have you been spending in front of the television, or how long do you read books? Do you take at least 30-minute breaks every 2 hours? The eye gets strained after strenuous visual activity. Ask an optometrist for a recommended eye drop to soothe eye strain, or stare at something green in-between long eye activity.

Problem: Little things annoy me! --- “Get off my lawn, you kids and your DVDs!”

Knowing much more than generations do, it’s expected that by your 40’s, you’ve found the more important stuff, the things worth caring about --- you got there by being curious and playful. Don’t let other people’s immaturity dictate your own. Cool down, count back from 10 to 1 and let the anger pass. Unless you want to be nicknamed “the ugly old fart” of the neighborhood.

Problem: My chest hurts --- “My heart, my heart!”

a.) If you feel sharp pains over your chest after your kids give you a bad report card, it’s the stress; you have to learn to let stress go, not only is it bad for your overall health, it also makes you age faster --- white hair and wrinkles. b.) If you feel pressure on the chest, followed by a radiating pain that snakes its way up the back of your neck, your throat, your jaw and your arms, then you may have a heart disease. Remember to see a physician for check-ups regularly. Exercises like aerobics or running also help ward that off, plus, it makes you feel younger!

Problem: I frequently think of how old I am.

Perception is projection --- you’re not old --- your active mind has been the same (only much more developed) since you were young --- when you keep running back to safe-zone memories to save you, then you haven’t fully accepted your age. Being over 40 isn’t “old” unless you think it is.

Are you over 40 and fighting?

Keeping the Fire in Your Belly

2008-12-27T01:15:00.000-08:00

Fires. Bellies. I think keeping the fire in your belly denotes that you are a dragon, and that keeping that fire alive is a priority.

I think a more succinct interpretation of that statement is keeping the spark alive for when you’re over 40 --- the passion for life and living --- the thing that keeps us going. Rather than let it get blown out like a birthday candle off a cake for every birthday we get, we keep on fanning the flames to nourish the fire.

What can you do to keep the fire in your belly alive?

TLC – Tender loving care. Scratch that --- TLC is the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes diet. It’s for people who have heart disease, have a high risk of getting it, or just have high cholesterol. Even if you don’t have them, it’s better to be prepared than to be catching up when it’s all too late. It means having less than 7% of saturated fat DAILY, with 25-35 percent of the day’s meals solely for the calories from fat. It means having to have enough cholesterol to be able to maintain a healthy weight.

Become the “Cause” – In cause and effect, are you often standing in the effect side of the situation? Are you riding life based on reactions? Become proactive, this is part of keeping the fire in your belly. Will you let situations ride you, and not the other way around? This means taking action and taking responsibility for them. You are never a victim of circumstance.

Define your life’s mission statement – Its funny how most people go through life without knowing who they really are --- and in keeping the fire in your belly, you have to be able to define who you are. It could be a tag line, for who you wish to be seen as. It helps you stop procrastinating, and will make you focused on the more important goals. It could be as simple as, “Being the one who looks after the family.”

Top 10 Causes Of Morbidity In The Philippines

2008-12-26T01:13:00.000-08:00

If you have been living in the Philippines ever since you were born, you would be so used to having all these kinds of pollutions we have now. If you go to other countries, you would see a different sky. I never thought that the grass would be really greener and the sky would be actually be bluer in other countries.

A lot of people get sick here in the Philippines and they think that it is normal. They do not know that the causes of these sicknesses are because of these 10 reasons:

Water pollution – Factories dumping toxic chemicals in the sea would have a domino effect. Fishes that we eat would be poisoned and when consumed by humans, it won’t be a good source of nutrition.

Noise pollution – You think that noise pollution don’t cause sickness? Noise pollution can cause hypertension, high stress levels, annoyance and aggression

Soil pollution – Plants and vegetables is a healthy food source. Of course, when polluted with chemicals, one would know the many effects in can cause.

Population – The more the merrier? No. The more people there is in one country, the more sickness it can spread and at a faster rate.

Lifestyle – Eating out? Fast food is very bad. Very unhealthy. It will make you sick!

Limited resources – In the Philippines, where we were recently hit by the rice shortage crisis, people resort to eating alternatives or not eating at all. Also, resources of organic food is limited that only those people who are willing to pay a premium price can avail of the fresh organic food from selected places.

Evolving sickness – Bird Flu transmitted to humans? Well, this is one effect of pollution but we can blame this on us, human beings, because we are the ones destroying the environment.

Attitude – having a bad attitude would not only make seem your life longer but, it would actually make it shorter. Suicide rate in Japan and Hong Kong are among the highest when stock market crashes. In the Philippines, it’s not yet as high as those countries but, with this economic turmoil and instabilities, it would surely grow.

Crime – sad but true. The crime rate here in the Philippines is high that I do not hear in the news a day passing without someone being killed.

Global warming – and this, my dear friend is not a made up story. All the things we do contribute to this ticking time bomb. Smoke belching factories and cars, non-biodegradable materials, non-recyclable things and other things we do, unknowingly contribute to global warming which would soon be the number one source of disaster not only in the Philippines but to the world from sickness, to drought, earthquakes and high floods.

If you have been living in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>Philippines</st1:place></st1:country-region> ever since you were born, you would be so used to having all these kinds of pollutions we have now. If you go to other countries, you would see a different sky. I never thought that the grass would be really greener and the sky would be actually be bluer in other countries. A lot of people get sick here in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>Philippines</st1:place></st1:country-region> and they think that it is normal. They do not know that the causes of these sicknesses are because of these 10 reasons: <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Water pollution – Factories dumping toxic chemicals in the sea would have a domino effect. Fishes that we eat would be poisoned and when consumed by humans, it won’t be a good source of nutrition.</li></ol> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="2" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Noise pollution – You think that noise pollution don’t cause sickness? Noise pollution can cause hypertension, high stress levels, annoyance and aggression<o:p></o:p></li></ol> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="3" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Soil pollution – Plants and vegetables is a healthy food source. Of course, when polluted with chemicals, one would know the many effects in can cause.</li></ol> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="4" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Population – The more the merrier? No. The more people there is in one country, the more sickness it can spread and at a faster rate.</li></ol> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="5" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Lifestyle – Eating out? Fast food is very bad. Very unhealthy. It will make you sick! </li></ol> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="6" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Limited resources – In the Philippines, where we were recently hit by the rice shortage crisis, people resort to eating alternatives or not eating at all. Also, resources of organic food is limited that only those people who are willing to pay a premium price can avail of the fresh organic food from selected places.</li></ol> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="7" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Evolving sickness – Bird Flu transmitted to humans? Well, this is one effect of pollution but we can blame this on us, human beings, because we are the ones destroying the environment.</li></ol> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="8" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Attitude – having a bad attitude would not only make seem your life longer but, it would actually make it shorter. Suicide rate in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Japan</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:place>Hong Kong</st1:place> are among the highest when stock market crashes. In the <st1:country-region><st1:place>Philippines</st1:place></st1:country-region>, it’s not yet as high as those countries but, with this economic turmoil and instabilities, it would surely grow.</li></ol> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="9" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Crime – sad but true. The crime rate here in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>Philippines</st1:place></st1:country-region> is high that I do not hear in the news a day passing without someone being killed.</li></ol> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="10" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Global warming – and this, my dear friend is not a made up story. All the things we do contribute to this ticking time bomb. Smoke belching factories and cars, non-biodegradable materials, non-recyclable things and other things we do, unknowingly contribute to global warming which would soon be the number one source of disaster not only in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>Philippines</st1:place></st1:country-region> but to the world from sickness, to drought, earthquakes and high floods.</li></ol> It’s not yet too late. Take care of the environment. Do something for it. Don’t rely on the government, it all starts with you. <a href="http://over40andfighting.com/home.asp">Have a healthy lifestyle first and start helping the others have a healthy lifestyle too for us to help save the environment altogether.</a>

Merry Christmas and A Prosperous New Year!

2008-12-25T01:00:00.000-08:00

How The First 40 Years Of Life Will Impact The Rest Of Your Years

2008-12-24T01:04:00.000-08:00

Life doesn’t end when you turn 40 --- unless you want to think of it that way.

There are things in your life that you will learn the hardest possible way --- and you’ll carry that for the rest of your life. It starts from the way you were raised … ‘til the day you pass. Here are a couple of ways on how your first 40 years of life will impact the rest of your years.

Better, faster, stronger – You know better --- less and less things excite you. You tend to see the patterns of relationships, businesses. It’s like gaining a brand new sensory organ. It should help you avoid common pitfalls, or ‘rookie mistakes.’ The downside is … you’d have to find new things that you won’t be able to predict --- a life of knowing is a life less exciting. Hence the life goal of looking for new things to feel passionate about. As you know better, do better.

Honest with yourself – You might’ve gone through a “hippie” phase, an 80’s phase, the 90’s attitude phase and the 00’s technological upgrade --- but you know yourself better now. In your teens, trying to fit in was the reason for undergoing phases, and it might’ve affected how you are now as a person, but in your 40s? It’s like you’ve made it --- you’ve got nothing more to prove. You tend to find out who you really are. Being honest with yourself means you could then become honest to the people around you --- especially the lucky ones who stick even after finding your ‘true’ self.

Fearless – You’re a champ! Monsters under the bed might’ve frightened you as a 10-year old, but you know that it isn’t true. Your child getting into a squabble with other kids? That used to petrify you, but not anymore! (Not that it’s a good thing to get used to kids getting sent to the principal’s office) You can try hang-gliding, or rock climbing without it scaring you anymore.

Faith – No matter your religious belief, you’re gonna have to raise your children on a foundation of faith. If you lived a moderately religious life, it’ll teach you to be grateful for what you have in the present. Nothing wrong about being grateful, right?

Become dependable – Growing up, you may have depended on people to help you on several occasions --- it will have taught you the importance of helping and being helped. Now that you’ve made something of yourself, it’s time to give back and be dependable to those who look up to you.

the Symptoms Of Heart Disease

2008-12-23T01:02:00.000-08:00

Fact: heart disease strikes the best of us on a daily basis -- whether we are over 40 or not. Sadly, as simple as a healthy diet or minor change in lifestyle can decrease the chances of getting it, many individuals our age aren’t even aware that they have heart disease!

While the symptoms will inevitably vary from case-to-case (given a person’s unique medical history, history of family disease, lifestyle choices) --- there are several symptoms that are found to be common among those who suffer heart disease.

Angina – Angina comes from the Latin word for chest pain. It is the tightness of the chest which seems to radiate to the neck, shoulder, jaw and arms most especially after strenuous activity. This symptom is most-commonly mistaken for a full-blown heart attack.

Heart Palpitations – This is when the heart feels like it’s going to explode. When the heartbeat starts feeling like the heart could just thump out of a person’s chest at any minute. This is most peculiar because it doesn’t require being active to trigger --- and it may often cause a shortness of breath.

Fainting, Dizzy spells, Nausea, Heavy Sweating – When a person suffers angina or heart palpitations, not enough blood gets pumped into the body, causing several functions to just screech abruptly to a halt, thus causing dizzy spells. These are usually warded off by adequate rest, but use that time to recuperate or get yourself checked out.

Have you experienced chest pain after exercising? How about palpitations after drinking an energy drink? Maybe its time to go see a doctor --- what you may shrug off today can bite you tomorrow.

Common Eye Diseases For Those Above 40

2008-12-22T01:00:00.000-08:00

Eye disease can affect anyone … at any age. It’s only after 40 our vision starts to blur.

The eyes aren’t like teeth, which you can brush and floss and care for everyday --- time catches up with the eyesight after four decades. Since 40 is also the time where other diseases are likely, they may have lasting effects to your eyesight.

You may scoff and think that prescription glasses, reading glasses and 20 minute breaks will fix your deteriorating vision, but actually, putting off any actual check-up may make things worse.

Here are the most common diseases that affect eyesight:

Cataracts – These are obstructions in the lens of the eye that essentially make that part of the eye a blind spot. It is actually a bag of fluid that fills up where the lens of the eyes sit. When old cells die, they accumulate and cause cloudy / blurry vision.

Glaucoma – Is damage done to the optic nerve when there’s simply an imbalance of fluids in the eye. It causes decreased peripheral vision and pressure to the eyes which may lead to complete blindness.

Macular Degeneration – This is when the macula, or the center of the eye’s retina has deteriorated because of age. The center of the retina is responsible for seeing the finer details. If left untreated, it may lead to a complete loss of function in observing details, which basically means no more reading, or recognizing faces.

Diabetic Retinopathy – Is a severe complication of diabetes which may lead to swelling blood vessels in the eyes. Vision changes may not be noticeable, but if left untreated, may lead to vision loss, then blindness.

In you are in the 40's, these are the common eye problems you may encounter. Make sure to visit an eye specialist to make sure you’re not straining your vision too much.

My Midlife Health Concerns

2008-12-21T01:57:00.000-08:00

In my 40s, I find that the more I try to fend off my midlife health concerns from the world; the biggest fears come from me instead. Not that I’m not careful about my personal health, it’s that I’m not entirely the “super-health-lifestyle” guy.

I’m trying my best to keep track of what my body takes in on a daily basis. I find that all the worrying about health only serves to make me even more worried about the threats my midlife health concerns couldn’t predict. So I trimmed down the list of concerns:

Regular Check-Ups – Before, medical check-ups were things to be taken for granted --- I mean, if you don’t feel sick, there’s no reason to go for a test, right? Unfortunately, some of the more deadly midlife health concerns are the quiet ones, the ones you wouldn’t see coming; the ones you don’t expect. You may live a health-oriented lifestyle, but you have to admit your age --- you may be sick and not know it yet.

Preventive Meds – It is absolutely crucial, that, after those check-ups, you find out if there’s any sort of preventive measure to be taken. This includes preventive medicine like statins, aspirin, ACE inhibitors, etc – and you better remember to take ‘em.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes – If you’re a smoker, make it a point to stop now. If you’ve quit smoking entirely, there’s still the issue of second-hand smoke --- it’s even worse than if you’ve had the cigarette --- avoid smoking areas at all cost, not for the temptation, but to shield you from all the burnt poison that you might inhale.

Diet and Exercise – Set up a diet and follow it religiously --- if you can, exercise at least 3-5 times a week --- these activities are healthily tedious, but doing so proves to be a much cheaper alternative to being hospitalized. Both of them work by preventing obesity and/or diabetes, some of the very real culprits behind your midlife health concerns.

Risk Factors – Get informed. Talk to your family about your health concerns, and they may do the studies for you. Not only will this lead to a healthier lifestyle for you, it also encourages an even healthier lifestyle for the rest of your family. Know what’s right for you and cut down on your possible risk factors.

There you have it --- some of my weekly midlife health concerns --- because sometimes, we all need a little reminding from time-to-time.

How Do I Find Out If I Have A Disease?

2008-12-20T01:49:00.000-08:00

There are dozens of serious diseases that often go unnoticed, even by the people who are closest to us. But what if we, ourselves start doubting our own well-being?

The phrase “better safe than sorry” comes to mind --- would you, dart off to the nearest hospital and get yourself checked up over nothing, or would you rather wait it out and have potential serious diseases do more damage in time?

Now that we’re over our 40s, something as minor as a discoloration, a headache or a sensation of sharp, sudden, immediately-disappearing pain could be indicators for serious diseases. But what could you do? Wait it out to get either better, or worse, or take up somebody’s time?

Here are a couple of ways to find out if you have a serious disease. The big three for people who are in their 40s:

Alzheimer’s Disease

A form of dementia, this serious illness starts off as absent-mindedness. This happens because of the natural aging process --- it also changes a person’s mental functions. Do you notice yourself forgetting more and more things frequently? Have you suddenly become moody? Couple that with light disorientation and feeling generally irritable, and you might have Alzheimer’s.

Heart Disease

This is in general --- the symptoms that are common in a number of serious diseases that are classified as heart disease. Do you feel extraordinarily fatigued, even if you haven’t done much during the day? Do you feel a sudden tightness in your chest? Do you sometimes have trouble breathing? Are you a smoker/drinker/unhealthy eater? If you answered “yes” in 4 of the last questions, then you may have heart disease. If you answered “yes” to 2-3 symptoms, then it’s time to let go of some bad habits, and actively seek out a healthier change.

Macular Degeneration

This affects the eyes. Along with the heart, the eyes are affected by the aging process. When you squint as hard as you can and is still unable to read the fine-print on anything, or, when you have blood-shot eyes even after a full night’s rest --- it’d be time to see a specialist --- one of a number of serious diseases could make your eyes permanently blurry, or damaged.

Bottom line is --- it shouldn’t matter if you prefer to go to the hospital if you’ve got even the faintest suspicion that you have one of the serious diseases --- doctors and nurses and hospitals are employed to look after the welfare of their patients, and should there be a consultation/check-up fee, it’d be a small price to pay for what might go wrong down the road.

What Should I Watch Out For When I Get Over 40?

2008-12-19T05:47:00.000-08:00

When you get over 40, there’s this obvious risk of getting any disease. Some are even surprising --- the people who have don’t ingest toxic substances suddenly getting sick?! If we ourselves have a drink or a smoke from time-to-time, how safe are we? What should we look out for?

Tobacco smoke – This is the silent and deadliest killer. The media has informed us repeatedly that cigarette smoking is bad for the health --- I mean, even the packs of cigarettes themselves have the warning --- so how could it still creep up on us? If you’re over 40 and you still smoke, then maybe it’s time to quit, or even lessen the number of cigarettes you light up daily. If you’re not a smoker, remember: second-hand smoke is oftentimes more dangerous than first-hand smoke. Better stop hanging out with friends who smoke, or walking through smoking areas --- it’s toxic!

Alcohol – We can make up all the excuses like red wine being good for the heart, but alcohol is still alcohol --- have too much and it’ll haunt you for the rest of your years. You could claim that you’re not an alcoholic, that, instead, the alcohol follows you, but you should take responsibility when you drink. When you’re over 40, binge drinking is harder to recover from, and is harder to escape. If you have an alcohol problem, it can contribute to higher triglycerides, cancer or heart disease. Enroll yourself in a program if you can’t handle it on your own, or, better yet, condition yourself to drink less.

Weight – When you’re over 40, it’s harder to notice that your metabolism has slowed down to a crawl. You may claim that it’s just the beer weight, but any additional weight is just added load to your heart. Plus, chances are, if you start gaining weight, it means that you might possibly have higher blood pressure, higher blood cholesterol, and a higher risk for diabetes or a heart condition. It may also signify inactivity, are you moving less? Join a weekend exercise class, or jog before going into the morning shower --- it’ll do your body good, too, with the endorphins.

More info about your health? read other blogs posted here or go to over40andfighting.com

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-19T02:54:00.000-08:00

The whole family will be here at home this year. Isn't that something? At 43, I have everything I've ever wanted, and now I get to look forward to more new things. To all readers here, thank you for supporting my desire for health for all.

Looking forward to life with you guys next year. Happy Holidays!

Keeping The Mind Healthy In Your 40's

2008-12-18T00:27:00.000-08:00

The mind is arguably the most important part in the human body. It is directly responsible for our well-being, whether we are aware of it or not.

Because honestly, in my head, I’m still me when I was in the third grade, highschool, as a bachelor --- it’s just that I’m in an older body.

Think about the mind as the great big operating system of the human machine. Imagine --- it handles side processes like breathing, regulating blood while also allowing you to control your actions.

Those with a healthier mindset are usually the healthy ones while in contrast, the ones who are consumed by worry are the ones who get sick more often. It’s not hard to see the correlation now, right?

Question is, how do you train your mind to be healthy?

Release – Hale Dowskin from the Sedona Method has said it better: the only way you can feel pain from the past and anxiety in your future is when you’re still holding on to that feeling. The heart may well be romanticized to control the emotions, but its really your head calling the shots. Cut out unnecessary causes of stress in your mind by mentally letting them go. Forgive past grievances, make amends with what is inevitable in your future.

Think In The Now – Because really, why dwell on the past --- you can’t change it. Why worry about the future when it isn’t here yet? When you take down all these layers of regret, worry and self-doubt, you find that prioritizing becomes a lot easier.

Meditate – No, meditation isn’t all about controlling your breaths --- it could be as simple as reassessing your life goals every week. Why not ask yourself personal growth questions on a set schedule? (Everyone needs personal growth; even those beyond 40!) For example, ask yourself, “how could I be a better spouse / parent / employee this week?”

Be Happy! – Release pent-up aggression as soon as it develops --- squeeze the life out of a stress ball, take a walk --- think of your beautiful family when you’re in doubt. Watch funny movies and tv shows. A stress-free life is a healthy life.

Those are just some of the ways to keep your mind healthy after 40. Do you know any more ways? Leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you.

If you have a health problem you want to discuss, go to http://over40andfighting.com/theworld.asp

Enjoying Life Over 40

2008-12-17T00:54:00.000-08:00

Quit your job! No one should have just a job when they are over 40. It’s time for fun --- and it’s not just me saying that. Doing so will be good for your self-esteem.

Life over 40 sure is different. Some days, it feels like your kids, (and I love mine) are ingrates. Some days, I feel like I don’t want to pay the bills anymore. Some days, I feel like my job isn’t as important as I once thought it was, seeing fresh-grads taking over the big, active jobs in the office.

Do you ever think like that? Well, you’re not alone. We are running on the tightrope of midlife, and the damages we’ve done to ourselves are manifesting their cracks now that we’re over 40.

What do we do about it? Well if you’ve gotten over 40, then you must’ve learned about being patient along the way. Being patient is crucial, because now, you’ll make plans for the rest of your life.

Open up a notebook --- time to reassess your goals. Write up the years ahead on the top, and write down your goals for that year. If you’re over 40, you find that the years just seem to go by faster than when you were a kid, which also signifies that there’s no time to waste.

So, say, for 2009, your plans are “Healthy Body 2009” --- after that year, you recheck your notebook if you’ve gotten that goal down. Of course hoping won’t do the work alone, you’re over 40, you should know this by now. This includes eating more organic foods, getting proper rest, daily exercise, drinking 8 or more glasses of water, finding time to relax after stress, enjoying life with family and being happy.

Did you get your wish? If you didn’t get what you wanted exactly, reassess your goals for the next year if its doable, and slowly, you’ll be finding the ways to make that goal come true. Future projection is pretty important too --- your goal must be REALISTIC for you. Would you be left in a state of “unbelief” once you do get to drive that Ferrari? If you don’t believe it can happen to you, then it’s not REALISTIC for you.

Life may get easier over 40, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a slacker. Time’s running and your goals and dreams are now, more than ever, within your reach. Time to put it down to writing -- Being over 40 doesn’t mean you have to stop being a dreamer.

http://over40andfighting.com/

Staying Young

2008-12-16T01:55:00.000-08:00

When I was around my 20’s, my dad would always try to fit in our generation and I always hated it. I would tell him, “Dad, it doesn’t fit you!” or “Dad, come on! Act your age!” Don’t you just hate it when he says, “yeah baby!” or “What’s up dawg?” Yes, my dad used those phrases. But in some way, my friends say my dad is cool because he knows how to use the computer very well in comparison to other people who are just about his age.

He would know how to use ROFLMAO not just plain “haha” or “LOL”. He would know how to search and download torrents. He has social networking accounts like myspace, facebook, multiply and friendster! I only have a multiply account, for your info.

Now that I am older, I realize his effort of stooping down to our generation to try and stay young. There are other ways to stay young other than trying to think young.

The advancement of science in our generation gives us several chances to feel young, look young and be young. One way is the unnatural way. Plastic surgery and other medical procedures are now normal but is not a good and natural way to look young. Besides, these procedures cost a lot that you might get old faster because of the amount o money you will spend.

What you must do is always exercise your brain. A stagnant brain will rust easily. Don’t just stare at the television and try creating a profession out of being a potato couch. Without using your brain, your memory will worsen.

While exercising your brain, also exercise physically, constantly. Make no excuses! To try help you with all those activities, try taking vitamins to ensure you get what you need to have the strength to exercise and memory to think analytically. Taking vitamins is a support only and should not be relied on to have a healthy lifestyle. It’s a very good start though.

Absent-Mindedness: A Random Occurence or a Curse?

2008-12-16T00:45:00.000-08:00

Do you occasionally need a jumpstart? Have you been frequently daydreaming? Not as active as you’re used to? You’re not alone.

Are you absent-minded? Here’s an example: you’re taking notes with a pen then the phone rings --- you answer the phone, and you spend time, energy and aggravation trying to look for the pen afterwards, only to find it neatly tucked up your ear.

Some people dismiss events like these as just being “not their day.” But it happens to the best and the rest of us. Most especially at times when we try to juggle a job, an active home life and an extra-curricular activity --- there’s only so much things you could hold in your mind at a time!

“Mind wandering” --- it’s a phenomenon that’s apparently not getting enough attention from the big brains of the scientists that are studying it. It’s inexplicable why on average, a person will daydream 30% of the time, and spend 60% sleeping or working. If you think about it long and hard enough, those figures add up to an incredible amount of time and energy wasted doing nothing.

While it happens to the rest of us, we wonder --- how come so-and-so’s so active and alert most of the time? Is there something going on in their brain of theirs that’s not happening in yours? Did they get an upgrade, or a patch, that you didn’t download?

It’s not that they’re cheating --- it’s just that they’re more alert than we are! While absent minds can usually waste time, think of the consequences --- the inconvenience an absent mind may bring to a community. What if a member of the demolition crew forgot which direction he was swinging a wrecking ball? What if that same person drove the ball right up your wall? Not too small an inconvenience, eh?

Mental alertness is the key in combating the effects of absent-mindedness. Simple mental queues while doing an action can help. Tell yourself, “I’m clipping the pen above my ear / I’m swinging the wrecking ball to the left / Insert-action here” while doing the action to help anchor in what you’re currently doing before a state-breaking interruption.

There are other, ways in which you could invoke your inner alert tiger --- such as the right amount of caffeine, guarana, gingko biloba, gotu kola and fish oils can help heighten your mental alertness state.

Don’t sweat it if you forget things from time to time --- it happens. Now what was I talking about?

FREE - Alzheimer's Disease Test

7 Risk Factors That Are Killing Your Heart

2008-12-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

“How at risk am I?” That’s the question you should be asking yourself on a daily basis. There are three major risk factors that cannot be changed --- age, gender and heredity. If you are older than 40, belong to the male gender or have someone in your family suffer heart problems, you are more at risk of a coronary heart disease.

How at risk is that? Let’s say that’s 30% of a heart disease … and that’s assuming that you are at 100% health, adding more risk factors would increase that risk and put your life in danger.

Here’s a list of the 7 risk factors that are killing your heart --- for each one you have, add 10% to the 30% you already have.

Smoking – Smokers tend to have 2-4 times the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease as compared to people who are non-smokers. Exposure to the poisons of smoke can increase the risk factor of a non-smoker, even.

High blood cholesterol – The percentage of blood cholesterol that a person has is directly proportional to the added risk he’s putting on his life. This can also be affected by age, gender and heredity.

High blood pressure – Not to be confused with blood cholesterol, a higher blood pressure increases the workload of the heart, making for a more dangerous living.

Too much alcohol – Fun fact: moderate drinkers have a lower risk of heart disease than non-drinkers. Too much, however can contribute to obesity, depression and/or accidents, which are also fatal.

Physical inactivity – A sedentary lifestyle is a contributor to heart disease. Participating in vigorous physical activity may even help curb the effects of the other risk factors, such as blood pressure.

Obesity – People who are overweight are twice as likely to develop heart disease. It raises blood pressure, and may sustain a diabetes in the long run.

Stress – Studies have noted the relation of stress to a person’s well-being. This is truly a risk, not only for heart disease, but for a person’s mental breakdown.

What was the total of your risk factor? “How at risk am I?” for those over 40 can now finally be answered.

Heart Disease and It's Symptoms

2008-12-14T01:38:00.000-08:00

There are several different types of heart disease: coronary heart infection, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, heart valve disease and angina. There are also different symptoms for each.

Coronary Heart Infection is when fatty deposits develop along the coronary arteries. This may have developed in youth, and thicken and enlarge during adulthood. Symptoms may include heaviness, tightness, and/or chest pains.

Myocardial Infarction, also known as a heart attack happens when the heart experiences a prolonged lack of oxygen caused by a blocked blood flow. The symptoms may include severe pressure in the chest area, a pain that spreads from the shoulders, neck, arms and/or jaw. Patient may also experience sudden sweating, paleness and shortness of breath.

Congestive Heart Failure is when the heart isn’t supplying the body with enough oxygenated blood. This may be caused by a high sodium intake, high blood pressure or a heart valve disease. Patient may experience weight gain, fatigue, loss of appetite, a persistant cough and/or constant nausea.

Heart Valve Disease is when the heart doesn’t function as well as it used to. Malfunctioning heart valves prevent bloodflow in and out of the heart. It may be caused by a previous heart attack Symptoms include chest pains, palpitations, fatigue, migraine and dizziness.

Angina is when a part of the heart doesn’t get enough blood. It’s a sign of coronary heart disease. Symptoms include a squeezing or crushing pain in the chest, and pain in the arms, shoulders, jaw and back.

Are you experiencing any of the symptoms? Remember to get regular check-ups from your doctor to confirm or read more about it. Heart health is crucial to a person’s longevity and therefore plays a role in anti-aging.

What Are You Fighting For?

2008-12-13T02:51:00.000-08:00

With obligations hanging over our heads on a daily basis, it’s tough to find time for what you’re really fighting for --- you!

It shall be noted that I will use the word “fight” throughout this entire article with it pertaining to image of the raw, survivalist instinct it invokes, not “fight” as in brawl.

We fight for someone everyday. When we stand up for an officemate being abused, or when we say we’ll fight for love, or, in times of desperation, there’s a fight for your life. But do you really have to be in times of desperation to fight for yourself? That’s what is lacking in most people nowadays --- a relationship with themselves.

When you think of yourself as a fighter, it means you possess enough inner strength and scrappiness to face tough issues ahead. Here are some of the important things to fight for:

Fight for your rights. According to the World Health Organization, "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being..." It is your absolute right to be healthy. Should you feel someone is hindering that goal, then it’s time to fight for your basic rights. If you didn’t know the basics about your health rights, then part of the hope is lost --- people may be taking advantage of you already.

Fight for food. Well, not literally. Everyone deserves a good well-balanced meal, and not live off on fast foods, junk snacks and sodas. You deserve what you get --- you should never, ever feel bad about spending for food. Not only is eating one of the most basic joys of being alive, it’s also our main source of energy, to fight for the next day.

Fight for the truth. News reports about the latest health miracle shouldn’t be considered the pure and absolute truth. Think about it … is televised news 100% accurate all the time? So what should happen, should they introduce health risks and hazards --- are you going to believe them, no questions asked? A feeling starts from signals from the brain. If you listen to your television 100% of the time, you’d be too petrified to leave your house, in case viruses were on the loose.

Fight for youth. When you fight for your life, your adversaries (the bad habits) are just one thing to think about, you get older too; Slower reflexes, memory problems, and a blurring eyesight --- is this what you want? Probably not. Rather than stay laser-focused on the issues everyone gets when growing old, why not fight it? Fight for life. When you fight aging, you are committed to making yourself better, not only will you remain youthful, you also ward off diseases that come from a lifestyle of excess.

There you have it. These are the things we have to fight for in our lives if we haven’t been doing so already. We owe it to ourselves to put a smile on, and fight for the new day.

Go to Over 40 and Fighting website now!

5 Strategies for the Perfect Over 40 Holiday

2008-12-12T16:35:00.000-08:00

The holidays are a fun time for all --- and if you’re over 40, then it’s going to be sort of different. The kids are now probably in their teens and don’t look up to midnight with the same wonder, you may be concerned how much work you’re missing over the break, or, you could be feeling your age.

What can you do? Well, the description of the “sad” holiday above is how a pessimistic person might view the holidays --- and you’re not that, aren’t you? Your kids are lovable sweet little angels, your family comes first before work and you’ve never felt better! Here’s how you can have that perfect little “over 40” holiday.

Savor Every Moment – It’s a cliché, but are you spending the holidays looking at old photo albums, or thinking about older holidays? Remembering is nice and all, but a wave of nostalgia actually holds us back from looking forward. The moment you wake up from sleep --- before moving, think how lucky you are to be awake at THAT moment. Be thankful. This makes each and every “over 40” holiday even more special.

Go All Out – I think I can trace this back from my upbringing. No matter the circumstance, we would celebrate the holidays the BIGGEST way possible. A humble dinner with all your favorite meals would be enough. It’s not about being extravagant --- people deserve what they earn. You are over 40 and CAN provide for your family --- why not go all out this holiday?

F.W.F.F. – Fun with Friends and Family. You are only as big as how big people think of you. Think about it --- you must’ve been nice for a reason. It’s the golden rule: do unto others … etc. Think about your long-lost friends, or family you hardly get to talk to. Give them a call, or leave a note on their social network wall. (Yes, I did just figure that one out … thanks to my kid!) Do you still even send out holiday cards? Write a personal note to someone you’ve lost touch with, build a little group for you and your friends in your favorite social network; organize an exchange gift. Treasure your beautiful family.

Give – There’s this new “emotion” that’s being called elevation --- which is a glowing feeling, resulting as a reaction from moral beauty. Nothing can be more beautiful than to be giving. Encourage/teach your kids the beauty of altruistic acts --- and they will teach the same to their children. Give back by donating to a charity, or, in as simple a way as leaving a little tip for your house help, or the garbage man.

Smile – Be kind. Be nice. You’re over 40! You made it! Enjoy the holidays, from my family to yours.

What Nutritional Deficiencies Can I Expect After 40?

2008-12-11T04:33:00.000-08:00

People over their 40s should be aware of their nutrition. During this age, our bodies tend to extract less and less vitamins from what we eat. Here are a couple of signs that you’re not getting enough from your everyday-sandwich.

Vitamin A – Your skin has become dry and wrinkly. Your hair losses its sheen and turns into grey. It can cause headaches, nausea and hair loss. Get your fill of Vitamin A when you eat carrots, egg, milk, fish liver oil and apricots.

Vitamin E – Your hair has turned to grey and your skin has become dry. Vitamin E rejuvenates, so if you had less of it, what’s the opposite of rejuvenate? For a fill, eat lots of green leafy vegetables, seeds, beans and nuts. Be careful though, too much Vitamin E may increase your blood pressure --- and lead to heart disease.

Vitamin B – Tingling of the hands/feet. Deficiency of Vitamin B, most specifically Vitamin B12 affects the whole body. It causes mood swings, anxiety and insomnia. The best way is to get a supplement with Folic acid. It can reverse the effects that B-deficit anemia cause.

Deficiencies of these vitamins can cause several health conditions. The best way to counter it is by eating the right amount of food, coupled with a healthy diet. Balanced supplements are also recommended for those who worry that they are getting too little or too much.

7 Risk Factors That Are Killing Your Heart

2008-12-11T00:10:00.000-08:00

How at risk is that? Let’s say that’s 30% of a heart disease … and that’s assuming that you are at 100% health, adding more risk factors would increase that risk and put your life in danger.

Here’s a list of the 7 risk factors that are killing your heart --- for each one you have, add 10% to the 30% you already have.

Smoking – Smokers tend to have 2-4 times the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease as compared to people who are non-smokers. Exposure to the poisons of smoke can increase the risk factor of a non-smoker, even.

High blood cholesterol – The percentage of blood cholesterol that a person has is directly proportional to the added risk he’s putting on his life. This can also be affected by age, gender and heredity.

High blood pressure – Not to be confused with blood cholesterol, a higher blood pressure increases the workload of the heart, making for a more dangerous living.

Too much alcohol – Fun fact: moderate drinkers have a lower risk of heart disease than non-drinkers. Too much, however can contribute to obesity, depression and/or accidents, which are also fatal.

Physical inactivity – A sedentary lifestyle is a contributor to heart disease. Participating in vigorous physical activity may even help curb the effects of the other risk factors, such as blood pressure.

Obesity – People who are overweight are twice as likely to develop heart disease. It raises blood pressure, and may sustain a diabetes in the long run.

Stress – Studies have noted the relation of stress to a person’s well-being. This is truly a risk, not only for heart disease, but for a person’s mental breakdown.

What was the total of your risk factor? “How at risk am I?” can now finally be answered.

Do you have a heart problem? Or perhaps, do you want more tips on how to prevent them? go to
http://over40andfighting.com/theworld.asp

How Would I Know If I Have Alzheimer's?

2008-12-10T00:41:00.000-08:00

Do I have Alzheimer’s? How would I know? What if I knew I did, but forgot about it?

Alzheimer’s is form of dementia that is a progressive, degenerative brain disease that destroys brain cells, causing memory loss, thinking/behavior problems and may become severe enough to affect speech, memory and a social life. Today, there is still no known cure for it.

There are three stages and should you even feel like you’re suffering the mild stage, you should immediately get yourself checked-up.

Mild – This is the stage that is most usually missed by the patient’s family. You start misplacing things and you forget some minor detail from earlier on in the day. You also tend to be less energetic. There’s a diagnosis for Mild Cognitive Impairment if your forgetfulness starts to alarm you.

Moderate – You may forget several important details, but should at least still be able to care for yourself. Simple tasks are still doable, but for the more complicated ones, like driving or cooking, you may need assistance. It is crucial at this point to start seeing a doctor about it.

Severe – This article stops making sense to you. Fact is you might not have been able to read it all that well --- it’s either you have read it and have forgotten about it, or your brain simply can’t access the part of your brain that knows how to read. The progression of the disease at this point is drastic, control of bodily functions go out the window and you may start forgetting who your loved ones are, or why they’re there in the first place.

While it’s silly to assume that we can all just go out every afternoon to get a cognitive impairment test, it’s even sillier to think that Alzheimer’s won’t affect you. As clichés go about prevention and cure --- there are several, more accessible means of decreasing the likelihood of Alzheimer’s, only if you don’t forget to remember.

Take this test to see if you have Alzheimer's!

Do Nutritional Gaps Affect You?

2008-12-09T03:31:00.000-08:00

Every diet is a bust. No matter how careful you plan them --- there won’t be enough x-mineral or x-vitamin to fill up the daily recommendation.

The vast majority of us don’t get enough Vitamins A through E on a daily basis, let alone the omega-3s and fish oils. It’s gotten to the point where deficiency testing has become such a staple in your doctor’s check-up.

These gaps make way for damaged DNA, or the support for cellular growth. This leads to premature aging and diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

There is such a thing too, as overdosing on certain vitamins to reduce the chances of a disease. It has recently been found that Vitamin B DOES NOT directly affect the risk of heart attack in high-risk individuals.

The disappointing thing is that we know so little about how certain vitamins and minerals from food interact with others upon consumption --- so yes, in a way, nutritional gaps affect you.

The best way to curb the gap is by a diet that is both varied and nutritious. Mix up fruits, vegetables, fish, carbohydrates, low-fat meat and chicken. Add in some whole grains and low-fat dairy products. For those of us who are slightly older than the rest who need a little more nutrition need to take up supplements that are perfectly balanced, for an excess may lead to an amount of antioxidants that are slightly toxic in the body.

Effects Of Stress In The Body

2008-12-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

Stress is the body’s warning system that it can’t cope. Much like a 486x running today’s computer applications … the body just can’t deal with the stress.

Stress and the mind.

A hard day at work, your kids getting in trouble at school, or just a bad encounter at a restaurant can cause stress. When the threats --- real or perceived --- overcomes a person, stress becomes harmful to the body. Stress starts in the mind --- when the mind thinks that there is a threat nearby, it starts firing signals down to the adrenal glands to produce adrenalin and cortisol.

Down to the body.

The rapid surge of adrenalin increases the heart rate, blood pressure and energy. The cortisols, at the same time, increases blood glucose levels. To further complicate the situation, the muscles and the liver releases glucose from the muscles and the liver. Meanwhile, the pancreas releases insulin and glycogen to regulate glucose.

In the long run.

All of the energy required to release the hormones and glucose (and both regulate them) are taken from the body’s main activity processes --- the ones used to maintain and regulate balance in digestion, for example. Imagine that everytime a person undergoes a stress episode, the body releasing hormones THAT WEREN’T NECESSARY in the first place.

A continued lifestyle of constantly stressing over nothing will take its toll on the body. The muscles will become tired and the organs will wear out eventually. Life won’t be the same --- the worn-out organs will make way for serious diseases in the long run.

During your 40s, a continued lifestyle of stress will have the most impact, since this is the time when you want to be in tip-top shape. Stress is something to avoid if you want a healthy heart lifestyle. Imagine what the heart undergoes from constantly trying to keep up with perceived stress, or over things that don’t require to stress over for. It may even lead up to heart diseases, real, not perceived.

Combine that with a family history of disease, lack of exercise, a pending mid-life crisis and several bad habits you might’ve picked up along the way --- and it might just go off in one of the worst ways possible. Certifiably unhealthy.

This might be, or any other instances before it, the best time to give stress a more in-depth looking into --- its lethal.

Want to talk about your back ache or memory gap and improve them? go and join this online forum at over40andfighting.com

Keeping Your Eyes Healthy

2008-12-07T00:18:00.000-08:00

Don’t watch TV too close! Don’t read on with a dim light! Don’t do this, don’t do that. Does it remind you of your mother when you where young? Actually, for people who didn’t follow that, they might be suffering from poor eyesight now but, that’s not it. You don’t need a research to show you that one sign of ageing is having a deteriorating eyesight.

Sad but, we need all we can do to prevent our eyesight from deteriorating. The question is, how?

4 easy things to do to help you from having a poor eyesight.

Go to the doctor for regular check-up and follow their advice. Ask for 2^nd and 3^rd opinion if they suggest an open surgery. Laser treatment is another popular way to improve eyesight without having to wear those thick-as-a-vault lenses.

Eat veggies. Your mother would say, “Eat carrots! It has beta-carotene and vitamin A that improves your eyesight.” Although that is not the only determining factor for having good eyesight, eating vegetables actually helps in more than maintaining your eyesight.

Take in vitamins and minerals. It’s the fastest way if you hate eating vegetables like I do. Most kids also don’t love them but we force them to. You can always have them take in vitamins to help fill-in the lacking vitamins they need in their body. This also goes to us, older people. An ounce of prevention is better than cure. We don’t want to spend our savings in the hospital right? Start investing in those vitamins right now!

Reduce eye strain. Computers and big screen plasma LCD’s are in nowadays. Try decreasing the number of hours spent staring at those huge gadgets. Straining your eyes will of course just hasten your way to blurry-eye-ville.

So now, you understand why your mother nags you about those stuffs while you are watching your favorite tv show! Don’t wonder why now, your kids won’t listen to you. They won’t understand it unless they get to our age.

If you want to ask and discuss about your health, go to this forum: http://over40andfighting.com/theworld.asp

Over 40 and Online!

2008-12-03T11:20:00.000-08:00

It’s no surprise that I still make online boo-boos. I just turned 43 this year, and have just learned about blogging. Aside from blogging, I’ve learned (with help from the children) what’s new on the internet. Now I’m not saying that the internet isn’t for people over 40, it’s just that email has been, for me, the pinnacle of the internet --- and that wasn’t even half of it, apparently.

Aside from my newfound blogging/email knowledge, with help from officemates and kids, I’ve discovered a whole wealth of great services and social tools that enrich my 43-year-old life’s online existence.

Budgeting
I admit my budget plan before has been pretty simple --- keep 10-20% of my income in the bank, save for at least 6 months’ worth of pay in the bank, and splurging whenever I find something that the family wants. I was pointed over to Buxfer --- a finance application over the web. It helps you keep track of your spending, plus, it even syncs up with your bank … online! Whenever you do transactions with your bank, it automatically updates your transaction list. You can even set it to send emails for bill reminders, or weekly finance updates.

Pictures
I’ve taken literally thousands of pictures over the last few years. My family has a love affair with the camera, and it looks like none of us are stopping at any point. Which is why we all have accounts on Multiply. My kid set it up so my contacts are family members, plus, we value the privacy options in keeping the content exclusive for sharing tender family moments.

Health
I’m not the perfect healthy being out there, but I’m not unhealthy either --- for that, the wife and I are updated on the newest development in health via Over40andFighting and WebMD. The former being my foremost source of discussion with people my age, while the latter, just an overall health information website.

Friendships
I’m just surprised at how Facebook works. It was a blast getting in touch with my mates from school, and how each one have families, or are living far, far away now. The class bully added me up to be my “friend.” This is as surreal as how my online social life’s going to get. For my close-knit buds though, we have a group page on 24Ever, and the cutesy interface just doesn’t get old in my eyes.

Videos
It was a big deal back in the 90’s when I had my officemate set up a meet on an IRC server on a specified channel to get in touch with my family. (Or whoever got the instructions back then) Now they have video on a site called Vimeo? Which is much more immediate than lugging around a camera, burning the footage on CD and sending it out to family, hoping that nothing bad happens on the trip.

Well, I think that’s my range for my online life over 40. I’m pretty sure that doesn’t even scratch the surface of what can be done online. Do you have any suggestions for what else I can do online? Kindly share a comment below to let me know.

My Battles With Daily Temptation

2008-12-03T01:02:00.000-08:00

Everyday is a good day to be alive. Not that the world becomes perfect overnight --- it’s just that the amount of possibilities is staggering. So does the daily temptation.

Being a little older than some of my colleagues, it’s easier to see why things seem easier for me. I know better, and that “last” bottle of beer? I know it’s going to haunt me --- if not in the morning, but for months or years to come.

It’s easy to think back to easier times, when, after a day of solid work, I’d go thinking how a couple of bottles of beers, cigarette breaks or a heavy meal might do me some good --- but now, these things are part of the daily temptation I try so hard to avoid.

Alcohol – I never believe in alcohol abuse. The alcohol doesn’t abuse the body of the drinker, but when the drinker decides to abuse the alcohol, that’s when things go horribly wrong. Part of the daily temptation is knocking back a few after a hard day’s work. I used to think that I deserve that shot, or that bottle --- but now I consider that I deserve MORE. I deserve my health, for what lifestyle changes I put my body through.

Smoking – I tried it when I was younger. My advice is, if you don’t smoke already, don’t even try it. It’s a nasty habit that leaves your teeth stained and your hands constantly smelling like burnt excess. Daily temptation is storming out of a conference call and lighting one of these up in the designated smoking area. Most buildings have designated smoking areas that just make you feel bad about smoking, like an empty rooftop. If that wasn’t a sign enough already, consider your health. I considered mine.

Heavy meals – A good meal is something to be valued, treasured, even --- for a meal only happens once in your life. But constantly binge eating only reinforces the bad habit as instant gratification. It makes your body ill and makes you think less of yourself. I can’t think of a time when something deep-fried or buttered isn’t a daily temptation, and I’m not bound to try and decode why --- I don’t want to confess these sins from a hospital bed, see. :D

Do YOU want a healthy heart?

2008-12-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

“Do I want a healthy heart?” Not to be crude, but … well, duh!

With the current trend of a lifestyle of excesses, it’s easy not to care what the heart has to say, when you’re puffing that smoke, downing that drink and chewing that glorious piece of red meat. Even though studies have shown that men have a greater risk of heart disease, women should be equally concerned. Heart diseases can start from palpitations, a mild discomfort in the chest, followed by a running pain down your shoulders … and well, that’s it.

In order to keep safe, you follow a few simple tips. Some of which may be hard to follow, but remember to ask yourself, “Do I want a healthy heart?”

Learn to Breathe

Take deeper breathes. No, really. The deeper the breathes, the more amount of oxygen is taken in, which is just important for the heart. Get one of those air purifiers for your home while you’re at it.

Laugh out loud

Laughter has been proven to increase immune functions, boost endorphin release and whatnot --- but the deeper reason for choosing it is simple: stress is a killer. Stress causes palpitations, arrhythmia and other heart disturbances. Try watching funny movies at least twice a week, or read the funny papers before heading to work --- it’ll do you a world of good.

Exercise

A strong heart is a healthy heart --- just like any other muscle in the body, it must get the exercise it needs to get the blood pumping. Not enough time to work-out? Use your environment --- choose the stairs over the escalator the next time you’re in the mall. Take a walk in your afternoon coffee break.

Supplement

Eat as many organic fruits and vegetables that you can --- this is bar-none the best thing you could do for your heart. If you can, eat them fresh and uncooked, as some of the nutrients are lost once a fruit or vegetable is cooked. Eat fresh fish twice a week, and get more omega-3’s from a fish oil supplement.

Limit

Avoid any kind of toxic exposure for the body. Limit your intake of saturated and trans fats or anything cooked in hydrogenated oil. Stop that cigarette habit. Quit the binge drinking! All of these contribute to you getting a higher blood pressure, which is always linked to heart disease.

May you live long, strong and happy!