Cranberries: Evergreen And For Ever Healthy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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