Aerobics and Insomnia

Wikipedia defines Insomnia as a sleeping disorder that is characterized by difficulty in getting sleep or staying asleep. According to US Department of Health, 64 million Americans are suffering from Insomnia.

Sleeping Pills and sedatives are often given to patients who are suffering from Insomnia. However, these kinds of treatment leads to drug dependence. Recent studies from Brazil shows that a session of moderate aerobics can actually help relieve stress and ease insomnia.

"This is the first study to look at the importance of using physical exercise to treat insomnia and
may contribute to increased quality of life in people with one of the most important kind of sleep disorders around the world," Passos said.

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Flip-Flops and Foot Care

Flip-Flops has become a popular trend for the past few years. Aside from being a popular beach foot wear, flip flops can now be worn with casual wears. But are they really feet-friendly?

Recent study from Auburn University in Alabama concluded that wearing flip-flops all day long can actually hurt your feet. They have tested 39 college students to see how they walked on a special platform wearing flip flops.

Researchers concluded that wearing flip flops all day can actually cause some lower leg pains.

"What we saw is that when people walk in flip-flops, they alter their gait, which may explain why we see some lower leg and foot problems in people who wear these shoes a lot," says study author Justin Shroyer, a graduate student in Auburn's department of kinesiology.

Male Breast Cancer

When we hear the term "breast cancer", we often relate this disease to women. However, breast cancer is not only limited to women but also to men. 1% breast cancer appears in men. Though there are no concrete causes for male breast cancer, it is still very important to know the different signs and symptoms of male breast cancer.

Signs and Symptoms:
According to sixwise.com, a noticeable:

* Dimpling or puckering in your skin
* A change in nipple shape (such as indentation)
* Scaling or redness of your nipple or breast skin
* Nipple discharge

Studies show that men in the age of 60-70 years old are of high risk for breast cancer. Other risk factors include: obesity, liver diseases and exposure to estrogen.

Reducing the risk factors for breast cancer is one way of preventing breast cancer. This includes loosing weight, avoiding early exposure to radiation, and reducing alcohol and cigarette smoking.

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Cooking Techniques For a Healthy Living

So after you purchased that veggies and healthy ingredients, all you need to do now is cook. But the process of how you cook it can make a lot of difference in your health. Here are some cooking techniques for a healthy living from Sharon Palmer:

Roast Omega 3 Rich Fish
How: Drizzle baking dish with olive oil. Select fresh fish fillets, approximately 1 3 pound per person. Roast fish skin-side down in dish in a 450°F oven until a meat thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 145°F degrees, or 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Properly prepared fish will flake easily with a fork (overcooking makes it dry). Remove from oven; serve immediately.

Crush Garlic
How: Wash and peel the outer papery skins of a clove of garlic and trim ends. To crush: Place clove on a cutting board and lay the flat side of a wide knife against it, pressing down firmly. For easier use in recipes, finely chop the clove, starting at one side. Crush again: Press the flat side of the knife against the chopped garlic firmly, then finely chop again. Let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Scrape crushed and chopped pieces and juice from cutting board into recipe.

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Consequences of Being Obese

Those who are on the heavier side are fighting against the stigma of being overweight. The consequences are seemingly endless. More often than not, it is more difficult to fight against the emotional and mental agony rather than the physical pains.

Social Stigma
Our society developed a high standard in terms of physical beauty. Obese and overweight experiences social discrimination and humiliation. Others poorly judge them based only on their physical appearance. They are often regarded to as lazy, and self-indulgent. This makes it more difficult to establish social and personal relationship with others.

Self Confidence
And because society misjudge and discriminate them, overweight and obese have very low self-esteem and self -confidence. At times, their number one critique are themselves.

Obese and overweight are struggling to overcome the social stigma. Rebecca Puhl, PhD, a Yale University research scientist said that "We need to challenge weight-based stereotypes and recognize the difficulties that obese persons face and act with compassion instead of with contempt,"

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Battling the "Fat" Mentality

More and more people have to battle the "fat" mentality. Everytime they look in the mirror, they torture themselves of the thought that they are obese or fat. This thus leads to depression.

Our society have set the standards of the acceptable body size. Magazines, movies, television shows have set the standards that a beautiful and sexy body only belongs to those that have a well proportioned body. And because of this, people who are on the heavier side feel less important and unwanted.

Studies show that more and more adolescent are now obese. According to ScienceDaily (June 23, 2008) — The quality of life of adolescents who think they are too fat is worse than for adolescents who really are obese. This was a result of the all Germany Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) of the Robert Koch Institute, as presented by Bärbel-Maria Kurth and Ute Ellert in the current edition of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International.

More and more adolescent is fighting with the stigma of being overweight and obese. Staying healthy and fit is one key to start feeling better about one's self. This will also help you gain back your self confidence and increase your self-esteem.

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How Meditation Can Help Your Brain

With overflowing to-do lists and hectic schedule, we barely have time for ourselves. You might feel that relaxation or meditation is just a waste of your precious time. But studies show an ancient practice of meditation and relaxation is valuable to our health and fitness.

Barbara Lantin of Times Online said:

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which is about 80 per cent meditation, has been approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for use with people who have experienced three or more episodes of depression. And MBCT is now offered by some UK primary care trusts.

Meditation is a state of mind where your body and your mind relax. There are several techniques on how to meditate, can be a breathing technique, or mantra. It can also be just a relaxing bath with soothing music and candles. Main goal of meditation is to focus.

Relaxation can actually help alleviate stress, and tension inside our bodies, therefore improving our physical and mental state. Any sickness, when stress is added gets worse. And meditation can actually counter stress.

A few minutes of silence, and relaxation per day can do wonders to you and your health.

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Ways on How to Soothe Your Sunburn

Now that the summer heat is here, there is an increase of getting sunburns. So before you head out to the beach, here are some tips on how to soothe sunburn:

1. Protect your skin with cool milk. Milk can prevent water evaporation.
2. Avoid using glycolic acid, retinoids, or salicylic acid (a.k.a. beta hydroxy acid) until all peeling has stopped.
3. Increase your vegetable and fruit intake. Veggies and fruits acts as an antioxidant that prevent damage.
4. Let it fall naturally do not peel it off.
5. Put moisturizers and increase the frequency of putting it on.

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Tracing the Roots of Children's Obesity

As the years went by, more and more children are becoming obese compared 20 years ago. Society tells us that this is mainly because of the high technology equipments available at our homes, which result to lack of physical activity of the children. Indoor Equipments such as television, computers, or playstation prevents the children from engaging at different outdoor activities.

Recent studies have shown that pregnant women who have high fat diet during their pregnancy transmit their genes to their babies which increases the tendency of having an obese baby or child when he / she grows up.

According to Science Daily, "We found that there were genes that were differentially regulated in the livers of the offspring whose mothers had a high fat diet, and that these changes were associated with histone alterations," she said. "The genes affected were not always those associated with obesity."

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Avoid Additives for a Healthier You

We have come to live in the age where everything else are instant, microwavable foods, noodles, soup etc. And with the developments in food technology, instant foods actually use different additives.

Studies have shown that there are several additives that are not healthy for our body. Here are to name a few:

1. Sodium Nitrite - often used to preserve color, and flavor in meat products. However, studies show that consumption of sodium nitrite is linked to cancer.
2. BHA & BHT - - Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydrozyttoluene (BHT)are antioxidants used to preserve food such as cereals.
3. Propyl Gallate - used as a preservative for meat products, soup and chewing gum. This is also linked to various types of cancer.
4. Monosodium Glutamate - MSG is a flavor enhancer popular to Asian foods. Reactions include headaches, nausea, and migraine.
5. Trans Fats - excessive consumption of trans fats can actually cause heart disease.


Find out more about additives to avoid here.

Importance of Fresh Air to our Health

For most of us, our busy schedule at work or at home would eat up all our time for relaxation. We get pre-occupied with the things we do inside the office or at home. We get too tired to even just spend a few hours of walk in a nearby beach or have a picnic at a nearby national park. Oftentimes we forget the true value of nature and the wonders it does to our health.

According to a recent study, Americans spend more time inside our homes or offices rather than go outdoors. Watching television, surfing the internet and sleeping are just some indoor activities we mostly spend our time with. Mainly because we feel more secured and relax at our homes. But is this enough?

More studies show that harmful pollutants are also found inside our homes and offices. Cockroaches or bugs, dust mites, fungal spores, and harmful gases from cleaning products can actually harm our bodies. Stepping out of your home and getting some fresh air from time to time can give you health benefits. It can be just a simple picnic in a nearby park, a morning jogging ritual at a nearby beach, or just simply walking your dog in a nearby greenery can actually expose you to fresh air.

Fresh air can help you live longer, release stress or anxiety and even helps you recover from sickness. The lists of the benefits of getting fresh air may seem endless. You may be surprised of the wonders fresh air can do to your body.

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Probiotics: Best Kept Health Secret

Probiotics are composed of good microorganisms that are also found in our body.They provide healthy benefits to our body as well. Probiotic drinks are becoming well-known not only in Europe but also in America as well.

Benefits of drinking a probiotic drink are strengthening one's immunity and helping to speed up digestion. It also helps combat and outnumber the "bad" bacteria inside our bodies.

Europeans are the ones who first patronized probiotic drinks. Actimel, Danon, Activia Yogurt and Yakult are the top 3 leading brands of probioti drinks. Most of the probiotic drinks commonly contain Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium bacterias. These bacterias assist our "good" bacteria to re-establish and proliferate inside our body. Making us more healthy and strong.

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Different Heart Attack Symptoms For Men and Women

About a year ago my dad passed away from a heart attack.

What is even more heartbreaking is the fact that one of my uncles saw him earlier that day and noticed that he seemed very stressed out.

Being a very strong man- and very stubborn- I can just see my dad feeling the symptoms of a heart attack and trying to just ignore it.

People often times ignore symptoms that can indicate a serious condition out of a mix of fear of what that could be, fear of looking silly or wimpy for overreacting, and hope that whatever it is, it will go away.

The more you know about the possible symptoms the more likely you are to survive or help someone survive a life threatening situation.

And please never, never ignore symptoms. There is nothing embarrassing about making sure you stay alive.

Here are the most common symptoms for men:

- Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest
- Discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
- Shortness of breath
- A cold sweat
- Nausea or lightheadedness

Here are the most common symptoms for women:

- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
- Unusual fatigue


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Video: Static Electricity and Fires at Gas Stations

Fires started by static electricity do happen. And at a gas station they can be dangerous.

When you get back into your car after you started to pump gas, you can build up static electricity by rubbing against the seat. Then when you come out and reach for the pump a spark can be generated and will ignite the vapor coming out of your tank and the nozzle.

The best thing you do to prevent that from happening is not to get back in the car after you start pumping. But when it's cold out, that's hard to do. So if you get back in the car, make sure you touch something made of metal before you reach for the nozzle. You can touch the top of your car, far from the gas tank. That will ground you and prevent a spark when you reach for the pump.

If a fire does start, DO NOT PULL THE NOZZLE OUT OF THE TANK. That will actually make the fire much worse. Rush and warn the attendant so he can shut off the supply to the dispenser to avoid an even bigger disaster.

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Cancer fighting foods

You already know that eating a healthy diet is one of the single most important things you can do to avoid disease. Here are some foods that can be particularly helpful avoiding some types of cancer:

Leafy greens, like spinach, kale, collard greens, Arugula, and dandelion greens may help prevent ovarian cancer.

Curry helps prevent melanoma.

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, watercress, Swiss chard help prevent breast and skin cancer.

Berries –blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, red grapes- are loaded antioxidants, which counteract and repair cell damage.

Tomatoes are believed to help prevent both stomach and lung cancer.

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Choose The Right Gym

You don't need to join a gym to get a good workout. But if you are thinking about joining one, here are some important factors to consider before getting that membership.

Location - You're much more likely to go to the gym often if you choose one close to your home or workplace.

Hours - Ask about the club's hours to be sure it will be open when you plan to use it.

Schedules - If you want to attend group fitness classes, ask to see the schedule. Make sure the gym offers the activities you are looking for and that they're available at times that are convenient for you.

Staff - Find out whether the club's personal trainers and fitness instructors are trained and certified by a reputable organization, such as the American College of Sports Medicine or the American Council on Exercise.

Price - Ask for the details about payment before making a commitment.

Atmosphere - Ask whether you can try the gym for a week before signing a contract. See if it is a place where you will feel comfortable working out.

Reputation - Ask friends or coworkers which gyms they've tried in your area and what they thought about them.



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How to Avoid Acne and Pimples

Acne is not only for teenagers. There are many adults that deal with acne way beyond their teenage years. After surveying over 1,000 people aged 20 years and older, scientists found that:

During their 20s, 51 percent of women and 43 percent of men reported experiencing acne.

During their 30s, 35 percent of women and 20 percent of men reported experiencing acne.

During their 40s, 26 percent of women and 12 percent of men reported experiencing acne.

During their 50s or older, 15 percent of women and 7 percent of men reported experiencing acne.

Below are some ways on how to avoid acne:

1. Wash your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser.

2. Don't scrub your skin vigorously, as this can cause irritation that makes acne worse.

3. Use only natural skin care or hair care products.

4. Resist the habit of touching your face.

5. Change your pillowcases often, at least once a week.

6. Women, don't go to sleep with your makeup on, as this can clog your pores and contribute to acne.

7. Shower after exercise or other work that makes you sweat.

8. If you already have acne, over-the-counter acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid may help.

9. Don't pick or squeeze any existing blemishes, as this can cause infection or scarring.


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Bed Bugs, Don't Let Them Bite

When one thinks of bedbugs, the old bedtime rhyme comes to mind. Now it seems that the bedbugs are making a bigger comeback than ever, in hotels, college dorms and hospitals. "Bedbugs are small, flat, wingless insects with six legs that, like mosquitoes, feed on blood from animals or people. They range in color from almost white to brown, but they turn rusty red after feeding." Bedbugs are more common in developing countries, but have increased in America due to international travel.

The first sign of bedbugs may be itchy, red bites on the skin, usually on the arms or shoulders. Bedbugs tend to leave straight rows of bites. In most cases bedbug bites do not have to be treated, however if the bite marks get bigger or infected you may have to go see a doctor.

To get rid of infested mattresses and box springs, cover them with a plastic mattress bag to trap the bugs. Wash clothes and bedding in hot water, and dry on high heat. Clean furniture and vacuum cracks in wood floors and doors where bugs may hide and make sure to shake out suitcases after traveling.

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6 Diet Busters: Healthy-Sounding Foods That Really Aren’t

There are many foods out there that you may think are healthy because of the way they are named. When shopping make sure that you are reading the labels carefully because you may be eating something that is worse than what you may think. Your intentions may be good ones, but there are many hidden calories in some so called "healthy foods". Below are some of the worst offenders that you need to steer clear of, or consume in moderate amounts.

1. Energy Bars - Energy bars usually contain protein and fiber—nutrients that help you feel full—but also may be loaded with calories. Make sure that you eat them occasionally and that the ones you consume are calorie-controlled.

2. Granola - Granola sounds healthy. But it’s often high in fat, sugar and calories. Don’t be fooled by a seemingly reasonable calorie count; portion sizes are usually a skimpy 1/4 or 1/2 cup. Low-fat versions often just swap sugar for fat and pack as many calories as regular versions.

3. Salads - Toppings are the deal breakers with salads. When choosing to eat a salad, keep the toppings to a minimum. That is where the calories can add up.

4. Smoothies - Smoothies may seem like a tasty way to get your recommended fruit servings—but studies show that beverages are less filling per calorie than solid foods. Added sugars can make some the equivalent of drinking fruit pie filling.

5. Sushi Rolls - There is a wide variety of sushi rolls and the fried tidbits and mayonnaise in some can really tuck in calories. Some 12-piece Dragon Rolls (eel, crunchy cucumbers, avocado and “special eel sauce”) have almost 500 calories and 16 grams of fat (4 grams saturated).

6. Yogurts - Some premium whole-milk yogurts can give you a hefty dose of saturated fat. Many low-fat versions are every bit as creamy. Enjoy a fruit-flavored low-fat yogurt, but understand that the “fruit” is really jam.



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