Tips on Getting the Most Out of Your Sleep

Getting enough sleep plays an important role in keeping our bodies healthy. It helps repair our bodies from stress, helps control weight and enhances our memory.

W. Here are some tips on how to get the most out for our sleep:

1. Perfect your sleep environment - Keep your room cold and dark. If you work during the graveyard shift and have to sleep during the day, you can use thick curtains to darken your room and block the sunlight to avoid interruption in your sleep.

2. Lower the volume - avoid as much noise as needed. Keep your kids and pets out of your room, turn off the television and radio, and close the window if it's noisy outside.

3. Maximise your mattress - Invest in good quality mattress to provide you good support while you sleep.

4. Follow your body clock - follow a routine schedule of the time you sleep and wake up daily.

5. Nix the vices - avoid caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol before bedtime. It increases your chances of getting quality shut-eye.

6. Exercise - it helps boosts metabolism and improve the quality of sleep. Some people have a hard time relaxing if they exercise too close to bedtime. If that's the case with you, just avoid doing exercising 3-4 hours before going to bed.

Click here to read the article

In Exchange of Gym Time

In the past posts, I have reiterated the importance of exercise in maintaining a healthy body. According to the new federal guidelines, kids should get at least one hour of exercise a day, and adults should get two to two and a half a week.

Now, the good news is that this does not mean "gym time" only. Aside from going to the gym, there are other activities that we can do to enjoy exercise or physical activities.

For kids for example, activities such as playing on the playground, skipping games or climbing trees are already physical and yet children enjoy it much more than doing formal exercises.

For adults, aside from going to the gym, activities such as bicycling, ballroom dancing, and gardening are already physical activities. Getting at least 2.5 hours a week of physical activities is equivalent to 2 hours of gym time.

Here are some of the Health and Human Services Department newly released guidelines:

• For healthy pregnant women: at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
• For disabled adults: 2.5 hours of physical activity per week for those who are able.
• For adults over 65: 2.5 hours per week, depending on capability. Seniors at risk for falls are recommended to perform exercises to help with balance.

Click here to read the article

4 Ways to Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer

October is the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Last year alone, 170,000 cases of Breast Cancer were diagnosed.

American Institute for Cancer Research shared several everday choices that helps protect from breast cancer:

1. Maintaining a healthy weight with low body fat - excess body fat causes postmenopausal breast cancer. Eating healthy food choices such as vegetables and fruits will help you maintain a healthy weight.

2. Get Regular Physical Activity - Include exercise for at least 30 minutes per day in your calendar. Even as simple as walking, running, or even gardening.

3. Limit Alcoholic Beverages - AICR recommends to keep one drink a day.

4. Breastfeed - "Hormonal changes, physical changes in breast tissue cells and shedding of breast tissues may all be responsible for the decrease in risk that has been documented in many studies."

With Breast Cancer, early detection can save lives. It is important for women to regularly conduct monthly self examination. Women should also get a mammogram and a clinical breast exam regularly.

Click here to read the article

Acupuncture Cure for Hot Flashes

One subject of active scientific research in this time since the late 20th century is the acupuncture. Not familiar with it? Acupuncture comes from a Latin word “acus” which means “needle”, and pungere, “to prick”. Acupuncture is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine filiform needles into specific points on the body with the purpose of relieving pain and for the therapeutic purposes. This was originally came from China and according to one traditional Chinese acupuncture theory, these acupuncture points lie along meridians along which qi, the vital energy flows. But there is no specific anatomical or histological basis for their existence.

Acupuncturist in modern times tends to view them in functional rather than structural terms. It came from China and is most commonly associated with traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture has been part of their medicine of curing some sicknesses. Acupuncture has been adopted and applied to medicine by many countries not only China and until this moment they are still finding what other illness be possibly cure of it.

It has been discovered that acupuncture was one best way to cure hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms that can accompany breast cancer treatment as an alternative of drugs. Its effect on the person on the benefits last longer than of that drugs which are associated with some bad side effects on the person. Acupuncture has no bad side effect, researchers attest.

.Click here to read the article

Childhood Ear Infections and Adult Weight Gain

Who would've thought that childhood ear infections and adult weight gain can be relative to each other?

According to APA Online, "Researchers presented findings that children who suffer from repeated middle-ear infections, or otitis media, are much more likely to be overweight as children and as adults."

Derek Snyder, a Yale University neuroscience graduate student, explained that an important taste nerve, the chorda tympani, runs from the tongue up through the middle ear and into the brain. If the middle ear is infected, the nerve can get damaged. The effect is that certain nontaste sensations, like the creaminess of fat, get intensified. Repetitive ear infections may lead to changes in food preference (fatty and creamy foods) which may, in time lead to obesity during adulthood.

A piece of advice, we should in total control of ourselves. We control our wants and desires. It is important that we have self-discipline in order to avoid becoming obese. Despite these results, we can still control our food intake and food preference. Lets filter and choose the foods we take wisely. If you have had repetitive ear infections and have noticed the change in your food preference, then try to discipline yourself by controlling your intake. It is still better to avoid being overweight and obese than regret it in the end.

Click here to read the article

OEA Wards Off Hunger

A recent study conducted at the University of California, infused a fatty acid that is found in olive oil and other heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats can ward off hunger. These fatty acids are converted into oleolethanolamide (OEA).

According to Piomelli, A message goes up to the brain and tells the body, in effect, that it's full. "This is different than compounds that make you eat less at a given meal,". The end result is that we will eat less.

This study will play in an important role in the development of new ways to help loose weight.

Since this development will be more beneficial in the near future it is important that we take measures on how to stay healthy and fit. Eating the right kind of foods, and regular exercise is still the best ways to loose weight and be healthy.

Signs of Breast Cancer

More and more men and women are being afflicted with breast cancer. Prevention is still better than cure. That is why it is important to recognise the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

National Cancer Institue suggested that we need to look for the following signs:

1. A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
2. A change in the size or shape of the breast
3. Nipple discharge or tenderness
4. An inverted nipple
5. Ridges or pitting on the breast (resembling an orange peel)
6. A change in the look or feel of the breast, areola or nipple (such as temperature, swelling, redness or a scaly feel)

If you are already experiencing some of these, it is best to consult your doctor. Women who are over 40 years of age maybe required to go through mammogram.

Breast cancer is hereditary, so if you're family have history of breast cancer it is important to know the signs as well as regularly consulkt your doctor regarding this matter. Lifestyle, diet and exercise can also affect breast cancer risk. It is also important to perform self-examination monthly as well as an annual exam by your doctor.

Click here to read the article

The Marshmallow Experiment

Do you consider yourself impulsive? Can you control your impulses?

An experiment was conducted at Stanford regarding impulses and it must have been one of the most popular psychological studies performed. This is called the "Stanford Marshmallow Experiment"

Walter Michel of Stanford created a simple test of the ability of four year old children to control impulses and delay gratification. Children were taken one at a time into a room with a one-way mirror. They were shown a marshmallow. The experimenter told them he had to leave and that they could have the marshmallow right then, but if they waited for the experimenter to return from an errand, they could have two marshmallows. One marshmallow was left on a table in front of them. Some children grabbed the available marshmallow within seconds of the experimenter leaving. Others waited up to twenty minutes for the experimenter to return. In a follow-up study (Shoda, Mischel, & Peake, 1990), children were tested at 18 years of age and comparisons were made between the third of the children who grabbed the marshmallow (the "impulsive") and the third who delayed gratification in order to receive the enhanced reward ("impulse controlled").

The third of the children who were most impulsive at four years of age scored an average of 524 verbal and 528 math. The impulse controlled students who scored 610 verbal and 652 math! This astounding 210 point total score difference on the SAT was predicted on the basis of a single observation at four years of age! The 210 point difference is as large as the average differences between that of economically advantaged versus disadvantaged children and is larger than the difference between children from families with graduate degrees versus children whose parents did not finish high school! At four years of age gobbling a marshmallow now v. waiting for two later is twice as good a predictor of later SAT scores than is IQ. Poor impulse control is also a better predictor of later delinquency than is IQ (Block, 1995).

This study shows that IQ and impulse control is relative. Studies have shown that people who do well in life have high IQ and high impulse control.

Click here to read the article

Health Insurance in the Eyes of the Candidates

After so many years on work you were sometimes dreaming of a long, fun and relaxing vacation. People are becoming more practical. We want to make sure that our future is really secure. Knowing the candidates stand on health insurance is also very important for all Americans.

Tax Policy Center analysts estimated that McCain's proposal would reduce the number of Americans who are uninsured from a projected 67 million to 65 million in a decade, while Obama's proposal would leave 33 million people uninsured.

Mc Cain's proposal aims to expand the coverage by allowing people to shop for health insurance and by replacing the current tax exemption for employer-provided insurance with tax credits of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families. He also suggests employer contributions to insurance plans they provide to employees would be taxable.

Meanwhile Obama's plan seeks to expand coverage by offering a mix of private and public group health insurance options. He suggests that all employers would be required to offer health insurance to the people they employ or contribute to the cost.

The cost of McCain's health care plan over a decade was projected to be $1.3 trillion, compared to $1.6 trillion for Obama's plan.

here are some tips to getting Health Insurance when retiring early.
1. do a reality check meaning that before you get carried away you had make sure that you can afford to buy it on the open market.

2. Get in better shape, the healthier you are the more chance you can get the insurance and the lower your premiums.

3. Probe the paperwork your medical records may paint less flattering portrait due to errors or omissions. So tell your doctor to set aside time to review your medical history with you for accuracy. Then you should stay with the company that you are in now. Then if you are ready you can now search for an insurance that would fit you and wait for the time you can benefit on it.

Click here to read the article

First Aid Mistakes

Experts Dr. Tom Scaletta and Denise King shared the 10 most common first aid mistakes.

1. Cut Finger - Do not place the wound directly on ice. Wrap the wounded part in a damp cloth. If the patient is going to have a surgery, he's best off with an empty stomach.

2. Knocked out tooth - Don't scrub the tooth hard even if it's dirty (a gentle rinse is OK. Do put the tooth in milk and go straight to the ER; there's a chance the tooth could be reimplanted.

3. Burns - Don't apply ice or butter or any other type of grease to burns. Also, don't cover a burn with a towel or blanket, because loose fibers might stick to the skin. When dealing with a serious burn, be careful not to break any blisters or pull off clothing stuck to the skin.

Do wash and apply antibiotic ointment to mild burns. Head to the hospital for any burns to the eyes, mouth, or genital areas, even if mild; any burn that covers an area larger than your hand; and any burn that causes blisters or is followed by a fever.

4. Electrical Burns - Don't fail to get medical attention for a jolt of electricity (for instance, from lightning, a power line, or home electrical cords), even if no damage is evident. An electrical burn can cause invisible (and serious) injury deeper inside the body. More than 500 Americans die every year from electrical burns.
Do go to the ER immediately.

5. Sprained ankle - Don't use a heating pad.
Do treat a sprain with ice. Go to the ER if it is very painful to bear weight. You might have a fracture.

Click here to read the article

Alternative Treatments for Insomnia

It may be difficult to address insomnia. Here are some alternative methods to treat insomnia:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
According to women to womenCBT methods may combine a number of elements, including education, advice, psychotherapy, stimulus control and sleep restriction. One premise of cognitive therapy is that merely thinking about sleeplessness and all of the problems it causes the next day leads to ongoing insomnia. Through therapy, CBT can teach a person how to develop a more positive outlook on sleep, while simultaneously encouraging better “sleep hygiene,” or behaviors that are conducive to restful sleep, such as turning off the TV and staying out of bed unless you’re sleeping or having sex.

Sleep Restriction Therapy
SRT helps you find your body's threshold for sleep. Ever person has different threshold - it may be 6 hours for some or others may have 8. One way is by depriving yourself of sleep for 24 hours. Once your body is exhqusted, it will now crave for some sleep. This will gradually increase your sleeping time until you find your own threshold.

It is also helpful if you will keep track of your sleep for a couple of weeks and this can be evaluated by the doctor.

Light Therapy
This is also known as phototherapy this method uses specific wavelengths of light for a certain amount of time. This is also used for affective disorder, depression and sleep disorders. Research shows that Using this blue light in the early evening can help people who have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep to sleep solidly throughout the night. This connection occurs because the receptors for the specific blue light in our eyes link directly to the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the part of your brain that regulates your circadian rhythm.

Click here to read the article

FDA's Drug Watchlist

US Food and Durg Administration has released its 20 drugs watchlist:

1. Arginine Hydrochloride Injection (R-Gene 10) - Pediatric overdose due to labeling / packaging confusion
2. Desflurane (Suprane) - Cardiac arrest (heart stops working)
3. Duloxetine (Cymbalta) - Urinary retention
4. Etravirine (Intelence) - Hemarthrosis (blood in a joint)
5. Fluorouracil Cream (Carac) and Ketoconazole Cream (Kuric) - Adverse events due to name confusion
6. Heparin - Anaphylactic-type (life-threatening allergic) reactions
7. Icodextrin (Extraneal) - Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
8. Insulin U-500 (Humulin R) - Dosing confusion
9. Ivermectin (Stromectol) and Warfarin - Drug interaction
10 Lapatinib (Tykerb) - Hepatotoxicity (liver toxicity)
11. Lenalidomide (Revlimid) - Stevens-Johnson syndrome (a deadly drug reaction)
12. NataliNitroglycerin - Skin melanomas (deadly skin cancer)
13. Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat) - Overdose due to labeling confusion
14. Octreotide Acetate Depot (Sandostatin LAR) - Ileus (bowels not moving)
15. Oxycodone Hydrochloride Controlled-Release (OxyContin) - Drug misuse, abuse, and overdose
16. Perflutren Lipid Microsphere (Definity) - Cardiopulmonary reactions (lung/heart problems)
17. Phenytoin Injection (Dilantin) - Purple glove syndrome (discoloration, pain, and swelling of the hand that may lead to amputation)
18. Quetiapine (Seroquel) - Overdose due to sample pack labeling confusion
19. Tebivudine (Tyzeka) - Peripheral neuropathy (tingling or numbness in the extremities)
20. Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Blockers - Cancers in children and young adults

"This extends our commitment to keep the public and the health care community informed of what we are evaluating," Paul Seligman, MD, MPH, FDA associate director of safety policy and communication, said at the news conference

Click here to read the article

Hospital Discharges Affected By Admissions

A recent study shows that admission and discharge decisions of hospitals is affected by the capacity if the hospital. According to the results, when hospitals are faced with high demands, patients are discharged earlier during their "peak" seasons compared to their "low" seasons.

According to the study conducted by Rajiv Sharma, Miron Stano, and Renu Gehring used Oregon hospital, patients are dismissed earlier on days when hospitals face high demand were found using methods that are designed to detect discriminatory behavior without the need to control for differences across patient groups in their health status or care seeking behavior. The study did not find evidence of discriminatory discharge behavior.

It is important that despite the demands hospitals should put the health of their patients on top of their priorities instead of the business.It is necessary to upload high standards of quality health care at all times. hospitals should learn how to strike a balance between managing their business and providing quality health care services.

Exercise May Prevent Colon Cancer

Colon is a part of our digestive system where we store our waste materials. Tumors may grow from the walls of the large intestines. This can either be benign or malignant. Malignant tumors leads to colon cancer or colorectal cancer. It is capable of damaging adjacent tissues and organs.

Though this is not contagious, the factors include high fat intake, family history and presence of polyps in the intestines as well as chronic ulcers.

According to study co-author Elliott Coups, of the Division of Population Science at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Cheltenham, Pa., and colleagues, People who get lots of exercise have a 30 percent to 40 percent lower risk of developing colon cancer.

"Sedentary people can greatly benefit from starting a modest exercise program, such as gardening or walking two to three hours a week, according to Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health."

Click here to read the article

Effects of Chamomile

Flowers are one of a kind, they make people around them joyful through their different lovely colors and also amazed the one who gaze by their form and fragrance. People like most when exposed to flowers are that they can make you feel better in a true sense of the word they really can make one individual happy.

Aside from being used as an ornament or decoration some of them are proven to cure illness and also helpful use as herbal medicine. One best example of this is the European herbalist call chamomile which means “the mother of gut”.

If you are suffering from chronic stomach disorders it means or one cause of it is that you have a weak digestive tract. This can be countered with powder which a chamomile can offer. Herbalist also find out long ago that any problem from the mouth to the anus is made better with the regular use of chamomile tea.

Chamomile also consists of bitter elements that stimulate the production of stomach juices needed to break down particle. There are some that do not produce enough bile lack the chemicals needed to digest their food quickly. That’s why it stays in the stomach too long and the result is chronic stomachache but chamomile comes to the rescue by stimulating the production of digestive juices.

Click here to read the article

Are Vitamin Enriched Beverages Beneficial To Our Health?

When you go to grocery stores and supermarkets you will find a lot of "vitamin enriched beverages" such as Diet Coke Plus, vitamin waters, et cetera. But are they really beneficial for our health?

Over the years, carbonated beverages has been linked as one of the causes for the rapidly increasing levels of obesity in children. Nowadays, you will find a lot of beverages claming to be beneficial to our bodies or an "enhanced version" of the carbonated beverages.

According to Body Ecology Diet, "Adding vitamins and minerals to an unhealthy product like Diet Coke is a marketing tool and a ruse designed to make you and your children think that what you’re drinking is good for you, when it’s not at all."

Meanwhile, Vitamin Waters poses threat as well to our bodies. "Distilled, deionized, and/or reverse osmosis water: this is water that has had any and all natural minerals removed from it, and can create a highly acidic condition in your body, leading to severe mineral deficiencies, and even heartbeat irregularities2. The addition of minerals and vitamins of inferior quality does not counter-effect the damage."

These drinks may be more appealing to the public because of the advertising or the taste of the products. However, lets not sacrifice our health over those. Nothing beats drinking or eating naturaly foods and juices. Next time you do your groceries, head our to the fruits and vegetable section first, that's where you'll find foods that will absolutely keep your bodies healthy.

Click here to read the article