Coping With Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is a real and serious threat in most urban areas that subject its inhabitants to unacceptably high levels of sound possessing chaotic attributes like sound emanating from - street traffic, airplanes, appliances (garbage disposals, blenders, vacuum cleaners) or music systems (personal stereos, car stereos). Anyone, irrespective of age, is at risk from noise pollution, says the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a likely possibility when exposed to excessively loud noise over an extended period. Americans, in particular, are badly affected by this menace, with 10 million already suffering from permanently damaged hearing. In children, exposure to high levels of aircraft noise leads to impairments in reading ability. In adults, noise pollution can result in not only stress-related diseases but sleepless nights, aggression and irritability, as well. However, you too can make a difference by refraining from contributing to an already disturbed environment by simple acts like turning down the volume of your TV or using quieter home appliances.

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Exercising To Beat Depression

Psychologist Jasper Smits, who works from his research clinic in Dallas, has to offer a somewhat unconventional treatment for anxiety and mood disorders, including depression. What's striking is that his treatment comes for free and has no side effects. Note, in this context, that antidepressant drugs set Americans back by $10 billion every year, with side-effects ranging from sleep disturbances and nausea to fluctuations in body weight. If depression is what needs to be addressed and which has been pulling down your performance at work and preventing you from spending quality time with family members, why not try out some simple aerobic-exercise regimens for a change instead of popping pills. Research confirms exercising helps us keep in perspective innocuous but upsetting events like missing an appointment or getting a parking ticket. Not much to lose really than a whole load of unnecessary worries...

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What to do (And How to Protect Yourself) if You Get Pulled Over by an Unmarked Police Car

Breathtaking urban legends surrounding unmarked police cars are traversing the globe for some time now. However, before you fall prey to these frightening stories, it helps to perceive the real facts as offered by real-life police officers like Clarence Williams of the Los Angeles Police Department. In the unlikely event that your vehicle is intercepted on the highway by an unmarked squad car, it's important to know what procedures to follow in order to make this a safe encounter and reduce the danger of walking into a trap sprung by an imposter whose likely motive is to relieve you of your valuables. Further, being aware of the prevailing local laws and policies and your legal rights help out as well if you have to interact with a police officer after being pulled over by an unidentified squad car. Moreover, although unmarked traffic-enforcement vehicles sometimes do need to be used for conducting traffic stops, these covert police vehicles usually display telltale LED flashers to distinguish them from civilian cars.

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British Research Recommends Vitamin D For Expecting Mothers

British researchers from the University College London Institute of Child Health claim pregnant women see significant benefits from taking vitamin D supplements, which include reduced incidence of hypocalcaemia and rickets. However, these scientists note that UK is the only country amongst 31 that doesn't officially recommend use of vitamin D for women of reproductive age, although the Department of Health advises a daily intake of 10 micrograms for expectant mothers. Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency in pregnant British women is unacceptably high, according to Dr Elina Hypponen, one of the report authors. Lack of exposure to sunlight and limitations of an average diet is mainly responsible for this deficiency and newborns, in extreme cases, may even face death. Therefore, it is recommended that expecting women deficient in vitamin D use daily supplements in order to reduce related risks to their babies.

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Healing With Tai Chi And Qigong

New research unearths convincing evidence suggesting the health benefits of tai chi and qigong, which are ancient Chinese wellness practices. The study, conducted by Linda Larkey, PhD, of Arizona State University, and her colleagues, found these wellness practices yielded significant physical and mental advantages, including improved functioning of the heart and immune system, and overall enhancement in the quality of life. But these types of activity embrace a wide spectrum of physical movements, some of which are slow, meditative and dance-like. These facilitating exercises highlight regulation of breath and mind coordinated with body regulation. The study, published in the American Journal of Health Promotion, provides a fascinating insight into the natural ability of the body and mind to recover in response to appropriate cues that these fitness practices deliver.

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Heat Stroke: Symptoms And Prevention

Heat stroke is an especially serious and life-threatening condition that may strike when the body temperature reaches or exceeds 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat strokes come in two variants: external and passive. The former type can impact those laboring under hot environments and the latter, elderly, especially sedentary, people exposed to high temperatures. Any of these types of heat stroke can result in brain damage, organ collapse or even death. You need to look out for certain warning signs like high body temperature or speech difficulty that signal an impending heat stroke. Immediate medical assistance is necessary in case you observe or experience any of these tell-tale symptoms on a hot day and the affected person needs to cool off right away. Following best practices to stay safe from heat stroke include drinking plenty of water and limiting activity. Simple steps like these can comprehensively address this potentially dangerous condition. Small change when compared to all the precious things life has to offer...

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Contributing Your Bit To Fight Air Pollution

How often have you felt stifled with all the emissions from car exhausts? And as you gasp for breath, looking around, have you wondered how fantastic it would be to wish yourself amidst refreshing greenery and sparkling waterfalls? Unfortunately, duty calls and you're constrained to define your existence within the concrete jungle that determines every fabric of your life. Pollution is a real and present danger that threatens to spin out of control given the modern lifestyle we pursue. However, the National Women's Health Information Center suggests some redeeming steps for anyone caring enough to lend a helping hand in the fight against air pollution. Why not replace the incandescent bulbs we use with compact fluorescents? Is it too unsettling to, at times, walk, use bikes or public transportation for a change? It needs to be remembered that each and every action we commit counts and united effort can figure importantly in the effort to return to a pollution-free world.

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Stay Away From Fruits And Veggies Laced With Pesticides

Chances are you're unwittingly getting exposed to pesticides from the fruits and veggies you consume as part of your daily diet. Absorbing these harmful chemicals leads up to increased chances of contracting cancers and neurological problems. A recent study reveals that children with high levels of pesticides in their urine are more likely to suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although fresh produce, according to the National Academy of Sciences, constitutes a typical source of exposure to pesticides, it doesn't mean you should give up consuming fruits and vegetables altogether. Here's info on the twelve most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables that dangerously expose you to chemicals. To lower your exposure to pesticides, you want to know what to buy and the best way to prepare them. Awareness and safety can play an awfully important role in your journey toward a disease-free life. These helpful tips are designed for just that...

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Consistent Bedtime Routine Makes For Brighter Preschool Children

Children in households maintaining regular bedtimes and those getting sufficient sleep perform better on a range of developmental assessments, according to the research abstract presented at the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC. Findings indicate consistent bedtime routines help preschool kids score higher on tests evaluating expressive language, phonological awareness, literacy and early math abilities. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine prescribes a minimum sleep duration of 11 hours for these children. According to lead author of the study, Erika Gaylor, PhD, parents can help their preschooler get sufficient sleep by putting in place an appropriate sleep routine that also involves interaction with their child at bedtime like reading books or telling stories. An earlier study along the same lines, published in the August 2009 issue of Sleep Medicine, reported children slept better if they followed an early and consistent bedtime routine.

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Getting Addicted To Junk Food

Obesity in both adults and children is steadily assuming alarming proportions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cravings figure as another of the multiple causes of increasing levels of obesity with many fighting a losing battle against their weakness for fast food. Food addiction works much the same way as addiction to alcohol, drugs, caffeine or drugs with the added disadvantage of victims being unable to "quit eating" as, obviously, what they crave is also what sustains them. Most food cravings include items containing plentiful amounts of bad fats, salt, sugar, which supply us more calories than we might care for. Unfortunately, these types of foods stimulate the brain's pleasure centers, which make it almost impossible to quit, observes psychologist Marcia Pelchat of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. Still, if you happen to be a victim, inculcating a certain amount of self-discipline and a few scientific techniques might hopefully see you get slimmer and well on your way to better health.

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Meet Bob the Fish

Dumping Your Sugar Cravings

Almost without exception, most women have experienced sugar cravings at one time or the other. The sad fact is that once this craving gains a grip, it becomes increasingly difficult to shake off. Food, admittedly, is an emotional enough topic - sweet foods come to be identified with love and acceptance on the mental plane because of their ability to release "feel-good” neurotransmitters like serotonin, according to scientists. Serotonin is mostly known as the neurotransmitter that lifts our mood, which is why sugar cravings can be highly addictive, the problem being more acute in women. Some women experience withdrawal symptoms after they stop eating sugar, the symptoms resembling closely to those resulting from withdrawal from caffeine habit or drug addiction. If you find it impossible to kick your sugar cravings, it's vital get informed on the possible causes for your addiction like hormonal fluctuation or stress. The next logical step is to control these cravings by following some courses of action most appropriate to you. Stop being a slave to sugar - it's so much more than one big candy...

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Depression May Be Responsible For Extra Tummy Fat

New research unfolds fresh evidence linking depression with extra belly fat. However, the cause of this observed linkage isn't quite clear. The finding is enough reason for concern for those picking up abdominal fat, as chances are things aren't going too swell with them. The stress hormone cortisol is related to depression and abdominal obesity, and hence elevated levels of this hormone may explain why depressed people tend to put on more tummy fat, suspects study co-author Belinda Needham, an assistant professor of sociology. The study, which appears in the June issue of the American Journal of Public Health, is significant because it suggests it might be possible to control obesity and the risk of related diseases by properly looking into and addressing issues related to a patient's mental health.

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Summer Foods That Help Stay Trim

Stock up to your heart's content on these delectable summer foods that help you stay in shape. For starters, why not settle down with a bowl of juicy red berries? Indulge yourself freely, because they address your health needs perfectly. Strawberries go easy on calories and serve you up copious quantities of life-saving nutrients like omega 3 fats and cancer-fighting polyphenols. According to Jackie Keller, a weight-loss coach, only half a cup of strawberries gets you adequately replenished on vitamin C, apart from fiber and important antioxidants. Blueberries count as yet another item to fall for - they're rich in nutrients that improve circulation and fight free-radical damage to cells and tissues. Not only do they grace your plate in delicious color, texture and taste, but go super-low on calories as well - just like strawberries. So if you want to bask in the goodness of health these summer months, get right on these delightful treats.

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Chronic Insomnia Spells Premature Death

For people suffering from sleepless nights on a consistent basis, something is terribly amiss. In fact, untimely death looms as a distinct possibility. According to an American study presented at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC, chronic insomnia can be linked to increased risk of death. Chronic insomnia can take on various forms like: chronic early-awakening insomnia, chronic sleep-maintenance insomnia (with difficulty getting back to sleep), chronic sleep-onset insomnia, and chronic sleep-maintenance insomnia (with repeated awakenings during night). If any of these symptoms rings a familiar bell, it's high time to sit up and take notice. Life's course may be leading you into choppy waters and, therefore, it's imperative to seek immediate expert medical assistance before reaching the point of no return...

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Vitamin K Helps Fight Type-2 Diabetes

A new Dutch study reports higher intakes of vitamin K may lessen the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Although the research, which was published in Diabetes Care, is based on statistical correlation, it does underline the potential benefits of a vitamin K-rich diet as a deterrent against type-2 diabetes. Unfortunately, about 8 percent of the American population is estimated to be suffering from this condition, with total healthcare costs reckoned at $174 billion. One of the two main forms of vitamin K, called phylloquinone (vitamin K1), is found in green leafy vegetables like lettuce, broccoli and spinach, which constitutes about 90 percent of the typical Western diet. The other main form of vitamin K, menaquinones (vitamin K2), which makes up about 10 percent of Western vitamin K consumption, is capable of being synthesized in the gut by microflora. Scientists conducting the research calculated that for every increase of 10 micrograms in consumption of vitamin K2, the risk of type-2 diabetes drops by 7 percent.

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Diet Might Inhibit Lung Cancer

For current and former smokers, a diet replete with green leafy vegetables, folate, and some multivitamins could serve as effective protection against lung cancer. This finding surfaced from a recent study led by Steve Belinsky, Ph.D., and other researchers at the institute in ABQ, NM. The research, which was supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), attempted to investigate gene methylation, which represents a chemical modification in the cell and influences gene expression, in current and former smokers. The study yielded a link between consumption of leafy green vegetables, folate, and some multivitamins, and reduced prevalence of cellular gene methylation. Gene methylation is suspected to be a major facilitator of lung and cancer development and progression.

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Does Fizz Fetch Extra Fat?

While you gulp down that bottle of fizzy drink, keep an eye out for the extra fat you might be collecting inadvertently. But that's no reason to hit the panic button. The fizziness in carbonated drinks isn't directly responsible for weight gain. However, the inordinate amounts of sugar, artificial sweeteners and caffeine present in carbonated sodas are the real offenders - adding the extra pounds that you would rather stay off from. However, if fizz is what makes your day, a better bet might be opting for carbonated mineral waters that are free of added sugars or artificial sweeteners. Go ahead and throw in some fruit juice so you're not confined to an overly bland experience. The main idea is to keep away from all those empty calories you soak in while cooling off with bubbly carbonated drinks.

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Omega-3 Fatty Acids Keeps Off Heart Disease And Much Else

Next time you settle down to a meal, try to include more of animal and vegetable items that contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Because new research indicates Omega-3 fatty acids enhances the survival rate of those with coronary heart conditions. Omega-3s can also slow down the ageing process - by as much as five years, amazingly. They do this, apparently, by preventing the shortening of telomeres, which are part of the DNA that function in a protective capacity. Telomeres shorten with age, infection, smoking, inactive lifestyle, and obesity. The study, which was conducted at the University of California in San Francisco, confirmed that subjects with high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in the blood benefited from lower rate of telomere shortening. It should be noted here that nations like Japan and Greenland have the world's lowest rate of heart disease because of the substantial inclusion of fish containing Omega-3 in their diet.

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Staying Sexually Active Beyond The Prime Of Life

It can assuredly be stated that sex isn't the exclusive preserve of the young. In fact, sex is a powerful tool to seek relief from mental and physical stresses and strains that a person has to endure throughout his or her entire life. Its significance can hardly be downplayed even at the dusk of life. For those well advanced in years, whether man or woman, a refreshing sex life can spell good health in an all-encompassing way: better circulation, reduced anxiety and improved relaxation. If you happen to be uncomfortable or ashamed to be contemplating sex now that the years have melted away, then these tips are just what you need to rethink your emotional barriers. Accepting your current reality and getting to be comfortable with your body is a great way to get started. The years still left are precious and present a delightful opportunity to reconnect with your partner, tossing away all those cares to the wind...

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Obesity Alert: Watch It After You Cross 40

It's not okay to be obese at any age as obesity is linked with Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and myriad other ills. However, for those amply endowed, it's far worse to stay that way beyond age 40, according to a revealing new study that found its way into the International Journal of Obesity. The research, which compared medications taken by normal weight, overweight and obese Americans, came up with the conclusion that obesity amongst those aged between 40 and 54 necessitated extra medication in comparison with people of average weight. Therefore, after crossing 40, it's better to watch your weight as the perils associated with the extra weight you're carrying is likely to catch you on the wrong foot as time wears on and then it might be too late...

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Diets Tricks To Break Free Of Obesity

Every day seems to be a struggle to shake off those extra pounds residing snugly in the innermost recesses of your physique. Sounds familiar? Count yourself in amongst millions fighting a similar battle and repeatedly finding their disgruntled selves on the wrong end of the stick. When and how does this all end? The media is ceaselessly inundating your psyche with tempting recipes to kiss your hapless condition goodbye - only so you find you have to lift your sorry self back on your feet with effort - again. So you need not go through such unsettling experiences, let's turn to the experts. What do the scientists have on offer? Here are 7 diet tricks to get you up and going - minus those unrelenting pounds. Breathe some refreshingly liberating air into your listless life - see your body get more active and energized to enjoy life better. These diet tricks do just that without subjecting you to crippling dietary regimens and endless workouts at the local gym. Take up the challenge - up to you to step out in style and get more from this precious life as you are meant to and never look back...

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New Worldwide Study Links Burger Diet With Asthma And Wheeze Risk In Children

Desist from allowing your dear kids to splurge on burgers if you're caring enough... According to a large international study, published in Thorax, which based its findings on data collected on 50,000 children between 8 and 12 spanning rich and poor nations across the world, eating three or more burgers a week can expose a child to the risk of contracting asthma and wheeze. On the other hand, a Mediterranean diet, replete with fruit, vegetables and fish, appears to push back that risk. The susceptibility looks to be more pronounced for kids in developed countries. The researchers also found that high fruit intake as also a diet rich in cooked green vegetables and fish protected children from wheeze. It is, furthermore, suspected that burger consumption might also be indicative of other unhealthy lifestyle factors, commonly unique to affluent nations, which provide fertile ground for heightened asthma risk.

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