Saturday, November 29, 2008

Ways to achieve younger looking skin

We are all not getting any younger, each of us go through the point of aging and that also we experience changes in our body. One permanent thing in life is change and that old age brings changes especially to our skin. Some things that might happen to you when this time comes are:

-The production of collagen is beginning to slow down; this element helps the skin to be firm.
-The production of elastin is decreasing; this element makes the skin elastic.
-Cells that are fat are disappearing which may result to sagging of skin.
-Skin losing its ability to retain moisture.
-Lines are gradually appearing due to muscle contractions
-Dead skin do not shed quickly

We had known the result of these changes as wrinkles, sagging, dryness, thinness in the skin and perhaps discolorations such as “age spots”. The skin that had lost its youthful glow can actually age you a bit. And according to a study from the University of Gottingen in Germany, they found that people looked five years younger when skin discoloration was removed from their photos. A digital smoothing of wrinkles lopped off a whopping 15 years!

And to maintain a looking younger skin must be aware of the following:

- Cut back on sugar and refined cards
- Drink more water
- Indulge in fruit and veggies
- Consider taking alpha lipoic acid
- Take the antioxidant CoQ10
- Lay off the harsh soaps and cleansers

These can help you achieve the youthful glow in your skin keep in mind and take it in action and the skin you wish is just a way far from your hands

Click here for article

Friday, November 28, 2008

Fructose Diet Prevents Appetite Hormone


Fructose, the sugar naturally found in fruits, was once considered a good substitute for sucrose (table sugar). However, because fuctose is a form of simple sugar, just like sucrose, more and more studies are showing that too much fructose can be just as bad as too much sugar.

Excessive intake of fructose can prevent the appetite-controlling hormone leptin from doing its job and increase the risk of obesity, a University of Florida study of rats suggests. There is a proof that a little amount of fructose may help your body process glucose properly. However, excessive fructose at once may overwhelm the body's ability to process it.

Fructose is good if it is within the recommended dietary allowance. Most of the carbohydrates we eat are made up of chains of glucose. When glucose enters the bloodstream, the body releases insulin to help regulate it. Fructose, on the other hand, is processed in the liver. To greatly simplify the situation: When too much fructose enters the liver, the liver can't process it all fast enough for the body to use as sugar. Instead, it starts making fats from the fructose and sending them off into the bloodstream as triglycerides. It is really bad in our body with this three reasons:
• High blood triglycerides are a risk factor for heart disease.
• Fructose ends up circumventing the normal appetite signaling system, so appetite-regulating hormones aren't triggered--and you're left feeling unsatisfied. This is probably at least part of the reason why excess fructose consumption is associated with weight gain.
• There is growing evidence that excess fructose consumption may facilitate insulin resistance, and eventually type 2 diabetes. However, some of this effect may be from chemicals in soda which reacts with the high fructose corn syrup.
The study was published in the American Journal of Physiology -- Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.

Click here to read the article

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Tips on Avoiding Infections


We can get infections everywhere: at home, at school, at the shopping malls or even at the gym. That's why it is very important that we know how to avoid them. Here are some ways to avoid getting infections at the gym.

* Avoid sharing - In terms of personal hygiene, it is not advisable to share towels. Do not use someone else's towel. It is recommended that you have your own equipments such as mats. Bacterial, fungal and viral infections can be found in mats that are not regularly cleaned.

* Check for wounds before jumping in the whirlpool or sauna - Microbes can live even in hot water. You can get infected by "hot tub rash" in public hot tubs. To prevent it, shower after you use the tub.

* Check if the equipment is clean - Most of the equipment inside the gym is being shared with other gym-goers. It is recommended that you wipe the machine off with an anti-bacterial wipe or with at least 60% alcohol.

* Wear slippers inside the shower room - Gym-goers are prone to getting athlete's foot by using their public shower. It is best to protect yourself by wearing slippers or flip-flops inside. Dry off your feet afterwards.

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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Exercise and Heart Failure Patients

Heart failure is a condition where the heart malfunctions and fail to supply enough blood flow to meet the needs of our bodies. For those who suffered from Heart Failure, quality of life became difficult.

According to researchers at Duke University Medical Center, "Heart failure patients who regularly exercise fare better and feel better about their lives than do similar patients who do not work out on a regular basis."

A recent study called the HF-ACTION study was conducted. Researchers found out that exercise is safe for heart failure patients and it also helps improve the quality of their lives. Regular aerobics and exercise can help heart failure patients extend their lives and also have a positive impact in their outlook in life.

Heart failure patients who exercise experience improvements in walking, bathing, and even the ability to dress. They also get to be more physically active and even get to visit family and friends.

Click here to read the article

Monday, November 24, 2008

Bee Pollen May Enhance Your Sex Drive

According to NaturalNews, "Bee Pollen is not only great for sex drive, it will also make you feel great, have more sustained energy, increase your endurance, relieve stress, enhance your immunity, and reduce allergies... as well as improve your sex life."

Research shows that bee pollen supports men's sexual health in many ways. Bee pollen helps increase sperm count as well as increase male fertility. Research shows that sperms swim faster and last longer with bee pollen. They also seem to be more motile and viable. Since bee pollen contains Zinc, it also helps in increasing sex drive in men.

Men with prostate problem will also benefit from it. It will reduce the pain while enhancing the sexual drive. Male infertility is also caused by free radicals. Bee pollen is effective in countering free radicals.

Other benefits include increase of energy and endurance, and reducing stress. It is also packed with nutrients.

Click here to read the article

Saturday, November 22, 2008

How to Prevent Dangerous Allergies


Do you fear getting an allergic reaction? It is known that over 54 percent of Americans have allergies which causes them to have symptoms like sneezing, congestion, watery/itchy eyes, and a runny nose. According to studies in the Archives of Internal Medicine, almost 15 percent of the population in the U.S. may be at risk of severe allergies.

Allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to substances that normally don't cause a reaction to the body. This sets off a chain reaction that results to allergy symptoms. There are several allergies that can cause a life-threatening reaction:

1. Food
2. Insects stings
3. Drugs
4. Latex

There are things you can do to prevent an allergic reaction from the above. With food allergy, be sure to read the food labels carefully. Do not eat out since you can't be sure of what's exactly on the food in restaurants. The best way to avoid insects stings and bites is to be cautious if they're nearby, but do stay calm, move slowly away from them and resist slapping them. If you have allergy to some medication make sure that your doctor and pharmacist are aware of it, so that they can recommend you another medicine.


Click here for article

Thursday, November 20, 2008

How Stress Affects Women's Health


Regardless of our status, age or race, we deal with different kinds of stress every single day. In fact, stress can be one of the root causes of different physical ailments that we experience. Each of us has different stress levels. What is stressful for one person might not be stressful for another. This alone makes it more difficult to manage or treat it.

Short term or acute stress is what we experience when we are beating a certain deadline, looking for the keys or a missing jewelry or any short term problems. This kind of stress comes and goes and is not permanent. Some symptoms include increased breathing, increased blood pressure, irritability, decreased memory, and muscle tension.

Meanwhile, long term or chronic stress stays with us for months or even years. This kind of stress is associated with our life stories. It can be because of a traumatic event during our childhood years or even events that affected our adult years. This kind of stress can lead to diseases.

According to Dr. Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP "In both acute and chronic stress, the power of the mind-body connection is clear. What we perceive as a stressful or dangerous situation — whether it truly is dangerous or not — has implications in the body. For example, if you’re standing in the street and you think you hear a truck coming, your body physically prepares you to move out of the way, even if the sound is something else entirely. Likewise, our past emotional experiences can color the way we see current situations. If your father had a volatile temper that scared you as a child, you will likely feel scared as an adult when a boss, a husband, or some other male authority figure gets angry, even when that anger isn't directed at you. So the stress we feel as children can repeat itself and have a lasting effect on how we think and experience life as adults."

Women undergo different stress compared to men. Women have to undergo the stress of giving birth, taking care of children and families, etc. Women nowadays try to do more and more by themselves which puts them in a stressful situation.

Here are some tips and strategies shared by Dr. Marcelle Pick to reduce stress:
  • Start with quality nutrition
  • Fill in nutritional gaps with a high-quality multivitamin/mineral complex.
  • Explore relaxation practices
It is important that we try to find ways to reduce stress in our lives. Not only will it put us in a better mental and emotional state but it will also help us improve our physiological health.

Click here to read the article