Common Cold Mystery

Here are some commonly held mis-information about the common cold:

There is a myth that common cold enters through our nose. The reality is that studies have used volunteers where the cold virus is dropped directly into the nose. The interesting effect was that only 75% developed cold symptoms. The rest had the virus growing in the nose, but no cold.

This is a mystery. One possible theory is that some people are not able to produce extra inflamatory mediators. These are actually the chemicals produced by the body, which causes the cold symptoms. Ironically, this might imply that people with weaker immune systems, might get infected, but do not show any cold symptoms. This is opposite of those with strong immune systems, which produces the chemical in reaction to the cold virus.

Isn't this an interesting mystery?

Fever Myths

As we strive for a healthy life, children are our big concern. Many children are not able to express themselves clearly, especially when they are ill. Here are some common myths about fever that may help you:

Myth: All fevers are bad for children.
Fact: Fevers are one of the body's protective mechanisms. It is an indication that the body's immune system is kicking into action.

Myth: Fevers cause brain damage or fevers above 104°F (40°C) are dangerous.
Fact: Fevers with infections don't cause brain damage. Only body temperatures above 108°F (42.2°C) can cause brain damage. Fevers only go this high with high environmental temperatures (e.g., confined to a closed car).

Myth: Anyone can have a febrile seizure (seizures caused by fevers)
Fact: Only 4 percent of children can have a febrile seizure.


Myth: Febrile seizures are harmful.
Fact: Febrile seizures are scary to watch, but they usually stop within 5 minutes. They cause no permanent harm.

Myth: All fevers need to be treated with fever medicine.
Fact: Fevers only need to be treated if they cause discomfort. Usually fevers don't cause any discomfort until they go above 102° or 103°F (39° or 39.5°C).

Myth: Without treatment, fevers will keep going higher.
Fact: Wrong. Fevers from infection top out at 105° or 106°F (40.6° or 41.1°C), due to a thermostat in the brain.

Myth: With treatment, fevers should come down to normal.
Fact: With treatment, fevers usually come down 2° or 3°F (1° or 1.5°C).

Myth: If the fever doesn't come down (if you can't "break the fever"), the cause is serious.
Fact: Fevers that don't respond to fever medicine can be caused by viruses or bacteria. It doesn't relate to the seriousness of the infection.


Myth: If the fever is high, the cause is serious.
Fact: If your child looks very sick, the cause of the fever is serious.


Myth: The exact number of the temperature is very important.
Fact: How your child looks is what's important.

Myth: Oral temperatures 98.7° to 100°F (37.1° to 37.8°C) are low-grade fevers. Fact: Oral temperatures 98.7° to 100°F (37.1° to 37.8°C) are normal temperature variations--often peaking in the late afternoon and evening. For rectal temperatures, normal elevations are 99.5° to 100.3°F (37.5° to 37.9°C).

The above is an article found on the Texas Children's Hospital website.

Can you catch H1N1 twice?

Here is an interesting health question that would concern many people: can you catch the H1N1 bug more than once?

Usually, when you get infected with with any influenza virus, your body should develop an immunity to that particular strain. Hence, H1N1, which is a strain of influenza virus, should be no different. However, if your immune system is not fully developed (young children) or weakened, then you might contract the illness again.

Sometimes, a person appears to have contracted the illness twice. But this could be due to him or her having H1N1, then another "regular" flu.

Another reason could be because of the finicky nature of the influenza virus, which usually create "false positives" in tests. This is more likely to happen when the diagnosis is made with the rapid flu tests. More information about flu diagnosis is available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/diagnosis/.

Generally, if you eat fruits like apples, tomatoes, oranges and so on, you can help boost your immune system and avoid many of these illnesses. Also, they are low on cholesterols and will help you maintain a healthy weight.

Wheat Allergy

Wheat contains a lot of proteins. Usually, wheat allergy is due to one or more of these proteins. This allergy is most common in young children.

What happens in wheat allergy is the body mistakenly creates an anti-body (a disease fighting agent in our blood) that is targeted at a wheat protein. There is a wide range of symptoms to wheat allergy, including hives, difficulty in breathing and nausea. Wheat allergy can also cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.

Avoiding wheat is the primary treatment for wheat allergy. Medications may be necessary to manage allergic reactions when you accidentally eat wheat.

Note that wheat allergy is not the same as another disease which is an intolerance for Gluten, another specific protein found in wheat.

Milk Allergy

It is ironic, but here is an allergy that is most common in children - milk allergy

Usually, when we talk about milk allergies, it refers to cow's milk. However, milk from sheep, goats and buffalo also can also cause a reaction. Unfortunately, some children who are allergic to cow's milk are allergic to soy milk too. This is unfortunate because soy-milk is the de-facto replacement for cow's milk in many instances.

A milk allergy usually occurs a few minutes to a few hours after you consume milk. Signs and symptoms of milk allergy range from mild to severe and can include wheezing, vomiting, hives and digestive problems. Rarely, milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis — a severe, life-threatening reaction.

Avoidance is the primary treatment for milk allergy. Fortunately, most children outgrow a milk allergy by age 3.

Soy Allergy

Here is an allergy that is the gastronomical opposite to milk allergy. Usually, milk allergies are more common in infants and they are then put onto a soy-based diet.

Soy is a product made from soybeans. It is a very healthy food, rich in proteins and minerals. Fortunately, most children will outgrow any soy allergies when they get older. Usually, soy allergy starts when infants are placed on soy-based formulas.

In most cases signs and symptoms of soy allergy are mild. It is very rare for soy allergy to cause a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). If your soy allergy persists into adulthood, you will have to learn as much as you can about soy and avoid foods that contain soy.

If you or your child has a reaction to soy, tell your doctor about it, no matter how mild the reaction may have been. Tests can help confirm a soy allergy, so you can take steps to avoid future and potentially worse reactions.

Shellfish Allergy

One of the most common allergy is shellfish allergy. The problem is this: sometimes, when shellfish is not fresh, it can cause symptoms similar to some of the allergies.

The interesting thing about shellfish allergy is that you can have allergic reactions to all shellfish, or only a selected few. For example, some people are allergic to crab and are perfectly fine with lobster and prawns. Yet others cannot take oyster, but have no problems with octopus and squid.

As in all food allergies, reactions can range from mild to severe. Itchiness, rashes, and even anaphylaxis which is life-threatening. Many people have swelling around their faces when they consume shellfish to which they are allergic.

If you think you have a shellfish allergy, ask your doctor to do some tests. You need to know for sure so that you can  take steps to avoid future reactions.

Generally, shellfish are very high in cholesterol and rich in minerals. There are many alternative foods that can give you the minerals, without the allergy reactions. 

Peanut Allergy

When we talked about egg allergies, some friends pointed out that there was another common allergy - peanuts.

Peanut allergy is common and often occur when we are young. This is similar to other allergies such as milk and egg. Unfortunately, while many children outgrow allergies to other foods such as milk or eggs, most of them do not outgrow peanut allergy as they get older.

The symptoms for peanut allergy can be minor, like itch or some irritation, or can be very serious, even causing anaphylaxis, a condition that requires quick medical attention. Those who do not normally get such a violent reaction are still at risk.

If you suspect that you have peanut allergy, tell your doctor. He will most likely recommend some tests to confirm the allergy. This will help you take steps to prevent any worse reactions from your allergy.

It is relatively easy to avoid peanuts compared to milk and egg. You just need to be more careful and you can continue to leave a happy and healthy life.

Egg Allergy

Egg is one of the most common foods. It is also one of the most common allergy among young children. Fortunately, most children will outgrow their egg allergy, but not everyone.

What is egg allergy?

Usually, after a few minutes (maybe a few hours) after consuming eggs or food with eggs, some allergic symptoms appear. These could be as mild as itchy skin, or break out into rashes, hives, vomiting and even an inflamed nasal passage. It is quite rare for egg allergy to flare up into anaphylaxis — a severe, life-threatening reaction.

If you are allergic, avoid egg and foods that contain egg. This will be difficult, as egg is an ingredient in many recipes. For mild allergies, over-the-counter antihistamine medications may help relieve the symptoms. Anaphylaxis requires a shot of epinephrine and emergency medical treatment.

You might want to try some of our egg free recipes that are healthy and delicious.

Colon Cleansing - good or bad?

It is commonly accepted by advocates that colon cleansing helps to eliminate toxins from the intestinal tracts. In fact, they believe that this will help with many health problems, for example: arthritis, allergies and asthma.

Colon cleansing is believed to promote healthy intestinal bacteria, boosting your energy and enhancing your immune system.

Critics, on the other hand, say that colon cleansing is unnecessary and could even be harmful to the body. Doctors almost never recommend colon cleansing for detoxification, though they do prescribe it as preparation for medical examinations like colonoscopy. The reasons are simple enough to understand: Our digestive system and bowel naturally eliminate waste material and bacteria — your body doesn't need enemas or special diets or pills to do this.

Well, there is little scientific evidence to clearly support or refute claims for or against colon cleansing.

One very real concern with colon cleansing is the risk of dehydration. Also, taking the medication for colon cleansing might be risky for people with kidney or heart diseases.

If you still want to do colon cleansing, be sure to take these simple precautions:

• Ask your doctor first, especially if you take any medications or have any health problems.
• 
  Make sure your colon-cleansing practitioner uses disposable equipment that hasn't been previously used.
• 
  Get a list of specific herbal ingredients and dosage in colon-cleansing product — some herbal supplements can cause health problems.
• 
  Beware of broad Ask your doctor first, especially if you take any medications or have any health problems.

If you are doing colon cleansing because of constipation, consider trying these steps first to relieve constipation:

* Drink plenty of fluids, including water
* Eat a diet rich in fiber
* Get regular exercise

Stress Myths: Our mind is where the stress originates

*MYTH #5: Our mind plays a role in much of the stress we experience.*

FACT: This is a myth. Stress is not just about your mind, but is an accumulation of many factors. In fact, a recent field called Biolinguistics have brought to light the inadequacies of our old theory about mind-body relationships.

Habits are hard to break. Stress is also difficult to deal with when we focus on only trying to change our mindset. Biolinguistics point out that our bodies and words affect us in profound ways. Over the years, as we keep listening to words like "I am not good", "I cannot solve my own problems" and so on creates a powerful pattern in our life that is very hard to change or get rid of.

When you learn how to identify these negative "conversations" and "action patterns", you will be closer to eliminating the root causes of your stress.

In fact, you can even use Biolinguistics to profit from habitual patterns that may have caused you nothing but pain and suffering in the past.

Stress Myths: We need to manage stress

*MYTH #4: We need to manage stress, not to make it go away*

FACT: This is actually quite a dangerous myth. When we think that the best way to deal with stress is to manage it instead of eliminating it, we are basically saying that stress is a part of life.

Many stress experts talk about positive benefits of exercise, meditation, and relaxation techniques, but may not inform you of the *negative side* to these same coping strategies.

You see, using exercise, meditation and so on as stress management techniques are often ineffective. They are very poor strategies for dealing with certain types of problems, such as the death in the family, retrenchment or rejection. Also, these exercises take up a lot of time. Worse, the effects usually last a short while and you might have to keep doing them a few times in a day.

But really, the worse thing about it is the fact that dealing only with the symptoms of stress does absolutely nothing to cure the underlying ills. As long as we do not deal with the underlying causes, stress will persist and maybe even get worse.

So, if you think you are "managing" your stress well, think again.

Stress Myths: Some stress is good for us

*MYTH #3: Some stress is good or healthy for us.*

FACT: There is no such thing as "good" or "healthy" stress. Also, there is no truth to the rumor that a little stress is necessary for us to be happy, successful, or maximally productive in our jobs.

This kind of myth is rather fatalistic in its outlook. Just because you have stress, and a lot of people have stress, we try to rationalise it and try to justify. After all, if we want to lead a successful, healthy life, we should not have stress. Some look at stress in their lives as an indication of failure. This is not so.

Having said that, stress is never good for you. While many experiences in life can excite us, such as movies, plays, and athletic events, these experiences have nothing at all to do with stress (i.e. problems and conflicts that are painful or troubling to us). Confusion about this, however, causes many people to incorrectly assume that a certain amount of fear, anger, frustration, or other negative emotions is actually "good" or "healthy" for them.

We should be teaching our children that much of the pain and suffering people endure in the name of "good stress" is unnecessary. The truth is most of this stress could be eliminated without any adverse effects on our health, happiness, or productivity.

Stress Myths: Stress can be dealt with directly

Here is an interesting myth about stress:

*MYTH #2: Stress is something we can cope with or deal with directly.*

FACT: Stress is not something you, I, or anyone else can cope with directly.

What does this actually mean? You see, contrary to popular belief, stress is not some "thing" that exists or afflicts us like a disease.

"Stress" actually refers to a situation or a state of mind that is a result of some other problems or conflicts. In other words, to deal with stress, we need to deal with these causal issues rather than try to deal with the "concept" of stress.

This means we have all been trained to think about stress incorrectly. Instead of asking "what can I do to cope with my stress?" you should be asking yourself "what specific problems or conflicts are troubling me, and how can I deal with each of these problems effectively?"

In this way, we will find that stress becomes much more manageable and we have specific actions that we can take.

Stress Myths: Stress in inevitable

*MYTH #1: Stress is inevitable--there's little we can do to prevent or eliminate it.*

FACT: Stress is not an inevitable part of life. Many people do lead stress-free lives. When exposed to identical situations, some people experience high degrees of stress while others experience little or none. More importantly, it is possible to change yourself from "high-stress" to "low- stress" individuals.

How can we accomplish this feat? Clearly, it is not because they were born this way, or they wouldn't have become stressed in the first place. How about luck, the amount of schooling they received, or a sudden religious conversion?

While religious conversions do take place, the majority of people who change themselves from high-stress to low-stress individuals do so by acquiring a new type of KNOWLEDGE. Not the type of knowledge they learned in school, but knowledge that allows them to correct many of the myths and misconceptions other people believe.

As Richard Ecker points out in his 1985 book /The Stress Myth/: "We like to believe that stress is inevitable--that life is so complex these days, that we're being dragged along by a runaway world which offers us less and less that we can depend on. But this belief is nothing but a myth, a myth that has done more to perpetuate stress in our society than any other single factor."

Ecker goes on to say, *"Ironically, the main proponents of this myth are the very same ones who claim to be teaching people how to deal with stress!"*

What Ecker says is unfortunately true. Most of what we've been taught about stress--including what it is, what causes it to occur, and how we should cope with it--is based upon inaccurate, out-dated theories that are no longer accepted by twentieth-century thinkers.

The good news is that once you learn to recognize these myths, and once you correctly understand what stress is and what really causes it to occur, you can prevent or eliminate much of the stress you ordinarily experience.

Live a healthy life. Start with a healthy diet, and learn more about how you can enjoy life.

Chocolates are Bad for You

One of the greatest myths in losing fats is the stigma on chocolates. Some people seem to think that Chocolate is loaded with saturated fat and is bad for your cholesterol.

Let us get the facts right - this is simply not true. Apparently, stearic acid, which is the main saturated fat found in milk chocolate, is unique among saturated fats. Research have shown that it doesn’t raise cholesterol levels in the same way that other types of saturated fats do. In fact, eating a 1.4 ounce chocolate bar instead of a carbohydrate-rich snack has been shown to increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

We all know that the balance of HDL vs LDL is one of the most important factors in cardio health. By increasing HDL levels, we help to clear the blood of potential blockage and thus, improve our overall cardio well-being.

But remember, eating anything in excess is never good. So, while chocolates may be good for you, fat intake must be regulated together with all the other components in your healthy diet plan.

And don't forget a sensible exercise program.

Our Body Runs on Glucose

Sometimes, in our anxiety to reduce fats, we forget that our body runs on glucose. Without that, we cannot function.

Glucose is derived from the digestion of sugar and starch in carbohydrates in noodles, pasta, bread, rice and even vegetable and fruits.

When we consume carbohydrates, digestion begins in the mouth. An enzyme called salivary amylase is produced which converts the starches in the food to sugars like dextrins, maltose and maltotriose.

Further digestion occurs in the small intestine. The pancreas secrets the enzyme amylase which breaks carbohydrates into simple sugar like maltose, lactose and sucrose.

As these sugars move down the intestine, the enzymes maltase, lactase, and sucrase respectively break maltose, lactose and sucrose down into smaller molecules. These are eventually converted to the simplest form of sugar - glucose - and absorted throught the intestinal walls into the bloodstream.

So, simply cutting down on calories is not necessarily good for us. We need to understand what our body needs to function properly, and then plan a diet that is sensible and healthy. This means that it must have enough glucose to help us function, sufficient vitamins and minerals to help us replenish what is consumed.

One way to help regulate the uptake of sugar is to use carbo-inhibitors. This is good if we have a habit of eating a lot of rice or pasta. But remember, combine your diet with a proper exercise program.

Raw Sugar is Better than White Sugar

Here is an interesting myth that has persisted for a long time:

*Myth: * Brown or Raw sugar are healthier than refined white sugar

*Truth:* All sugars contain the same amount of calories.

So, what is the real difference between brown sugar, raw sugar and white sugar? Brown and raw sugar have more minerals than refined sugar. However, the mineral content is minimal and therefore insignificant when considered in the overall balanced diet. You need to ensure that your daily additional sugar intake should be less than 10% of your total daily intake.

*Types of Sugar*:

Refined sugar is any sugar product treated to remove the molasses - the by-product presents itself in the form of brown sugar syrup.

Brown Sugar is refined white sugar but with added molasses.

Raw Sugar is sugar which has been minimally processed and has a higher molasses content.

Secret to reducing weight - cut TV viewing

The Dec 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reported that people who cut their TV time by half burned 119 more calories per day on an average.

This is definitely an interesting study. Reducing the time spent in front of the TV has the potential to improve a person's activity level, said Dr Jennifer Otten in the online edition of Stanford Medicine. She is the lead author of a study that determines how reduced TV viewing can affect calories consumed, energy used, body weight, time spent sleeping and the balance between calorie ingestion and activity in obese and overweight adults. This study was conducted at the University of Vermont.

Dr Otten also said that the more time one spent in front of the TV, the higher the chances they have to suffer from obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obviously one contributing factor is the sedentary lifestyle.

So, health tip for today - press the red button and go out for a walk.

Coffee, Tea and Diabetes?

Here is an interesting health tip that will interest those who like coffee and tea. Is seems that coffee and tea drinkers have a lower risk of developing Type
2 diabetes than others.

BBC Health reported that they have looked at 18 separate studies and found that people who drink 3-4 cups a day cut their risk by a fifth. Is that good news or what?

What is Type 2 diabetes? This is a form of diabetes where the body is not able to produce sufficient insulin as opposed to cases where the body is unable to produce any insulin. It could also be that the insulin produced does not seem to work as required.

This identification of the active component in tea and coffee opens up new therapeutic options.

Source: Mind Your Body, The Straits Times, 17 Dec 2009

Are Energy Drinks Healthy?

Many people are aware that drinking Coke and other sweetened frizzy drinks are not healthy. But when it comes to those "energy drinks", they seem to be associated with the "healthy" crowd.

Did you know that there have been studies that show how energy drink raises blood pressure and heart rate and may post a problem for those with heart problems?

Dr James Kalus and his team of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit found that healthy adults that drink 2 cans of energy drinks appear to have an increase in blood pressure and heart rates. While this is insignificant for healthy adults, it will be hazardous for those with heart problems. That's because energy drinks contain caffeine, taurine, sugars, vitamins, and other nutritional supplements.

The researcher also said consumption of energy drinks should not be confused with sport drinks, which aim to replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes that a body needs.

Source: Mind Your Body by The Straits Time, 9 April 2009

How to recognise a stroke victim

When we learn First Aid, we learn about artificial respiration, resuscitation techniques and how to relieve choking. But often, we do not learn how to identify the symptoms of a stroke.

Here are 4 steps to help you identify a stroke:

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

*S* - *Ask the individual to SMILE. *

*T* *- Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)*
(eg. It is sunny out today.)

*R* *- Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS..*

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

*4th Sign of a Stroke -- Stick out Your Tongue*

Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: *Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

Chocolates will make you fat

Have you heard this one?

*Myth*: Chocolate causes weight gain.

*Fact*: Any food can be part of a healthy diet if consumed in moderation.

An average chocolate bar contains 220 calories. This means that it is low enough to form a part of a weight control diet when mixed with other foods to make up the required calorie intake for each meal.

The problem usually occurs when you eat a lot of chocolates. Snacking in between meals, eating chocolate deserts on top of a full meal and other such excessive eating habits can cause severe weight gain.

Chocolate’s bad reputation is slowly changing and research now shows that chocolate can be a part of an overall healthy lifestyle, when consumed in moderation. If you keep your portions small and select dark chocolate whenever possible, the occasional treat can be a guilt-free part of your diet.

How do you know if you are sufficiently hydrated

When you do not have enough water, your body suffers. One of the interesting side effects could be feelings of hunger. This hunger pang is a "false" signal and it is another way that your body tries to get you to ingest liquids other than feelings of "thirst".

That is why you will put on more weight, because you feel "hungry" and eat when actually all your body needs is a glass of water. So, how to tell if you are sufficiently hydrated?

To know if you are dehydrated, here are 4 tell-tale signs

1. A dry mouth is the LAST outward sign of dehydration.

2. If you are thirsty, your cells are already severely dehydrated.

3. Your urine is dark or orange colour when you are severely dehydrated.

4. Your urine is yellow when you are somewhat dehydrated.

So, when you are hydrated, your urine is colourless. Drink plenty of water. It is healthy, keeps you feeling full, and prevents over eating.

Reduce Salt for Better Health and losing Fats

I read something that really made me lay off salt. You see, according to Dr Myron Weinberger, a professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, "Most people think that sodium comes from the salt shaker. The salt shaker contributes less than 10 to 15 per cent".

When we are pressed for time, meal-on-the-go becomes a way of life for many working folks. Processed food and those heat-up-and-ready-to-eat food contain a high level of sodium to promote a longer shelf life and to excite your taste buds.

The sodium in such processed food makes us very thirsty. Instead of drinking a glass of water, we further load ourselves with empty calories by consuming sodas, colas, coffees, teas etc. These drinks and beverages are heavy with sugar. So, indirectly, one of the fastest way to cut back on empty calories is to cut our salt intake.

Unless there is serious health complication, no government authorities will intervene and insist on low salt in processed foods. According to a study based on the 1997 diet data from Great Britain's National Diet and Nutrition Survey, researchers suggested that cutting in half the amount of salt British children consume - a decrease of about half a teaspoon a day - would lead to an average reduction of about 510g of sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week.

Salt leads to thirst, thirst leads to soft drinks and soft drinks lead to fat abs, poor health and a lot of spending on unhealthy food.

Organic Food is Good for You

For people who are keen to know why organic food is great for our body, read what Mike Selvon Mike Selvon's got to say:

Organic food health benefits are debated more than ever. With people demanding to buy organic food more, researchers are tying to find the benefits and risks of eating organically.

Sometimes researchers have said that the organic food health benefits are really nonexistent, while with other studies, multiple benefits have been found. By researching organic foods, a person can find the real story about organic food health benefits.

Organic food health benefits may begin with the debate of the nutrition level of certified organic food versus regularly grown food. Depending on what information is read, different information is given.

According to the research on organic food that the New York Times did in 2003, their report was that "recent preliminary evidence suggests that the levels of certain nutrients, especially vitamin C, some minerals and some polyphenols -- naturally occurring antioxidants that may help bolster the immune system -- are higher in organically grown crops."

This comment alone reinforces such food health benefits that a person can gain by eating fresh organic food.

Outside organic growing, many farmers, in order to have their plants grow larger and more bountiful, add pesticides and toxins. Such food health benefits stem from the lack of these toxins and pesticides.

Pesticides have been linked to making people ill, and can cause a person to avoid fresh vegetables that are needed for an overall healthy diet. Toxins in the body can cause problems such as headaches and tremors.

Because organic food health benefits help reduce the risk of these undesirable benefits, natural and organic food should be definitely taken into consideration when choosing foods.

One particular such food health benefit occurs when the additives that are found in almost all foods are not used. Organic food production prohibits the use of food additives such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and hydrogenated fat.

This in itself is excellent for all people but especially children. The less artificial sweeteners that children can be exposed to the better according to most doctors.

Organic food health benefits are numerous. Debates rage as to what exact benefits organically grown food can offer the public. Some claim that the nutrient levels are higher, others say they are the same.

But one thing is for sure. Organically grown food offers little to no pesticides, and this can help everyone be healthier. No matter whether studies are right in linking certain ailments to pesticides or not, even children can gain from such food health benefits.

Because of the lack of artificial ingredients, children can be healthier and happier. This fact alone is enough to make anyone start enjoying fresh organic food.

Smoking create hormone imbalance

Sometimes, when you try to lose fats, you miss the most obvious things. Did you know that smoking creates an imbalance in women's hormone levels, which leads to changes in body shape?

There is a misconception that smokers are thinner than non-smokers. However, smoking actually affects the endocrinal system - the glands that secrete hormones - and changes your body shape, increasing the waist-to-hip ratio.

So, smokers can be pot-bellied with spindly legs. This is attributed to smoking upsetting the hormone levels. This, in turn, results in smokers storing fats in an abnormal way. So smokers tend to acquire an 'apple' shape.

When you stop smoking, your body can get back to normal and recover from the effects of smoking.You want to look young, you have to delay the process of aging. Smoking accelerates the process of aging.

Now you know, stay healthy. Stop smoking.

Music can make you healthy

Many people have believed this down through the years. Now, with modern medicine behind it, more people will start to believe it too - music is good for you. According to Dr Michael Miller, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland, you should listen to music to maintain good heart health.

You see, your heart will likely soar at the sound of joyous music. That's supposed to be good for you. Dr Miller's findings were reported at the annual meeting of the Amercian Heart Association in New Orlean in November 2008.

WebMD reported that 10 volunteers identified specific music that made them feel a sense of joy. While the music was being played, the researchers used an ultrasound device to measure how well each person's blood vessels responded to a sudden increase of blood flow. The volunteers' blood vessels dilated by 26% when they heard joyful music. That is a very healthy sign according to the good doctor.

What exactly is joyous music? Dr Miller says it depends on the individual. It's not the type of music that counts but a person's response to it.

In that case, you might want to download some joyous music to keep your healthy pink and healthy.

Take Soya for Lower Cholesterol

Some people have been talking about taking soya to lower cholesterol levels. How much of this is folk-lore and how much of it is true?

The FDA have allowed companies to claim that 25g of soya protein a day, in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, "may reduce the risk of heart disease". This is based on the agency's evaluation of studies and they concluded that soya is able to cut cholesterol.

In 2006, an Americal Heart Association advisory panel reviewed a decade of studies and determined that soya product had no significant effects on good cholesterol or HDL, or triglycerides (fat in the blood), and little or no ability to lower "bad" cholesterol or LDL.

Another study published in August in The Americal Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that taking 24g of soya protein daily had no "significant effect on plasma LDL." in people with mildly elevated cholesterol.

Yet another line of research shows that soya seems to help if soya is taken with foods that's low in fat and high in fibre.

The evidence is rather inconclusive, but there are indications that it might be possibly true. For sure, it has no negative effect. So, try it and let us know.

Source: The New York Times

Soup can make you fat

Last week, I shared a soup recipe. Then, my friend who loves her soups cannot understand why she couldn't lose weight when she changed her diets to mostly salads, soups and bread rolls.

Well, you know that there are many different kinds of soup. I am guessing that her fondness for rich and thick soups is the main culprit.

Soups like cream of potato soup or cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup and beef strongnafoff are fantastic soups; unfortunately, they are also full of cream, cheese and meat. In other words, they are loaded with calories. When you add croutons or eat them with bread rolls, pasta, rice, you will end up with even more calories. So, just because you are drinking soupd does not mean that you are on a low calorie diet.

Choose to drink clear soups whenever you can. Broth-based and vegetable based soups and stews are excellent choices when you are trying to lose fats. They can fill you, but have much lesser calories.

Healthy Recipe - Hamburger and Green Bean Soup

This is a hearty soup idea for cold nights or hungry children. It is simple to prepare and low in fat. It is rather filling too.

Ingredients
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of tomato soup (low fat or low sodium, regular is fine too)


1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup instant rice, uncooked

1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, rinsed & drained
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
butter-flavored cooking spray

Directions

1 Spray a large saucepan with cooking spray.
2 Brown beef and chopped onions over medium heat until cooked though; drain any fat.
3 To the browned meat & onions, add the can of tomato soup, tomato sauce, and water.
4 Bring to a boil, then add uncooked instant rice, green beans, parsley, and black pepper; stir well.
5 Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring once or twice.

Hope you enjoy this recipe.

Apples and antioxidants

Have you heard: An apple keeps a doctor away?

You see, apples contain a natural antioxidant called *quercetin* which is found in red apples. This antioxidant gives the body an immunity boost.

Researchers have found that a group of athletes taking quercetin supplements maintained better mental alertness and reaction times over a control group who were given a placebo.

Red apples are available all year round, so there is no excuse not to include them into your diet. So do take advantage of eating the fruit at least once a day and you may actually find that the doctor may become a stranger to you and your family.

You can have heart problems when you are not over weight

Everyone knows that being over weight can lead to heart problems. But did you know that even if you are not over weight, you can still have heart problems?

This is according to a latest finding which tracked the health of 21,094 male doctors for 2 decades. It confirmed that even those who were only moderately overweight had a higher risk.

In men who are 1.8m tall, for every 3.2 kg of excess body weight, their risk of heart failure rose on average by 11% over the next 2 years. This is reported in the journal, Circulation, by Reuters.

The average age of the men at the outset of the Physicians' Health Studies was 53. During the study, 1109 of them developed heart failure.

Overall the risk of heart failure increased by 180% in men who met the definition of obesity according to their body mass index (BMI of 30 and higher) and by 49 % in men who met the definition of overweight (a BMI of 25-30)

So if you are even slightly over weight, you might want to change your diet and maintain a optimal weight. Eating more meals with smaller portions will help. If you are grossly over weight, change diet, exercise and if necessary get professional help.

Lack of Sleep can indicate Heart Problems

There is sufficient evidence today that a lack of sleep can lead to heart diseases.

According to the December issue of Journal of the American Medical Association, people who get less than 5 -7 hours of sleep nightly are almost twice as likely to develop early signs of blood vessel damage as those who get more rest. The research is led by Diane Lauderdale, an epodemiologist at the University of Chicago. The study involved 495 people aged 35 - 47 who did not have existing heart damage to see whether a lack of sleep might be a contributing factor to heart diseases.

The largest group of subjects received 5-7 hours of sleep a night. Over the 5 years of study, about 11% developed calcified arteries. With less than 5 hours of nightly sleep, the danger rose starkly with 27% developing blood vessel calcification during the study. In contrast, only 6% of those who received more than 7 hours of sleep showed signs of heart damage at the end of the study.

Earlier studies had shown that lack of sleep may also contribute to obesity and diabetes.

Heart disease often occurs only after years of damage to the blood vessels that surround and support the cardiac muscles. Calcium build up in the blood vessels is one of the main causes, along with high cholesterol.

Addiction to Junk Food, Fats, Sugar, Caffeine and Chocolate

Some people find it hard to lose their excess fats. That is because they have addictions that need to be dealt with. One of the first steps to dealing with addiction is to know that they exist. Here are some examples of food addictions:

*1. Junk Food Addiction*

Research has found that the brains of people who have a special craving or obsession with junk food look similar to those of drug addicts. They have fewer receptors for dopamine, which governs the brain's pleasure centers. These people might need to consume more of pleasurable, aka junk, food, to feel good.

*2. Fat Addiction*

People with a fat addiction are attracted to high-fat foods like dairy products and oily fast food like french fries and onion rings. According to research, this is a biochemical issue. It is not a case of a person lacking the will power to resist. Consuming fat affects the body's brain chemistry, in much the same way as when alcohol or drugs are ingested.

*3. Sugar Addiction*

This is a little uncommon. However, there are indeed folks who experience a "sugar rush" after eating sweet stuff. There is scientific evidence to prove that ingesting substantial sweet food or drinks will affect the levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, in the brain. Without a regular and consistent supply of sugar, these folks will go through withdrawal symptoms too.

*4. Caffeine Addiction*

Caffeine is a socially acceptable addiction. However, that does not mean it is okay to have it. When anything becomes an addiction, it's not good. Anyone who has tried to adopt the "cold turkey" way to eliminate caffeine from his/her system will experience withdrawal symptoms from irritability, headaches or even fatigue and anxiety. These symptoms may take 7 days or more to go of . Some people might not have the will power to withstand the discomfort and choose to start drinking caffeinated beverages.

*5. Chocolate Addiction*

When we are enjoying chocolates, our bodies release serotonin. Serotonin produces a feeling of well-being. This may explain why we always celebrate with chocolate or to console ourselves to feel good again. Of course, chocolate addiction might bring on dental problem.

When we over-consume anything and it becomes addiction, it's no good - emotionally, physically and spiritually. When it comes to food, take a balanced meal. Eat your cakes, have your chocolate but in moderation.

P.S. Taraak , a Longivity Coach, who contributes articles here swears by sprouts, while others like Frederic Paternaude believes raw food is the way to healthy eating. There's no right or wrong, you just have to choose a suitable way that fits your lifestyle. Whatever it is, more greens is good.

Healthy Food Tip - Frozen Soup Stock retains nutriets

Sometimes, home cooking is too much of a hassle in our busy schedules. Undeniably, we all know that cooking at home is healthier than eating out. Here is a tip that can help.

According to Ms Nehal Kamdar, Dietian with Raffles Hospital, a home made soup soup stock is an excellent way to enhance the flavour of dishes. The meat, bones and beans that you are using contain mainly minerals, protein and fat. None of these are destroyed by heat. However, there are some points to note when freezing home-made stock:

1. As the stock continues to heat, oil in the water rises to the
surface, and combines with the proteins, creating a foam. You
should let the soup chill completely and skim the fat from the top
before freezing the stock. Fat spoils over time in the freezer and
shortens the frozen stock shelf life.
2. Store Food in small servings to hasten freezing. This also allows
you to defrost what you want.
3. The quicker food freezes, the better its quality once thawed.
Arrange containers in a single layer to allow air to circulate for
quicker freezing.
4. When defrosting, do so in the refrigerator or microwave, never in
room temperature or you might run the risk of food contamination.
5. Do not freeze more than 4 months.

What is cellulite?

Cellulite is the bane of many, especially women. Strangely, it is not a phenomena that appears only in fat and over-weight people.

Cellulite results from the abnormal storage of fat in the skin and subcutaneous connective tissue retraction and is more common in women than men.

Whether you are young of elderly, underweight or overweight, you are likely to be plagued by cellulite if you are leading a highly sedentary lifestyle and do not have a balanced diet. Unfortunately, cellulite tend to worsen over time. Gradually, the lumpy orange peel effect of cellulite become more pronounced on the hips, abdomen, thighs and buttocks.

In women, the tissues is particularly sensitive to variations in hormone levels (menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause) which promote the storage and build up of fat reserves.

According to Joey Atlas , Publisher and Editor of "The Cellulite Reduction Report":

Several years ago, Neil Solomon, M.D., conducted a double-blind
study of 100 people to see whether "cellulite" differed from
ordinary fat. Specimens of regular fat and lumpy fat were obtained
by a needle biopsy procedure and given to pathologists for analysis
and comparison...

No differences between the two types of fat samples were found.

More recently, researchers at Rockefeller Institute used
ultrasonography, microscopic examinations, and fat-metabolism
studies to see if "cellulite affected" and unaffected skin areas
differed in seven healthy adult subjects - five women, two men; four
of them "cellulite" affected, three unaffected.

Not surprisingly - the researchers concluded: (a) certain
characteristics of skin make women more prone than men to develop
the appearance of "cellulite"; and (b) there were no differences in
the appearance or function of the fatty tissue or the regional blood
flow between "cellulite" affected and unaffected body areas within
these individuals...

So, make sure you have a balanced diet and practise healthy living as a lifestyle. Not only will that keep you healthy, it will keep you good looking too.

Milk increases the risk of Heart Disease

Here is another interesting discussion that has been going around - does milk increase the risk of hear disease?

*Myth*: Dairy can increase heart disease risk.

*Truth* Milk and milk-products do not lead to heart diseases.

In fact, heart diseases are caused by a diet which is high in fats rather than any other reasons. When you take low-fat milk products, for example, skimmed milk or reduced-fat yogurt, not only will your fat intake be lowered, the absorption of other essential vitamins and minerals are enhanced.

It is a well known fact that milk products contain a lot of goodness for us. By removing excess fat content, skimmed milk fortified with minerals and vitamins are definitely good for our overall well being.

So, do not be misled. Avoid a high fat diet. That of course includes over indulging in milk products like cheese and rich cream. Other than that, enjoy your diary products, they are good for you.

Milk is not an effective calcium supplement

Here is an interesting discussion that has been going back and forth in the supplements and the "health conscious" community - is milk an effective calcium supplement?

* Myth: * Milk isn't as effective as calcium supplement.

*Truth: * Milk is rich in Calcium. A lot of the controversy actually relates to the nutritional value of milk. This has often been confused when entering discussions about calcium in milk. Having said that, do we really absorb more calcium from milk than from other sources? A study done at Cambridge seems to support that milk calcium does seem to be better absorbed (ref: http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FBJN%2FBJN62_02%2FS0007114589001224a.pdf&code=c981794509f8f5b781bc6fe8a66d382c).

So, milk has many other benefits, and since it is indeed a good source of calcium, you can take skimmed milk fortified with calcium to avoid the fats, and it should be good for you in other ways.

Diet Sodas - a better option?

Here is an interesting thought. IF you wanted to lose fats, would taking Diet sodas help?

Well, according to the study conducted by the University of Cincinnati Biology Department, here are some results and you decide:

The amount of sugar found in

Diet 7-up ... 0.21 tsp
Diet Pepsi ... 2.14 tsp
Diet Coke ... 3.3 tsp
Coke Classic ... 9.15 tsp
Pepsi ... 9 tsp
Mountain Dew ... 10.4 tsp
Dr Pepper ... 19.17 tsp
A&W Root Beer ... 110.25 tsp

According to the National Soft Drink Association o USA, the average 12 ounce non-diet, carbonated soft drink is equivalent to 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. That amount of sugar can immobilize the immune system by about 33%. About 30 teaspoon can shut down the immune system for the whole day.

How much is too much, how much is enough?

Reference: http://biology.clc.uc.edu/scripts/popreslt.pl

Eat and Lose Fats

If you, for whatever reason, find that you want to lose fats and yet, would like to eat as much as you feel like, your friends might think you have lost your mind. Fortunately, this is possible. All you need to do is select foods with fewer calories or with a lower energy density.

What is the meaning of lower energy density? Foods that have a high water and fiber content have low energy density. So, eating such foods will cause you to feel satisfied, bloated even, while calorie intake is reduced and you might even lose weight.

One example of low energy density food is fruits. However, note that only fresh fruits qualify. Canned fruits are loaded with sweet and heavy syrup, and that means high sugar content. Avoid dried fruit. Though commonly referred to as a healthy choice, it has four times the energy density of fresh fruit. This is because they don’t have much water in them - concentrated calories. Fresh and whole fruit has the least amount of calories and the highest amount of fullness and satisfaction.

Some fruits for your consideration are grapefruit, melons (watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew), berries (strawberries, raspberries and blueberries), papaya and peach.

Recipe - Fun, Healthy Snack for kids

Once in a while, we need to have some happy food. This is really more for kids, and for those who love peanut butter.

You can make as many as you want, but I believe this amount can make 8 to 10 balls nicely.

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dry milk
1/4 cup sesame seed
1/4 cup honey

Directions

1 Mix all ingredients together, and roll into one inch balls.
2 Chill.

Now, wasn't that easy? It is going to be a little messy, but then, its part of the fun!

Cardio Health : Sleep Deprivation

Heart attack is considered to be a man's ailment, but the truth is, heart disease kills more women than men each year - nearly 460,000 per year. That's more than those who died from all types of cancers combined. As it is considered to be a male’s disease, it is unfortunate that doctors often neglect female’s symptoms until it’s becomes too serious. There is no valid reason for that kind of neglect and incompetence from health professionals, but there may be a reason why so many women suffer from heart disease.

According to research the lack of sleep may be a defining factor for women getting heart diseases. It was reported that women who get less than 5 hours of sleep per night had unusually high amounts of protein in their blood. One of those proteins, hs-CRP, or C-Reactive Protein, is the leading indicator of pending heart attack.
Heart attack is only one of the serious diseases associated with high levels of CRP in the blood, but people with high CRP levels are four and a half times more likely to have a heart attack than those with normal levels. They're a more reliable indicator than either cholesterol or homocysteine in predicting the risk of a heart attack.

Interestingly, lack of sleep did not cause the same rise in CRP in men.
High levels of CRP are commonly caused by inflammation in the body. This can be a reaction to an infection, toxins, burns, or injury. Only recent studies have shown that increased CRP is a reaction to lack of sleep in women. While elevated levels will decline when caused by other sources, consistent lack of sleep will keep levels high.

Knowing this, and knowing that women generally short themselves on sleep in order to keep up with the demands of both work and family, it is no wonder that more women than men are dying from heart disease.

So ladies, next time you're tempted to stay up an extra hour to get the kitchen clean or make sure everyone in the family has their breakfast early in the morning, please resist! Teach your family to take care of some things themselves so you can get the sleep you require.

They may love and appreciate the things you do for them, but they also want you to be alive and healthy to enjoy life with them.

Cardio Health: Laugh Heartily

As the saying goes “laughter is the best medicine”. This may appear to be actually true when it comes to protecting the heart especially. According to a recent study conducted by cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Centre in Baltimore, people with heart disease are found to be 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease.

From the study, it is researched that mental stress plays a huge part. Mental stress is said to impair the endothelium which causes a series of inflammatory reactions. This in turn, leads to fat and cholesterol build-up in the coronary arteries and eventually causes a heart attack.

Although it is unclear as to how laughing can protect the heart directly, here are some of the probable reasons:
1. For instance, when you have a good hearty laugh, your heart rate and blood pressure rise and then dip below normal when you stop laughing. In other words, your heart is getting a workout similar to an aerobic exercise.
2. Laughing benefits your respiratory system as well. After a really good laugh, you frequently have to take in a big breath of air which fills your heart with oxygen.
3. Laughing also decreases the level of stress hormones called cortisol which brings us back to the point on mental stress as mentioned above.
So, how about placing some comics on your bedside from now? A little laughter each day is no doubt the best food and nutrition for both our mental and physical health.

Cardio health: Avoid Roller Coasters

When was the last time you had an enjoyable and thrilling roller coaster ride? A year ago? Six months ago? Or is it just last weekend? Well, maybe this will make you think twice about it the next time you visit that favourite amusement park of yours.

According to a research conducted by University Hospital (Mannheim, Germany), roller coasters are not good for the heart, especially so for those suffering from existing heart diseases. In the United States alone, 1 in 150 million roller coaster rides result in death and there are 900 million of such rides each year. So how does roller coaster rides affect our heart health? They can be summed up in one major point as shown below:

- Irregular heartbeat

During the ascending part of the ride, your heart beats faster as a result of your psychological stress and fear that builds up in you. According to studies, the riders’ average maximum heart rates soared to an average 153 beats per minute compared to an average heart rate of 91 beats per minute when at rest. This tremendous increase in heart rate results in irregular heartbeat for a few minutes later on after the ride has stopped. Even for those whose heartbeat rates have returned to normal, it is likely that sinus arrhythmia would have caught up with them. For your information, sinus arrhythmia is the anxious state of slowing down the heart while breathing out and increasing of the heartbeat during inspiration. The abnormality could prove to be dangerous and even deadly if it remained untreated.

Calling out to roller coaster enthusiasts out there, this is by no means the end of all rides, but sadly sometimes it is through phobias and fears that we realise how fragile our health and lives are. So do cherish and take good care of your heart! Now that you know about the harmful effects, you wouldn’t want to lead a life with regrets, do you?

Cardio Health: Consuming Dark Chocolate

Well, here’s something for the chocolate lovers out there to rejoice. According to a study conducted by the University of California in San Francisco, dark chocolates are found to be good for the heart.

How I wish I was one of the volunteers for that experiment! Anyway, here are the findings:
1. The flavoniods in the dark chocolates keep cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels, which reduces the risk of blood clots and slows down the immune responses that lead to clogged arteries.
2. Eating dark chocolates reduces the blood pressure as well.
3. Dark chocolate lowers the amount of C-reactive protein in the blood. And people with low C-reactive protein in their blood have a lower level of chronic inflammation which reduces the risk of contracting heart diseases.

According to the study, people who eat dark chocolate regularly in small servings, have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein.

It is no doubt that a little dark chocolate is good for our heart. However, excessive consumption of anything has never been advisable. Eat in moderation!

Cardio Health: Dangers of Smoking

Smoking is highly detrimental to health, especially towards our cardio health. As one of the major causes of coronary heart disease amongs urban dwellers, every puff of smoke that you take decreases your lifespan by seconds. Heart disease is the number one killer disease in Singapore. This probably has got to do with the increasing number of smokers in the Singapore.

How smoking leads to coronary heart disease:
1. The carbon monoxide present in the cigarettes attaches to the haemoglobin which prevents the red blood cells from carrying oxygen to the heart and throughout the rest of the body.
2. Blood pressure is also raised as a result of the nicotine present in the cigarette which constricts the arteries throughout the body. This puts tremendous amount of stress on the heart as the heart now has to work harder.
3. Smoking also decreases the levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) aka good cholesterol while increasing the production of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) aka bad cholesterol.

Besides increasing the risk of coronary heart disease, smoking also has other harmful effects which include:
1. Obesity: According to research, smokers are 3 times more at risk of becoming obese than non-smokers.
2. Lung cancer: Smoking makes you 10 times more at risk of lung cancer than non-smokers.
3. Yellow teeth and bad breath: Just imagine yourself going for a nice date; you wouldn’t want anything to go wrong, would you?
4. Passive smoking: Maybe your loved ones and friends are not smoking. However, if they inhale your puffs when you breathe out, they are actually getting the same amount of negative effects, if not worse.

As you can see, smoking is one of the worst habits that you can develop. I know that quitting smoking is not easy due to the craving for nicotine; however here are some ways that have worked well for my friends:
1. Make an effort to reduce smoking, not to stop completely. You will fail if you attempt to immediately stop smoking. Attempt to cut the number of sticks per day.
2. Aim to reduce 1 stick per day. Hold onto to the 1 stick reduction for 7 days.
3. Then reduce 2 sticks per day and hold onto to that reduction for 7 days.
4. Do it again and again until you become used to not smoking.

This method works well with visualization and imagination. The whole idea is to reduce the withdrawal symptoms and build up your tolerance towards lesser smoking. This definitely takes time. But for the sake of your cardio health, your body and your loved ones, it is an endeavour that you must not give up!

Cardio Health: Cold Temperature Hurts

If you are planning for your winter vacation trip, please do remember to include a few more pieces of clothing in your things-to-bring list. Dressing appropriately and adequately should be your most important consideration when going on a holiday.

Harsh temperatures and climates can be deadly, especially to your heart.

1. In cold climates, your blood vessels constrict in order preserve heat in your body. This causes your heart to work harder so as to squeeze blood through the narrow vessels, leading to an increase in blood pressure. Although typically the increase in blood pressure is published to be between 12 to 18mm Hg, which is not a significant increase for a healthy person, it may be a deciding factor for someone who is already suffering from high blood pressure.
2. Symptoms of angina could also develop as a result of lack of oxygen supply. As the narrow vessels restrict the blood supply, the amount of oxygen transported may be inadequate. Angina is defined as an uncomfortable feeling or pain in the chest.
3. Blood composition may also change due to low temperatures. The amount of particles in the blood, such as platelets, red blood cells, fibrinogen and cholesterol increases in cold temperatures and make the blood become thicker. This decrease in blood viscosity increases the risk of blood clotting and may lead to blocked vessels in the heart, brain or lungs.

While there is no doubt that avoiding the cold is the best form of prevention, it is not always the most practical option. Life still has to go on and work still has to be done during cold weather. Just remember to don a thick sweater and jersey when heading out during winter.

Recipe - Muffins for a Healthy Heart

Somehow, during Christmas, New Year and all the festive seasons, baking keeps coming to mind. Here is a nice recipe for delicious muffins, but good for the heart.

This recipe makes 24 muffins

Ingredients
3/4 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup oat bran
3/4 cup flax seed meal
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded
2 apples, peeled & shredded
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup nuts, chopped
3/4 cup soymilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla \

Directions

1 Mix together flour, flaxseed meal, oat bran, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt (if desired), and cinnamon into a large bowl.
2 Stir in carrots, apples, raisins (if desired), and nuts.
3 Combine milk, beaten eggs, and vanilla.
4 Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients.
5 Stir until ingredients are moistened.
6 Do Not over mix.
7 Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
8 Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Cardio Health: Drink to your Heart’s Content

Here is an interesting health tip. Drink. Yes, drinking! And I mean alcohol.

Well, do not be surprised. Although very often we hear that consuming alcohol is bad for our health, studies have shown that drinking moderately can actually help to protect our heart from diseases and breakdowns.

Here’s how moderate drinking helps:
1. Moderate alcohol intake improves fat balance in the blood and improves anti-clotting factors in our bodies. Alcohol also has a mild anti-coagulating effect, keeping platelets from clumping together to form clots.
2. Alcohol increases the levels of high-density lipoprotein, also known as good cholesterol, protects against the formation of plaques on blood vessel walls.
3. Drinking alcohol moderately also helps to regulate the level of insulin in the body.

Typically, a woman's body metabolizes alcohol differently so that 1 alcoholic beverage in a woman is equal to 2 in a man. Also, the older you are, the less efficiently the body metabolizes alcohol. However, it has to be noted that the level of moderate drinking varies from one individual to another. Although defined as less than four ounce equivalents per day, moderate drinking for one may be excessive drinking (or even crossing the legally drunk limit) for another. So, the next time, before you finish that last few cans in your fridge, do remember your threshold for alcohol. You wouldn’t want to suffer that horrendous hangover the next morning, do you?

10 Simple Health Practices: 9. Drinking Sufficient Amount Of Water

Water is the essence of life. Our body is made up of 75% water. A 5% drop in body fluids actually cause roughly up to 30% energy loss in an average adult. A more severe dehydration of up to 15% drop in body fluid can be life-threatening. Therefore drinking sufficient amount of water on a regular basis is vital to good health. Drinking up to 2 litres of water daily is a good amount.

Here are a 4 ways on how you can drink 2 litres of water on a daily basis:

1. Always Carry A Water Bottle
A water bottle typically can contain 500-750 ml of water. All it takes is less than 3 minutes to get your water bottle ready. Remember to always wash your bottle after a day of usage. You must be careful not to fill very hot water into your bottle as it may deform your bottle and also may contaminate the water. This is because some plastics might melt when you pour very hot water.

2. Always Have 2 Cups of Water By Your Bed
When you wake up in the morning, you will probably feel thirsty. However most of us do not attempt to quench the thirst because usually we will be rushing to work in the morning. This is where having 2 cups of water by your bed makes it convenient and acts as a reminder to drink up when you wake up. In addition, research has shown that our water absorption rate is at a peak when we wake up because the body has been rested and has not been filled with water during our slumber hours.

3. Opt For Water Instead Of Coffee
Coffee is highly diuretic. What this means is that coffee will increase our rate of water excretion, which is not favourable. I can understand that we often take coffee as a form of beverage to keep ourselves awake and alert during work. However, substituting coffee with water is even better as it replenishes our natural energy. It also may make us visit the toilet more often for relief which will surely wake us up. Not to mention that regular trips to the toilet make us less sedentary which is good for our health and that drinking coffee is harmful to our health in the long run.

4. Opt For Fruit Juice Instead of Soft Drinks
During meals, we often order soft drinks. As carbonated drinks with high sugar content, soft drinks are not healthy drinks. In fact soft drinks are also highly diuretic and actually make us thirstier afterwards. Fruits by nature are high in water content. Thus getting an apple juice or your favourite orange juice, especially those freshly squeezed ones, makes so much more health sense. Of course you can have water as your drink for your meal. However always drinking water can be boring and thus difficult to maintain. Besides fruit juices are a great alternative to water, given that fruits are healthy foods and that they provide a savoury taste which does not cost much.

Having a sufficient amount of water intake daily will provide us with a wide range of benefits from good skin complexion to more energy. So be sure to drink at least 2 litres of water daily!

10 Simple Health Practices: 8. Take Good Care of Your Fingernails

Merry Christmas everyone! Enjoy yourself tomorrow! Here is something you can do after all your wild parties, take care of your nails.

This is one area of our body that most people, especially the men, tend to neglect and take for granted. However, just like the way you dress and the disposition you portray, fingernails also tell a lot about one’s personality. Clean and trimmed fingernails give others the impression that the particular individual is someone who is neat and meticulous, always paying attention to the smallest details. On the other hand, having dirty and jagged fingernails tends to put others off. Just like asking for a cup of coffee from an air steward or stewardess on the plane, have you seen them with dirty fingernails? Well, you don’t, do you? Here’s how to keep your fingernails looking their best:

1. Never bite your fingernails
Never ever bite your fingernails. Kick this bad habit if you are guilty of it. Biting your fingernails may damage the nail bed and invite unnecessary and harmful bacteria into your body. Moreover, biting fingernails is an awful act and it hurts your beautiful image.

2. Never use your fingernails to poke or pry things
To prevent damaging your fingernails, never expose your fingernails to potential harm. Poking and prying can cause damage to your nail beds as well.

3. Protect your nails from harsh chemicals
When washing the dishes, it is best to wear gloves to protect your fingernails from the washing chemicals.

4. Trim and clean your fingernails regularly
Always make an effort to trim and clean under the fingernails regularly. After trimming, it is good to use an emery board to smooth the nail edges for an enhanced look.

5. Moisturise your fingernails frequently
When applying moisturiser to your hands, rub some lotion into your fingernails as well. Just like your skin, fingernails need moisture too. For ladies, always remember to apply moisturising lotion to your fingernails after removing nail polish.

6. Do not use nail polish remover more than twice a month (for ladies)
Try touching up the nail polish instead of removing it. However, if you really have to, avoid using those nail polish removers that use acetone, which dries up fingernails.

Now, you might not need to spend more money on a manicure.

Cardio Health: 7 Easy Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

1. Exercise regularly. A regular workout is good for your heart as well as your waistline. The best exercises are aerobic exercises. Aerobic exercises will push your heart to work harder, thereby pumping more oxygen via the flow of blood. Thus by pumping your heart aerobically, it becomes fitter and stronger. The right level for good heart health should be somewhere between your resting heart rate and your maximum heart rate. A good rule of thumb is that if you can converse as you exercise, you are not overdoing it.

2. Eat colorful, low-fat meals. Adding color to your meals will give you a lot of nutrition to help you maintain good heart health. As you concentrate on vegetable produce as a key element in your diet, remember that these foods should not be drowned in heavy fats. Accompany them with fish or lean chicken for a low-fat meal.

3. Get good sleep. Getting sufficient quality sleep is vital for a strong heart. A strong correlation seems to exist between a lack of sleep and developing certain heart conditions. It appears that 7 to 8 hours is about right, while 5 or less can be harmful. Even sleeping too much may be a heart risk. Do yourself a favor and get just the right amount of sleep.

4. Reduce your stress. Stress not only creates problems within your body, such as dangerously elevated levels of certain hormones; it may also contribute to how you manage your other risks. When you are under stress, you are not so focused on what you eat, how you exercise, and other habits you might have. You can improve your health by learning to meditate, pray, or just plain relax.

5. Take fish oil supplements. Omega-3 fish oil supplements have been shown to help with certain aspects of heart health. If your triglycerides are high, it can be a precursor to heart problems if not treated. Omega-3 fish oil supplements can lower those triglycerides significantly or keep them at a healthy level. Omega-3 has also been shown to help by reducing arrhythmias and decreasing plaque in the circulatory system. [Note: MyHealthyLifestyle has a product called Cardio Protec that has multiple action against triglycerides and cholesterol.]

6. Try garlic. You may or may not decide to use them as a part of your daily regimen. The evidence on whether garlic helps your heart is mixed. It seems to lower blood cholesterol somewhat, and may lower blood pressure. It can be helpful, and many people have seen good results from using it. With the proper recipe, garlic can create some really nice culinary experiences.

7. You can get a supplement containing plant sterols. Plant sterols are well known for their ability to maintain low cholesterol levels. They work by imitating cholesterol and preventing its absorption into the body. They can be found added to certain foods or in capsule form as supplements.

Cardio Health: Combating Diabetes

Most diabetics die from heart disease. If you are insulin insensitive type II diabetic, that means your body produces sufficient insulin, but the cells at the receptor sites do not respond because the receptor sites are clogged up by fat and cholesterol, becoming insensitive to insulin.

The damaged receptor sites cause the fluctuations in blood sugar, that leads to inner arterial wall damage. The major cause of insulin insensitive type II diabetes is uncontrolled diet with high intake of saturated fats. If you don't change your diet, the continual build up of high levels of cholesterol in arteries and receptor sites will make them even more difficult for blood to pass through, causing severe cases of diabetes, leading to higher blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. These are the risk factors and you must take steps to protect your heart.

Here are 3 tips that are recommended for you to protect your heart if you are a diabetic:

1. Control your cholesterol:
Even if your cholesterol falls within the healthy range, as a diabetic you still have to be conscious of your cholesterol level. Exercise and a healthy diet featuring plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain; and cut back on meat and saturated fat would help you to get your cholesterol in line.

2. Reduce the Pressure:
Your risk of high blood pressure doubles as a diabetic and high blood pressure causes up to 75% of all heart disease in diabetics. But to get your blood pressure in the range of 135/85, you must have a proper diet---low in red meat, saturated fat and high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

3. Give up smoking and alcohol:
The easy way to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease is to quit smoking and cut down on drinking. This is something many of us hear all the time, and it is true.
As a diabetic, your risk of getting heart diseases is roughly 4 times higher. Please do take good care of your heart and cut down on sugars, it will do you good!

Cardio Health: Eating Healthily

It is commonly said that you are what you eat. This statement applies especially towards keeping our hearts healthy. You can cut your risk of heart disease by increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables.

The Journal of Nutrition reported in the October issue that each vegetable or fruit serving that is added to your daily diet can cut your risk of heart disease by as much as 7%.

To achieve the maximum benefits from vegetables and fruits as part of a healthy eating plan - follow these simple guidelines:

1) Vary the types of fruits you eat. It does not matter if the fruits are fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. An individual who consumes 2,000 calories a day should aim to eat approximately 2 cups of fruit a day. That is roughly 3-4 servings of fruits daily.

2) Eat a variety of vegetables. Think color when choosing vegetables, dark greens, and orange vegetables have the most nutrients. Try a variety of dark green vegetables, carrots, and other vegetables. The darker coloured vegetables tend to have more nutritional value.

3) Drink 3 cups of low fat or fat free milk per day. You can substitute with low fat yogurt or low fat cheese (1½ ounces of cheese equals 1 cup of milk).

4) Choose high Fiber multigrain breads rather than white breads. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta every day. One ounce is about 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice or pasta.

5) Protein is important to your overall health. Protein builds muscle. More muscle content increases your metabolism. Aim for one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Choose lean meats and poultry. Bake it, broil or grill it.

6) Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day to keep the body hydrated

7) Reduce sodium, fats and trans fats in your diet. Read the Nutrition Facts label on foods. Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little salt or added sugar.

Always take care with what you eat and your heart will love you more than ever.