Health Files - Facts, Fads and Frauds

March 28, 2008

What is Lycopene

Filed under: Eating Healthy, Vitamins & Minerals — Tags: , — trishadeb @ 9:33 am

· Lycopene is an open-chain unsaturated carotenoid that imparts red colour to tomatoes, guava, rosehip, watermelon and pink grapefruit.
· Lycopene is a proven antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which may damage the body’s cells.
· Research shows that lycopene in tomatoes can be absorbed more efficiently by the body if processed into juice, sauce, paste and ketchup. The chemical form of lycopene found in tomatoes is converted by the temperature changes involved in processing to make it more easily absorbed by the body.
· In the body, lycopene is deposited in the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon and skin. Its concentration in body tissues tends to be higher than all other carotenoids.
· Regular high consumption of fruits and vegetables is recommended as part of healthy eating. Epidemiological studies have shown that high intake of lycopene-containing vegetables is inversely associated with the incidence of certain types of cancer. For example, habitual intake of tomato products has been inversely associated with the risk of cancer of the digestive tract among Italians. li>In one six-year study by Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, the diets of more than 47,000 men were studied. Of 46 fruits and vegetables evaluated, only the tomato products (which contain large quantities of lycopene) showed a measurable relationship to reduce prostate cancer risk. As consumption of tomato products increased, levels of lycopene in the blood increased, and the risk for prostate cancer decreased. The study also showed that the heat processing of tomatoes and tomato products increases lycopene’s bioavailability.

read more here ==> Lycopene.org

March 2, 2008

Great Health and Beauty Freebies

Filed under: Beauty, Freebies, Health — Tags: , , , , — trishadeb @ 8:26 am

While surfing the net I stumbled across this site. Lots of free stuff offered here, specially if yuo are in the US! :)

Beauty Freebies

Beauty Freebies 2

Health Freebies

February 18, 2008

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

Filed under: Diseases, Prevention — Tags: , — trishadeb @ 2:22 am

What is Dengue H-Fever?

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is an acute infectious viral disease usually affecting infants and young children. It is characterized by fever using the initial phase, and other symptoms like headache, pain in the eye, joint pain, muscle pain, etc., followed by signs of bleeding, eg., petechiae (red tiny spots on the skin), nosebleeding, gumbleeding. If there is blood in
the stools and/or blood in the vomitus and accompanied by shock, this is called Dengue Shock Syndrome and is often fatal.

Aedes aegypti, the transmitter of the disease, is a day-biting mosquito which lays eggs in clear water container, such as flower vases, cans, rain barrels, old rubber tires, etc. The adult mosquitoes nest in dark places of the houses

What are the symptoms of Dengue H-Fever?
1. Sudden onset of high fever which may last 2 to 7 days
2. Joint and muscles pain and pain behind the eyes
3. Weakness
4. Skin rashes ? maculopapular rash or red tiny spots on the skin called petechiae
5. Nosebleedidng when fever starts to subside
6. Enlargement of liver
7. Vomiting of coffee-colored matter
8. dark-colored stools

How to prevent Dengue H-Fever

  1. The community should organize themselves remove all possible
    breeding places of mosquitoes inside and outside of houses such as tin cans, rubber tires, bottles or drain accumulated water from trees and plants.
  2. Cover water storage containers to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.
  3. Clean house gutters to prevent stagnant of rain water.
  4. Isolate patients suffering from Dengue H-Fever for at least 5 days.
  5. Report to the nearest health center any suspected case of Dengue
    H-Fever in the neighborhood.

http://www.deped.gov.ph/e_posts.asp?id=372

February 4, 2008

Superfoods’ Everyone Needs

Filed under: Anti Aging, Eating Healthy, Vitamins & Minerals — Tags: — trishadeb @ 7:42 am

 

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/81/96952.htm?z=3608_00000_2904_hz_03

Experts say more than a dozen easy-to-find ’superfoods’ can do wonders for
your health.

By Gina Shaw Reviewed By Charlotte Grayson, MD
WebMD Feature

It’s a bird … it’s a plane … it’s … walnuts? Don’t laugh. The humble
walnut, along with a dozen other dietary choices — from beans to yogurt –
is no less than a “superfood,” say some health experts.

Steven Pratt, MD, is one of them. In his book SuperFoods RX: Fourteen Foods
That Will Change Your Life, he goes into detail why he thinks these foods
are so potent.

Pratt, an ophthalmologist who specializes in ocular plastic surgery at
Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., says he became convinced of
the power of these basic foods when he saw the positive results of a few
simple diet changes in his patients suffering from age-related macular
degenerationmacular degeneration — a leading cause of blindness.

“Whether you’re trying to prevent cataractscataracts, macular degeneration,
cancercancer, or cardiovascular disease, the same type of preventive
dietary measures apply,” he says. “The whole body is connected: a healthy
heart equals a healthy eye and healthy skin. You’ll hear about all these
special diets for special health needs, but really, the same diet and the
same lifestyle choices prevent the same diseases. With rare exceptions, you
don’t need 20 different preventive modalities — just one really good
diet.”

And that “one really good diet,” Pratt says, should be founded on these
“superfoods”:
Beans
Blueberries
Broccoli
Oats
Oranges
Pumpkin
Salmon
Soy
Spinach
Tea (green or black)
Tomatoes
Turkey
Walnuts
Yogurt

When incorporated into your regular daily diet, these foods, says Pratt,
can stop some of the changes that lead to diseases such as diabetes
diabetes, hypertensionhypertension, Alzheimer’s, and some cancers. “I
picked them out after researching all of the world’s healthiest diets: for
example, Japanese diets, Mediterranean diets, and even some of the
healthier dietary patterns in the United States,” he says. “I noticed that
it’s the same food groups wherever you live.”

January 17, 2008

Wrinkles

Filed under: Anti Aging, Prevention — Tags: , — trishadeb @ 8:28 am

Skin wrinkles are grooves in the skin. Wrinkles can be on the surface of the skin or can be quite deep.

What is going on in the body?

Skin loses its strength and elasticity, or ability to stretch, as a person ages. This makes the skin less able to smooth out, which is thought to be part of the cause of wrinkles and skin sagging seen in the elderly. Sun exposure also contributes to the development of wrinkles.

What are the causes and risks of the symptom?

A number of factors can cause wrinkles, including the following:

  • loss of elasticity with age
  • sun damage
  • repeated facial movements, such as frowning
  • natural effects of gravity, which cause sagging of the skin as a person ages
  • People at highest risk for wrinkles include:

  • fair-skinned people
  • people who spend a lot of time in the sun
  • people who have family members with a lot of wrinkles
  • http://www.healthopedia.com/wrinkles/

    November 20, 2007

    10 Brain Damaging Habits

    1. No Breakfast
    People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

    2. Overeating
    It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

    3. Smoking
    It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

    4. High Sugar consumption
    Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

    5. Air Pollution
    The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

    6. Sleep Deprivation
    Sleep allows our brain to rest.. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells..

    7. Head covered while sleeping
    Sleeping with the head covered, increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

    8. Working your brain during illness
    Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

    9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
    Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

    10. Talking Rarely
    Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

    November 12, 2007

    The Real Sexy Filipina

    Filed under: Filipina — Tags: , , , — trishadeb @ 1:53 pm

    Finally, the real sexy and smart Filipina.

    They are everywhere!

    We are real Filipinas online!

    filipina.jpg

     

    Join the Campaign!

    Let us redefine what is the real sexy Filipina in the internet!

    Filipina Network

    Filipina Images

    Why do we stress the words SEXY FILIPINA?

    August 8, 2007

    5 Essential Strategies to Combat Aging

    Filed under: Anti Aging, Prevention — Tags: , , — trishadeb @ 5:18 am

    How to keep your mind sharp and your body young

    By Dr. Gary Small

    Most of us protest against the idea of aging in the way our parents did and vow to fight the process as long as possible. We are looking for a safe, convenient, medically sound way to live longer, empower ourselves, and remain healthy and fulfilled throughout that long life - what I refer to as “quality longevity.”

    To achieve quality longevity, we have more control than we think. Genetics accounts for only one-third of what determines our health as we age. That means that simple everyday lifestyle choices have a major impact on how well and how long we live.

    Empowering ourselves for the future requires learning new skills as well as honing the ones we already have. Try some of these strategies to live longer and feel and look younger.

    Strategy 1: Sharpen your mind

    With a sharp mind, we’re more inclined to stay fit, have good relationships, eat well and live a healthy lifestyle. Doing mental aerobics can improve memory and lower your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. A recent UCLA study found that when we keep our minds active, brain efficiency increases dramatically, even after just a few weeks.

    Consider these tips to sharpen your mind:

    Try different approaches to expanding your mental horizons, whether it’s traveling to new destinations, learning a musical instrument, taking up ballroom dancing or going back to school.

    Learn and use the three basic memory techniques:

    Look - focus attention on what you want to remember

    Snap - imagine a mental snapshot of the information

    Connect - link the snapshots together in your mind’s eye

    Stay mentally active through puzzles, games, reading and other stimulating hobbies, but be sure to train and not strain your brain - find the level of challenge that keeps you interested without frustrating or exhausting you.

    Strategy 2: Cultivate healthy relationships

    Socially connected people have longer life expectancies than isolated individuals. Cultivate intimacy with your partner since good sex makes for a longer life. Not only does it bring people closer together, it lowers blood pressure, reduces pain, promotes restful sleep and boosts the immune system so we are better able to fight off infections.

    Empathy - our ability to understand another person’s emotional viewpoint and to express that understanding - is the social glue that keeps us together. Although not everyone is an empathy expert, we can improve our skills through simple exercises that teach us to express our empathic responses.

    Try this attentive listening exercise: Ask your mate or friend to talk about a feeling or issue important to him and just listen without interrupting or interpreting. Maintain eye contact and stay focused. After five minutes, talk to each other about how it felt.

    Strategy 3: Reduce stress

    (more…)

    July 24, 2007

    Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    Filed under: Prevention, Sydrome — Tags: , , — trishadeb @ 9:08 am

    Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a chronic condition of pain, tingling and numbness in the wrist, palm or fingers of one hand. Movement and sensation of the thumb as well as sensation of the index, middle and ring fingers all depend on the median nerve. Pressure on or direct damage to the median nerve leads to CTS symptoms.How big a problem is CTS?

    CTS is a very common problem affecting many types of workers in different settings, both in the service industry and manufacturing.

    Why is the wrist at risk?

    The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway between the metacarpals (wrist bones) and the transverse carpal ligament from the wrist to the hand. The median nerve shares this claustrophobic space with nine ligaments, leaving little room for swelling that might accompany injury. Repetitive motion injury that leads to CTS is usually the result of overuse, from bending the wrist repeatedly or keeping it flexed without rest. With repeated stress, the tissue that lines tendons (synovium) fills with fluid and swells in response to injury. Inflammation of soft tissue leaves even less room in this already tight “tunnel.”

    Wrist straining tasks

    Working the cash register.

    Working at a computer. Improper use of the mouse is more of a cause than typing.

    Use of vibrating machinery, such as power tools.

    Any recreation that involves repetitive bending of the wrist, such as knitting and table tennis, golfing and canoeing.

    Conditions associated with CTS

    Swelling and nerve damage can set up the conditions for CTS. People with the following conditions are more susceptible:

    Diabetes

    Hypothyroidism

    Arthritis

    Pregnancy

    CTS Symptoms

    1. Electrical tingling and numbness of fingers.

    2. Hand pain, especially at night.

    3. A weak grip and a tendency to drop things

    July 20, 2007

    Hello world!

    Filed under: Uncategorized — trishadeb @ 6:40 am

    Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!

    Older Posts »
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