What is Heartburn?
If you feel a painful sensation in the chest and stomach or even feel a burning sensation then most likely you are experiencing heartburn. This is mostly felt after consuming liquid or food. Common symptoms associated with heartburn are the following:
A � Shortness of breath
B � Upper abdominal heaviness or fullness
C � Bloating
D � Nausea
E � Indigestion
F � Sour taste in the mouth (specially in the throat)
G � Growling stomach
According to an article cited in Wikipedia, heartburn or pyrosis is a painful or burning sensation in the esophagus, just behind the breastbone usually associated with regurgitation of gastric acid. The pain often rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the jaw.
Effective Heartburn Home Remedies:
Normally, when a person suffers from heartburn, his/her initial instinct is to take an antacid. It is quite convenient that antacids can easily relieve heartburn pain. But did you know that before tossing that pill, there are very effective heartburn home remedies that are as efficient as any antacid tablet.
Papaya
This is a tropical fruit which aids in digestion due to its papain enzyme found in it. Though it may be a little hard to locate papayas in groceries, you may still consume dry papayas in small amounts. You take papaya before or after eating a heavy meal.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is considered one of the many effective heartburn home remedies. You may take a teaspoon of it or you can do this simple mixture for people who cannot take the cider straight:
Mix all ingredients:
6 ounces of water
1 tablespoon of apple cider with a dash of sugar
Add a little baking soda to create frizz in your drink
Bananas
Bananas are also useful as one of heartburn home remedies. Its natural antacid helps the stomach to relieve heartburn by coating it.
Garlic
Garlic is not only meant for cooking but it can also be a health supplement. You may chew on a clove of garlic when you feel that you have heartburn. This wondrous supplement is packed with powerful antibiotic. this antibiotic is used to destroy pathogenic microorganisms found in the stomach.
Almonds
Just eat a small handful. It is said that it has a high concentration of oil that counterbalance the acid in the stomach during digestion.
These heartburn home remedies are very efficient and more importantly economical. So, when the next time that you feel that you are experiencing heartburn, these home remedies are sure enough to take the pain away.
Sunday, 5 September 2010
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Americans Use Alternative Medicine
In the United States, more patients are turning to alternative and complementary medicine as part of their health care.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health say that nearly 40 percent of adults have used some type therapy that isn't taught in medical schools. But more than 40 U.S. universities, including Stanford, UCLA, Duke and The George Washington University have integrative medicine centers.
Jean Ayers is not a regular patient. She is studying to be a physician assistant at George Washington University, which includes taking an elective course in integrative medicine. Participating in treatments is strongly encouraged.
"In most of my training as a physician assistant, we look at a patient's history and symptoms and then come up with a quote differential diagnosis," says Ayers. "Here we focus more on the symptoms as indicative of lifestyle and symbolic of larger issues."
The Center for Integrative Medicine at the George Washington University Medical Center was founded in 1988 by Dr. John Pan, who had practiced as an obstetrician and gynecologist for more than 25 years. He says the center has about 6,000 patient visits a year. Most have tried conventional medicine.
"They have gone to Hopkins. They have gone to the Mayo Clinic," says Pan. "They aren't solving their problem. They are telling them nothing can be done, you have to live with it and they are seeking the last resort."
VOA
More Americans are turning to alternative medicine, some when they feel traditional medicine has failed them.
That includes patients like Anna Sterud. After a two-year battle with ovarian cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy and a clinical trial, she decided to try vitamin C infusions.
"I'm very much for scientifically proven methods of treatment, but when you feel your time is starting to run out, you feel you just have to go 100 percent and look for alternatives and that is what I did."
With more Americans turning to alternatives, the U.S. government founded The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine as part of the National Institutes of Health.
"Our job here at the National Institutes of Health is to bring really good science to these really interesting practices," says Dr. Josephine Briggs, the center's director.
Practices that are considered outside mainstream medicine, like the use of dietary supplements, meditation and yoga, as well as chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, reiki - or therapeutic touch - and massage. A survey by the NIH in 2007 indicated four in 10 Americans use one of these practices, most often to treat pain.
VOA - A. Greenbaum
Anna Sterud is using both traditional and alternative medicine to fight cancer.
"I think that the extent to which Americans are interested in these practices is a good reason for them being studied," says Briggs. "We do do our best to provide reliable information on our website about methods. That material is carefully reviewed by peers and scientific experts."
Testing some alternative therapies can be difficult. Scientists still aren't certain how acupuncture works.
"There may be direct effects of the stimulation on the nervous system that change pain processing and our researchers are looking at those," says Briggs. "But part of this may be expectation and the reassurance of the practitioner, the effect of the ritual. Some people call it the placebo effect. If it helps, however, it is worth knowing about."
Dr. Deirdre Orceyre is both a naturopathic physician and Chinese medicine practitioner at the Center for Integrative Medicine. She sometimes uses acupuncture for her patients.
"I try my best to use it in conjunction with the more Western model with natural or conventional and bring that in as a perspective and a healing modality."
That is the philosophy behind integrative medicine, to complement Western treatments with other methods.
"For me it was very important to do both, because I believe in the scientifically approved methods," says Sterud, the cancer patient.
She's encouraged that her oncologist has asked her to share information on her experience at the Center for Integrative Medicine.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health say that nearly 40 percent of adults have used some type therapy that isn't taught in medical schools. But more than 40 U.S. universities, including Stanford, UCLA, Duke and The George Washington University have integrative medicine centers.
Jean Ayers is not a regular patient. She is studying to be a physician assistant at George Washington University, which includes taking an elective course in integrative medicine. Participating in treatments is strongly encouraged.
"In most of my training as a physician assistant, we look at a patient's history and symptoms and then come up with a quote differential diagnosis," says Ayers. "Here we focus more on the symptoms as indicative of lifestyle and symbolic of larger issues."
The Center for Integrative Medicine at the George Washington University Medical Center was founded in 1988 by Dr. John Pan, who had practiced as an obstetrician and gynecologist for more than 25 years. He says the center has about 6,000 patient visits a year. Most have tried conventional medicine.
"They have gone to Hopkins. They have gone to the Mayo Clinic," says Pan. "They aren't solving their problem. They are telling them nothing can be done, you have to live with it and they are seeking the last resort."
VOA
More Americans are turning to alternative medicine, some when they feel traditional medicine has failed them.
That includes patients like Anna Sterud. After a two-year battle with ovarian cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy and a clinical trial, she decided to try vitamin C infusions.
"I'm very much for scientifically proven methods of treatment, but when you feel your time is starting to run out, you feel you just have to go 100 percent and look for alternatives and that is what I did."
With more Americans turning to alternatives, the U.S. government founded The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine as part of the National Institutes of Health.
"Our job here at the National Institutes of Health is to bring really good science to these really interesting practices," says Dr. Josephine Briggs, the center's director.
Practices that are considered outside mainstream medicine, like the use of dietary supplements, meditation and yoga, as well as chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, reiki - or therapeutic touch - and massage. A survey by the NIH in 2007 indicated four in 10 Americans use one of these practices, most often to treat pain.
VOA - A. Greenbaum
Anna Sterud is using both traditional and alternative medicine to fight cancer.
"I think that the extent to which Americans are interested in these practices is a good reason for them being studied," says Briggs. "We do do our best to provide reliable information on our website about methods. That material is carefully reviewed by peers and scientific experts."
Testing some alternative therapies can be difficult. Scientists still aren't certain how acupuncture works.
"There may be direct effects of the stimulation on the nervous system that change pain processing and our researchers are looking at those," says Briggs. "But part of this may be expectation and the reassurance of the practitioner, the effect of the ritual. Some people call it the placebo effect. If it helps, however, it is worth knowing about."
Dr. Deirdre Orceyre is both a naturopathic physician and Chinese medicine practitioner at the Center for Integrative Medicine. She sometimes uses acupuncture for her patients.
"I try my best to use it in conjunction with the more Western model with natural or conventional and bring that in as a perspective and a healing modality."
That is the philosophy behind integrative medicine, to complement Western treatments with other methods.
"For me it was very important to do both, because I believe in the scientifically approved methods," says Sterud, the cancer patient.
She's encouraged that her oncologist has asked her to share information on her experience at the Center for Integrative Medicine.
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Interesting Facts about Human
Human bone is as strong as granite in supporting weight. A block of bone the
size of a matchbox can support 9 tonnes -� that is four times as much as
concrete can support.
The Strong Contraction of Your Heart Creates Enough Pressure To Squirt Blood As
Far As 30 Feet.
You Can Still Have An Erection After Death.
Heart Attacks Are More Likely To Happen On Monday.
Three Hundred Million Cells Die In Your Body Every Minute.
80% of the brain is water.
The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia
Britannica.
Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel as fast as 170 miles per hour
The brain operates on the same amount of power as 10-watt light bulb.
Women’s hair is about half the diameter of men’s hair.
Blondes have more hair.
The largest internal organ is the small intestine.
The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razorblades.
Humans spend a third of their lives sleeping.
A pack-a-day smoker will loose approx. 2 teeth every 10 years.
People do not get sick from cold weather; it's from being indoors a lot more.
When you sneeze, all bodily functions stop--even you heart!
A human's mucus membrane, used to smell, is the size of a postage stamp.
Your skin is the heaviest organ.
Those stars and colours you see when you close and rub your eyes are called
phosphenes.
The human brain stops growing at the ages of 18.
Sneezes can travel over 100 mph.
85% of the population can curl their tongue into a tube.
Only 7% of the population are lefties.
Our eyes never grow, our nose and ears never stop growing.
Babies are born without knee caps. They don't appear until they are 2-6 years
old.
Only one person in 2 billion will live to be 116 or older.
A human has 60,000 miles of blood vessels in their body.
The average person will drink 8,000 gallons of water during their lifetime.
There are 450 hairs in an average eyebrow.
Smart people have more zinc in their hair.
The lining of your digestive system is shed every 3 days.
The sound of knuckles cracking is generated by imploding synobial fluid.
The human tooth has about 55 miles of canals in it.
Your skin weighs twice as much as your brain.
The average Human bladder can hold 13 ounces of liquid.
If you went out into space, you would explode before you suffocated because
there's no air pressure.
The storage capacity of the human brain exceeds 4 terabytes.
You loose enough dead skin cells in your lifetime to fill eight five pound flour
bags.
Your thumb is the same length as your nose.
Your foot is the same length as the distance between your wrist and elbow.
The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
size of a matchbox can support 9 tonnes -� that is four times as much as
concrete can support.
The Strong Contraction of Your Heart Creates Enough Pressure To Squirt Blood As
Far As 30 Feet.
You Can Still Have An Erection After Death.
Heart Attacks Are More Likely To Happen On Monday.
Three Hundred Million Cells Die In Your Body Every Minute.
80% of the brain is water.
The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia
Britannica.
Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel as fast as 170 miles per hour
The brain operates on the same amount of power as 10-watt light bulb.
Women’s hair is about half the diameter of men’s hair.
Blondes have more hair.
The largest internal organ is the small intestine.
The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razorblades.
Humans spend a third of their lives sleeping.
A pack-a-day smoker will loose approx. 2 teeth every 10 years.
People do not get sick from cold weather; it's from being indoors a lot more.
When you sneeze, all bodily functions stop--even you heart!
A human's mucus membrane, used to smell, is the size of a postage stamp.
Your skin is the heaviest organ.
Those stars and colours you see when you close and rub your eyes are called
phosphenes.
The human brain stops growing at the ages of 18.
Sneezes can travel over 100 mph.
85% of the population can curl their tongue into a tube.
Only 7% of the population are lefties.
Our eyes never grow, our nose and ears never stop growing.
Babies are born without knee caps. They don't appear until they are 2-6 years
old.
Only one person in 2 billion will live to be 116 or older.
A human has 60,000 miles of blood vessels in their body.
The average person will drink 8,000 gallons of water during their lifetime.
There are 450 hairs in an average eyebrow.
Smart people have more zinc in their hair.
The lining of your digestive system is shed every 3 days.
The sound of knuckles cracking is generated by imploding synobial fluid.
The human tooth has about 55 miles of canals in it.
Your skin weighs twice as much as your brain.
The average Human bladder can hold 13 ounces of liquid.
If you went out into space, you would explode before you suffocated because
there's no air pressure.
The storage capacity of the human brain exceeds 4 terabytes.
You loose enough dead skin cells in your lifetime to fill eight five pound flour
bags.
Your thumb is the same length as your nose.
Your foot is the same length as the distance between your wrist and elbow.
The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
Friday, 9 July 2010
REMOVING GALLSTONES NATURALLY
REMOVING GALLSTONES NATURALLY
by Dr Lai Chiu-Nan
It has worked for many. If it works for you please pass on the good news. Chiu Nan is not charging for it, so we should make it free for everyone. Your reward is when someone, through your word of mouth, benefits from the regime. Gallstones may not be everyone's concern. But they should be because we all have them. Moreover, gallstones may lead to cancer. "Cancer is never the first illness," Chiu Nan points out. "Usually, there are a lot of other problems leading to cancer.
In my research in China , I came across some materials which say that people with cancer usually have stones. We all have gallstones. It's a matter of big or small, many or few.
One of the symp tom s of gallstones is a feeling of bloatedness after a heavy meal.. You feel like you can't digest the food. If it gets more serious, you feel pain in the liver area." So if you think you have gallstones, Chiu Nan offers the following method to remove them naturally.
The treatment is also good for those with a weak liver, because the liver and gallbladder are closely linked.
Regimen:
1. For the first five days, take four glasses of apple juice every day. Or eat four or five apples, whichever you prefer. Apple juice softens the gallstones. During the five days, eat normally.
2. On the sixth day, take no dinner.
3. At 6 PM, take a teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) with a glass of warm water.
4. At 8 PM, repeat the same. Magnesium sulphate opens the gallbladder ducts.
5. At 10 PM, take half cup olive oil (or sesame oil) with half cup fresh lemon juice. Mix it well and drink it. The oil lubricates the stones to ease their passage.
PS. 1cup=250ml, ? cup lemon juice=3 lemons (aprox.)
The next morning, you will find green stones in your stools. "Usually they float," Chiu Nan notes. "You might want to count them. I have had people who passes 40, 50 or up to 100 stones. Very many."
"Even if you don't have any symp tom s of gallstones, you still might have some. It's always good to give your gall bladder a clean-up now and then.
PASS THIS AND YOU MAY HELP OTHERS!
by Dr Lai Chiu-Nan
It has worked for many. If it works for you please pass on the good news. Chiu Nan is not charging for it, so we should make it free for everyone. Your reward is when someone, through your word of mouth, benefits from the regime. Gallstones may not be everyone's concern. But they should be because we all have them. Moreover, gallstones may lead to cancer. "Cancer is never the first illness," Chiu Nan points out. "Usually, there are a lot of other problems leading to cancer.
In my research in China , I came across some materials which say that people with cancer usually have stones. We all have gallstones. It's a matter of big or small, many or few.
One of the symp tom s of gallstones is a feeling of bloatedness after a heavy meal.. You feel like you can't digest the food. If it gets more serious, you feel pain in the liver area." So if you think you have gallstones, Chiu Nan offers the following method to remove them naturally.
The treatment is also good for those with a weak liver, because the liver and gallbladder are closely linked.
Regimen:
1. For the first five days, take four glasses of apple juice every day. Or eat four or five apples, whichever you prefer. Apple juice softens the gallstones. During the five days, eat normally.
2. On the sixth day, take no dinner.
3. At 6 PM, take a teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) with a glass of warm water.
4. At 8 PM, repeat the same. Magnesium sulphate opens the gallbladder ducts.
5. At 10 PM, take half cup olive oil (or sesame oil) with half cup fresh lemon juice. Mix it well and drink it. The oil lubricates the stones to ease their passage.
PS. 1cup=250ml, ? cup lemon juice=3 lemons (aprox.)
The next morning, you will find green stones in your stools. "Usually they float," Chiu Nan notes. "You might want to count them. I have had people who passes 40, 50 or up to 100 stones. Very many."
"Even if you don't have any symp tom s of gallstones, you still might have some. It's always good to give your gall bladder a clean-up now and then.
PASS THIS AND YOU MAY HELP OTHERS!
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Do Not "CROSS YOUR LEGS" ????
I bet quite a few of you were like me...started to read this with your legs crossed...so hard to break this bad habit!?
For those who do not understand Chinese, take a look at the photos below:- Those who often cross their legs when sitting for a long period of time, 3 unhealthy things will happen:
1. Their backbone tends to become 'C' shape
2. They will have neck aches and backaches on one side
3. For ladies, the shoulder will tend to slant one side causing the bra strap to slip down the slanted shoulder.
Try not to cross your legs when sitting.
For those who do not understand Chinese, take a look at the photos below:- Those who often cross their legs when sitting for a long period of time, 3 unhealthy things will happen:
1. Their backbone tends to become 'C' shape
2. They will have neck aches and backaches on one side
3. For ladies, the shoulder will tend to slant one side causing the bra strap to slip down the slanted shoulder.
Try not to cross your legs when sitting.
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Protect Your Heart at Every Age
Follow these easy health tips specific to every stage of aging
By Woman's Day Staff
You're never too young—or too old—to start lowering your heart disease risk. Of course, exercising, eating healthy and reducing stress are key throughout life, but due to physiological changes that happen as we age, certain risk factors do become more of a threat.
In Your 20s
Stub Out a Social Smoking Habit
Smoking is enemy number one when it comes to heart disease, and even just a few cigarettes can do damage: New research from McGill University in Montreal found that smoking just one cigarette a day stiffens your arteries by a whopping 25 percent. Plus, smoking erases the hormonal advantage you have from estrogen, which can leave you vulnerable to a heart attack before menopause, explains Dr. Bonow.
Don't Ignore the Birth Control Factor
Remember that hormonal contraceptives slightly increase the risk of blood clots, so if you've ever had one, make sure to discuss it with your doctor before going on birth control. And if you're currently a smoker, don't take oral contraceptives, because the combo can be especially dangerous, says Sharonne N. Hayes, MD, director of the Women's Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Watch Your Alcohol Intake
Moderate amounts of alcohol can have a beneficial effect on your heart. (By "moderate," we mean one drink a day or about 5 ounces—but many restaurants serve far more than that.) Overdoing it can raise triglycerides, increase blood pressure and lead to weight gain, thanks to all those empty calories.
In Your 30s
Get a Grip on Stress
When you're juggling career and family, it's crucial to find stress management techniques that work. "Untamed stress has a direct negative impact on heart health," says Dr. Stevens. "The constant bombardment of adrenaline raises blood pressure and destabilizes plaque in your arteries, making it likely to cause a clot or heart attack."
Lose the Baby Weight
No, you don't have to fit into your skinny jeans by the time the baby's 6 months old, but do aim to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight within one to two years. "Carrying around extra pounds can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors," Dr. Bonow says. Also remember that it's easier to lose weight in your 30s than in your 40s, when your metabolism slows down.
Stay Social
It's important to stay connected to friends and family for the sake of your mood and heart. Research at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that high levels of loneliness increase a woman's risk of heart disease by 76 percent. On the flip side, having strong social support can help lower your blood pressure and improve other cardiovascular functions. Set aside time once or twice a week to call friends, or make a monthly dinner date.
In Your 40s
Make Sleep a Priority
Thanks to peri-menopause, fluctuating hormone levels can interfere with a good night's sleep. But not getting at least seven hours of shut-eye regularly can lead to increased blood pressure, low-grade inflammation and higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, all of which are harmful for your blood vessels and heart, explains Jennifer H. Mieres, MD, a cardiologist at New York University School of Medicine and coauthor of Heart Smart for Black Women and Latinas. Lack of sleep has also been linked to weight gain. So establish good habits: Turn in (and wake up) at the same time every day—even on weekends—and do your best to relax before going to bed, whether it's watching a favorite funny TV show or reading.
Reassess Your Risk Factors
You may discover that your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels have changed in this decade, even if you aren't doing anything differently, says Dr. Hayes. In fact, 22 percent of 40-something women have high blood pressure and 50 percent have high cholesterol (a jump from 38 percent of women in their 30s), according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Also, be sure to get your thyroid checked around 45; hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland), which becomes more common as women get older, can negatively affect your cholesterol levels as well as your heart.
Step Up Strength Training
You start to lose muscle mass more rapidly in your 40s, which causes your metabolism to slow down since muscle burns more calories than fat. Unfortunately, this makes it harder to stave off those extra pounds. To help maintain muscle and keep your metabolism going, aim for two 15-minute sessions weekly of lifting weights, using a resistance band or doing other toning exercises.
Carve out Personal Time
"Between the demands of work and family, it becomes even more challenging to find time for yourself in your 40s," says Dr. Mieres. But it's crucial to do so—not only to help ease stress but also to guard against depression, which commonly crops up in this decade and can raise your risk of heart disease. "Find at least 10 minutes of ‘me' time every day to do something—even if it's just chatting on the phone with a friend—that helps you destress and regroup," says Dr. Mieres.
In Your 50s
Move More
Around menopause, you tend to gain extra weight around your belly, which can lead to insulin resistance, inflammation and heart strain. Cardiovascular fitness also starts to decline, particularly if you're not that physically active to begin with. "Unfortunately, at this point, women have to burn more calories to stay at the same weight," Dr. Stevens says. Start taking the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can, walk faster around the mall, or jog to the mailbox to send letters instead of sticking your hand out the car window as you drive by. Small changes really do add up.
Have an ECG
Silent heart abnormalities become more common in your 50s, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check your heart's electrical activity can pick them up, says Dr. Goldberg. Also ask your doctor if you should have a stress test; this is especially important if you're just starting to exercise.
Add Fiber
Besides being good for your cholesterol and blood sugar, pumping up your fiber intake (think whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice and flaxseeds, as well as beans, fruits and veggies) can help prevent constipation, which becomes more of a problem as you get older and your digestive system starts to slow down.
In Your 60s
Get Even More Vigilant About Screenings
After you go through menopause and get older, your blood pressure and cholesterol tend to go up, and blood vessels get stiffer. "Have your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol measured yearly," advises Dr. Goldberg.
Consider Medication
If you have hypertension or high cholesterol, the way you've been managing it before may not be enough. "As you get older, you may need more aggressive therapy," Dr. Bonow says. "High blood pressure that was controlled with one medication may now require three to control it." Talk to your doctor about whether you need to add to or adjust your medications to control your risk factors.
Be Alert to Symptoms
Now is when the first noticeable symptoms of heart disease may appear, so it's important to know what's normal for your body and be on the lookout for worrisome signs like chest discomfort, shortness of breath or changes in exercise tolerance—meaning you suddenly feel winded going up a flight of stairs or feel unusually tired for no apparent reason, says Dr. Mieres. If these appear, see your doctor pronto!
By Woman's Day Staff
You're never too young—or too old—to start lowering your heart disease risk. Of course, exercising, eating healthy and reducing stress are key throughout life, but due to physiological changes that happen as we age, certain risk factors do become more of a threat.
In Your 20s
Stub Out a Social Smoking Habit
Smoking is enemy number one when it comes to heart disease, and even just a few cigarettes can do damage: New research from McGill University in Montreal found that smoking just one cigarette a day stiffens your arteries by a whopping 25 percent. Plus, smoking erases the hormonal advantage you have from estrogen, which can leave you vulnerable to a heart attack before menopause, explains Dr. Bonow.
Don't Ignore the Birth Control Factor
Remember that hormonal contraceptives slightly increase the risk of blood clots, so if you've ever had one, make sure to discuss it with your doctor before going on birth control. And if you're currently a smoker, don't take oral contraceptives, because the combo can be especially dangerous, says Sharonne N. Hayes, MD, director of the Women's Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Watch Your Alcohol Intake
Moderate amounts of alcohol can have a beneficial effect on your heart. (By "moderate," we mean one drink a day or about 5 ounces—but many restaurants serve far more than that.) Overdoing it can raise triglycerides, increase blood pressure and lead to weight gain, thanks to all those empty calories.
In Your 30s
Get a Grip on Stress
When you're juggling career and family, it's crucial to find stress management techniques that work. "Untamed stress has a direct negative impact on heart health," says Dr. Stevens. "The constant bombardment of adrenaline raises blood pressure and destabilizes plaque in your arteries, making it likely to cause a clot or heart attack."
Lose the Baby Weight
No, you don't have to fit into your skinny jeans by the time the baby's 6 months old, but do aim to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight within one to two years. "Carrying around extra pounds can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors," Dr. Bonow says. Also remember that it's easier to lose weight in your 30s than in your 40s, when your metabolism slows down.
Stay Social
It's important to stay connected to friends and family for the sake of your mood and heart. Research at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that high levels of loneliness increase a woman's risk of heart disease by 76 percent. On the flip side, having strong social support can help lower your blood pressure and improve other cardiovascular functions. Set aside time once or twice a week to call friends, or make a monthly dinner date.
In Your 40s
Make Sleep a Priority
Thanks to peri-menopause, fluctuating hormone levels can interfere with a good night's sleep. But not getting at least seven hours of shut-eye regularly can lead to increased blood pressure, low-grade inflammation and higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, all of which are harmful for your blood vessels and heart, explains Jennifer H. Mieres, MD, a cardiologist at New York University School of Medicine and coauthor of Heart Smart for Black Women and Latinas. Lack of sleep has also been linked to weight gain. So establish good habits: Turn in (and wake up) at the same time every day—even on weekends—and do your best to relax before going to bed, whether it's watching a favorite funny TV show or reading.
Reassess Your Risk Factors
You may discover that your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels have changed in this decade, even if you aren't doing anything differently, says Dr. Hayes. In fact, 22 percent of 40-something women have high blood pressure and 50 percent have high cholesterol (a jump from 38 percent of women in their 30s), according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Also, be sure to get your thyroid checked around 45; hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland), which becomes more common as women get older, can negatively affect your cholesterol levels as well as your heart.
Step Up Strength Training
You start to lose muscle mass more rapidly in your 40s, which causes your metabolism to slow down since muscle burns more calories than fat. Unfortunately, this makes it harder to stave off those extra pounds. To help maintain muscle and keep your metabolism going, aim for two 15-minute sessions weekly of lifting weights, using a resistance band or doing other toning exercises.
Carve out Personal Time
"Between the demands of work and family, it becomes even more challenging to find time for yourself in your 40s," says Dr. Mieres. But it's crucial to do so—not only to help ease stress but also to guard against depression, which commonly crops up in this decade and can raise your risk of heart disease. "Find at least 10 minutes of ‘me' time every day to do something—even if it's just chatting on the phone with a friend—that helps you destress and regroup," says Dr. Mieres.
In Your 50s
Move More
Around menopause, you tend to gain extra weight around your belly, which can lead to insulin resistance, inflammation and heart strain. Cardiovascular fitness also starts to decline, particularly if you're not that physically active to begin with. "Unfortunately, at this point, women have to burn more calories to stay at the same weight," Dr. Stevens says. Start taking the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can, walk faster around the mall, or jog to the mailbox to send letters instead of sticking your hand out the car window as you drive by. Small changes really do add up.
Have an ECG
Silent heart abnormalities become more common in your 50s, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check your heart's electrical activity can pick them up, says Dr. Goldberg. Also ask your doctor if you should have a stress test; this is especially important if you're just starting to exercise.
Add Fiber
Besides being good for your cholesterol and blood sugar, pumping up your fiber intake (think whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice and flaxseeds, as well as beans, fruits and veggies) can help prevent constipation, which becomes more of a problem as you get older and your digestive system starts to slow down.
In Your 60s
Get Even More Vigilant About Screenings
After you go through menopause and get older, your blood pressure and cholesterol tend to go up, and blood vessels get stiffer. "Have your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol measured yearly," advises Dr. Goldberg.
Consider Medication
If you have hypertension or high cholesterol, the way you've been managing it before may not be enough. "As you get older, you may need more aggressive therapy," Dr. Bonow says. "High blood pressure that was controlled with one medication may now require three to control it." Talk to your doctor about whether you need to add to or adjust your medications to control your risk factors.
Be Alert to Symptoms
Now is when the first noticeable symptoms of heart disease may appear, so it's important to know what's normal for your body and be on the lookout for worrisome signs like chest discomfort, shortness of breath or changes in exercise tolerance—meaning you suddenly feel winded going up a flight of stairs or feel unusually tired for no apparent reason, says Dr. Mieres. If these appear, see your doctor pronto!
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Be Careful when eating apples
Be Careful when eating apples
Please don't eat the skin of the apple because it's coated with wax.
Check before you eat many of the fruits.
WAX is being used for preservation purposes and cold storage.
You might be surprised especially apples from USA and other parts are more than one year old, though it would look fresh. Becoz wax is coated, preventing bacteria to enter. So it does not get dry.
Please Eat Apples after removing the wax as demonstrated below. Please follow this and let know others...........
Now, in all honesty, I don�t know if this is a hoax or not. They could really be using wax on apples to keep them fresh, I wouldn�t know!
Please don't eat the skin of the apple because it's coated with wax.
Check before you eat many of the fruits.
WAX is being used for preservation purposes and cold storage.
You might be surprised especially apples from USA and other parts are more than one year old, though it would look fresh. Becoz wax is coated, preventing bacteria to enter. So it does not get dry.
Please Eat Apples after removing the wax as demonstrated below. Please follow this and let know others...........
Now, in all honesty, I don�t know if this is a hoax or not. They could really be using wax on apples to keep them fresh, I wouldn�t know!
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