Medical News

The way you eat is almost as important as what you eat! I bet that surprised you – I know it did me when I first heard it. I also realised that I had never really learn to eat properly.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO EAT PROPERLY?

Your body has a lot to do with the food that you take into your system. It is your fuel for the day, and your body has to sort it all out and to make sure that the right things end up in the right places – or you won’t be able to function properly. If you’re not eating the bets way for your body, things can end up in the wrong places and this leads to things like candida, headaches, bowel problems and ACNE!

HOW TO EAT PROPERLY

DON’T DRINK WHEN YOU’RE EATING – not even water, but especially not sodas and iced drinks. Your body needs its digestive juices – saliva – to break down the food and make sure that it gets to the right places. If you’re drinking at the same time as you’re eating, it dilutes the saliva and makes it harder for it to do its job.

CHEW YOUR FOOD CORRECTLY – you need to chew your food until it is a soft mush in your mouth – about 32 times for each mouth full. This is something that I remember being told a a child – “Chew your food!“. Life has become so fast these days, that often we eat on the go and swallow food without chewing it much at all. This is making it much harder for your body to digest the food properly, and may add to many health problems – especially skin problems.

COMBINE YOUR FOODS CORRECTLY – it makes it much easier for your body to digest things if it only has to deal with one type of food at a time – because different foods need different types of saliva to be digested properly. So, if you eat carbohydrates – bread, pasta, rice, potatoes – mix them with vegetables and salad rather than proteins – eggs, meat, fish, cheese. If you are eating proteins, eat them with salad and vegetables and miss out the carbohydrates – your body will like it much better, and will be able to work more efficiently and you should start to feel the difference.

BE CAREFUL WHEN AND WHERE YOU CHOOSE TO EAT. If you can, eat when you are feeling relaxed. Sit at a table if possible. Try not to watch TV as you’re eating. If you’re stressed when you’re eating, or not sitting in an upright position – like slumped in front of the TV! – your body will find it much harder to digest your food properly. We know what that leads too..

LEARN TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. Eat when you’re hungry. It sounds simple, but a lot of us do not listen to our bodies properly, and we mistake thirst for hunger – so if you feel hungry, try drinking water, and then see in 5 minutes if you’re still hungry. At other times, we eat when we’re feeling bored, or sad or angry. Get in the habit of checking in with yourself before you eat without thinking – and see if it might be something other than hunger you’re really feeling. Here’s a hint – if you’re craving one of your comfort foods, it’s often a sign that there’s an emotion hanging around that you’re not that comfortable with. If you learn to eat when you are hungry, your body will be able to do it’s job of digesting food much more efficiently.

One of the reasons that we have so many problems controlling our weigh is because most of us have forgotten the true purpose of eating food. We should not be eating food to give ourselves a passing pleasurable experience such as we may get when we eat some cheesecake or chocolate. The purpose of digesting food is to give us enough energy and strength to get through the day.

Food consists mainly of protein, carbohydrates, fats and a small quantity of vitamins and minerals. Food also contains water which is vital to the body as it provides the fluid to help the blood circulate around the body.

If you are going to adopt a healthy eating regime it is important that you understand the role that these main constituents fulfil.

Protein. This come mainly from animals in the form of meat and should be eaten in moderation as it can contain a high level of saturated fats which can be harmful to you. We all need some protein as it contains essential amino acids. Protein can be obtained from plant foods if they are combined. By combining pulses such as beans with grains and nuts you can provide your body with its required daily level of protein even on a vegetarian diet.

Carbohydrates. All carbohydrates are sugars and as such are an excellent source of energy as they are converted by the body into glucose. However, eating too many carbohydrates can affect the balanced of the body by upsetting your sugar levels. This can result in a feeling of tiredness, mood swings and irritability.

Fats. These represent a very concentrated source of energy. They can be divided into two types saturated and unsaturated.

Saturated fats are normally solid at room temperature and include butter and margarine. It is also found in meats, pies, biscuits and many processed foods. Eating too much saturated fat can lead to raised cholesterol levels and an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

Unsaturated fats. These are generally fluid at room temperature and can be found in vegetable oils such as sesame, olive and sunflower oils. They can also be found in oily fish such as mackerel and sardines. Unsaturated fats are considered to be much better for you than the saturated variety.

Water. Some experts believe that a majority of the population are suffering from some level of dehydration. It is recommended that we should all drink around 2 litres of water per day. This can help keep energy levels up and help- reduce high blood pressure.

It is important to get the balance between all the constituents of your daily food right. If you do this then you should be able to lead a healthy and active life.

The first time I heard about plantar fasciitis and just what a terrible condition it is, was way back in the 1980’s when my grandfather was diagnosed with the condition. Even then I often wondered what caused plantar fasciitis and how it could be treated. In his case it was almost an occupational hazard. He had been working as a postman for 30 years and the stress of constantly being on his feet took caught up with him and the straining of his plantar fascia was the the end result of this.

So if you didn’t know already, one of the main causes of the condition is too much exercise and activity on your feet. I myself, suffered with plantar fasciitis for a number of years too. In my case it purely down to the amount of sports that I take part in. I’ve been a keen runner since my high school days and much like my grandfather the pressure on the heel area of my feet built up to the point where the pain was absolutely unbearable. When I visited the doctor I was also told about ill fitting shoes can cause plantar fasciitis and I believe this was part of the problem I had too. Those fancy running shoes looked great in the store and were on sale. Who would have thought buying a half size bigger than I needed would cause me such pain in my feet.

Too much exercise and badly fitting shoes are two of the most common causes of plantar fasciitis and unfortunately both myself and family members have found this out the hard way. It has nothing to do with the condition being hereditary. I did toy with the idea however before I accepted that I was almost 100% responsible for having plantar fasciitis! In my case I went to see the doctor fairly early on and was able to treat the condition quite promptly. The pain in the morning was getting too much for me too bear and I had to do something about it.

The pain is always worse in the morning because the ligament in your foot seizes up when your sleeping. The first thing the doctor recommended to me was to introduce some light stretches into my day especially when I wake up. This will loosen off the plantar fascia ligament and make the day a little easier. Exercises can help to reduce the pain caused by the condition. I was also referred to plantar fasciitis night splints to help to ease the pain the morning when I wake up. The idea with this treatment is that the plantar fascia is stretched while you’re sleeping. I found a great deal of success with this. Finally, I had to limit my activities on my feet and always make sure that I wore shoes that fit properly and give proper protection and support to the heel.

After we eat, the food we eat is converted into energy. The way that your body processes and uses the food you eat is referred to as your metabolism. Rather than speaking of a ‘fast’ or ’slow’ metabolism, think of it as efficient or inefficient.

There’s usually little difference between the metabolic rates of people who are of normal weight or those who are overweight — except in those cases where hypothyroidism is involved. Some overweight people — specifically those with a hypothyroid condition — don’t consume more calories than people of average weight, yet may even gain weight at lower calorie levels.

The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. It’s found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage. It controls how quickly the body uses energy or makes proteins, and how sensitive the body is to other hormones. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone.

Since the main purpose of thyroid hormone is to run the body’s metabolism, people with this condition show symptoms associated with a slow metabolism. Estimates vary, but some say ten million Americans may have this condition, and as many as one in ten women may have some degree of thyroid hormone deficiency. Hypothyroidism is more common than you might suppose, and millions of people are currently hypothyroid and don’t know it.

There are two common causes of hypothyroidism. The first is a result of inflammation of the thyroid gland, which leaves many of the cells of the thyroid damaged or dead, and incapable of producing sufficient hormone. The most common cause of thyroid gland failure is called autoimmune thyroiditis, or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, a form of thyroid inflammation caused by the patient’s immune system.

The second major cause is the broad category of medical treatments. The treatment of many thyroid conditions requires surgical removal of part or all of the thyroid. If the total mass of thyroid producing cells left is not enough to meet the body’s needs, the patient will develop hypothyroidism. This can also happen when goiters and some other thyroid conditions are treated with radioactive iodine therapy. The aim of this is to kill a portion of the thyroid to prevent goiters from growing larger or producing too much hormone, a condition called hyperthyroidism. As you might imagine, this is when the thyroid produces an excess of hormone, producing symptoms such as feeling too hot, losing weight, and lack of sleep. Sometimes, the result of radioactive iodine treatment is that too many cells are damaged, eventually making the patient hypothyroid.

Common symptoms of hypothyroidism are as listed here:

- Fatigue and weakness
- Weight gain, or difficulty losing weight
- Coarse, dry hair, and dry, rough, pale skin
- Hair loss
- Inability to tolerate the cold
- Muscle cramps
- Constipation
- Depression and irritability
- Memory loss
- Abnormal menstrual cycles
- Decreased libido

Any of these apply to you? If you suspect you have hypothyroidism, consult your GP. If you have undiagnosed hypothyroidism, anything you do to raise your metabolic rate and so lose excess weight may fail. In which case the first, essential step is to get a thyroid test.

And if you have been tested and are being treated, you need to make sure your treatment is optimized. This means the proper drug and dosage, as well as supplements to support thyroid function. An efficient metabolism requires the smooth running of many complex bodily processes which rely on antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C, and the B vitamins.

Stress effects all of us every now an then,however many people do not deal with it as well as others. People who feel stressed out and anxious most of the time will have a hard time unwinding and may also develop panic attacks as a result.

Implementing some simple and effective stress reduction techniques can help to lower stress and anxiety levels. When individuals are open-minded about unconventional stress fighting strategies most of them can be extremely useful if done correctly.

Below are many of the more popular ways that I have come across that may help. Many of these techniques are shown to be effective and should be at least looked at.That being said not everyone will have the same results so it might be necessary to experiment with different techniques to determine the one that works well for you.

EFT or (emotional freedom technique) gets rid of negative energy,stress and thoughts by tapping on special points on the body. Most of the things that I have learned or discovered about EFT says that it is beneficial. EFT appears to be an efficient way to treat panic attacks,stress and anxiety as well as many physical ailments. To learn about EFT in more detail,it may be a good idea to search the internet or maybe even visit your local library.

Physical Exercise is another easy and inexspensive way to help control stress. It doesn’t matter what type of physical activity you choose as long as you find something you like and stick with it.

One of the better known and most popular techniques utilized to reduce stress is Meditation. There are many forms of meditation so finding one that fits your needs should be relatively easy.

Yoga is very helpful in reducing stress and anxiety, and I have recently attempted it myself, I did find that it was much harder to master than it appeared to be so a lot of practice is necessary to become good at it.

Positive Thinking is a useful way of counteracting the damaging effects of stress as well. Negative thoughts might be very tough to get over at first especially if you have been a negative person for a number of years,nevertheless with a bit of practice postivity will become easier and easier.

Find an activity that is enjoyable. This can be one of the most powerful stress busting techniques you can try.The activity does not need to be costly or complicated just as long as it is pleasurable,some of the things I enjoy are cooking,surfing the web and playing musical instruments.

Have a good laugh whenever you can,a good laugh will melt stress like nothing else,it only takes a few mintes to relax and read a humorous joke,or if you have more time watch a funny movie (it sure helps me).

Writing down your thoughts both negative and positive is an important way to alleviate stress as you can look back on the good times and bad which may help to put things in perspective.

Getting Help Treatment for Head Lice

Lice are “Pediculiasis” is the term for lice infestation. Only the head lice are much smaller. Pubic lice are regularly transmitted through passionate contact with the infested person. It can happen at school, in the playgrounds and almost anywhere where the place is congested. Although, these animals can be infested with a different type of lice, lice from birds or other mammals are also different from the human lice. These three types of human lice can be seldom seen in the eyelashes.

Behavior of Lice About more than a 100 eggs are produced by the female louse with a rate of six eggs in one day. Lice are also called “cooties“. These nymphs start feeding and become adult lice in a week or two also. However, this person may have numerous possible, dead and hatched nits. They cannot burrow the eggs into the scalp.

Lice History

So far, the head-to-head contact is the most familiar means of spreading head lice. But the collection of samples and sizes were inadequate. The National Health Service in the U. K.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

But if neglected, infection will occur. Irrational fear of acquiring head lice and any other parasites develop in the minds of some people. Head lice are not known to spread diseases. Symptoms aside from itching are swollen glands found at the back of the neck; the hair produces foul odor and tiny, egg-shaped white spots is sticking to the hair shaft. People who are troubled with these cases really profited from this encouragements performed by specialist of obsessive-compulsive illness. Most bites are so tiny, usually in red marks but it can be seen mostly at the back of the neck under the persons long hair.

Treatment

It becomes a fine opportunity for the parents to provide time for their child while removing these pests. Do not be alarmed if only a few lice are detected on the head. Treatment for lice should be concentrated on the areas of the body infected and not on the surroundings. If possible, disinfect the surroundings for head lice. You can also use tweezers to remove them.

These are the essential ways to remove lice and nits and to keep them from coming back:

Inform the school about lice thus they can perform a random check up of all the children. Without having assurance of lice detection and appropriate knowledge it is hard to tell apart these insects from other objects present in the hair. Lice cannot fine anything to hold on to. It may cause harm rather than resolution. To prove the identification of these objects, you may submit samples of collected lice and their eggs to an experienced doctor or entomologist so they can thoroughly experiment on these insects. Look for some mild skin cleansers that are free of pesticide, it may be effective and safer to use.

Prevention

Early detection of lice infestation minimizes its spread from one person to another. Avoiding head lice infestation is mainly the center of attention of most parents and doctors. Some products cannot totally kill the lice, it only eliminates a few. Kids should be aware that no matter how long it takes to stop it, there is still a way out. If after treating the head twice and you still find lice, try changing the medication and repeat the procedure for treatment.

Depression is worryingly common in adults. It can occur at three different levels: mild depression, moderate depression and severe depression. There are many tell-tale signs of this disorder, and the more a person is depressed, the more of these signs will be present in your behavior. Depression affects one in four women and one in 10 men at some point in their lives. Among its most common symptoms are persistent sadness, low energy, sleep disorders and appetite, and inability to take pleasure in pleasing activities. Depression is debilitating for the patient and agonizing for loved ones to watch. However, when this disorder is cleverly managed, the treatment is successful in about 90 percent of patients. This is accompanied by symptoms such as changes in sleep and appetite, loss of energy, loss of self-esteem, difficulty concentrating and preoccupation with death or suicide. In some cases, people become depressed irrationally convinced that something is happening terrible to them, such as poverty or fatal disease. The depressed person may withdraw from friends and family, and being unable to work. In children, depression may present as morbid preoccupation with death and dying. Children and adolescents sometimes experience bouts of helplessness, hopelessness and despair that are diagnosed as major depression.

Studies show that between 6 and 19% of the population will suffer from major depression at some point in their lives. Appears to be an “organic” disease in which the tendency to develop this condition can run in families, that depression can occur for no apparent reason and when the person has undergone significant changes in your life, and that misery can resolve with medication treatment alone, in some cases. Depression is a serious condition that can affect all areas of your life. Adjustment disorder with depressed mood involves a drop in mood in response to a specific stressful event. Bipolar disorder involves low mood similar periods of major depression, with periods of high or irritable mood as well. Depression can also occur as a biological reaction to certain physical illnesses (e.g. stroke affecting the left frontal brain, hypothyroidism, pancreatic cancer) or to chemical substances (e.g. alcohol, methamphetamine, anti ß-blockers -hypertensive). Although the symptoms are less intense than in major depression, dysthymic disorder lasts for years. Depression in adolescents can be difficult to detect because sulkiness, irritability, antisocial behavior, negativity and withdrawal often go hand in hand with the growth.

Causes of Adult Depression
1. Hormonal/physical changes.
2. Stroke.
3. Heart attack.
4. Traumatic Events.
5. Alcohol abuse.
6. Parkinson ’s disease.
7. Hypothyroidism.

Symptoms of adult depression
1. Changes in eating and sleeping habits.
2. Weight gain or loss.
3. Withdrawal of friends and family.
4. Feelings of uselessness or guilt.
5. Irritability.
6. Anger, anger, anxiety.
7. Lack of enthusiasm and motivation.
8. Agitation.

Treatment of Adult Depression
1. Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on the causes of depression and helps to change patterns of negative thinking.
2. Family therapy as an adjunct to individual therapy can address the patterns of communication
3. Creative expression through drama, art and music, is often a positive outcome for the strong emotions of adolescents.
4. Medication for depression should be used cautiously and only under careful supervision.
5. Group therapy is often very useful for adolescents because it decomposes the feeling of isolation that many adolescents experience

You should see your diet meals as a guideline that you can modify anytime you like to keep yourself happy. The difficult part of dieting is to follow them. You should try to consume around 2300 to 2900 calories a day. This doesn’t mean you can treat yourself once in a while. Suppose that you exceed your fat quota during lunch then you can cut back a little during dinner.

A few guidelines then.

Breakfast

• 5 tablespoons of wholegrain flakes or porridge oats
• 150 ml of skimmed milk
• 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts
• 2 tablespoons of raisins
• A glass of fruit juice

If you like a cup coffee or the you can drink one but be moderate with the sugar. This should give you around a total of 600 Kcal, 20g protein, 80g of carbohydrate and 19 g of fat.

Lunch

A sandwich made with:

• 2 slices of wholemeal bread
• 100-150 g of ham or tuna
• 1 slice of low-fat cheese
• 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
• 1 or 2 carrots
• One good glass of orange juice. At least 150 ml

This should give you around a total of 620 Kcal, 47g of protein, 50g carbohydrate and 26g of fat.

Dinner

• Cooked lean meat
• A green leafy salad
• 2 teaspoons of French dressing
• 80 g of broccoli
• 4 tablespoons of cooked rice. You can eat potatoes or pasta if you prefer
• - 1 good-sized fruit. A pear for example.

This should give you around a total of 670 Kcal, 39g of protein, 60g carbohydrate and 31g of fat.

Snacks

• 2 slices wholemeal bread
• 2 tablespoon of peanut butter
• 480 ml skimmed milk
• 1 medium apple or fruit of the same size.

This should give you around a total of 60 Kcal, 32g protein, 70g of carbohydrate and 23g of fat.

Good snacks are smoothies

This recipe is one of my favorites.

Pour 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder and 300ml of plain soya milk or skimmed milk into a blender. A heaped tablespoon of peanut butter, a banana and two ice cubes. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of raw oat bran, blend it and enjoy it while drinking it down!

When I go food shopping, I try to buy lots of bananas, and those that are turning brown, I peal them and freeze them so I can use them in my shakes. This is an alternative for ice cubes.

Fat-burning tea

Also known as green tea. You can drink it hot but it’s even better to drink it iced. Did you know that 3 to 4 glasses a day of iced green tea can burn more than 1 kg a year? You know why? This because your body uses calories to warm up the tea to around 37C before consuming it.

Here’s how I prepare my green tea.

3 litres of water, bring it to the boil and then add 4 green tea bags. A few minutes later stir in 2 tablespoons honey. Go easy on the honey as to much of it can may stimulate your appetite.

Brew it for an hour then remove the tea bags and then it’s all up to you, if you want to drink it hot or iced. Just chill.
I add some fresh mint to give it a nice taste, but that’s a personal preference.

You may have heard that more and more children are gaining weight to the point of obesity, and that it seems the problem gets worse and worse as time goes on. There are many reasons for this, but thankfully, there are also many great weight loss tips for children. As a parent, you probably remember spending a lot of time doing physical activity when you were younger. Times are different now, as there are many activities that children prefer which require little more than repeated hand motions. Kids are just not as active as they use to be.

Video games are a lot of fun. There are great television shows too. Each of these can be educational, but they can also be dangerous. There is a reason why doctors recommend a time limit on both for children. Though these can be good for the mind, they are terrible for the body. Children are moving less than every before, and they are gaining more weight than ever before. On top of that, foods are less healthy than ever, and busy parents often go for easy and quick as opposed to healthy and complicated.

Parents should not kick themselves over this, but rather, make some changes to fix the problem. With children, it is always best to make small changes one at a time rather than sweeping changes that upset the balance of everything the children know. Parents also have to lead by example. They can not ask their children to do things they will not be willing to do themselves. A few small changes each week towards a healthier lifestyle is the way to go. Pretty soon everyone will be feeling better.

Slowly lower the amount of time your children are allowed to watch television and play video games. You can do this without them realizing what you are doing. Replace that time with healthy, physical activity. The best way to do that is to have the whole family involved. Find community events and sports teams to join, or make it a point to go for family walks and play out in the yard or park. If you move with them, they won’t think it is because they are being singled out, which is one of the worst things that could happen. Make it a family affair with no finger pointing.

As parents, you are going to be in some control of what your children are eating each day. Do not suggest out loud that you are putting your child on a diet. Think of weight loss for children as developing healthier habits for everyone in your home. Again, your child or children should not feel as if they are being singled out. Make the time to find and prepare healthier meals. Stop going through the drive-through and introduce your children to the joys of cooking. Each and every step you take in helping with weight loss for children is one less step they are going to have to fight through when they are adults and such things are so much harder to turn around.

Let’s face the facts: If you need to lose weight—and many of us are in this boat these days—you’re going to have to exercise. There’s just no way around it. Starving yourself is not the way to lose weight. You’ll just end up losing muscle mass, slowing down your metabolism, and making it harder for you to ever get your health on track.

Making Exercise a Priority

If you want to be healthy, you’re going to work at it. And I don’t mean that you’re just going to get out a couple times a week and move around a little—sort of as a fun hobby. No, what I mean is that you’re going to have to exercise every day. And if you can’t do every day, you’re going to have to exercise 5-6 times per week. Any less will do you no good. That’s all there is to it.

Of course, the problem many people face is that there just never seems to be enough time for exercising. There’s kids, work, spouses, eating, and millions of other responsibilities. Exercise just seems to fall to the wayside. After all, exercising isn’t the easiest thing in the world, so it’s easy to set it aside in favor of other things.

What you’re going to do is this: You’re going to make exercise a top priority. No longer will you say,

“I don’t have time to exercise, so I’m not going to”.

Instead, if you must, you’re going to cross something—anything—else off your schedule. Make exercise #1, as it should be. I know it’s tempting to think of your career and family as your top priorities. That should remain true in a sense, but when you are healthy and physically fit, you put yourself in a much better position to further your career and take care of your family. Trust me, exercising pays off.

Fortunately, I know a trick: It’s morning exercise. Get into the habit of exercising first thing in the day, and you’ll be all set for a happy, healthy, and fit life.

Why Morning Exercise?

When you really look at the reasons to exercise in the morning, it’s a no brainer. There are three main points:

1. First of all, exercising rouses your energy and metabolism. After a particularly strenuous bout of physical activity, it can take your body hours to return to its natural state of rest. Thus, when you exercise in the evening, it can actually interfere with your sleep. And when you sleep poorly, all aspects of your life are affected. On the other hand, exercising in the morning gives you an energy boost and gets you ready to start your day with vigor.

2. Exercising in the morning prevents you from allowing other activities to push fitness aside. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that things will come up that make it more difficult for you to get your daily exercise. Just treat your morning fitness session like any other appointment. Set your alarm clock, and don’t procrastinate. Get right up and go, without fussing about it.

3. Finally, it’s no secret that exercising in the morning gives you a nice endorphin boost that puts you in a good mood to start your day. But there’s also the simple fact that when you exercise in the morning, you can give yourself permission to feel good about yourself for the rest of the day. As your going through your work day and then your evening responsibilities, you’ll be able to say, “I’ve done well today, because I exercised.” The power of this feeling cannot be underestimated. Plus, when you get it out of the way early, you can clear it from your mind, rather than having that irksome voice in the back of your mind all day saying, “Don’t forget to exercise today!”

On a related note, there is one danger to exercising early: Later on, you may be tempted to reward yourself with a large meal or a sweet treat. Resist this. Instead, reward yourself once a week with a day off from exercise and, yes, maybe something special to eat.