Sleeping With Your Pooch Bad For Health

Sleeping with pets could result in health hazards from staph infections to meningitis, according to a new study.

Bruno Chomel and Ben Sun, the authors of the new study, said the diseases could even include the plague, reports the New York Daily News.

The researchers found more than half of all dog owners consider their pooches to be members of their family.

And more than half slept in the same beds with their dogs. And not to be outdone, cats are just as dangerous to owners' health as dogs.

The findings will be published in the journal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February.

Conceiving Again Trebles Autism Risk

Women who conceive within a year after giving birth could be putting their next child at increased risk of autism.

Such babies are three times more likely to have the developmental disorder, says a study.

Researchers say that a woman's body needs time to recover from a pregnancy and that a baby conceived too quickly after childbirth may be deprived of vital nutrients, the journal Pediatrics reports.

The findings, based on a study of more than 600,000 California families, add to the growing evidence that closely spaced pregnancies can be harmful, according to the Daily Mail .

Previous studies have shown that women with two closely spaced pregnancies are at risk of delivering babies who are premature and of low birth weight.

The research looked at the incidence of autism among 663,000 second-born children in California born between 1992 and 2002.

Study author Keely Cheslack-Postava of Columbia University, New York, said: "These results suggest that children born after shorter intervals between pregnancies are at increased risk of developing autism.

The highest risk was associated with pregnancies spaced less than one year."

Second-child conceived within a year of an elder sibling's birth were 3.4 times more likely to have autism than a typical child of the same age.

Babies conceived 12 to 23 months after the first child's birth were 1.9 times more likely to have autism, while the risk was lowered to 1.2 times after a gap of two to three years between pregnancies.

Vit D May Not Reduce Frailty Risk

Lower and higher vitamin D levels are associated with an increased likelihood of frailty in older women, a new study has found.

Women with vitamin D levels between 20.0 and 29.9 ng/ml are at the lowest risk of frailty.

Vitamin D deficiency and frailty are common with aging. Dimensions of frailty, including weakness and slowness are potential outcomes of vitamin D deficiency and many experts have recommended measuring vitamin D levels in older adults and prescribing vitamin D supplementation if levels are less than 30 ng/ml to prevent adverse health outcomes.

This new study however found a U-shaped relationship between vitamin D levels and frailty.

"Vitamin D supplementation has grown in popularity, yet the association between vitamin D status and risk of adverse health outcomes in older adults is uncertain," said Kristine Ensrud, professor of medicine and epidemiology, Minneapolis VA Medical Center and the University of Minnesota and lead author of the study.

"Our study did not find that higher vitamin D status was associated with lower subsequent risks of frailty or death. In fact, higher levels of vitamin D were associated with increased likelihood of frailty."

In this study, researchers measured vitamin D levels and assessed frailty status in a cohort of 6,307 women aged 69 and older. To determine whether lower vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of greater frailty status at a later date, 4,551 women classified as non-frail at baseline had frailty status reassessed an average of 4.5 years later.

They found that older women with vitamin D levels less than 20 ng/ml and more than 30 ng/ml had higher odds of frailty at baseline. Lower vitamin D levels among non-frail women at baseline were associated with an increased risk of frailty or death at follow-up.

The study will be published in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

That Sunshine Drug

HILLARY Swank may claim that her daily intake of 45 vitamin pills is what keeps her going, but those of us who are less famous are probably more moderate! We know that vitamins are essential to our health, but remain confused about which ones are the most important. Also, should we stick to natural sources or throw in a supplement or two? Here we share new research which lends more value to vitamins.

THE D COMPANY

FOR decades Vitamin D has been linked to bone health. Also known as the sunshine drug, it is famous for helping our bones absorb calcium. But recent research shows that D plays a far greater role in keeping us healthy than we imagined: this vitamin is now associated with a range of disparate diseases like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cancer, stroke and schizophrenia.

In fact, scientists have mapped over 200 genes that the vitamin directly influences. Published in the journal Genome Research, this study links the vitamin D receptor to a number of genes that increase our susceptibility to autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, lupus, and cancers such as leukaemia and colorectal cancer.

Vitamin D levels have also been related to diabetes and heart disease. Middle aged and elderly people with high levels of the vitamin can reduce their chances of developing heart disease or diabetes by 43 per cent, according to researchers at the University of Warwick.

They reviewed 28 studies across a variety of ethnic groups including men and women and concluded that there is a significant association between high levels of vitamin D and a decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (33 per cent compared to low levels of vitamin D) and type 2 diabetes (55 per cent reduction).

Diabetics with severe D deficiency are also 95 per cent more likely to die of complications, says a research published in the journal Diabetes Care.

"Vitamin D is a growth factor which promotes generative ability of pancreas to produce insulin. Deficiency means the pancreas won't produce as much insulin leading to high blood sugar. General fatigue, pain in calves and shinbone or hair loss can indicate vitamin D deficiency in diabetics which can be confirmed through blood serum test," says Dr Dheeraj Kapoor, consultant endocrinologist, Artemis Health Institute.

Helps during pregnancy

TAKING the "sunshine drug" during pregnancy and the early years is also beneficial for a child's health in later life. Some countries such as France have instituted this as a routine public health measure. Deficiency of the vitamin leads to pelvic contraction resulting in increased risk of fatality of both mother and unborn child.

A study done at Queensland Brain Institute, Australia, found that those born with low vitamin D levels are twice as likely to develop schizophrenia later in life. Low levels of vitamin D are also associated with lower lung function and greater medication use in children with asthma.

They were found to respond to more allergens, could not inhale optimal amount of oxygen and had to take more medicines as compared to patients with adequate amount of the vitamin in their bodies, says the study published in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology. Adequate Vitamin D enhanced the activity of corticosteroids, the most effective controller medication for asthma. Another study conducted at the University of Massachusetts found a relationship between vitamin D and premenstrual syndrome.

The emotional and physical symptoms of PMS including aches, cramps, bloating, nausea, anxiety and irritability are 70 per cent less troublesome for women who have a high dietary intake of vitamin D. This can be a good option instead of birth control pills and antidepressants which are commonly prescribed to women to help treat these symptoms but also have serious side effects.

Counter the deficiency

THOUGH D is produced naturally in the body by exposure to sunlight, its deficiency is very common across the world and Indians, in particular, are at high risk. "We are genetically prone to vitamin D deficiency which is why we need to be out in the sun more often than the westerners who faces the problem only when they age," says Dr K K Aggarwal, general physician and cardiologist, Moolchand Medcity.

According to a study conducted at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, more than 75 per cent of healthy people in northern India have vitamin D deficiency, irrespective of age or socio-economic status. "Our traditional set up was such that we were bound to spend time in sun playing outdoor games, working in the fields or knitting. The famous yoga sequence of surya namaskar is also meant to make you spend time in the sun. That, however, is not the case anymore with people working long hours in office, doing yoga postures in front of TV and children playing indoor video games," says Dr Aggarwal.

Those who are overweight have less Vitamin D circulating in their blood as the vitamin gets stored in the fat instead. Ironically, increasing their D levels can help fat people shed weight. However, just because you are not taking enough sun does not mean you can gulp down vitamin D supplements without any precaution.

"Don't try self medication. If you are living with a disease, ask your doctor if vitamin D supplementation can help. He will prescribe the amount you require. You can also go for annual test to check levels of vitamin D in your body," says Dr Ashutosh Shukla, head of internal medicine, Artemis Health Institute. An adult needs 600-800 IU of vitamin D daily. Try and include the few kinds of food that contain Vitamin D in your diet.

Natural food sources of vitamin D are limited and include oily fish like salmon, tuna, cod liver, herring and eggs. The best source obviously is sunlight and 20 minutes exposure can help you maintain the optimal levels.

When you ingest vitamin D supplements, only about 60 per cent of it is absorbed as compared to 100 per cent absorption when your body makes it through sun exposure. Morning sunshine is the best for synthesis of D in your body because its wavelength is most potent. So those who often wake up at noon are missing the right vitamin delivery.

E HELPS IN CANCER

WHILE all of us know that vitamin E benefits the skin and hair, less is known about its capacity to counter prostate cancer. In a recent study, researchers found that vitamin E can significantly reduce tumor regrowth. A particular constituent of vitamin E, known as tocotrienol (T3), is the main inhibitor against prostate tumors, says a study published in the International Journal of Cancer. The current treatments of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy are insufficient as well as risky as the tumor grows back in most cases. Natural vitamin E obtained from palm oil is rich in T3.

Another form of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol may be a useful additional treatment for asthma patients because of its antioxidant properties. Researchers at the University of North Carolina, Duke University, and Purdue University investigated the biological activity of a gamma-tocopherol supplement in asthma patients. They found that vitamin E prevented inflammation and decreased oxidative stress without any adverse health effects. Gamma-tocopherol is commonly found in food and is missing in artificial supplements.

Among the natural sources of Vitamin E are green leafy vegetables, soybeans, raw nuts and seeds, olive oil, peanuts, cornmeal and sweet potatoes.

C IS A MOOD ENHANCER

VITAMIN C is known to build immunity and stave off premature aging. It is now being touted as a mood enhancer too. A study published in the journal Nutrition found that treatment with vitamin C rapidly improved the emotional state of acutely hospitalized patients. Those with high vitamin C levels lower their risk of getting a stroke too: Published in the journal Stroke, the study found that the risk of stroke was 70 per cent higher among those with lowest levels of C as compared to those with the highest level. Higher concentrations of C in the blood also proved beneficial to patients with other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high body mass index.

Those with low levels of Vitamin C are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis, which leads to swelling and stiffness in the joints of the knees, wrists and ankles. Studies at Manchester and Cambridge Universities found that people who ate plenty of dietary sources of Vitamin C, such as fruit and vegetables, substantially reduced their risk of developing the disease.

C has also been found to help reduce risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, an American study found that a daily dose of 0.5mg of vitamin C can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 11 per cent. And if you have problem conceiving, C can be of great help. Studies have found that Vitamin C can also boost sperm count while reducing the number of abnormal sperm.

It is well known that citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, tangerines, limes, and others contain vitamin C. Other good sources are tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, peppers, broccoli and asparagus.

B THWARTS DEMENTIA

A TWO-YEAR clinical trial in England has shown that B vitamins, including B-6, B-12 and folic acid, slow down mild cognitive impairment, a condition which is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

Patients who already exhibit signs of dementia and test positive for high levels of homo cysteine responded better than others to the large doses of B vitamins.

Another study says that people who have higher levels of vitamin B6 and certain essential proteins in their blood seem to be at a lower risk of getting lung cancer. Done by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the study found that high levels of Vitamin B6 and the amino acid methionine cut the risk of getting the disease by half. These essential nutrients can be obtained from nuts, fish, oats, barley, wheat bran, avocado and meat.

Are Mobile Phones A Health Hazard?

Could mobile phones be giving us brain cancer? Academic and toxicologist Devra Davis, who was in the group that won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, says yes.

According to Davis, an eminent American scientist and one of the country's leading epidemiologists, the mobile phone industry spent years trying to bury scientific evidence -- that it harms -- to protect its $3 trillion, 4.6 billion-customer global business.

With mobile phone use soaring, especially among the young, Davis says a "global public health catastrophe" will be seen in as little as three years if the problem is ignored, the Daily Mail reported.

The most troubling research, she says, threatens male fertility. Research in seven countries, including the US, China and Australia, suggests that keeping a switched-on mobile phone in a trouser pocket can have a drastic effect on sperm count.

"All the research shows the same thing - if you take young men who are trying to become fathers, those who use mobile phones at least four hours a day have about half the sperm count of others," Davis says.

"Sperm exposed to mobile phone radiation in the lab is sicker, thinner and less capable of swimming," she adds.

Mobile phones are low-powered radio frequency transmitters which produce microwave radiation.

In a new book provocatively titled "Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation, What The Industry Has Done To Hide It And How To Protect Your Family," Davis says the threat from mobile phone radiation has been underplayed for too long.

"Is it possible that the pervasive use of mobile phones is causing a host of subtle, chronic health problems, damaging our ability to have healthy children and creating long-term risks to our brains and bodies," she asks.

Her work includes supporting research from studies in the US, Sweden, Greece, France and Russia.

For example, a team at the University Of Washington found that just two hours of mobile phone-level radiation splintered the DNA of brain cells in rats, making them similar to cells found in malignant tumours.

Davis, who is a grandmother, is worried about the effect on children, arguing that their thin, pliant skulls make them more vulnerable.

Exercise 7 Minutes in 7 Days For Good Health

Rigorous workouts lasting as little as three minutes may help prevent diabetes by helping control blood sugar, British researchers said.


The findings published in the journal BioMed Central Endocrine Disorders suggest that people unable to meet government guidelines calling for moderate to vigorous exercise several hours per week can still benefit from exercise.

"This is such a brief amount of exercise you can do it without breaking a sweat," said James Timmons, an exercise biologist at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, who led the study.

"You can make just as big as an effect doing this as you can by doing hours and hours of endurance training each week." Type 2 diabetes, which affects an estimated 246 million adults worldwide and accounts for 6 percent of all global deaths, is a condition in which the body gradually loses the ability to use insulin properly to convert food to energy.

Very strict diet and vigorous, regular and sustained exercise can reverse type 2 diabetes, but this can be difficult for many people. The condition is closely linked to inactivity.

Timmons and his team showed that just seven minutes of exercise each week helped a group of 16 men in their early twenties control their insulin. The volunteers, who were relatively out of shape but otherwise healthy, rode an exercise bike four times daily in 30 second spurts two days a week. After two weeks, the young men had a 23 percent improvement in how effectively their body used insulin to clear glucose, or blood sugar, from the blood stream, Timmons said.

The effect appears to last up to 10 days after the last round of exercise, he added in a telephone interview. "The simple idea is if you are doing tense muscle contractions during sprints or exercise on a bike you really enhance insulin's ability to clear glucose out of the bloodstream," Timmons said.

The findings highlight a way for people who do not have time to work out a few hours each week as recommended to improve their health, he added. His team did not look for other important benefits to health that come from exercise, such as lowered blood pressure or weight control, but said another study had shown similar benefits to heart function.

But Timmons said getting people to exercise even a little could translate into big savings for health systems that spend hundreds of million of dollars treating diabetes.

Remove Clutter to Improve Your Health

See the metaphors in your stuff.

Clutter equals stagnant energy. In order for your energy to flow, clutter must be cleared. Your home should be a relaxing retreat that supports your body's rejuvenation. However, if it's piled up with too much 'stuff', it can make you feel mentally overwhelmed with all the things that you've been putting off but need to finish. This can lead to stress-related illnesses, chronic diseases, or exhaustion. The unfortunate thing about clutter is that all too often, it spirals out of control, which makes it easy to become overly anxious and stressed.

Start your clutter-clearing this week. (Remember: love it, use it, or release it.) Choose one room in your home and for every object that you see, ask yourself: Does this empower me? Does it diminish me? Surround yourself with objects that make you feel vibrant and alive. Release objects that make you feel tired, lethargic, or depressed.

Pay particular attention to the center of your home. This is an area that in feng shui relates to your overall health. It should be clutter free and clean (especially if it's a bathroom or if it's unusually dark). Another significant place is your front door, which sets the energy of your entire house and should be clear of clutter. Check that your door opens freely and without any creaking sounds. Make sure that the very first thing you see when you enter your home is something that gives a feeling of health and vitality.

Metaphors for Health

The objects in your home are invested with symbolism and meaning; therefore, clearing things out can have a direct effect on your psyche and ultimately your health. I've heard of a program in Scandinavia in which volunteers would go into the homes of cancer patients to help the patient sort through and clear out things before they died. However, it was soon discovered that the patient's condition often dramatically improved in direct correlation with removing unneeded items from their homes. This gives credence to the idea that when you clear your clutter, you improve your health.

Start small. Choose one area that could symbolically be related to your health issues. As you clutter-clear, ask yourself, If this represented something about my health, what would it be? Then as you tackle that area, recite affirmations to validate the health of that part of your body. For example, as previously mentioned, as you clean your windows and clutter-clear the window ledges, you might affirm: My eyesight is excellent. I have immense clarity in my life. You can choose the meanings for the metaphors you create.

Here are some more suggestions: If you have lung issues, make sure that all of your things aren't shoved together because too much stuff 'suffocates.' Clutter around the toilet should be removed if you have elimination problems. Do you have challenges with your mouth or teeth? If so, clear around the front door. If you want to drop extra weight, look for hidden clutter that's shoved into closets, storage units, or drawers. Keeping an item because you might need it someday is like your body holding on to excess fat because someday you might need it to survive a famine. Storing clutter for some potential future use, even though you haven't needed it for ten years, is a negative affirmation. It tells your subconscious mind: I never use this, and I'm okay without it now. However, I might not be okay in the future, so I better keep it.

If you have lots of things that you're keeping for this reason, this can be a self-fulfilling prophecy of a future filled with a lack of the things you need. Get rid of this clutter because doing so sends a powerful message to your subconscious mind that you will be fine in the future. It tells your body: You don't need to hold on to that weight to see me through a potential lean time in the future.

Natural Medicine

MUSHROOM – EAR
Slice a mushroom in half and it resembles the shape of the human ear.
And guess what? Adding it to your cooking could actually improve your hearing.
That’s because mushrooms are one of the few foods in our diet that contain vitamin D.
This particular vitamin is important for healthy bones, even the tiny ones in the ear that transmit sound to the brain.

BANANA (SMILE) – DEPRESSION
Cheer yourself up and put a smile on your face by eating a banana.
The popular fruit contains a protein called tryptophan.
Once it has been digested, tryptophan then gets converted in a chemical neurotransmitter called serotonin.
This is one of the most important mood-regulating chemicals in the brain and most anti-depressant drugs work by adjusting levels of serotonin production. Higher levels are associated with better moods.

BROCCOLI – CANCER
Close-up, the tiny green tips on a broccoli head look like hundreds of cancer cells.
Now scientists know this disease-busting veg can play a crucial role in preventing the disease.
Last year, a team of researchers at the US National Cancer Institute found just a weekly serving of broccoli was enough to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 45 per cent.
In Britain , prostate cancer kills one man every hour.

GINGER – STOMACH
Root ginger, commonly sold in supermarkets, often looks just like the stomach.
So it’s interesting that one of its biggest benefits is aiding digestion.
The Chinese have been using it for over 2,000 years to calm the stomach and cure nausea, while it is also a popular remedy for motion sickness. But the benefits could go much further.
Tests on mice at the University of Minnesota found injecting the chemical that gives ginger its flavor slowed down the growth rate of bowel tumors

CHEESE – BONES
A nice ‘holey’ cheese, like Emmenthal, is not just good for your bones; it even resembles their internal structure.
And like most cheeses, it is a rich source of calcium, a vital ingredient for strong bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis later in life.
Together with another mineral called phosphate, it provides the main strength in bones but also helps to ‘power’ muscles.
Getting enough calcium in the diet during childhood is crucial for strong bones.
A study at Columbia University in New York showed teens who increased calcium intake from 800mg a day to 1200mg – equal to an extra two slices of cheddar - boosted their bone density by six per cent.

BEANSPROUTS – SPERM
The stir-fry favorite bears an uncanny resemblance to the images we see of ‘swimming’ sperm trying to fertilize an egg. And research from the US suggests they could play an important part in boosting male fertility.
A study at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio showed that to make healthy sperm in large quantities, the body needs a good supply of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that protects cells against damage by harmful molecules called free radicals.
Just half a cup of bean sprouts provides 16 per cent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C for a man.
It’s not just dad but baby too who could benefit.
Bean sprouts are packed with foliate, a vitamin that prevents neural tube defects, where the baby is born with a damaged brain or spine.

GRAPES – LUNGS
OUR lungs are made up of branches of ever-smaller airways that finish up with tiny bunches of tissue called alveoli.
These structures, which resemble bunches of grapes, allow oxygen to pass from the lungs to the blood stream.
One reason that very premature babies struggle to survive is that these alveoli do not begin to form until week 23 or 24 of pregnancy.
A diet high in fresh fruit, such as grapes, has been shown to reduce the risk of lung cancer and emphysema.
Grape seeds also contain a chemical called proanthocyanidin, which appears to reduce the severity of asthma triggered by allergy.

TOMATO – HEART
A TOMATO is red and usually has four chambers, just like our heart.
Tomatoes are also a great source of lycopene, a plant chemical that reduces the risk of heart disease and several cancers.
The Women’s Health Study — an American research program which tracks the health of 40,000 women — found women with the highest blood levels of lycopene had 30 per cent less heart disease than women who had very little lycopene.
Lab experiments have also shown that lycopene helps counter the effect of unhealthy LDL cholesterol.
One Canadian study, published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine, said there was “convincing evidence’ that lycopene prevented coronary heart disease.


WALNUT – BRAIN
The gnarled folds of a walnut mimic the appearance of a human brain - and provide a clue to the benefits.
Walnuts are the only nuts which contain significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.
They may also help head off dementia. An American study found that walnut extract broke down the protein-based plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers at Tufts University in Boston found walnuts reversed some signs of brain aging in rats.

How To Treat Puffy Eyes

Puffy eyes are typically the result of a lack of sleep, but your eyes don't have to give it away.

Follow these steps to looking bright-eyed no matter what time you went to bed.

- Place a cooling agent on your eyes. Wrap a bag of frozen vegetables in a thin towel (you want to be able to feel the cold through it). Place it over closed eyes for 10 minutes. (Keep your head upright so gravity has a chance to help remove the fluid you’re retaining.)

- Soak a washcloth in cold chamomile tea and place it on your eyes for 10 minutes. The anti-inflammatory properties in chamomile will help reduce the puff.

- The old tried-and-true cucumber trick works, too. Place cold cucumber slices (put them in the freezer for a few minutes) over your eyes for 10 minutes.

- Apply eye cream. With your ring finger, lightly dab a firming eye cream under your eyes, working from the inner corners outward. Look for a cream with caffeine, which is a vasoconstrictor that helps dispel fluid from your eyes, quickly reducing puffiness.

- To prevent puffy eyes in the future, drink plenty of water. And when you go to bed, prop your head up with two pillows. The force of gravity will help keep the fluid from moving toward your eyes.

Skin Care – How To Get Rid Of Brown Spots

Changes in skin coloration are a normal part of the aging process. But many people find brown spots, also known as "liver spots" or "age spots", to be unattractive. These spots that often appear on the back of the hands are caused by sunlight exposure or chronic bruising of the skin.

If you have unwanted brown spots, dark spots or dark patches spreading on your face or other places, and you want them to vanish completely, giving your skin lasting clarity and beauty, then you'll want to treat your brown spots with our Miracle Cure.

Epilators like Silk Epil from Braun remove hair from the root, and so they are similar to waxing, as waxing also removes hair from the root. However, you may get more in-growths if you use these machines, so you should scrub your body with a pumice stone while bathing to counter this problem. You need to give more details about the brown spot. Is it a freckle or is it a mole? How big is the spot? If it is a mole, you should visit a dermatologist.

Prevention is the easy part—apply sunscreen to your hands, arms, face, and scalp (if not covered with hair) every day, whether you plan to go outside or not. You see, sun damage comes in two forms: UVA and UVB. Ultraviolet A rays are known as “aging rays”; UVA sunlight makes up 90-95% of all sunlight that reaches the earth’s surface. It penetrates windows of houses and cars; it gets through clouds; it’s present 365 days a year. Even more troublesome is the fact that UVA exposure is “silent”. You don’t get a tan or sunburn from UVA exposure. UVB rays, also called “burning rays,” cause tanning and burning of the skin, so you know when it’s happening. Enough said? So from this day forward, you’ll apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30?
A laser generates and intense beam of light. This beam brings energy to a specific site, through a small hand piece connected to the laser. The laser light is absorbed by oxyhemoglobin (bright red blood cells carrying oxygen) and melanin/pigment (black or brown pigment found in the skin) causing decomposition or destruction by heat of unwanted cells while leaving healthy cells intact.

Microdermabrasion is another way to remove brown spots. By gently abrading the skin with ultra-fine crystal particulates, microdermabrasion can reduce unwanted pigmentary changes and age spots. It can also benefit our acne patients.

The face, neck, chest and hands are the most popular areas to treat. A progressive series of 5-8 treatments are gently performed 2-4 weeks apart. Peels are often combined with microdermabrasion producing even better results.

Laser is the best way to remove moles. It is good that you have visited a doctor since moles can be the symptoms of other problems. Since that is not the case, simply get them removed through laser.

Sunscreen, protective clothing, and sunglasses help prevent further sun damage. Exposure time in the sun should be limited and seek shade when outdoors. Try to avoid outdoor activities between 10 am and 3 pm, when the ultraviolet rays are strongest. See a dermatologist yearly for a skin examination to check for any abnormal moles or skin cancer.

Body Wisdom to Combat Body Odour

Every region of the human body has a different odor; sometimes the odor is so distinctive so as to allow immediate identification of its origin . For instance, underarm and feet odors are easily recognized .

Recent medical research has shown that people with body odor are prone to less confidence levels which ultimately affect their personal and social relationships.

Feelings of shame, embarrassment, low self-esteem, isolation, frustration, anxiety and depression are extremely common where Body odor is present. Body odor refers to the unpleasant smell that is emitted by the body. The smell results from the presence of bacteria on the body.

The most common body parts that are associated with body odor include hair, feet, groin, skin, armpits, genitals, pubic hair, belly button and ears. Though sweating is seen as the most common reason for body odor, there are other reasons as well, due to which your body may emit a foul smell.

Sweat is not caused only by outside heat; it can also be caused by nervousness, sudden anxiety, unease, apprehension or fear. Perspiration, or sweat, is body's way of cooling itself, whether that extra heat comes from hardworking muscles or from over-stimulated nerves. Body odor is primarily generated in the area under the arms where there is a high concentration of sweat glands.

Seven simple home remedies to kill body odor.

Wash yourself: Take bath twice a day and always wash your self with soap and water, particularly areas that are likely to smell, such as the armpits and genital areas and the mouth. A few drops of rose water or tea tree oil added to the bath, will give long lasting freshness.

Use an Antiperspirant: Antiperspirants leave chemicals on the skin that kills the bacteria that causes body odor.

Kitchen comes to rescue: Applying baking soda, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, alcohol, lime or ashes, tomatoes, which are readily available at home, can also help reduce perspiration.

Eat healthy: What you eat is directly related to your body odor, so eat healthy and avoid processed foods and too much red meat. Frequent consumption of garlic can be the cause of foul smell, avoid alcohol and tobacco – this worsens your problem. According to medical experts, extracts of proteins and oils from certain foods and spices remain in your body’s excretions for hours after eating them and can also impart on your body odor. Drink lots of water and fresh vegetable juices to reduce sweating and hydrate the body. Drink a glass of water in the morning, on an empty stomach, along with 500mg of wheat grass. The chlorophyll present in the grass will help in reducing odor.

Cotton is the answer: Make it a habit of wearing fabrics such as cotton rather than synthetic materials. Cotton fabrics allow air to pass through it. So it reduces sweating and the odor associated with it. Choose your colors carefully; the color black is known to produce heat which can make you sweat profusely. You can wear other cool colors like blue and white. You should avoid repeating your clothes without washing them and make it a point to wash the parts under the armpits thoroughly.

Waxing: The underarms tend to accumulate more sweat, removing hair by waxing or shaving helps prevent sweat rings.

Keep Calm: Keeping calm can also do the trick. Getting excited, feeling anxious or nervous make you perspire a lot. If you know you will go through these emotions, you have to use an extra dose of the antiperspirant in the morning.

How to Smell Good Without Perfume?

When we want to smell good, most of us reach for a bottle of expensive perfume. Unfortunately, perfume can be expensive and it can smell a bit unnatural and overwhelming particularly if applied to heavily. Not to mention the chemicals found in a bottle of commercial perfume or cologne. Need an alternative? Here's how to smell good without perfume.

Instructions
Step 1

Use a light dusting of baby powder.

Baby powder adds a subtle hint of scent without being overpowering. It smells so light and fresh that you can wear it almost anywhere. It's particularly nice to apply baby powder before you head for the exercise club. The powder tends to absorb some of the perspiration you'll produce during exercise.

Step 2

Use essential oils.

To smell good without perfume, carry a vial of essential oil with you when you go out. Whenever you need a scent pick-me-up, dab a tiny amount of your favorite fragrance behind your ear. It's fresh and all natural.

Step 3

Avoid smoking.

The smell of smoke can permeate your clothes and give you a stale smell that not even a good perfume can cover up.

Step 4

Use a heavily scented shampoo.

To smell good without perfume, find a shampoo with a scent you like that lasts for more than a few hours after you wash your hair. There's something ultra sexy about hair that smells freshly washed. Why drown it out with perfume?

Step 5

Use a scented body lotion.

A scented body lotion gives a more subtle scent than a heavy spray of perfume. Perfume can be overwhelming particularly in warm weather. A scented body lotion gives just the right hint of fragrance.

Step 6

Bathe and use deodorant every day.

To smell good without perfume, you need to keep your body clean and free of perspiration odors. Make it a habit to bathe on a daily basis and after your daily workout.

22 Reasons To GO VEGETARIAN

Vegetarian food is easy to digest
Consider making this healthy choice as one of your new year's resolutions. ..
Stacks of studies confirm that a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and grains is your best bet for living a longer, healthier and more enjoyable life. There are literally hundreds of great reasons to switch to a plant-based diet; here are 22 of the best:

1        You'll live a lot longer.
Vegetarians live about seven years longer, and vegans (who eat no animal products) about 15 years longer than meat eaters, according to a study from Loma Linda University. These findings are backed up by the China Health Project (the largest population study on diet and health to date), which found that Chinese people who eat the least amount of fat and animal products have the lowest risks of cancer, heart attack and other chronic degenerative diseases.

2        You'll save your heart. Cardiovascular disease is still the
number one killer in the United States, and the standard American diet (SAD) that's laden with saturated fat and cholesterol from meat and dairy is largely to blame. Plus, produce contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. Incidentally, cholesterol levels for vegetarians are 14 percent lower than meat eaters.

3        You can put more money in your mutual fund.
Replacing meat, chicken and fish with vegetables and fruits is estimated to cut food bills.

4        You'll reduce your risk of cancer.
Studies done at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg suggest that this is because vegetarians' immune systems are more effective in killing off tumour cells than meat eaters'. Studies have also found a plantbased diet helps protect against prostate, colon and skin cancers.

5        You'll add color to your plate.
Meat, chicken and fish tend to come in boring shades of brown and beige, but fruits and vegetables come in all colours of the rainbow. Diseasefighting phytochemicals are responsible for giving produce their rich, varied hues. So cooking by colour is a good way to ensure you re eating a variety of naturally occurring substances that boost immunity and prevent a range of illnesses.

6        You'll fit into your old jeans.
On average, vegetarians are slimmer than meat eaters, and when we diet, we keep the weight off up to seven years longer. That's because diets that are higher in vegetable proteins are much lower in fat and calories than the SAD. Vegetarians are also less likely to fall victim to weight-related disorders like heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

7        You'll give your body a spring cleaning.
Giving up meat helps purge the body of toxins (pesticides, environmental pollutants, preservatives) that overload our systems and cause illness. When people begin formal detoxification programs, their first step is to replace meats and dairy products with fruits and vegetables and juices.

8        You'll make a strong political statement.
It's a wonderful thing to be able to finish a delicious meal, knowing that no beings have suffered to make it..

9        Your meals will taste delicious.
Vegetables are endlessly interesting to cook and a joy to eat. It's an ever-changing parade of flavours and colors and textures and tastes.

10    You'll help reduce waste and air pollution.
Livestock farms creates phenomenal amounts of waste. The tons of manure, a substance that's rated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a top pollutants. And that's not even counting the methane gas released by goats, pigs and poultry (which contributes to the greenhouse effect); the ammonia gases from urine; poison gases that emanate from manure lagoons; toxic chemicals from pesticides; and exhaust from farm equipment used to raise feed for animals.


11       Your bones will last longer.
The average bone loss for a vegetarian woman at age 65 is 18 percent; for non-vegetarian women, it's double that. Researchers attribute this to the consumption of excess protein. Excess protein interferes with the absorption and retention of calcium and actually prompts the body to excrete calcium, laying the ground for the brittle bone disease osteoporosis. Animal proteins, including milk, make the blood acidic, and to balance that condition, the body pulls calcium from bones. So rather than rely on milk for calcium, vegetarians turn to dark green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and legumes, which, calorie for calorie, are superior sources.

12      You'll help reduce famine.
It takes 15 pounds of feed to get one pound of meat. But if the grain were given directly to people, there'd be enough food to feed the entire planet. In addition, using land for animal agriculture is inefficient in terms of maximizing food production. According to the journal Soil and Water, one acre of land could produce 50,000 pounds of tomatoes, 40,000 pounds of potatoes, 30,000 pounds of carrots or just 250 pounds of beef.

13      You'll avoid toxic chemicals.
The EPA estimates that nearly 95 per cent of pesticide residue in our diet comes from meat, fish and dairy products. Fish, in particular, contain carcinogens (PCBs, DDT) and heavy metals (mercury, arsenic; lead, cadmium) that cannot be removed through cooking or freezing. Meat and dairy products are also laced with steroids and hormones.

14      You'll protect yourself from foodborne illnesses.
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest in the US, which has stringent food standards, 25 per cent of all chicken sold in the United States carries salmonella bacteria and, the CDC estimates, 70 percent to 90 percent of chickens contain the bacteria campy-lobacter (some strains of which are antibiotic-resistan t), approximately 5 percent of cows carry the lethal strain of E. coli O157:H7 (which causes virulent diseases and death), and 30 percent of pigs slaughtered each year for food are infected with toxoplasmosis (caused by parasites).

15      You may get rid of your back problems.
Back pain appears to begin, not in the back, but in the arteries. The degeneration of discs, for instance, which leads to nerves being pinched, starts with the arteries leading to the back. Eating a plant-based diet keeps these arteries clear of cholesterol- causing  blockages to help maintain a healthy back.

16      You'll be more 'regular.'
Eating a lot of vegetables necessarily means consuming fiber, which pushes waste out of the body. Meat contains no fibre. Studies done at Harvard and Brigham Women's Hospital found that people who ate a high-fiber diet had a 42 percent lower risk of diverticulitis. People who eat lower on the food chain also tend to have fewer incidences of constipation, hemorrhoids and spastic colon.

17       You'll cool those hot flashes.
Plants, grains and legumes contain phytoestrogens that are believed to balance fluctuating hormones, so vegetarian women tend to go through menopause with fewer complaints of sleep problems, hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, weight gain, depression and a diminished sex drive.

18      You'll help to bring down the national debt.
We spend large amounts annually to treat the heart disease, cancer, obesity, and food poisoning that are byproducts of a diet heavy on animal products.

19      You'll preserve our fish population.
Because of our voracious appetite for fish, 39 per cent of the oceans' fish species are overharvested, and the Food & Agriculture Organization reports that 11 of 15 of the world's major fishing grounds have become depleted.

20      You'll help protect the purity of water.
It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of mutton, but just 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat. Not only is this wasteful, but it contributes to rampant water pollution.

21      You'll provide a great role model for your kids.
If you set a good example and feed your children good food, chances are they'll live a longer and healthier life. You're also providing a market for vegetarian products and making it more likely that they'll be available for the children.

22      Going vegetarian is easy!
Vegetarian cooking has never been so simple. We live in a country that has been vegetarian by default. Our traditional dishes are loaded with the goodness of vegetarian food. Switching over it very simple indeed.

Green Tea Benefits

Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits.

It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health.

And if you're not drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea today, you're definitely NOT doing your health a big favor.

Here Are The 25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Right Now:



1. Green Tea and Cancer

Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer.
The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E.
This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.


2. Green Tea and Heart Disease

Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol.
Even after the heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.


3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging

Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals.
What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.

4. Green Tea and Weight Loss

Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally.
It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day.
That translates to 7 pounds in one year.


5. Green Tea and Skin

Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging.
Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer.


6. Green Tea and Arthritis

Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.


7. Green Tea and Bones

The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea.
It helps keep your bones strong.
If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density.

8. Green Tea and Cholesterol

Green tea can help lower cholesterol level.
It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, by reducing bad cholesterol level.


9. Green Tea and Obesity

Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells.
If you are on a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese.

10. Green Tea and Diabetes

Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate.


11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's

Green tea helps boost your memory.
And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's.

12. Green Tea and Parkinson's

Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain, which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's.

13. Green Tea and Liver Disease

Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers.


14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure

Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure.
Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure.


15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning

Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria.

16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar

Blood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.


17. Green Tea and Immunity

Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections.

18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu

Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu.
Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.

19. Green Tea and Asthma

Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma.

20. Green Tea and Ear Infection

Green tea helps with ear infection problem.
For natural ear cleaning, soak a cotton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.

21. Green Tea and Herpes

Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes.
First green tea compress is applied, and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.

22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay

Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases.
It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.


23. Green Tea and Stress

L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety.

24. Green Tea and Allergies

EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies.
So, if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea.


25. Green Tea and HIV

Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells.
What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.

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Health Care