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Minggu, 07 September 2014

5 The act strange It Beneficial For Health

Maybe youve heard the use of leeches as a healing wound or disease on modern health technologies. Or other strange things. Here are five things at once is unusual uniquely beneficial to your health, at least according to Christopher Wanjek, author of Bad Medicine and Food At Work.



1. Vibration exercise
This exercise was initially considered a myth. However, the opposite has been a lot of exercise equipment that uses vibration in the training system. Induced vibration is believed to increase your mobility in the move. Machine vibration can accelerate the healing of muscle and bone density in patients with established osteoporosis. The drawback, no studies that address the levels of vibration and how much time a safe practice.

2. Running in bare feet
Maybe this time a strange thing if you run or jog barefoot. However, running with bare feet is very beneficial to the shins, knees, hips, and back. According to a study published in the journal Nature (2010), running shoes which appeared in the 60s can change the posture and the way humans walk.

3. Cleaning the tongue
Ritual scrape dirt on the tongue has been run since time immemorial by the Indians they called ayurveda. This is rarely done because you will feel choking, pain, or disgust smell a bad odor. However, dozens of studies conducted in western proves this is the most effective way to cope with bad breath, prevent dental caries, gum disease, and even colds.

4. Healing with the use of parasitic
For those of you who have allergy or asthma symptoms are usually more frequent use of eye drops, pills, or inhalants. However, the researchers gave the idea of ​​healing with the use of something that might be considered dirty and disgusting. They said the protection of a particular type of parasitic infection (hookworm) can cure allergies or Crohns disease and multiple sclerosis.

5. Fecal transplant
This may sound very strange. On a stool or a transplant procedure is also called the faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), the doctor injects the feces of healthy people into the intestine of a patient through a tube-like instrument. This treatment is effective for patients with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), an infection causing severe diarrhea or other illness-causing bacteria-induced diarrhea. Prosedut FMT also known as bacteriotherapy, fecal transplants, fecal transfusion, or human probiotic infusion (HPI), by transferring bekteri "healthy" with probiotics into the intestines.

FMT in principle is an effort to restore the flora colony by introducing healthy bacteria flora through an infusion or injection of feces from a healthy donor. This procedure can also address other diseases, such as colitis, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and some neurological diseases.

4 Ingredients Chocolate Good for Beauty


Almost everyone loves a delicious chocolate flavor. Not only delicious to indulge tongue, chocolate is also rich in apparently good for the skin.

Chocolate consists of various types. There is milk chocolate, white chocolate, until the original chocolate, known as dark chocolate, which is the best chocolate because it has not had a lot of mixture and process. This type of chocolate to save a lot of benefits for skin beauty.

Flavanoid
The content of flavonoids have a natural function as a protective skin from the sun. Researchers from Heinrich Heine University, Germany, found flavonoids in dark chocolate can dispel bad benefits of UV light and circulation of blood flow to the skin. As a result the skin becomes more moist and glowing.

To obtain the best flavanoid content, you should choose chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa content. High cocoa content commonly found in the original chocolate or cocoa powder. Still, do not forget about the protection of the skin from the outside. Also use sunscreen for maximum results against the harmful effects of sunlight.



Antioxidants
Original brown beans known as a high source of antioxidants - 100 grams of cocoa containing at least 10,000 mg of antioxidants that are good for the body.

Antioxidants are useful to block free radicals that can damage the elasticity and collagen production in the skin. The study, published in the "Journal of Nutrition" reveals women given drinks of cocoa for 12 weeks showed a quite noticeable improvement in the texture and appearance of skin.

This is because the content of antioxidants that can help prevent wrinkles and make skin color more evenly. Antioxidants in cocoa can help prevent wrinkles, make the skin brighter, improving moisture and maintain skin elasticity.

However, this effect would be difficult to obtain if the consumption of chocolate along with milk or eating chocolate that has been mixed with milk (milk chocolate). Researchers from the National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome, Italy, Mauro Serafini, PhD says, "the presence of milk can interfere with the absorption of antioxidants in chocolate".

Vitamins and minerals
In the delicious chocolate also contains vitamin B, zinc, calcium, potassium, and magnesium are beneficial for maintaining healthy skin. Various vitamin and mineral content can serve as a natural moisturizer that softens the skin. Ingredients found in chocolate can also help reduce stress. When the body is stressed, the production of collagen distracted so easily cause wrinkles and make skin dull.

Oil cocoa
Fats are found in the oil of the cacao or cocoa butter is commonly referred to as linoleic acid. Unsaturated fatty acids are helpful to help remove fine lines on the skin, disguising wrinkles and scars.

Because of that cocoa butter is often used as an ingredient in body lotion because the texture is easily absorbed by the skin. In addition, cocoa butter is also high in vitamin E which is useful to help the regeneration and repair of skin cells.

We have had many beauty centers that provide skin care with ingredients of chocolate. Not a few are also beauty products using chocolate as the main ingredient. Product or treatment could be an option for those who want to benefit from the brown external use on the skin.

Making chocolate mask can be done at home. For those of you who want to try using chocolate for your face, can try the following ways:

Ingredients:
Dark chocolate (high cocoa content), white powder milk (full cream), salt

How to make:
1. Melt the chocolate
2. Mix all ingredients in chocolate that has been melted and stir
3. Cool to room temperature
4. Apply on face for 15-30 minutes

Milk and salt can also be replaced with butter, sugar and honey if you want moist and antiseptic effect on the face.


Original chocolate consumption can also be done on a regular basis to benefit from the experience. Make sure you only eat one small piece of chocolate every day original or one glass of chocolate drink. However, chocolate contains calories high enough so it is not good consumed in excess.

Jumat, 05 September 2014

Best Juicy Fruits For Your Kids

You must have often noticed your kids tired and wearied out after they come back from a game. Kids suffer from a lot of dehydration problems. Moreover you have to keep giving them snacks in the middle of meals as they often feel hungry. Many kids also have a distaste for milk. So, look for some other healthy food for kids. Fruit is good for kids. Apart from being tasty, they are also a healthy snack that kids will enjoy. Let us look at some juicy fruit options for kids.



Pineapple- Pineapple is a good fruit for kids. It is a rich source of vitamin B and C. it improves digestion and is also very effective in curing sore throats and cold. So, if your child has cold, do not hesitate to give him/her a glass full of pineapple juice or raw slices. High in water content, this will also compensate for the loss of water in the childs body.

Mangoes : They are a rich source of vitamin A. One mango a day is enough for your kid. The vitamin A in mango helps in improving the eye sight of the young kid. The best part of this fruit is that, it is very tasty and attractive to look at. Children love to have this juicy and pulpy fruit. Mango is one of the most healthiest foods for kids. Give it to them in between meals whenever they are hungry. This can act as an excellent healthy snack option for kids.

Pomegranate : Pomegranate is loaded with vitamins, sodium, calcium and antioxidants. Consuming pomegranate is very healthy for a child. One or a half pomegranate regularly is enough for your kid. The antioxidants found in this fruit fight against harmful diseases. It also increases your childs immunity. The nutrients in a pomegranate also protects the brain of your child from any internal damage.

Kiwi : Kiwi is rich in vitamin C and potassium. It is thus a very healthy fruit as the minerals and vitamins in the fruit help in increasing the blood count of your child. You may give this fruit as a healthy snack to your kids. Butdo not forget to peel the fruit before making a juice as it might give a bitter taste.

Orange : This can be considered as a healthy juicy fruit for kids. Oranges boost the immune system and is very effective in preventing cold and other infections. It also calms the nervous system. If your child suffers from anxiety or nervousness, then it is very good for him/her to have an orange as its an effective home remedy for such problems.

You should include a fruit in your kids diet as it is going to benefit him/her in multi-faceted ways.



Source : boldsky.com

Rabu, 03 September 2014

Miracle of Mangosteen Juice for cancer benefits


According to Dr. Brent Bauer of the Mayo Clinic, several lab tests and animal studies show that mangosteen has anti-inflammatory effects. Mangosteens are known to contain xanthones, which is a type of plant chemical that lab tests have shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory capabilities. This has led many users and proponents of mangosteen juice to tout the drug as a cure for arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. However, as of October 2009, there havent been any human studies to verify the effectiveness of mangosteen or mangosteen juice on people.
Fights Cancer and Heart Disease. Anti-Inflammatory
According to the American Cancer Society, in lab studies mangosteen has slowed down the growth of certain cancer cells. One study done on rats found that the rind of the fruit may reduce the risk of cancer cell growth. According to Dr. Brent Bauer of the Mayo Clinic, mangosteens are a strong source of anti-oxidants, and anti-oxidants have shown to protect against cancer and heart disease. Lab tests have shown that the mangosteen fruit can kill some bacteria and fungi. According to the American Cancer Society, these early lab studies and animal studies show that further research should be done to test whether the fruit can help prevent cancer in humans.

Other Uses

Mangosteen and mangosteen juice have been used for years in Asia to treat a variety of ailments. According to the American Cancer Society, folk healers in Asia make an ointment from mangosteen rind to treat eczema, injuries and infections. Other uses in Asia include boiling the bark or leaves to make a drink to deal with infections or menstrual problems. Mangosteen proponents tout it as being able to stop diarrhea and aid the immune system. One lab study has shown that mangosteen can stop the growth of bacteria that causes acne. It is important to note that no studies have been done on humans to test the effectiveness of the juice or fruit on people.

Senin, 01 September 2014

Tips For Good Parenting

Whereas its true that there is no single definition or correct methodology of fine parenting, some parenting tips may go a protracted method in ensuring the happiness of your kid. Let’s take a peek at 10 pointers that Sadhguru has for us on raising youngsters.

Parenting involves a bound amount of discretion. There is no one standard rule for all youngsters. Completely different children may would like totally different levels of attention, expression of affection, and toughness. Suppose I was standing in a very coconut garden and you ask me, “How a lot of water per plant?” I’d say, “At least fifty liters per plant.” When you go home, if you provide fifty liters to your rose plant, it can die. You need to see what kind of plant you have in your house and what it needs.

It is a privilege that this kid – this bundle of joy – has come back through you and arrived in your house. Youngsters dont seem to be your property; they are doing not belong to you. Simply see a way to fancy, nurture, and support them. Don’t try to make them an investment for your future.



Let them become whatever they have to become. Don’t attempt to mould them in step with your understanding of life. Your child would like not do what you probably did in your life. Your kid ought to do something that you did not even dare to assume in your life. Solely then can the globe progress.

People misunderstand that loving their kids is to cater to no matter they ask for. If you get them everything they ask for, it is stupidity, isn’t it? When you are loving, youll do just no matter is required. When you truly love someone, youre willing to be unpopular and still do whats best for them.

It is terribly important a child remains a child; there is no hurry to form him into an adult as a result of youll be able to’t reverse it later. When he is a child and he behaves like a kid, it’s wonderful. When he becomes an adult and behaves sort of a kid, that’s bad. There is no hurry for a child to become an adult.

What do you recognize regarding life to show your children? Some survival tricks are the only things you can teach. Please compare yourself with your kid and see who is capable of additional joy? Your kid, isn’t it? If he is aware of a lot of joy than you, who is better qualified to be a consultant regarding life, you or him?

When a kid comes, it’s time to learn, not teach. When a child comes, unknowingly you laugh, play, sing, crawl beneath the sofa, and do all those things that you simply had forgotten to try to to. Therefore its time to be told regarding life.

Children are terribly shut to a non secular possibility if only theyre not meddled with. Generally, either the oldsters, lecturers, society, television – somebody or the other meddles with them too much. Produce an environment where this meddling is minimized and a kid is encouraged to grow into his intelligence rather than into your identity of faith. The kid can become naturally spiritual while not even knowing the word spirituality.

If you set an example of fear and anxiety, how can you expect your kids to measure in joy? They will also learn the same issue. The best issue you can do is to make a joyous and loving atmosphere.

Stop imposing yourself on the kid and produce a sturdy friendship instead of being a boss. Don’t sit on a pedestal and tell the child what she should do. Place yourself below the child thus that it’s simple for them to talk to you.

Love is what you ask for along with your youngsters, isn’t it? But several folks say, “You need to respect me.” Except that you simply came some years early, are bigger in body, and you know some survival tricks, in what way are you a higher life than him?

A child is influenced by so several things – the TV, neighbors, teachers, college, and a million alternative things. He can go the manner of no matter he finds most attractive. As a parent, you have to form yourself in a very means that the foremost engaging issue he finds is to be with the fogeys. If you are a joyous, intelligent, and wonderful person, he won’t seek company anywhere else. For something, he can return and raise you.

If youre genuinely fascinated by giving your kids a good upbringing, you ought to initial remodel yourself into a peaceful and loving soul.

Jumat, 29 Agustus 2014

Exercise Supplementation Quickie Optimal Protein Blend for Protein Synthesis Gout Drug for Muscle Protection Plus 3 Suggestions for Optimal Protein Blends

Dont obsess about "optimal" supplement regimen, start training, eating, sleeping and exercise the patience it takes to reverse years of sedentary pizza eating.
I thought it would be nice to take a closer look at some of the news I would otherwise "waste" in form of a three-liner in the SuppVersity Facebook News and decided that it was about time for yet another "news quickie" on exercise supplementation and exercise & supplementation ;-)

For todays installment of these "Short News", Ive selected a study that discusses the impressive effects of a "gout drug" on exercise induced muscle damage and a study that takes another look at the ever-so-popular issue of "optimal" protein supplementation - an issue some of you are investing so much energy in that it is no wonder that theyre not making the gains they would want to.
You can learn more about protein intake at the SuppVersity

Are You Protein Wheysting?

Cod protein for recovery

Protein requ. of athletes

High EAA protein for fat loss

Fast vs. slow protein

Too much ado about protein?
  • Interesting observation: Xanthine oxidase inhibitor Allopurinol, which is usually used to treat conditions that are cause by increased uric acid levels (e.g. gout), dampens exercise induced muscle damage in trained individuals.

    The results of a recent study from the University of Valencia clearly demonstrate that the use of 300 mg of allopurinol 4h before a soccer match, lead to significant reductions in all measured markers of muscle damage in those six out of twelve professional soccer players who had been randomized to the active arm of the study (Sanshis Gomar. 2014).
    Figure 1: Changes in markers of muscle, heart and liver damage, as well as MDA levels, amarker of lipid oxidation due to soccer match with our without xanthine oxidase inhibitor (Sanshis Gomar. 2014)
    Now, unfortunately, a reduction in muscle damage that is facilitated by the inhibition of an enzyme that generates reactive oxygen species is - as you should by now have learnt from the dozens of posts on hormesis and the beneficial effects of exercise induced increases in reactive oxygen specie, not exactly desirable.

    The authors conclusion that their observation was a great thing and could be used by athletes all around the world is thus probably only valid with respect to in professional soccer players and other elite athletes who are trying to avoid overuse injuries... and even for their health blunting the ROS response to exercise permanently probably isnt going to be exactly conducive to their health.
  • Further evidence for the superiority of protein blends (vs. single sources as whey) for muscle building

    Scientists from the University of Texas Medical Branch, the Texas A&M University, the Arizona State University and the University of Utah found that a blend of soy and dairy protein slightly prolonged net amino acid balance across the leg as compared to whey protein alone, when it was ingested right after a workout.
Remember? Only recently youve learned here at the SuppVersity that Whey + Casein outperform Whey + BCAA + Glutamine and you bet that this combo will also outshadow the combination of whey, a fast digesting protein and soy, with an only minimally more sustained digestion pofile (for suggestions see bullet-points below).
  • In the soon-to-be-published paper, to which I do unfortunately not have access, the scientists emphasize that it is not the fractional protein synthesis rate or the mRNA expression of selected amino acid transporters (LAT1/SLC7A5, CD98/SLC3A2 SNAT2/SLC38A2, PAT1/SLC36A1, CAT1/SLC7A1) which made the difference, but rather the fact hat "the ingestion of the protein blend resulted in a prolonged and positive net phenylalanine balance during post-exercise recovery as compared to whey protein" (Reidy. 2014).

    Now, eventually this is no news. I wrote about a similar phenomenon with whey protein only recently (learn more) and some of the researchers who were part of the study at hand have actually presented very similar results (albeit from a rodent study) in the August edition of Clinical Nutrition last year.
    Figure 2: Fractional protein synthesis 0-270min after the ingestion of pure whey or soy isolate of blends containing soy, whey and caseinate in the given ratios (Butteiger. 2013)
    In this study Butteiger et al. observed that a mixture of 1:1:2 of soy protein, whey protein and caseinate (="broken" micelar casein which has a significantly faster digestion rate than the original) produced the maximal increase in protein synthesis (dotted line in Figure 1), but with "fake casein" and soy, I am 100% sure that you can do better than that with whey hydrolysate, whey concentrate and micellar casein (1:1:1 would mean an identical ratio of the three). As far as the ratios goes, I would suggest the following combinations for specific purposes:
    • 5:5:1 - immediately post workout, if you have a meal within the next 1h
    • 1:1:1 - immediately post workout, if you have a meal within the next 2h
    • 1:3:5 - as a snack, of if you dont have a meal within 4h of the workout
    Please keep in mind, though that I have no scientific evidence to confirm that this would be "optimal" - its just what I would say appears logical based on the current evidence we have. Instead of whey hydrolysate you can also replace this and the whey concentrate by an isolate. So that you would end up at whey isolate : micellar casein ratios of 10:1, 2:1 and 4:5 - got that?
Bottom line: Eventually, there is just one practical conclusion to be drawn from todays news potpourri: There is no need to limit your net protein synthesis with "pure" whey proteins, because this is what most studies use and many of the bros recommend.

 +43% Muscle Glycogen With Whey vs. Amino Acid Mix | learn more
As far as the use of xanthine oxidase inhibitors are concerned, I have my doubts whether that is not going to produce more problems than solve. And as far as the "optimal" ratio of fast- to slow-digesting proteins for maximal protein anabolism is concerned, I can only tell you that it would require 100 studies to get a decently reliable idea of what the "real" optimum for a certain population and training style was.... but dont grudge. In the end those few %-ages of FSR certainly wont be the reason you are not making the gains you are aspiring - so keep looking for excuses and start removing the true obstacles that are standing between yourself and the physique of your dreams.
References:
  • Butteiger, D. N., et al. "A soy, whey and caseinate blend extends postprandial skeletal muscle protein synthesis in rats." Clinical Nutrition 32.4 (2013): 585-591.
  • Reidy, et al. "Soy-Dairy Protein Blend and Whey Protein Ingestion After Resistance Exercise Increases Amino Acid Transport and Transporter Expression in Human Skeletal Muscle." Journal of Applied Physiology April 3, 2014 jap.01093.2013 
  • Sanchis‐Gomar, F., et al. "Allopurinol prevents cardiac and skeletal muscle damage in professional soccer players." Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports (2014).

    Kamis, 28 Agustus 2014

    Fluoride Chlorhexidine Free Tooth Hygiene For You What Alternatives are There And How Effective are Natural and Not So Natural Fluoride Free Products

    There are alternatives and adjuncts to fluoride you just have to know them.
    To start off with the most important information not in, but about this article: This is not an anti-fluoride article.  I am not even going to mention the ongoing debate about the usefulness and safety of fluoride in toothpaste and co.

    What I am offering is a concise list of natural agents with similar anti-bacterial properties as fluoride anyone of you can use to improve his tooth hygiene - this includes those of you who believe the whole fluoride scare is another overweight child of the hype generating online health community.

    Various anti plaque agents, and other agents like enzymes have been effectively used as prevention of
    dental caries. Ever since 1970‘s researchers started to search for non-fluoride agents for the  prevention of dental caries. And as Agarwal write in a recent article in Oral Hygiene & Health, "fluoride agents may serve as adjunctive therapeutics for preventing, arresting or even reversing dental caries" (my emphasis in Agarwal. 2014).

    Against that background, the items in the following list should be understood as suggestions; agents I suggest you may want to try to improve your dental health, irrespective of whether you combine them with a fluoride containing toothpaste or not:
    • Essential oils: Essential oils have been used for centuries. Only, recently however, has this practice caught scientific attention and scientists began to study the antimicrobial activity against caries-related bacteria.

      Thyme with its main active ingredient thymol is one of the essential oils you could use in an anti-bacterial mouth wash.
      Essential oils derived from plants are typically a complex mixture of approximately 20-60 compounds that are in solution at various concentrations. Overall, the main chemical group is primarily composed of terpenoids, followed by aromatic and aliphatic constituents. Thymol and eugenol are two of the better known agents from essential oils of thyme and clove oil or basil. They have been shown to inhibit the growth of a wide range of oral microorganisms including mutans streptococci, in vitro. Convincing data on their efficacy from in vivo studies, on the other hand is scarce (Agarwal. 2014).
    • Ocimum sanctum aka "Tulsi": Tulsi, Ocimum sanctumis a plant of Indian origin and chances are youve already read its name. Its a time tested premier medicinal herb thats usually used diabetes mellitus, arthritis, bronchitis and skin diseases. Luckily tulsi does also have potent antimicrobial properties, against a whole variety of microorganisms like Staphylococus aureus, Klebsiella, candida albicans, E. coliandproteus sp.

      The antimicrobial activity of tulsi is attributed to its constituents namely ursolic acid and carvacrol. Agarwal et al. (Agarwal. 2010) in their study demonstrated an antimicrobial potential of tulsi extract at various concentrations and achieved maximum antimicrobial potential at 4% concentration level. Thats not much, but something we can work with... as only one ingredient of our toothpaste and mouth-wash, obviously ;-)
    • Figure 1: Prunis is not as potent as  0.2% chlor- hexidine (CHX) and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), but inhibits the growth of human oral keratinocytes within 5 minutes (Seneviratne. 2011)
      Prunus mume: Prunus mumeis is like Tulsi a TCM staple, It is, just like Tulsi not usually used for tooth hygiene.

      In vitro data from studies such as the one the data of which you see in Figure 1, would yet suggest that it is rightly considered to be a candidate for develo- ping an oral antimicrobial agent to control or prevent dental diseases associated with oral pathogenic bacteria like Strepto- coccus mutans, S. sobrinus, S. mitis, S. Sanguinis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, P. gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actino- mycetem comitans (Seneviratne. 2011)
    • Green and black tea (Camellia sinensi): No reason to tell you what these are, right? Well, various component in green and black tea (leaves of Camellia sinensis), notably the simple catechins, have anticariogenic activity.

      Among the pathogens that have been shown to suffer from the exposure to these tea catechins are also S mutans and S sobrinus. In addition, there is evidence that tea does not only plaster your teeth with black tar, but that this black tar inhibits the adherence of bacteria to your teeth (lucky you ;-) - this works by the inhibition glucosyl transferase and the consequent reduction in biosynthesis of sticky glucan. And above all, a recent paper in the Journal of the Indian Society of Peridontologyconfirm sthe "effectiveness of green tea catechin mouthwash as an antiplaque agent" in man (Kaur. 2014).
    Listen up tea haters! In their 2004 paper, Taylor et al. do yet conclude that *surprise* tea shares its anticariogenic effects (this is anti-caries not anti-cancer, folks ;-) against alfa hemolytic streptococci with cocoa and coffee!
    • Oleic acid, Linoleic acid and epicatechin polymer fom Cacao bean husk: Have all been shown to have anti-cariogenic activity. Just like green tea, coffee and cacao, they inhibit the adherence of the bacteria to your teeth and best of all, there is even evidence that this stuff works - in rodents, at least (Ooshima. 2000; Osawa. 2001)
    • Proanthocyanidins, phenolic acids, flavonols from Cranberry: These shows antimicrobial activity against biofilm cells of mutans streptococci. They will disrupt the acidogenic/aciduric properties of planktonic and biofilm cells of S. mutans and have rodent studies to back up their efficacy as in vivo inhibitors of caries development in rats infected with S. mutansis (Koo. 2002)
    • Meswak chewing sticks (Twigs of Salvadora persica): The name already gives it away. This is another tool from traditional medicine, which is supposed to have been used by the Babylonians some 7000 years ago (Al Sadhan. 1999).
      Table 1: Miswak is not the only type of chewing stick thats used world-wide (Sukkarwalla. 2013)
      In this case, however, one that is in fact use to prevent caries! And in fact, the sticks have strong antibacterial effects against all relevant bacteria (Almas. 2004) - no wonder they have been used for tooth hygiene after being embedded in agar forever.

      What should be said, though, is that you could also use other anti-microbial substances as "toothpaste" on a Miswak stick, after youve made it bacteria proof with agar (agar is a polysaccharides that cannot be metabolised by bacteria).
      Figure 2: Marked reduction in levels of Streptococcus mutans in Miswak as compared to toothbrush users (left) and overview of Antimicrobial effects of Miswak (right; both from Sukkarwalla. 2013)
      Its effects, and the illusration in Figure 2 makes this quite clear, does still go way beyond the one of a classic toothbrush (Sukkarwalla. 2013).
    • Trace elements: Actually, the initially mentioned fluoride would belong into this category as well... what? Yeah, you are right: Its note exactly smart to replace it with zinc, tin, aluminium, copper, iron, strontium, barium, manganese and molybdenum, gold, or lead, all of which have been investigated as weapons in our never-ending battle against tooth decay (hard to believe, I know).

      Of these trace elements, aluminum, copper, and iron have been used most commonly as cariostatic agents. Unfortunately, these agents are about as unhealthy for its user, as they are for the bacteria, when they are used in oral care products as simple salts. Moreover, the toxicity of many metals like aluminum, copper, barium molybdenum, would restrict the concentration at which they could be safely used.
    • Propolis, the resinous mixture that honey bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources: Propolis is a natural beehive product that serves a double purpose. It is used to make honey, and it keeps the hive bacteria-free.

      Propolis shows potent anti-bacterial activity against S. mutans and/or S. sobrinus in vitro ad has been used successfully as part of a a mouthwash with in vivo antimicrobial activity against S. mutans (Duailibe. 2007). Moreove, topical applications of chemically characterized Propolis extracts have also been shown to be highly effective in reducing the incidence and severity of smooth surface and sulcal caries in rats (Koo. 1999). 
    What you should know about propolis, thoug is that as with every natural product, though, propolis does not come "standardized" like a phamaceutical. Accordingly, its cariostatic effectsare highly variable depending on its chemical composition and geographical origin. In other words: It owes its antimicrobial potency to the plants - worst case scenario: The bees fly around in a GMO area and collect no natural antimicrobials at all ;-)
    • There are many other reports in the literature concerning the antimicrobial activities that various plant extracts may have against cariogenic bacteria, although the majority of these studies provide limited or incomplete information due to the lack of chemical characterization of the extracts. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, Li et al. (1999) have identified gallotannins from Melaphis chinensis and triterpenes (ceanothic acid and ceanothetric acid) from Ceanothus americanus as antimicrobial agents that harbor activity against mutans streptococci.

      Furthermore, a chemically characterized extract of Galla chinensis(containing gallic acid and methyl gallate) has been demonstrated to impede the growth of S. mutans and other caries- related organisms, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Actinomyces naeslundii, within biofilms. Recently, established that naturally occurring phenolic compounds generally display antibacterial activity by disrupting the membrane lipid-protein interface as nonionic surface-active agents (Greenberg. 2008) and  Ramakrishna et al. (2011) studied various natural alternatives derived from plants and plant products and concluded that it can serve as a prevention and treatment option against cariogenic bacteria. 
    • They certainly dont look like it, but being filled with licorice extract, these lollipops are good for your teeth.
      Chinese Licorice Root: As a SuppVersity reader you know that it can help you lean out, by keeping your cortisol levels up(!). What you may have read as an aside, only, is that it will also help fight caries, if it is consumed as a "teeth hygiene lollipop" that contains a special herbal formula extracted from the Chinese licorice root.

      These orange flavoured herbal lollipops was discovered by microbiologist at the UCLA school of dentistry should be consumed twice a day- one in the morning after breakfast and another after professional teeth cleaning between two and four times a year (Agarwal. 2010). 
    • Xylitol: Xylitol is last on the list, and probably an agent may of you know. Its - unlike most people think - 100% natural and was first used as a tooth-friendly sweetener in chewing gums, lollipops and other stuff more than 80 years after its discovery in 1891 by German chemist Emil Fischer.

      Dental benefits of xylitol were first recognized in Finland in 1970 using animal models. The first chewing gum developed with the aim of reducing caries and improving oral health was released in Finland in 1975 and in United States shortly after. Xylitol is not fermented by cariogenic plaque bacteria and thus does not lower the pH of the plaque. It reduces the accumulation of plaque on the surface of the tooth.

      In contrast to many other marketing claims the efficacy of xylitol based chewing gum is scientifically established (Isokangas. 1987) and its effect to inhibit enamel dissolution, another claim you may have heard already has in vitro data to back it up (Arends. 1990). In children reporting caries experience, consumption of xylitol containing lozenges or hard candy reduces incidence of coronal caries (Alanen. 2000).

      For children below age two, in addition to the study that evaluated xylitol tablets, the xylitolcontaining syrup among children in the Marshall Islands and reported a statistically significant difference in favor of xylitol syrup (Milgrom. 2009) - for children unde rthe age of 2, on the other hand, there is insufficient evidence that xylitol syrup prevents caries. The same lack of convincing evidence exists with respect to xylitol dentrifrice, of which we cannot tell if its the xylitol or another agent thats responsible for the inhibition of dental caries.
    "Hardcore tooth hygiene" ;-)
    Now that youve got a long list, all youd need is a plan of attack. The latter will certainly depend on the availability of the previously mentioned agents and your personal preferences, but in general it will probably look somewhat like this:

    Assuming you have already abandoned regular, fluoride-containing toothpaste, I suspect that you will be using a different product for tooth hygiene. Aside from buying Meswak chewing stick and replacing your toothbrush your best chance to increase your tooth hygiene would thus be (a) the use of xylitol logenes and chewing gums or licorice lollipops and (b) using some cacao bean husk (extracts), in a thyme oil spiked green tea mouthwash after you brushed your teeth (you remember the "protective film" the tea will create on your teeth?).

    And if you are really hard core you do both: Brush with meswak sticks first, flush with a green tea + thyme oil mixture, afterwards. But dont complain about "green tea colored teeth" ;-)

      Reference:
      • Agarwal, Pooja, and L. Nagesh. "Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of various concentrations of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) extract against Streptococcus mutans: An in vitro study." Indian Journal of Dental Research 21.3 (2010).
      • Agarwal, R., et al. "Prevention of Dental Caries-Measures beyond Fluoride." Oral Hyg Health 2.122 (2014): 2332-0702.
      • Al Sadhan, Raed I., and Khalid Almas. "Miswak (chewing stick): a cultural and scientific heritage." Saudi dental journal 11.2 (1999): 80-87. 
      • Alanen, Pentti, Pauli Isokangas, and Kristjan Gutmann. "Xylitol candies in caries prevention: results of a field study in Estonian children." Community dentistry and oral epidemiology 28.3 (2000): 218-224.
      • Arends, J., et al. "Combined effect of xylitol and fluoride on enamel demineralization in vitro." Caries Research 24.4 (1990): 256-257.
      • Duailibe, Silvana Alves de Carvalho, Azizedite Guedes Gonçalves, and Fernando Jorge Mendes Ahid. "Effect of a propolis extract on Streptococcus mutans counts in vivo." Journal of Applied Oral Science 15.5 (2007): 420-423. 
      • Greenberg, Michael, Michael Dodds, and Minmin Tian. "Naturally Occurring Phenolic Antibacterial Compounds Show Effectiveness against Oral Bacteria by a Quantitative Structure− Activity Relationship Study." Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 56.23 (2008): 11151-11156. 
      • Isokangas, Pauli. "Xylitol chewing gum in caries prevention. A longitudinal study on Finnish school children." Proceedings of the Finnish Dental Society. Suomen Hammaslääkäriseuran toimituksia 83 (1987): 1.
      • Kaur, H., S. Jain, and A. Kaur. "Comparative evaluation of the antiplaque effectiveness of green tea catechin mouthwash with chlorhexidine gluconate." Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology 18.2 (2014): 178.
      • Koo, H., et al. "Effect of Apis mellifera propolis from two Brazilian regions on caries development in desalivated rats." Caries Research 33.5 (1999): 393-400. 
      • Li, Xing-Cong, Linin Cai, and Christine D Wu. "Antimicrobial compounds from< i> Ceanothus americanus</i> against oral pathogens." Phytochemistry 46.1 (1997): 97-102.
      • Ooshima, T., et al. "Caries inhibitory activity of cacao bean husk extract in in-vitro and animal experiments." Archives of Oral Biology 45.8 (2000): 639-645.
      • Osawa, K., et al. "Identification of cariostatic substances in the cacao bean husk: their anti-glucosyltransferase and antibacterial activities." Journal of Dental Research 80.11 (2001): 2000-2004.
      • Ramakrishna, Y., et al. "Decreasing cariogenic bacteria with a natural, alternative prevention therapy utilizing phytochemistry (plant extracts)." Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry 36.1 (2011): 55-64.
      • Seneviratne, Chamida J., et al. "Prunus mume extract exhibits antimicrobial activity against pathogenic oral bacteria." International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 21.4 (2011): 299-305. 
      • Sukkarwalla, Adnan, et al. "Efficacy of Miswak on Oral Pathogens." Dental research journal 10.3 (2013): 314.
      • Taylor, Peter W., J. M. Hamilton-Miller, and Paul D. Stapleton. "Antimicrobial properties of green tea catechins." Food science and technology bulletin 2 (2004): 71-81.

      Rabu, 27 Agustus 2014

      SMOKING IS HARMFUL FOR HEALTH

      health

      Say No To Smoking for health

      The relationship between cigarette smoking and the development of many serious diseases is becoming clearer. This has led to an increase in inquiries in the health community and mental health.

      WHO considers an addiction to snuff dependence? Such dependence, as well as many others, must be addressed properly, because nicotine can control some important aspects of a persons behavior.

      Like other euphoric substances (alcohol and cocaine), on snuff is able to produce effects that enter into the mood of the person and their deprivation triggers search behavior of the substance.

      The cigarette smokers have a significantly reduced life expectancy compared to the rest of the population. Some authors have estimated that 5.5 minutes of life lost per cigarette has been smoked. In 30 - 35 years of age who smokes two packs a day, life expectancy decreased from 8 to 9 years compared to a nonsmoker the same age. 

       Effect in Human

      It has not been widely established, unlike other addictions, which smoking causes serious psychological disturbances, apart from the impulse or need to consume and how hard it is abandoned.

      Cigarette smoke contains lots of toxic substances, including carbon monoxide (CO). CO has high affinity for hemoglobin, red blood cell component that carries oxygen to the tissues, so that red blood cells of smokers lose 15% of the oxygen carrying capacity. This can injure the heart and circulatory system. Can be found also other gases such as nitrous oxide and hydrogen oxide, responsible for cough and restrict the flow of air through the bronchi. 
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      Tar is a carcinogen that causes absolute and encourages the development of various tumors.

      Nicotine produces an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output and oxygen consumption in the tissues.
      The risk of lung cancer is 10 times higher in a smoker, and heavy smokers (2 or more packs per day) the risk is 15 to 25 times higher.
      The children of smoking mothers weigh less at birth compared to infants of nonsmokers. 

       Treatment

      Currently there are a variety of interventions to help the smoker to quit their habit, many of whom have better long-term, between 6 and 12 months. Numerous studies have demonstrated that treatment approaches that incorporate behavior change of the person are those that offer a greater chance of success. 

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      Lately it has incorporated the use of nicotine replacement therapies in the form of gums and patches.

      For treatment to be effective must be met in three stages: • Commitment to quit and setting goals. • Initial change: mainstay of treatment includes group therapy, nicotine replacement, behavioral management techniques and relaxation, individual follow-up, etc.. • Maintenance of quitting: mainly ready to face the withdrawal symptoms, as many of those who relapse have at least one symptom of nicotine withdrawal

      The latter is very important because it is responsible for 70% of those who quit falls in the same year.

      History of Smoking

      The first Europeans who came to America found that the Indians smoked a pipe leaves snuff, and introduced the practice in Europe in the mid-sixteenth century. Almost all the snuff was consumed in pipes, cigars or as snuff. This pattern changed in the early twentieth century, when every smoker had been consuming more than one thousand cigarettes a year. The general attitude of society was that the tension eased snuff and had no ill effects. During World War II doctors recommended sending cigarettes to the soldiers, so it was included in batches of rations. 

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      However, epidemiologists were quick to note that lung cancer, rare before the twentieth century, had increased considerably in the early 1930s. Some organizations initiated studies comparing the deaths of smokers with non-smokers over a period of several years, either to die of cancer or other causes. Furthermore, experimental animal studies showed that many of the chemicals in cigarette smoke are carcinogenic. In 1962, the U.S. government chose a group of ten scientists to analyze the evidence available to them. Their findings were included in the annual report on health in 1964, which stated that "smoking is a health hazard of sufficient importance to justify the need for appropriate remedial actions."

      The first step taken in 1964 was to include a warning on cigarette packs. This warning was reinforced in 1969 to read as follows: "Health authorities warn that the snuffs seriously damage your health." Since 1971 banned all cigarette advertising on radio and television. In the 1970 and 1980 several cities and states passed laws requiring spaces reserved for non-smokers in public places and work. In February 1990 a federal law banned smoking on all domestic flights whose duration is less than six hours. In Europe the situation was similar including the warning on cigarette packs that smoking is harmful to health and banning smoking in public places. These measures are aimed at eradicating this habit as bad.

      The risks of passive smoking

      Passive smoking is a person who does not smoke, but is forced to breathe air laden with snuff smoke in enclosed spaces (offices, public places or at home). The so-called "secondhand smoke" includes two types of smoke exhaled by the smoker and the cigarette that usually when qualm. Ester mixture contains over 4,500 chemicals of which over 40 are known to cause cancer in humans or animals and many are strong irritants. The secondhand smoke is also called snuff environmental smoke, and exposure to it is called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. 
      HEALTH

      It is estimated that a person who breathes the smoke present in an environment where smoking takes damage equivalent to smoking one cigarette per hour. The Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) has classified secondhand smoke as a known cause of lung cancer in humans (Group A carcinogen). The agency estimates that the United States, passive smoking causes about three thousand deaths annually from cancer in nonsmokers.

      Exposure to secondhand smoke irritates the nose, eyes and throat. Also can irritate the lungs, resulting in coughing, excess phlegm, chest discomfort and reduced lung function. The secondhand smoke can affect the cardiovascular system. A person who is married to a smoker has a 30 percent increased risk of developing lung cancer than a person living with a nonsmoker. 
       

      Children at risk

      The secondhand smoke is a serious risk to child health. Exposure to secondhand smoke seriously affects the lungs of young children that are under development. Among the most seriously affected by this exposure are infants and young children of smoking parents, for whom an increased risk of infections, lower respiratory system, such as pneumonia and bronchitis, increased hospitalizations annually. It also increases the possibility that these children suffer a decline in lung function and symptoms of respiratory irritation like cough, excess phlegm and asthmatic breathing. It can also cause middle ear infection, the most common cause of infant surgical ward. 

      Health

      Asthmatic children are especially at risk. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of them suffer episodes and increased symptom severity and that many patients get worse due to secondhand smoke. Also it may be the cause of thousands of children without asthma, the contract every year.

      Another risk to consider is the passive intoxication of the fetus when a pregnant woman smokes but does not live with smokers. This issue is so important that in some countries, smoking is prohibited in places where there is a pregnant. 

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      Message to the smoker

      It is now difficult to be a smoker. As the public becomes aware that smoking poses a danger not only for him but for others, people who do not smoke, they begin to speak more frankly and smokers are proving a group disapproved.

      If you choose to smoke, here are some things you can do to protect those around him:
      • Do not smoke around children. His lungs are very susceptible to smoke.
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      • If you are pregnant, stop smoking.
      • Become active in the development of smoking policy in your company. Encourage the establishment of smoking cessation programs for those interested.
      • Keep your home smoke free. Because smoke lingers in the air, can expose them if they are not present when you smoke.
      • If you must smoke inside, limit yourself to do it in a ventilated room with windows open.
      • Submit your home tested for radon. Radon contamination in combination with the smoke produced by smoking is a much bigger risk to health than each alone.
      • Do not smoke in a car with the windows closed with passengers.
      The high concentration of smoke in a small, closed compartment substantially increases the exposure of other passengers.

      Many people quit smoking; most of them fail on their own, without the help of a program or medication. But if not, there is help.
      It may be that your employer will offer a treatment, or ask your doctor.

      In the house:

      • Do not smoke in your home, or allow others to do so.
      • If a family member insists on smoking indoors, increase ventilation of the place where people smoke. Open windows or use exhaust smoke.
      • Do not smoke around children, especially infants and preschool children, as they are especially susceptible to the effects of smoke snuff.

      Where children:

      • Do not allow babysitters or others working in your home to smoke indoors or near their children.
      • Find out the rules for smoking who cares for her children during the day, babysitters, day care, school, among others.
      • Help other parents understand the serious health risk to the child by secondhand smoke. Work with your parent-teacher associations, your school board, community leaders and other citizens interested in getting the childs environment smoke-free.

      What to do at work?

      We recommend that every company has a smoking policy that effectively protects nonsmokers from involuntary exposure to tobacco snuff. Many companies and organizations already have standards in place but their effectiveness varies. Simply separating smokers from nonsmokers, and in the cafeteria, you can reduce exposure, but even so, the latter will be exposed to re-circulated smoke or seeping to places of no smoking.

      Two options to effectively protect non-smokers are:
      • Prohibiting smoking indoors or limit it to rooms especially designed, thus preventing smoke from escaping to other parts of the building.
      • The costs of establishing rooms designed for this purpose vary according to the building and possibly more costly to eliminate smoking completely.

      If smoking is permitted inside a building should occur in a room that meets certain conditions. The air in the smoking room must be taken directly to the outside by an exhaust fan. Do not continue to circulate in other parts of the building. It is necessary that the amount of air that is removed from the room is greater than the amount received, ensuring that secondhand smoke does not leak to the nearby places.
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      The smoking cessation programs sponsored by companies form part of any general rule for smoking. If smoking is permitted in designated areas outdoors, they should not be placed near the doors (or near air intakes of the ventilation system) where nonsmokers are forced to cross the smoke of smokers congregating around doors. Some companies have installed outdoor locations with shelters and ashtrays for the convenience of the smoker. With these measures the company will be protected from potential lawsuits from employees who do not smoke, which would otherwise be affected by pollution from smoking. 

      Smoking and its consequences

      Why quit?
      What are the physical benefits?
      What do to quit smoking?

      Why smoking is considered an addiction?

      Among the substances contained in cigarette nicotine is present, which is responsible for producing drug addiction.
      When smoked, nicotine enters the circulation and reaches the brain. Blood levels of the substance halve in the first 30 minutes and this partly explains the need for frequent whistle smoker. The body develops tolerance to nicotine and then it takes more and more cigarettes to achieve the same effect.

      Why people start smoking?

      People start smoking, usually in adolescence, for several reasons:
      1. Peer pressure: Many people, especially young people, care about their appearance, do not want to be different, if their friends smoke they should also smoke to feel accepted.
      2. Misleading advertising messages: magazines, television, radio, etc., make people believe that smoking is beneficial and that they will see better smoking.
      3. Insecurity: Some people choose to smoke to try to feel relaxed or when they are with other people.
      4. Concern about body weight: many people smoke because they mistakenly believe that if you leave a lot of weight increase.

      What is the health problems related to smoking?

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      There is evidence that smoking causes specific health risks: 


      • It Smoking creates addiction to nicotine. 
      • It decreased sense of smell and taste. 
      • Low physical ability, headaches, contractions, cough, asthma, frequent colds and bronchitis. 
      • Osteoporosis, early menopause, wrinkles, impotence. 
      • In pregnancy, increased fetal death, premature labor, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome in infants
      • Atherosclerosis and vascular disease: angina, myocardial infarction, hypertension, aneurysm, stroke.
      • Diseases of the mouth and teeth including oral cancer.
      • Other types of cancer: breast, cervix, lung, bladder, kidney and pancreas.

      What are the physical benefits if you quit smoking? 

      • In the early days of the body improves oxygenation and less fatigue, and headache contractual and more physical ability.
      • In the first weeks improves the taste, smell, texture of the skin and decrease asthma, bronchitis and colds. 
      • In the first months reduces greatly the risk of vascular problems such as heart rate and brain, improve emphysema and chronic bronchitis and can improve sex life. 
      • In the early years, and increasingly, reduces the risk of cancer by smoking and improving osteoporosis. 
      • In pregnancy, the risk to the fetus and newborn decreases greatly.

      How dangerous is passive smoking?

      • Nonsmokers who breathe tobacco smoke regularly (at home or at work) have specific health risks including:
      • Increased risk of lung cancer, emphysema and heart attack is more than other people who are passive smokers.
      • In children increases the frequency of bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma and sudden infant death.

      How to quit?

      Quitting smoking is a physical and mental task. The person must be prepared and be convinced to want to try to leave for their benefits. Some motivations to quit are as important as an example to children and grandchildren, increase (regardless of age) physical performance, not depending on the cigarette, prevent disease, avoid pregnancy problems, save money, etc..

      Tips for quitting: 

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      •  Think about why you want to quit. 
      • Select a date to quit smoking (does not leave "little by little"). 
      • Ask for support from family, friends and coworkers. 
      • Eat a balanced, drink plenty of water and not drink alcohol to excess. 
      • Do things that enhance stress (exercise yoga, recreation, etc.)

      Rabu, 04 Juni 2014

      Planning for a baby

      Planning for a baby is a very exciting stage in a couples life. But it can be a frustrating one if we dont get the facts right.

      To lessen your frustration and to make the process as smooth as possible, its best to be properly equipped with enough pregnancy information. One of the first things of today healthcare is to know what is actually happening for planning for a baby!

      In planning for a baby, it is very important to know of the following two points:

      How does a baby happen?

      First comes ovulation - a term we commonly used to define the release of an egg (usually one, though sometimes more) from a womans ovary. Conception occurs when a sperm fertilizes the egg. While sperm can survive for several days inside a womans reproductive tract, an egg can only survive for up to 24 hours after ovulation. The result of this is that, there is a limitation on the time when conception is most likely to occur.

      When are women most fertile?

      Women are most fertile 12 to 14 days before the start of their next period. During this time they will have a small window, that is, a few days, in which to get pregnant. For the egg to be fertilized, sperm must be present in their body at the same time that they release an egg.

      To establish when you are most likely to get pregnant, you will need to understand well about your menstrual cycle. The usual practice is to make a note in your diary of when your period starts - this is referred to as day one. Count the days until your period arrives again, i.e. the end of your cycle is the day before your next period begins. In general, cycles can range from about 21 to 40 days, with only 10 per cent being precisely 28 days. If your cycle is generally 28 days long, then you know that you are likely to ovulate on day 14.

      However, if your menstrual cycle varies every month, it can be difficult to predict the date of ovulation. Nevertheless, you can conduct tests that determine the day you ovulate, such as keeping a temperature chart or using a home ovulation kit. Tests should be conducted over a number of cycles so as to determine your pattern of ovulation.

      How do you increase your chances of being pregnant?

      In this respect, women should monitor their bodys fertile time period closely. There are several methods a woman can use to determine when she is most likely to conceive, for example:

      • By using a calendar to chart the menstrual cycle;
      • Charting basal body temperature;
      • Examining cervical mucus; or
      • A combination of the above methods

      I would like to highlight that the charting methods require women to record the secondary signs of fertility caused by changes in hormones. Because these conditions can be affected by factors such as infections or medications, as such careful monitoring and analysis is important, although they are never 100% reliable.

      An alternative to these methods is to measure changes in a woman hormone levels. Women may not aware that an increase in the level of estrogen marks the beginning of most womens fertile phase, while an increase in the luteinizing hormone (LH) level signals that ovulation will occur soon - usually within approximately 24 to 36 hours. Women may want to know that the fertility monitor is considered a relatively new approach designed to provide daily information about a womans fertile time period. It works by recording a womans daily fertility level (low, high, peak) based on results from urine tests. This detects the increases in the levels of estrogen and LH with the aim to help women to potentially identify the days they have the optimal chances of conceiving.

      What are the hitches - infertility?

      What if you still dont get pregnant? It is prudent to be mindful about infertility as well. Infertility is the inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of normal sexual intercourse without contraception. As far as healthcare is concerned, it is good to know that infertility can affect either the man or the woman or both.

      Factors that may affect fertility included:

      • Excessive smoking and alcohol intake;
      • General health concerns such as obesity, thyroid disease or uncontrolled diabetes;
      • Psychological factors such as stress, tension and anxiety; and
      • Some types of medications.
      The causes in female infertility could be due to:
      1. Failure to produce eggs.
      2. Certain hormonal imbalances.
      3. Failure for the ovaries to develop, as seen in conditions such as Turners syndrome.
      4. Womb tumour or scarring that prevents fertilized eggs from implanting.
      5. Endometriosis, a condition that causes abnormal growth of the endometrium tissue, often causing scarring and inflammation in women reproductive organs.
      6. Blocked Fallopian tubes (the tubes that take eggs from the ovaries to the womb). This is often caused by scarring following infections such as pelvic inflammatory diseases (PlDs) or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
      7. Hostile mucus at the cervix (neck of the womb) which does not allow sperm to enter.
      8. Some women may have negative reaction to their partners sperm.

      Nevertheless, there are excellent screening methods as well as alternative medicine treatments available for both male and female infertility. The advice here is to speak to your doctor.

      How to get prepare for a pregnancy?

      If you are trying to get pregnant, you should see your doctor to discuss any regular medications or prescription drugs you are taking, and whether or not they are safe to take throughout your pregnancy.

      As far as today healthcare is concerned, it is important to ask your doctor if you might need additional nutritional supplements to help keep you healthy while trying to get pregnant and throughout your pregnancy.

      Nutrition during pregnancy

      Women should know that a well balanced diet can provide a pregnant woman with most of the nutrients needed during pregnancy, although some supplements is necessary. Women should take extra folic acid for at least a month before getting pregnant and for the first 3 months of pregnancy as this is vital for healthy babys development and to help prevent conditions such as spina bifida.

      Although folic acid supplements is easily available from your local pharmacy, its advisable to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you take any supplements. However, and in addition to folic acid, some women may need supplements of calcium, iron and zinc to keep both mother and baby in good health during the pregnancy. Eating calcium-rich foods such as dairy products will definitely help to increase a woman calcium intake.

      Rubella

      Some women who wish to start a family may need a rubella (German measles) vaccination prior to becoming pregnant. If a mother is not protected from German measles and comes into contact with the virus while pregnant, the babys healthy development may be at risk.

      Harmful substances

      Women who are pregnant or planning to conceive should abstain from drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes or marijuana, as well as to minimize caffeine intake from coffee, tea and cola drinks. All these substances could affect the healthy development of the baby.

      What you should do is to seek medical advice if:
      • you have missed a period but have had a negative pregnancy test;
      • you have had a positive pregnancy test; or
      • you have been having abdominal pain or period problems such as heavy bleeding, period pain or no period.

      Kamis, 01 Mei 2014

      10 Food Sources of Iron for Anemia

      Insufficient number of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood is called anemia. The most common symptoms of anemia include fatigue or lack of energy, tired, and susceptible to colds and other infections.

      There are many different causes of anemia. Anemia may be caused by illness or loss of blood. In this article we will discuss only the anemia caused by iron deficiency. Anemia due to iron deficiency caused by lack of food that contains enough iron.

      Iron is a mineral found in nature and when consumed through fruits and vegetables, are used by the body to manufacture hemoglobin. In treating iron deficiency or anemia, your doctor may prescribe a multivitamin that contains iron. But in general, the intake of foods that contain iron along with adequate rest anemia will return to normal conditions.


      Here are some foods that are rich in iron:

      1. Apricots
      This fruit contains iron which is perfect for ensuring the body gets iron intake. .

      2. Beet greens
      Beet greens are a source of vitamins A and B2. Beet greens can also enrich the blood with iron and manganese.

      3. Chard
      Chard is a vegetable that contains vitamin A and iron.

      4. Corn
      Corn is rich in iron and copper. Maize is also a good source of vitamins A and C.

      5. Eggs
      Eggs are rich in all minerals, including iron, and vitamin B. Ideal eggs consumed at breakfast because it contains a sufficient amount of energy.

      6. Watercress
      Watercress is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin B and C. Watercress contains high amounts of iron, calcium, and potassium.

      7. Molasses
      Molasses provides an excellent source of iron for anemia.

      8. Raisins
      Raisins contain iron which is very high. Raisins are also a food that is alkaline and can help the body cope with the acidic conditions.

      9. Spinach
      Besides iron, spinach also contain vitamin A. Spinach should be a routine part of everyones diet.

      10. Almond
      This nut is very rich in iron and can increase blood flow in the body. One ounce of almonds a day provides 6% of your iron needs every day.