What you might really have: vasomotor rhinitis
Doctors usually blame congestion, watery eyes, and serious bouts of sneezing on allergies, but unless you recently moved or changed jobs, it's rare to develop allergies in your 20s and 30s. Instead, your symptoms may be the result of vasomotor rhinitis, a condition triggered by nonallergen irritants, such as perfume, smog, and cigarette smoke, that inflame your nasal mucous membranes, says Patricia Wheeler, M.D., an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Louisville. The allergy medicines you're prescribed won't provide relief.
Your strategy: Schedule a skin-prick test to identify any allergies. No dice? Then it's time to go over potential triggers with your doctor.
Diagnosis: torn meniscus What you might really have: iliotibial-band friction syndrome
The average doctor's first step in diagnosing severe knee pain is an MRI. The test is so sensitive that it almost always reveals tears in the meniscus, the cartilage in your knee joint. "Nine times out of 10, it's normal wear and not the source of the pain," says Ronald Grelsamer, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Mt. Sinai Hospital of New York. Surgical treatment "will lead away from the real problem." An MRI won't reveal injuries to your IT band — fibers stretching from your hip to your knee — a source of knee pain that's treated with physical therapy or orthotics.
Your strategy: Request an Ober's test, a physical exam that reveals injuries to the IT band.
Diagnosis: sinus headache What you might really have: migraines
Researchers at the American Headache Society examined 100 people with brain pain and found 86 percent of those who thought they had sinus headaches actually had migraines. "If a doctor hears 'facial pressure,' he'll assume sinus headache," says Craig Schwimmer, M.D., an otolaryngologist in Dallas, Texas. But sinus meds can't defeat the heavyweight of headaches.
Your strategy: Mark every headache you have on your calendar. If they occur regularly for more than 2 weeks, call a neurologist.
Diagnosis: bronchitis
What you might really have: asthma
If you hack it up hard after each cold you catch, the culprit could be "hidden" asthma, says Sidney S. Braman, M.D., a professor of medicine at Brown University medical school. "You shouldn't develop a nagging cough with every cold," he says. "If so, a bug may be triggering asthma you didn't know you had."
Your strategy: Set up a pulmonary-function test to measure lung strength. Lung capacity lower than 80 percent may signal asthma.
Diagnosis: appendicitis What you might really have: an inflamed lymph node or stomach virus
Despite advances in diagnostic screening, 16 percent of appendectomies are performed on patients who don't need them, according to a recent University of Washington study. Appendicitis can be deadly, so doctors are quick to remove the 6-centimeter organ before doing a CT scan to confirm the diagnosis. An inflamed lymph node or virus could produce similar symptoms (and not require surgery).
Your strategy: If blood tests reveal that your white-cell count is over 10,000 cells per microliter, ask for a CT scan of your stomach.
© 2010 Rodale Inc. All rights reserved.
Five most common misdiagnoses for men
7 quick health checks could save your life
The head-in-the-sand approach isn't much of a health-maintenance strategy. Sure, a number of miscellaneous ailments resolve themselves without medical attention. But denial can also leave you dead. A smarter move: Regularly assess your health with a few morning inspections that are easy and accurate. They aren't replacements for routine doctor visits — our legal department wants that made clear — but these DIY checkups can help you sort the trivial from the troubling.
Check for... gums of horror What's the big deal? Any redness, inflammation, or bleeding of your gums might be due to gingivitis, a condition that can progress to periodontal disease. This, in turn, is linked to heart disease — the number one killer of men. How? The bacteria from periodontal disease enter your bloodstream, potentially causing inflammation elsewhere in your body, including your heart. The result: atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. What's more, periodontal disease can signal diabetes. "Blood vessels deliver oxygen and nourishment to body tissues and carry away the tissues' waste products," says Robert Pick, D.D.S., a gum specialist at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. "Diabetes causes blood vessels to thicken, which slows the flow of nutrients and the removal of harmful wastes. This can weaken the gum tissue's resistance to infection."
Gums that are salmon-pink in light-skinned people, or a bit darker in dark-skinned people, indicate that your mouth is healthy and bacteria are in check, says Dr. Pick. But if your gums are red and swollen, and they bleed after brushing, you may have gum disease — or worse. Begin daily flossing, and see your dentist for an intense, below-the-gumline cleaning and application of antibiotics.
Check again in: 1 week
Check for... clogged nasal passages What's the big deal? Take a deep breath. Did you inhale through your nose or through your mouth? If it was your mouth, then your nasal passages may be obstructed, probably due to allergic rhinitis, the symptoms of which can include sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and general stuffiness. Or if those symptoms accompany coughing and wheezing, you might have asthma. "Asthma can permanently reduce lung function if it's not treated quickly," says Bradley Marple, M.D., a rhinologist at the University of Texas Southwestern medical center. Clogged nasal passages can also contribute to sleep apnea, a condition that's usually also accompanied by snoring and about 20 pounds of extra body weight. Consult a physician right away if you have all three symptoms.
To flush out the allergens, pollutants, and mucus that either cause or worsen congestion, try a nasal lavage before bed. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of salt into 2 cups of warm water, and fill a bulb syringe with the solution. Bend over a sink, cock your head to one side, and insert the tip of the syringe no more than a half inch into one of your nostrils. Squeeze the bulb until all the saline solution has run out through the other nostril. Repeat on the other side. (Not good with recipes? Try Simply Saline, an OTC saline solution with a built-in applicator.)
Check again in: 1 week
Check for... runaway heart rate What's the big deal? Your resting heart rate (RHR) indicates how hard your heart is working to pump blood. It's not only a good indicator of your overall fitness, but it can also signal diabetes or heart disease if it's high. In fact, Italian researchers found that having an RHR above 70 beats per minute (bpm) increases your risk of dying of heart disease by at least 78 percent
To check your resting heart rate, pee first; a full bladder may elevate your heart rate. Then sit for a minute or two before taking your pulse at either your neck or your wrist. Count the number of times your heart beats in 15 seconds, and then multiply that number by 4 for your bpm. As a rule, 40 to 60 bpm indicates a high level of cardiovascular fitness, notes Adam St. Pierre, M.S., an exercise physiologist at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. "A regular cardio exercise program should knock a beat or two in your heart rate within 2 to 8 weeks," he says.
Check again in: 1 week
Check for... the wrong kind of belly What's the big deal? Men gain weight around their middles, and studies have shown that deeply seated abdominal fat (called visceral fat) bumps up your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Unlike the fat that resides just under the skin, visceral fat collects deep within your abdomen, filling the spaces between your organs and increasing the risk of inflammation throughout your body. Worse, it can lead to insulin resistance, which forces your pancreas to boost insulin production in order to clear your bloodstream of glucose, says Michael Jensen, M.D., a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist. (Insulin resistance is a precursor to diabetes.)
Your belly is bulging from visceral fat if you can't pinch or grab a fold. Have some belly to burn off? Step 1: Watch what you eat. To figure out how much you should be taking in, simply multiply your target body weight by 11. That's your daily calorie allotment. Then make sure you're burning about 2,000 calories a week through exercise. In a Duke University study, that amount of activity reduced visceral fat stores by 7 percent.
Check again in: 1 week
Check for... moles behaving badly What's the big deal? Most men diagnosed with melanoma — usually after age 40 — have had it for some time and either ignored the signs or simply didn't notice them. Melanoma in a guy is typically found on his head, neck, or upper back, so it's tough to spot and catch early.
"After your shower, scan your skin for anything that looks unusual," says Linda K. Franks, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University. Specifically, check for the ABCDE's of mole surveillance: asymmetry, borders (blurry or jagged edges), color (black or multihued), diameter (more than a quarter inch across, or growing), and evolving (changing size or shape). If you note any alarming marks, have your dermatologist eyeball them and perform a biopsy if necessary.
Of course, the best way to beat melanoma is to prevent it, so use sunblock as well. Dr. Franks recommends Olay Complete SPF 30 Defense, a nongreasy lotion that provides UVA and UVB protection and also includes a moisturizer.
Check again in: 1 month
Check for... stiff muscles What's the big deal? Poor flexibility in your upper back can predispose you to lower-back pain and injury. If you sit at a desk for long hours without moving, or if you're doing a lot of lifting to build your chest muscles but not stretching them out and not strengthening your upper back, your shoulders and neck will hunch forward, notes trainer Bill Hartman, P.T., C.S.C.S. This will limit your upper-back mobility, causing you to overuse your lower back and leading to pain and discomfort.
Stay limber with a pec stretch. Stand in a doorway with your right forearm and palm resting fully on the jamb, and your arm bent 90 degrees. Now lean into the doorway and away from your arm until you feel the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat with your left arm. Follow this with your favorite barbell row, dumbbell row, or cable row for 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps to balance your pushes.
Check again in: 2 weeks
Check for... lousy memory What's the big deal? Can't recall where you just placed your socks? You're probably stressed out. The stress hormone cortisol temporarily short-circuits memory.
Check your memory — and improve it — with an "N-back" exercise in the morning. Pick a word, such as "economy," while you're watching the morning news. Every time someone says the word, come up with the word that person said two (or five) words before it. "This exercise can evaluate how much you can deal with mentally at one time, and then boost it," says Bridgid Finn, Ph.D., a research scientist at the Memory Lab at Washington University in St. Louis. Then consider going for a run. Cardiovascular exercise shunts extra oxygen to your brain, boosting your mental acuity in general. In fact, a recent Duke University review of studies found that cardio work improves attention, brain-processing speed, and memory. It'll help bust that stress, too.
Check again in: 1 week
© 2010 Rodale Inc. All rights reserved.
New moms get enough sleep, just not good sleep
Contrary to popular belief, new mothers may often get a decent amount of sleep in their babies' first few months -- but it's not a good-quality sleep, a new study suggests.
The study, which followed a group of new moms, found that on average, the women got just over 7 hours of sleep per night during their babies' first four months. That is within what's generally recommended for adults, and, based on past studies, more than the average American gets.
On the other hand, the study found, that sleep is also frequently disrupted -- with the women typically being awake for a total of two hours overnight.
The finding may not sound surprising, especially to parents. But the study does challenge a central assumption about new mothers' typical sleep patterns, according to lead researcher Dr. Hawley E. Montgomery-Downs, an assistant professor of psychology at West Virginia University in Morgantown.
That assumption, she told Reuters Health, has been that most new moms are sleep-deprived -- that is, not getting enough hours of sleep.
So the advice on how to combat daytime fatigue has focused on countering sleep deprivation, Montgomery-Downs said -- such as the age-old adage to "nap when your baby naps."
But the current results, reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, suggest that new mothers' highly fragmented sleep is what's behind their daytime fatigue.
That sleep pattern, Montgomery-Downs said, is similar to what's seen with certain sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, where people log enough hours in bed, but get little restorative, good-quality sleep.
Sleep occurs in repeated cycles that each last about 90 minutes to two hours. Depending on how often a new mom is waking up, she may get few or no full cycles of sleep, Montgomery-Downs noted.
And a quick daytime nap is unlikely to counter that.
"We need to think about what kinds of strategies can help consolidate sleep" for these mothers, Montgomery-Downs said. One tactic, she suggested, could be for breastfeeding moms to find time to pump milk and store it in bottles so that they do not have to be the ones to always get up with the baby.
And while quick naps might not do much, Montgomery-Downs noted that "if you're one of the lucky parents" whose infants typically nap for at least two straight hours, taking that time to sleep could be helpful.
The findings are based on 74 new mothers who were followed between either the second and 13th week of their infants' lives, or between the 9th and 16th week. The women kept track of their sleep patterns using sleep "diaries," and also wore a wristwatch-like device called an actigraph that recorded their movements during the night.
Contrary to expectations, the researchers found that the women's average sleep time was about what it should be, at 7.2 hours. Instead, sleep fragmentation was the issue.
Relatively few mothers tried napping as a countermeasure. By the third week of their infants' lives, less than half of the women in the study said they napped, and among those who did, the average was twice per week.
Daytime fatigue, a problem reported by many new mothers in other studies, is a concern for several reasons, according to Montgomery-Downs. One is that, in some women, sleep problems and exhaustion may contribute to postpartum depression.
Beyond that, Montgomery-Downs said, fatigue can also hinder people's ability to drive safely or hurt their performance at work.
She argued that mothers' fragmented sleep and daytime fatigue call for a reconsideration of maternity work leave in the U.S. Right now, national policy states that workplaces with 50 or more employees have to offer up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave; the U.S. is the only Western country that does not mandate some amount of paid parental leave.
So many women, Montgomery-Downs said, may have to go back to work at a time when "they should really be taking care of themselves."
SOURCE: http://link.reuters.com/vyp28n
Go ahead and argue, it can be good for ur health
A little arguing now and then is good for you, if done for the right reasons, a new study suggests.
The results show when people experience tension with someone, whether their boss, spouse, or child, sidestepping confrontation could be bad for their health. Avoiding conflict was associated with more symptoms of physical problems the next day than was actually engaging in an argument.
Bypassing bickering was also associated with abnormal rises and falls of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day.
"Relationships have important influences on how we feel on a daily basis, especially the problems in our relationships," said study researcher Kira Birditt, of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. "How we deal with problems affects our daily well-being," she said.
Previous research has shown married couples who avoid argumentsare more likely to die earlier than their expressive counterparts. Another study found that expressing angercontributes to a sense of control and optimism that doesn't exist in people who respond in a fearful manner.
The study was presented here on Aug. 12 at the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.
To fight or not to fight In a previous study, Birditt and her colleagues found that the most common way for people to deal with their interpersonal problems is to simply avoid them. The researchers wanted to know the health impacts of this avoidance behavior.
They analyzed data from 1,842 adults ages 33 to 84 who took part in the Nation Study of Daily Experiences. Each day for eight days, participants were asked whether they had engaged in an argumentor whether they had experienced a situation in which they could have argued but decided to let it pass without a fight. The subjects also gave saliva samples for four of the days.
Most participants, 62 percent, said they sidestepped arguments at some point during the study, 41 percent reported engaging in conflict. Twenty-seven percent of participants indicated no tension.
Those who had some type of tension (whether they avoided it or not) reported more negative emotions, such as feeling upset or angry, and physical symptoms, including nausea or aches and pains, than did people who didn't experience any tension during those eight days.
However, avoiding conflict was associated with having more of these physical symptoms the following day, Birditt said.
Stressed out Abstaining from arguments was also linked to an unusual daily cortisol pattern. Typically, a person experiences a peak in their cortisol levels just after waking, and the stress hormone declines throughout the day. People who avoided arguments saw a sharper rise in their morning cortisol levels and a slower decline over time. "They're less able to calm down over the course of a day," Birditt said.
While the researchers aren't sure what this could mean in terms of overall physical health, it's thought that any abnormalities in daily cortisol patterns could be problematic, Birditt said.
Interestingly, those who argued actually saw a lower rise in their morning cortisol levels. This might be because "people who have lots of arguments and chronic stresses in their relationships are less reactive to tension over time," Birditt said. Essentially a ticking bomb versus one that's already released its power in a more gradual way.
Future work might shed light on the cortisol-arguing link and its impact on health. In addition, Birditt hopes future work might reveal whether it's better to avoid arguments in certain situations, say with a coworker, and engage in them in others, like with a spouse.
About Calories and Weight Gain
Calories and Weight Gain
Body needs vary within individuals for maintaining a stable metabolic function. Metabolic function is defined as how quickly a body uses energy - in this case how many calories it uses per day to maintain function. Between 2000-2500 calories per day is considered an average amount of calories needed to keep your metabolic rate in constant and consistent activity.
Adding 1000 extra calories per day is gaining weight at 2 pounds per week. Some caloric needs may exceed 2500 calories per day; the key is to increase the needed calories by at least 1000 calories per day, since you need calories to gain weight.
Burning Calories with Working Out
Exercise does burn calories so to gain weight while exercising requires having more calories in your diet when working out. Calorie supplements can give you the extra boost you need. The best weight gain supplements will provide the most calories and the most extra nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fats, sugars, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Calorie Supplements and Weight Gain
If you are a patient fighting a disease like cancer or AIDS, there may be times when, despite your best efforts, you don't want to eat. Even if you have the option of high calorie, nutritious and tasty meals, you may be too tired, nauseous or just not in the mood. In times like these, calorie supplements can come in handy. Nutritional and calorie supplements should not be a staple in your diet, but they can be a real help in a pinch. These calorie supplements, especially when they are nutrient, vitamins and minerals can help you maintain a weight, or add calories when you are trying to gain weight.
High Calorie Foods
Packaged foods have the nutritional value and calorie count on the label. Chose the brand of product with the higher calories if you have a choice. Look in dietary and nutrition books for a list of high calorie foods for weight gain. Try to avoid Packaged foods packed with salt and preservatives. Salt will help you retain water, which makes your weight appear higher then it really is. Focus on highly nutritious foods with natural fat content like eggs and avocados.
Calories
Calorie usage depends on activity levels, the more active, the more calories are used. It takes 1.5 calories a minute to keep the body operating smoothly, without additional activity. When the activity level increases the rate of calorie usage goes up. If you are exercising regularly and find that you are not putting on weight, in the form of muscle, you may want to look at introducing a calorie supplement into your diet. This will give you the extra calories you need for weight gain and should offer extra nutrients and vitamins to maintain your health and well being.
Extra Calories
Gaining weight requires finding extra calories when you have meals or snacks. Add sugar to your coffee, put sugar on your cereal, add dressing to your salads, choose high calorie brands of a product, choose the higher calorie canned fruit, Choose raisins over grapes, cook oat meal with milk, put butter and sour cream on your potato, put cheese on sandwiches, use mayonnaise with tuna. All can add extra calories for gaining weight.
Gaining Weight and Calories
Gaining weight requires more calories than your body needs. The body needs1.5 calories each minute just keeping the body functioning. With additional movements, that amount can more than double to over 180 calories per hour. High calorie foods and calorie supplements provide the extra caloric intake needed to exceed the functional amount of calories. Every extra calorie is needed to gain weight
The Effect of High Calories on the Body
Gaining weight is a challenge and requires a dedication to add those extra pounds. It need not be a long term activity. A weight gain diet is rich but is not a permanent process. Reach your goal and then maintain with less rich foods. Proper dental hygiene will neutralize the effect of sugar, a six month plan to gain weight is not a lifetime of rich eating, and proper exercise will tone the body and exercise the muscles, including the heart. The objective is to gain only the wanted extra pounds not continue to add excessive weight with higher calorie foods.
Protein Shakes and Weight Gain
Protein shakes alone are not effective for weight gain. Protein has been found to speed up metabolism in the body, so the body utilizes more calories more quickly. The more calories you use, the more you lose weight, not gain weight. Protein alone is a spiral away from weight gain. A combination of protein, fats and carbohydrates gain weight. .
Getting Extra Calories
Become a high calorie detective by reading food labels and nutritional books. Not all ice cream or canned fruit is alike for offering high calories. Choose the high calorie brands. Avoid the diet sodas and add salad dressings. Butter the toast and add jams and jellies. Add sugar to your tea and coffee. All calories add up. A high calorie supplement is also ideal for adding extra calories for gaining weight. Remember though, its better to add a lot of healthy extra food into your diet, than to gain weight eating a bunch of junk food.
Caloric Content
You need to choose high calorie foods for weight gain. A few examples of high calorie foods are: English muffin with butter: 345 calories, 1 cup mashed potatoes: 200 calories, apple pie slice: 400 calories, 4 slices of bacon: 700 calories, 2 fried eggs: 215 calories, 2 pork chops: 500 calories, coconut cream pie slice: 450 calories, 8oz chocolate milk: 290 calories, 1 cup chili and beans: 300 calories, avocado salad with dressing: 350 calories, ¼ pound T-bone steak with melted butter: 600 calories, 8 oz cheese ravioli: 625 calories.
Carrot really helps ur eyesight
Carrot really helps your eyesight. It also contains vitamin A in large quantities in the form of beta carotene. Due to the usefulness of carrot it has been considered as one of the top most salad requirements.
Skin Care Remedies -: Grate one carrot and mix it with a spoonful of honey. Apply this mixture on your face and leave it for 15 minutes. By using it regularly you will make out the difference.
Carrot juice if applied on blemishes regularly helps them to fade away.
For carrot skin mask you need raw carrots and lemon juice. Grate the carrot and add some lemon juice and apply this mixture on your face and neck. You can do the same with cooked carrots by blending them and adding 5 tbsp honey or yogurt. Apply it and leave it for 15-20 minutes.
By mixing pineapple and carrot juice you can make a fine blend for glowing skin. Apply this mixture on your face and leave it for 15 minutes. Wash it and pat it dry.
Do Exercise and Weight Gain
Heavy Weights
To build muscle mass for weight gain, you need to train with heavy weights, more specifically, heavy free weights. A heavy weight is one that is challenging for you. This means that it could be 5 lbs if you have never lifted a weight in your life.
You don't want to injure yourself, so challenge your muscles, but don't push yourself into injury! To ascertain if a weigh is challenging, try the following: complete 8-12 reps and if you muscles temporarily fail, you are using the right weight. Heavy weights will stimulate more muscle fibers, and therefore more growth, than lighter weights, therefore, additional muscle stimulation means additional muscle growth.
Muscle Weight Gain
To gain muscle weight, your muscles need to grow and get larger. Muscles need high calorie fuel and exercise to grow. With a combination of proper diet and exercise for weight gain, your muscles will grow and you will therefore achieve your weight gain goals. Without the exercise, the muscles can not grow. Without fuel, the exercise will burn calories, not build muscle.
Overtraining
When you are weight training heavily to gain weight, the exercise puts a strain on your body, so make sure that you get adequate rest and recuperation after each of your workouts. If you over train you are not giving your muscles enough time to repair which will impede the effectiveness of you next workout. If you are not at maximum strength you won't reach your muscular potential. You could also injure yourself. Make sure that you approach your weight gain and your muscle gain in a paced and balanced approach.
Aerobic Exercise to Avoid
There are some exercises that are better at helping you lose weight than gain weight. If you are trying to gain weight by building muscle, you will want to stick to weight training, the best anaerobic exercise. Examples of aerobic exercise that you may want to avoid include biking, jogging, swimming, running, basketball, cross-country skiing, jumping rope, roller blading and walking for fitness.
Weight Gain Exercises
Gaining weight with exercise works best when you target the larger muscles for growth and work to add muscle mass. Push-ups are excellent for adding weight to the upper body. Lunges and squats work best for the thighs while standing heel raises are highly effective for building the calves (works best on a step). Try crunches for the abs, and pull ups (if a bar is available) work well for the arms and back. All these exercises can add weight with muscle mass when combined with an appropriate weight gain diet.
Anaerobic Exercise vs. Aerobic Exercise
The reason that weight training is so effective for muscle weight gain is that it is anaerobic exercise as opposed to aerobic exercise, which is often recommended for weight loss regimens. Aerobic exercise includes running, walking, biking, aerobics programs and other exercises that burn calories without specifically building muscle mass. The term "anaerobic" is defined as "without oxygen." Anaerobic exercise uses muscles at high intensity in short bursts. When you are weight training and trying to maximize the benefits of anaerobic exercise, focus on all of your movements being short and fast.
Multi Joint Exercise
When using exercise to gain weight, you want to focus on working the large muscle groups that are commonly called multi-joint (compound) movements that simultaneously stimulate many groups of muscle. Compound exercises should be the basis of any weight training weight gain program because they offer the best results for the least amount of work (not that you won't be working hard!). These compound exercises include Bench Presses, Overhead Presses, Pull-ups/Barbell Rows, Squats, Dead lifts and Bar Dips.
Gaining Weight with Exercise
Some exercise will help to gain weight such as weight training where extra muscle mass adds to the body weight. Other exercise like running and cycling will burn calories and without extra calories you will lose weight, not gain weight. Remember though, that weight training raises your metabolic rate, so you will require more calories to maintain any weight gained through added muscle. A combination of proper diet, weight gain shakes and exercise for weight gain will maximize healthy weight gain with added pounds of muscle.
Weight Lifting Techniques
To maximize your weight lifting workout and build muscle mass for weight gain, lift hard for a short, intense period of time and then take time to recover until the next workout. You should focus on what are considered "big exercises" such as squats, dead lifts, bent-over rows, chin-ups and bench press. These exercises focus on many muscle groups but they are also focusing on the muscles that are easiest to build up. You should also increase your strength by adding a small amount of weight each workout. If you focus on building strength steadily, size will follow. If you are uncertain what to do and how to do these exercises or employ this technique, you could get help from a professional trainer or someone at the gym with experience. Don't be afraid to ask for help!
Is Exercise Necessary for Weight Gain
You don't have to work out to gain weight. Gaining weight takes eating more calories and nutrients each day than you use, whether through exercise or your normal daily routine. Working out can help with weight gain by increasing muscle mass because muscle is heavier than body fat. So, if you are maintaining a weight that is not optimal, you need to increase calories. If you are working out, you will need to increase your caloric intake exponentially to make up for the calories you are burning with exercise.
Gym Memberships and Weight Gain
A membership at a gym can help you exercise to gain weight, but home equipment works just well. Without equipment, regular strength exercises like push ups, pull ups, crunches and leg lunges can build muscle mass and gain weight. Be sure to add the high calorie weight gain shake when you workout to replace any calories you burn during your exercise routine.
Eye Care For You
Eye Care
Eyes have been described as being windows of the soul. However, most of us barely realize the role our eyes play in our world unless we find ourselves jarringly made aware of this sense by being brought into contact with someone who has an infirmity or loss of vision or when our vision seems to be failing.
At such times, we may find ourselves shuddering at the thought of a world without light, color, shape and beauty. An awareness of our vision, the problems that could affect our eyes, and some measures that can be applied to avoid these problems can help with caring adequately for our eyes.
Eye care is necessary
There are several reasons why eye care is essential for us. Some of these include:
* Vision is an essential sense. Our life would be incomplete if we were deprived of vision even in one eye.
* Drinking secretly or alone.
* Our eyes are essential to help with the performance of our daily activities so that we are able to fit in with our world and as not be a dependent burden on those close to us.
* Eyes are essential to the full enjoyment of our life. Imagine the loss of a mother who cannot see her child’s smile, but must only receive it by touch, thereby losing out on part of the beauty of this simple emotion!
* The cost of corrective treatment for eyes that have not been well cared for is much more than what would have been expended on preventive measures in the form of eye care.
* Social activities would be constrained in an individual with impaired or lack of vision, though current advances in science have been fighting this effect with significant success in several areas.
As vision is so essential, a limiting of vision or the lack thereof can result in curtailment of employment and vocational opportunities.
Defects affecting vision
Some of the common defects affecting vision include:
* myopia (near-sightedness) ,
* hypermetropia (far-sightedness) ,
* astigmatism,
* glaucoma,
* cataract,
* diabetic and hypertensive retinopathies.
Visit Us @ www.MumbaiHangOut.Org
Caring for the eyes
Just a few simple activities that are factored into one’s daily routine can provide significant eye care support. These include:
* Annual eye check ups. These will have a professional evaluate your eyes and will ensure that any problems that are in the incipient stage are identified and arrested with appropriate treatment.
* Avoid rubbing or meddling with the eyes and eyelashes. If there is a problem, such as itching or redness, consult a doctor instead of resorting to self-treatment.
* Avoid looking directly at bright, intense sources of light.
* Television watching should be indulged in only from a distance of 6 feet and should be restricted to 2–3 h at a stretch.
* Avoid use of chemical substances in and around the eye. Eyeliners, eye shadows, etc., should be used minimally and with caution so as to avoid contact to the inside of the eye or the cornea.
* Seek medical attention if you suspect your vision is diminishing. Some symptoms of problems with vision include:
o Diminishing vision.
o Redness or irritation in the eye.
o Pain within the eyes or persistent or severe headaches.
o Double vision.
o Watering or discharge from the eyes.
o Intermittent flashes of light or sparks in vision.
o Protrusion of the eyes occurring suddenly.
o Spots or defects in the visual field.
* Treat infections of surrounding areas with timely and effective antibiotics. For example, infections of the sinuses can also cause inflammatory reactions to occur around the eye and can contribute to pressure that can alter vision in cases with chronic sinusitis.
* Follow the prescription for glasses provided after vision testing. If self-conscious about wearing glasses, ensure that you try out contact lenses or explore options of Lasik or ophthalmic surgery.
* Workplace eyestrain is an increasing component of occupational disorders. Some measures to reduce eyestrain at the workplace includes keeping the computer at an appropriate distance and height, looking away from the screen often enough to provide relaxation of the eye muscles, wearing appropriate prescription glasses or lenses, avoiding exposure to bright intense light or ultraviolet light.
* Relaxation techniques. Remember that your eyes need relaxation and care if they are to last for all your life. Apply cool compresses over your eyes if they feel strained or worn out.
Notes: Home Remedies for Bed Bugs
Bed Bugs
Youve probably read or heard about the horror stories associated with the small insects that feed on human blood in the night. They attack when you are sleeping and are quite adaptable in most of the environments catering to humans. This is the life of a bed bug and contrary to popular belief “ they surround themselves beyond unsanitary and unkempt conditions “ even striking the ritziest of five-star hotels. While professional extermination is almost always the only way to eliminate the problem, there are a few home remedies associated with the dreaded bed bug.
What are Bed Bugs?
Waiting until the night to attack their victims, the small nocturnal insect known as the bed bug belongs to the family Cimicidae, which is known to feed on blood. While humans are commonly referred to as the main sufferers of this pest, the bed bug also seeks out other warm-blooded hosts for their meals. With a past that traces back to ancient history, the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) has learned to successfully adapt to the same living spaces as humans [1].
With a preference to temperate climates, the bed bug is often found in warm temperatures, especially in locales such as Florida and the tropics of West Africa and South America. It is there that various species of the bed bug infest poultry, bats, humans, and other types of birds.
When the bed bug reaches maturity, it is reddish brown in color with a flattened, oval appearance. On their body, microscopic hairs give off a banded appearance. They possess no wings. Some people believe that bed bugs are so small that they cannot be seen by the naked eye. This is not the case, as some adults reach length of 4 to 5 millimeters (which translates into 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch). Their size is comparable to that of an apple seed. Since bed bugs are extremely shy and wary of others, an infestation of the insect is quite hard to pinpoint [2].
When feeding, the bed bug is typically active only at night with the most activity taking place an hour before dawn. Using two hollow tubes, the bed bug pierces the skin of their host and draws blood. One tube injects an anticoagulant into their victim, while the other tube is used for blood extraction. Average feeding times are about five minutes, where the bug then returns to their place of hiding. At the time of the bite, a victim is unaware, although late reactions come minutes to hours later.
In the home, the bed bug seeks many different places to hide during the day, including linens, drapery, headboards, desks, nightstands, artwork frames, mattresses, and clothing [3]. With the use of a flashlight, you may find a bed bug crawling about at night. Additional signs, such as blood spots help detect an infestation.
Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation [4]
The best way to detect a bed bug infestation is to call upon a professional, who will complete an inspection of your home. In case you wish to analyze your surroundings before hiring someone out of the Yellow Pages, some of the signs to seek out include:
a) Bug Bites:
Even though you may display bed bug bites on your body that occur during the night, this is not a sure sign that a bed bug was the culprit.
b) Blood:
The sight of dried blood (referred to as fecal spots) may appear on the box spring, behind the headboard, as well as about the seams of a mattress.
c) Bed Bug Skins:
A bed bug sheds skin during their nymphal stage, which looks like a hollowed-out bug.
d) Bed Bug Eggs:
About 1 millimeter in length, the eggs of the bed bug are rather difficult to pinpoint, but are still visible “ resembling the shape of rice.
Risk Factors
Bed bugs do not feed on dirt, debris, or crumbs, meaning an unclean environment is not the primary target for the insect to dwell. Bed bugs feed on blood and it is advantageous for them to seek out places where warm-blooded individuals are present. This is why places, such as hospitals, hotels, motels, inns, and cruise ships are perfect living quarters for a bed bug.
When bed bugs find their way into a home, there are plenty of different methods to their madness. When guests of a hotel settle in for the night, bed bugs may climb into their luggage, where they are then transported to a new environment. Bed bugs also travel by way of used furniture purchased at a garage sale or thrift shop. The same is true with used clothing, as bed bugs are known to hide in the crevices and folds of material.
In multi-unit dwellings, such as condominiums and apartment buildings, bed bugs find their way throughout the premises by moving about the walls, cracks, pipes, and wires. New residents may bring bed bugs into a living space through their moving boxes, mattresses, pillows, and other belongings.
Negative Effects of Bed Bugs
The pathogens found in the bodies of bed bugs have been connected to plague and hepatitis B, yet no conclusions have been made as to whether or not the insect is able to pass on disease to humans. While the threat of disease is of no consequence, the bed bug is seen as a rather unclean visitor that affects the sanitation of a household. One is embarrassed to admit they have bed bugs in their home. Additional negative outcomes associated with bed bugs include:
a) Infection:
Those who scratch their bed bug bites may develop skin infections, which may leave behinds scars.
b) Red, Itchy Welts:
The sight of a cluster of bed bug bites is quite alarming, especially when they claim large stretches of visible skin. The back, legs, and arms are common places that bed bugs attack.
c) Stress:
A bed bug infestation is rather stressful with the potential to cause delusional parasitosis or even post-traumatic stress disorder in extreme cases.
d) Poor Reaction to Saliva:
A handful of people may experience anaphylactic shock, as they suffer an allergic reaction to bed bug saliva.
e) Extermination Costs:
Since bed bugs are very difficult to remove from a home or hotel, professional means of extermination creates extra bills for a family or business.
f) Offensive Odor:
A strong scent comes with the presence of bed bugs, as they emit an oil-like liquid from their bodies.
Home Remedies for Bed Bugs
When it comes to bed bugs, there isnt much a homeowner can do to get rid of these pesky intrusions on their own. Before calling professional help, some have found slight success with the following home remedies for bed bugs:
a) Rubbing Alcohol:
While not a definite fix, spraying rubbing alcohol where bed bugs thrive may contain the problem by killing some on contact.
b) Fruit and Vegetable Insecticides:
Some insecticides comprised of pyrethrins and canola oil are sometimes used by those who wish to lay down a home remedy that is safe for children and pets.
c) Steam Treatments:
It is not uncommon to see some pest control companies use steam treatments to deal with mattresses and other pieces of upholstered furniture. While very limited effectiveness is associated with this type of remedy, it shows great promise in treating items with less than ½ inch of penetration. At home, one may use small steam cleaners to care for their mattresses and other bedding selections.
d) Dry Heat [5]:
Placing clothing, footwear, rugs, toys, stuffed animals, backpacks and other non-launderable items in the dryer for a certain length of time can conveniently remove bed bugs. When an average clothes dryer is run for five minutes at low, medium or high heat, they generate temperatures of about 140, 150 and 180 degrees (respectively) . It is believed that when drying a bundle of infected clothes, high temperatures are able to kill bed bugs. It is suggested to run the dryer for more than 20 minutes.
e) Hot Sun:
Since temperatures over 113 degrees are said to kill bed bugs, it is suggested to wash and dry clothing and linens at high temperatures. When living in a hot desert climate, you may hang your bedding and clothes in the beaming sun to destroy lingering bed bugs.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
The service is provided as general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor.
How To Have Your Own Gym In Ur House
Is it possible to build a strong, muscular body working out in my own house? Or joining a gym is the only way to achieve it.
That’s the question a lot of folks do and I got and answer for that. Of course you can do it and it doesn’t matters if it’s your house or a gym where you are training.
You may have a lot of reasons to not want to go to a gym. It doesn’t matters. Whatever your reason, there are still a lot of options if you want to workout and have huge muscles. And, as I told you, your home may be the best gym for you.
There are guys who like a lot doing the workout in their own house. They have their gym just down (or up) the stairs waiting for them. And they don’t spend their time trying to go there and back.
I could listen to whatever music I wanted to, as loud as I wanted to without having to worry about those around me. I could grunt, yelp and scream through my sets if I was in the mood without disturbing anyone (hey, squatting to failure isn’t easy okay?) or train shirtless if I felt like it.
And, at the end of the workout, you don’t have to get into your car to go back to your place to rest.
The only real disadvantage is that your exercise selection will decrease because you won’t have access to certain pieces of machinery such as a leg press or calf machine. You can purchase certain machines if you have the money to spend and plan on training at home over the long term, but for the majority of people this simply won’t be possible.
The good news is that planning out a proper bodybuilding routine does not require the use of any fancy equipment, and all of the machine exercises that you would regularly perform can be swapped for freeweight substitutions.
There are some basic equipment that you must have at your home gym, like: An adjustable barbell with freeweight plates, adjustable dumbbells, a bench with incline adjustments, a chin-up bar and a squat rack.
So there you have it; the 5 pieces of basic equipment that are needed to set up a home gym. As long as you have these basic tools in your arsenal you can perform an equally effective workout without ever having to join a traditional gym.
52 Ways To Perfect Health
1. Drink eight glasses of water a day.
2. Include two vegetables and one fruit in every meal.
3. Begin each meal with a raw vegetable salad.
4. Make a light snack of assorted sprouts.
5. Start the day with a glass of warm water and a dash of lime.
6. Use only fresh vegetables.
7. Once a week have only fresh fruits until noon, make lunch the first meal of the day.
8. Eat only freshly cooked meals, not refrigerated leftovers.
9. Include one green vegetable and one yellow vegetable in every meal.
10. Go on a juice fasta for a day. Start with vegetable juice, and sip fruit for lunch and dinner.
11. Kick the old coffee habit. Have a glass of fresh fruit juice instead.
12. Cut out all deep-fried foods from your diet.
13. Cut down on high sugar products like soft drinks, ice-cream, candy and cookies in your diet.
14. Never skip a meal, even if you are on a diet. Eat a fresh fruit or have vegetable juice instead.
15. Avoid beverages like soda, coffee, colas and so on.
16. Include high fibre foods plenty of fruits, vegetables and grains in planning your diet.
17. Use salt in moderation
18. Wash vegetables throughly in clean water before chopping.
19. Stream or boil vegetables (rather than fry or saute.
20. Retain peels of potato, cucumber, carrot and tomato while cooking.
21. Do take a moment off to mentally list out the nutritional value of the food you are about to eat.
22. Dont rush through your meals. Set aside enough time to appreciate, enjoy and digest your food.
23. Make every meal an enjoyable experience. Set dishes out attractively and chew slowly to appreciate the full flavour of the foods you eat.
24. Choose to be radiantly healthy. Keep yourself informed about the nutritive value of every food you buy.
25. Shop for groceries yourself. Notice the look, feel and smell of fresh fruit and vegetables and enjoy their intrinsic goodness.
26. Watch out for eating habits paired with emotional states, like reaching for a chocolate when you’re depressed. Resist the urge and eat fruit instead.
27. Eat popcorn (rather than chips) while watching a movie.
28. Sit at the table at meal times. Dont read the paper or review bills while eating.
29. Make it a point to have dinner with the entire family at the table, and not in front of the TV.
30. Eat just to the point of the fullness. Dont stuff yourself!
31. Stop smoking.
32. Restrict alcohol consumption.
33. Get a good night sleep, every night.
34. Enrol today in an exercise programme.
35. Take a brisk, 20 minute invigorating walk each morning.
36. Spend 10 minutes every morning and evening doing basic stretches.
37. Do not use elevators when you can climb the stairs.
38. Enrol in a TM programme today.
39. Focus on your breathing. Take a deep breath, then exhale slowly. Repeat a couple of times a day.
40. Learn to relax. Spend 20 minutes consciously relaxing each muscle of your body.
41. Spend 20 minutes a day in silent meditation, prayer or contemplation.
42. Learn the healing power of laughter. Watch a crazy movie, recall a joke or read a funny book and laugh out loud.
43. Tap the powers of your sub-conscious. Relax your body for 20 minutes and project the Perfect You on your mind screen.
44. Balance your lifestyle. Devote equal time each week to work and fun.
45. Join kids in a sports activity and rediscover the joys of childhood.
46. Do keep in touch with friends. Call up or visit them and be at peace with the world.
47. Enrol in an activity (like dancing, swimming or roller skating…) you never indulged in because you were afraid of “what people might say.
48. Forgive someone who you think has done you wrong and cleanse your spirit of rancour.
49. Do a nice turn to someone you dont know too well, but who could do with a friend.
50. Spend a quiet half-hour chatting with your family.
51. Listen to soothing music for 15 minutes at least each day.
52. Read a great book once a week.
7 Days Cleansing Diet Plan for Weight Loss
A 7 days cleansing diet can be a good idea if you’ve overindulged over the holidays or while on vacation and you need to get back on track with a healthier diet and exercise program.
Being super-focused on everything you eat for a week gets you back in the mindset of doing the right thing for your body after a period when you haven’t been doing so well.
When you think of a cleansing diet you might think of the Master Cleanse Diet or some other type of fad diet that involves eating little or nothing over the course of a 7 day cleanse.
While this sort of liquid diet or all one food diet is a popular idea of what cleansing is about, the truth is you can do a 7 day cleansing diet that involves more food than you might expect. The important thing is that you only eat certain types of food to help clean out your body.
7 Days Cleansing Diet
There are different ways to approach a cleansing diet. Some people like to detox by drinking only freshly squeezed fruit juices and filtered water for the duration of the cleanse, which is more like a fad diet, while others say that a seven day cleansing diet is all about cutting out the processed foods and meat and eating only certain kinds of foods for a week. The latter is a much more reasonable and balanced way of dieting. The important thing is that you only eat certain types of food to help clean out your body and do not starve yourself or this will not give results.
It is very important to have lots of water and if possible fruit juices during the 7 day cleansing diet plan. On the first two days, it is generally advised to fast, that is only have water or at the most some freshly squeezed fruit juice. From the third day you can include foods. Foods that are allowed include organic raw fruit and vegetables, steamed or stir-fry vegetables and brown rice. Preferably, stir-fry vegetables should only be cooked in virgin olive oil or sesame oil. Herbs and spices can be added.
You can eat as many of these food items as you like and as often as you like. Be sure to eat lots of green vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, celery, kale, chard and beet greens, and also be sure to have some fruit each day. If you still find this menu restrictive, then gluten free cereals and frozen rice waffles that contain no artificial flavors or refined sugars can be added.
Tips for 7 Day Cleansing Diet
The following are a few diet tips that must be followed during the duration of the cleanse.
* Avoid all meat, fish and dairy products. It is also advised to avoid tofu, other meat alternatives and beans.
* Do not eat any processed foods or simple carbohydrates.
* It is advised to stick as much as possible to raw, organic fruits and vegetables as the main constituent of your food.
* Make sure the juice that you have is freshly squeezed and not from a bottle.
* In cooked foods, brown rice is the best option. It is a healthy fiber filled food that will help you feel fuller.
* When you come out of the diet, don’t go back immediately to eating as you used to. Start by gradually adding in more cooked foods. After a week or so of transitioning back to a more regular diet, you should be able to start eating more meat and processed foods again.
* Though some experts believe that a detox diet is not very effective, other researchers do agree that when not taken to extremes of fasting, the 7 day cleansing diet is healthy and beneficial.
Over 30? Stop looking older than you are
Those first deep wrinkles begin to emerge, turning once-charming crinkles into full-on crow's-feet. High school-style acne may decide to make a comeback, or crop up for the very first time. Damage from decades-old summer-camp sunburns can begin to emerge as brown spots and saggy skin. A formerly plush ponytail may become a scrawny shadow of its former self. You get the not-so-pretty picture.
Hormones are one of the main culprits for all these maladies. "The majority of hormone changes start around age 30," explains Beverly Hills endocrinologist Eva Cwynar, M.D. Because we're engineered to have babies in our teens and twenties, our reproductive hormone levels begin to taper off in our thirties, which can result in hair loss and funky skin conditions. Human growth hormone, or HGH, begins to peter out too, which means cells don't turn over as quickly. This puts the brakes on collagen production, giving way to dull, slack skin. "When we're 18, our growth hormone levels may be around 800. By 30, they've dropped to 150. It's normal. It's just how we age," assures Cwynar.
And if you spent your twenties on a beach chair with a glass of chardonnay in one hand and a cigarette in the other, those vices will begin to show, quite literally, on your face. "You start to see the cumulative effects of hard living on your skin in your thirties," says dermatologist Rebecca Giles, M.D., owner of FIX skin clinic in Malibu, California. Everyone is going to see some changes in her thirties due to hormonal shifts, "but for those who have been tanning, drinking, smoking, and eating poorly, the problems are going to be worse."
To keep you looking gorgeous throughout your thirties and way beyond, we asked dermatologists to identify the major skin and hair issues you're bound to encounter during this decade and offer ways to keep problems at bay. If you've already detected some beauty erosion, don't fret. There's still time to undo the damage.
Cellulite Roughly 85 percent of women have some cellulite, and those first thigh dimples often show up around age 30. A less active lifestyle can lead to a cottage cheese-like appearance. "By their thirties, a lot of people have desk jobs and don't have as much time to work out," Shamban says. Adding to the problem: Collagen production starts to taper off at this age, making the skin thinner and cellulite more noticeable.
Preemptive strike: Add simple weight-training exercises like squats and lunges to your cardio routine three or four times a week to tone up and blast fat, says Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., co-author of "No More Cellulite."
Stop yo-yo dieting. Repetitively gaining and losing weight stretches the tissue that connects skin to muscle. When that tissue is stretched, it can have a tough time holding in fat pockets effectively.
Turn back time: There's no magic cure for cellulite. That said, to increase the effectiveness of cellulite creams, Shamban suggests using them in conjunction with over-the-counter retinoid creams like Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Ultra Lift and Firm Moisture Cream SPF 30 ($68, elizabetharden.com). "Retinoids have been shown to stimulate collagen," Shamban says.
Some experts say that in office or in-spa treatments for cellulite may offer temporary relief. "New devices like the Smooth Shapes cellulite machine — a laser-plus-light treatment with suction action — can be moderately effective," Shamban says ($300 per treatment; a series of eight is recommended).
Wrinkles Thanks to sluggish cell turnover, everyone sees a little wrinkling in their thirties, but for sun worshippers and smokers," the bell starts tolling earlier and louder," Giles says.
Preemptive strike: "Wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 is the best thing you can do for your skin," says Giles, who recommends using a physical sunblock like titanium dioxide, which doesn't wear of as quickly as chemical sunscreens. And you need to slather it on every day. "If you can see outside without a flashlight, you need to wear sunscreen. Period," says Ranella Hirsch, M.D., dermatologist in Boston.
Layer an antioxidant serum under your sunblock. "Research shows that vitamin C in particular can help make sunscreen more effective," Giles says. Try Neutrogena Ageless Restoratives Antioxidant Booster Serum ($19, ulta.com).
Cut down on processed foods, don't drink excessively, and good grief, quit smoking already! "These habits all contribute to the premature signs of aging, " Hirsch says.
Turn back time: Thirty isn't too young to start using heavy-duty prescription retinoids, especially the superhero of the bunch, tretinoin. It exfoliates cells to reveal smoother skin and also prevents sagging. Apply a pea-size amount to clean skin a couple of nights a week at first (more than that can cause redness and irritation).
If you've been a maximum sun offender, a small dose of Botox — yes, even at 30 — may be in order. When used in conservative amount, it may keep "dynamic" wrinkles (lines that show up only when you frown or smile) from turning into "static" wrinkles (which hang around no matter what your expression). "I'll see some 30-year-old patients for Botox two or three times a year," Giles says. "It doesn't take much to make a big difference."
A chest full of brown spots Consider these sun spots souvenirs from all those irresponsible spring breaks spent sitting around the pool sans sunscreen. Like wrinkles, they begin making an appearance when you hit the big 3-0.
Preemptive strike: Daily dedicated use of broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher prevents sun spots from forming and keeps existing ones from becoming darker.
Turn back time: Studies show that retinoids, those all-powerful skin rejuvenators, can zap sun spots. "Your skin regimen for your face can be modified for your chest, which is more sensitive," says Doris Day, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. "Try applying an OTC retinol product with a moisturizer to clean skin a few nights a week."
"I've had great success removing brown spots with the new AcuTip laser and the Nd:YAG laser," says Beverly Hills dermatologist Peter Kopelson, M.D. Laser treatments can set you back $500 to $2,000, "but if you address these brown spots now, at age 30, you're likely to have fewer issues later on if you continue to wear sunscreen and stay out of the sun," says Kopelson.
Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy can also lift sun-damage spots from the chest or face. It's an in-office treatment that delivers intense blasts of broadband light therapy deep into the epidermis to kill pigmented cells, which then slough off after a week or two. It's slightly less expensive than lasers (around $500 per treatment), but several sessions may be required to see maximum results.
Thinning hair It can be downright freaky when you start seeing clumps of hair swimming around your shower drain and some thinning (thinning!) around your temples. This is largely due to the 30-something hormonal shift, which is genetically determined, but big-time thinning can be triggered by stress, a vitamin deficiency, an excess of mercury, or giving birth (moms experience temporary hair loss about two months after popping out a baby as their hormones readjust). More serious causes include hypothyroidism, which often manifests itself in your thirties, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which is most often seen in women ages 30 to 40.
Preemptive strike: Eat a well-balanced diet that's rich in B vitamins, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids, and keep mercury levels in check by sticking to low-mercury fish like tilapia and herring, and eating it just twice a week.
Take a daily multivitamin with hair-and nail-strengthening biotin and zinc, Day says.
Turn back time: If the root cause of hair loss is a thyroid condition, a regular dose of synthetic hormones like Synthroid, prescribed by an endocrinologist, can put your body back on track.
For PCOS sufferers, switching to a low-glycemic (low sugar, low carbohydrate) diet can reduce overall body fat and reset your blood insulin levels. If it doesn't, your doctor may prescribe Metformin, a drug for diabetics that controls blood-sugar levels.
If your doctor rules out a thyroid condition and PCOS, she may recommend a prescription drug called Aldactone (the generic name is spironolactone). "It's a testosterone inhibitor that works like a key in a lock; it takes up space that extra testosterone would," Cwynar says.
Stray hairs It's a raw deal that when your hair starts to fall out of your head, it starts to pop up in less-than-ideal places, like your chin, nipples, and abdomen. The reason: The ratio of androgens (male hormones) to estrogen may change in your thirties, which can turn a soft, fine hair into a (gasp!) whisker.
Preemptive strike: Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's not much you can do.
Turn back time: Traditional hair-removal methods like tweezing, waxing, and electrolysis work, and laser treatments have proved to be highly effective too. "There's also a prescription cream called Vaniqa that can help prevent hair from regrowing, with varying degrees of success," Day says.
Acne You may associate zits with first dates and SATs, "but it's a myth that acne ends in your teens," says Heidi Waldorf, M.D., director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. "In fact, lots of people see it for the first time at 30." The causes? A natural decline in estrogen levels, switching birth-control pills (which can create a temporary hormonal imbalance), and stress. The adult responsibilities of your thirties (a big-shot job, a kid, or both) may make cortisol levels spike, resulting in a case of adolescent-like acne.
Preemptive strike: Daily cleansing and weekly exfoliation will help keep your pores clear and fend off acne. Waldorf recommends the Neutrogena Wave ($13, at drugstores), a device that uses a salicylic acid cleaning pad to remove dead skin cells. If exfoliating seems tedious or if your skin is very oily, you can simply apply a salicylic acid product daily (try Murad Anti-Aging Acne & Wrinkle Reducer, $58, sephora.com, or Philosophy Oil-Free Acne Treatment Gel, $22, sephora.com). "These exfoliate the skin and penetrate pores to disrupt oil production," Hirsch says.
Turn back time: Wrinkle-fighting retinoids also have a way with pimples. If prescription-strength products are too strong for your sensitive skin (or your wallet), try Olay Total Effects with Pro-Retinol ($23, drugstore.com), which is gentle and nearly as effective. Apply it at night to clean skin.
Ask your dermatologist about in-office peels (a custom blend of peeling agents like salicylic acid or alpha-hydroxy acid that's left on the skin for several minutes, which may result in peeling a few days later). Both are proven zit erasers.
Red bumps around your nose and mouth Notice a constellation of tiny, painless red bumps on the lower half of your face? Chances are, you've got a case of perioral dermatitis, which is most common among women in their thirties.
Preemptive strike: Quit touching your face! "While the cause of perioral dermatitis is unknown, picking and prodding can trigger it by introducing all sorts of bacteria to your skin," Giles says.
Turn back time: "Nothing is available over the counter to treat this," Giles says. "If you notice these tiny bumps, and they don't appear to be acne-related, see a dermatologist, who will likely prescribe an antibiotic in a pill or lotion form to reduce inflammation."
Brown spots on your face Big blotchy patches on the upper lip, cheeks, and forehead are called melasma. While typically considered one of those annoying estrogen-related pregnancy symptoms, they can occur in 30-something women who have never been preggers. "Sometimes oral contraceptives can cause these patches, but sometimes they pop up for no particular reason at all, and even just a few minutes in the sun makes them worse," Day says.
Preemptive strike: According to Day, nothing can prevent melasma entirely, but slathering on Neutrogena's new Spectrum+ Sunblock Lotion SPF 55 ($12, at drugstores), which protects skin from UVA and UVB rays, as well as certain wavelengths of infrared light, can stop patches from getting darker. "The latest research indicates that infrared rays and heat play a role, and traditional sunscreen doesn't shield the skin from them."
Turn back time: Melasma can be tough to treat, but light chemical peels such as the Vi peel, a combination of ingredients like salicylic acid, retinoic acid, and vitamins, can be effective in lifting the pigment from your skin.
Don't have the bucks (or the pain threshold) for a peel? "Using a topical lightening cream with kojic acid or hydroquinone can lessen the appearance of melasma," Kopelson says. Apply SkinCeuticals Pigment Regulator ($85, skinceuticals.com) every other night, building up to every night.
Cancer cells feed on fructose, study finds
They said their finding, published in the journal Cancer Research, may help explain other studies that have linked fructose intake with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types.
"These findings show that cancer cells can readily metabolize fructose to increase proliferation," Dr. Anthony Heaney of UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center and colleagues wrote.
"They have major significance for cancer patients given dietary refined fructose consumption, and indicate that efforts to reduce refined fructose intake or inhibit fructose-mediated actions may disrupt cancer growth."
Americans take in large amounts of fructose, mainly in high fructose corn syrup, a mix of fructose and glucose that is used in soft drinks, bread and a range of other foods.
Politicians, regulators, health experts and the industry have debated whether high fructose corn syrup and other ingredients have been helping make Americans fatter and less healthy.
Too much sugar of any kind not only adds pounds, but is also a key culprit in diabetes, heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association.
Several states, including New York and California, have weighed a tax on sweetened soft drinks to defray the cost of treating obesity-related diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
The American Beverage Association, whose members include Coca-Cola and Kraft Foods have strongly, and successfully, opposed efforts to tax soda.
The industry has also argued that sugar is sugar.
Heaney said his team found otherwise. They grew pancreatic cancer cells in lab dishes and fed them both glucose and fructose.
Tumor cells thrive on sugar but they used the fructose to proliferate. "Importantly, fructose and glucose metabolism are quite different," Heaney's team wrote.
"I think this paper has a lot of public health implications. Hopefully, at the federal level there will be some effort to step back on the amount of high fructose corn syrup in our diets," Heaney said in a statement.
Now the team hopes to develop a drug that might stop tumor cells from making use of fructose.
22 disease-fighting superfoods
Some foods get all of the glory. (Pomegranates, we’re looking at you.) But new research is uncovering the age-defying, disease-fighting, fat-blasting superpowers of common foods you already love. These 22 edibles are cheap, quick to prep, mouthwateringly delicious — and most are probably already in your kitchen. And to make it even easier for you to tap into their head-to-toe benefits, we created a tasty seven-day diet plan featuring every age eraser on our list. A diet that fights fine lines, fatigue and heart disease and helps you lose 2 pounds per week — what are you waiting for? Dig in!
#
Almonds
Image: Almonds
Tetra Images / Getty Images stock
Savor this snack. Dieters who noshed on almonds daily shed 62 percent more weight and 56 percent more fat than those who didn’t, a study from Loma Linda University in California finds. “The fiber in nuts may prevent your body from absorbing some fat, speeding weight loss,” says lead author Michelle Wien, R.D. Almond eaters also lowered their blood pressure, and the vitamin E in these nuts may keep skin supple.
Reap the rewards. Chomp on 1 ounce (about 35) raw or roasted almonds daily.
#
Advertisement | ad info
Barley
Give your usual brown rice an upgrade. Barley has almost twice the fiber, plus cancer-fighting selenium. And beta glucan, a form of fiber in barley, helps lower cholesterol and reduces your body’s rate of fat absorption. When people with high cholesterol ate 3 to 10 grams of beta glucan daily, their levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides fell, a study in the Annals of Family Medicine shows.
Reap the rewards. Quick-cook barley takes less time to prep but offers the same perks.
#
Bison
To sculpt sexy muscles, try this healthy beef alternative. The proof is in the patty: Three oz of ground bison deliver 50 fewer calories and nearly half the fat of a 70 percent lean beef burger. Choose grass-fed varieties; they contain more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than beef from conventionally grain-fed cows.
Reap the rewards. When you’re making bison burgers, avoid flare-ups and charring on the grill — both may be linked to higher cancer risk.
#
Black beans
Image: Black beans
Kent Gilbert / AP file
Basic black is always in style; the darker a bean’s coat, the higher its antioxidant activity. Beans are so good for you, they straddle two slots on the food pyramid. “They have enough protein to be a meat, and the vitamins and fiber of a veggie,” says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., spokeswoman in Sarasota, Florida, for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). One cup packs half your daily folate, blood pressure–regulating magnesium and energizing iron.
Reap the rewards. Canned beans are as healthy as dried and don’t need soaking. Look for no salt added or rinse them to limit sodium.
#
Advertisement | ad info
Brussels sprouts
The vegetable you hated as a kid could help restore your youthful glow. Sprouts contain vitamin A to keep your immune system healthy and vitamin C to aid collagen building and fight wrinkles. Plus, they offer a phytonutrient that can help clear away carcinogenic substances in the body, says Keri Gans, R.D., spokeswoman in New York City for the ADA.
Reap the rewards. Cook sprouts briefly and add olive oil; both help you nab more nutrients.
#
Cabbage
Image: Cabbage
Gldlocki
Be-leaf it! Women who ate more than three-cup servings of cabbage weekly slashed their breast cancer risk by 50 to 70 percent, a study from Michigan State University in East Lansing notes. Cabbage has phytochemicals that may ward off the disease. And it may lower your cholesterol nearly as much as oat bran, a study in Nutrition Research reveals.
Reap the rewards. Steaming enhances cabbage’s cholesterol-lowering ability. To fight disease, serve slaw: Phytochemicals form only after vigorous cutting or chewing.
#
Coffee
Image: Coffee
Angelo Cavalli / Getty Images file
Far from a vice, downing 1 to 3 cups of java daily might slash your risk for death from heart disease by as much as 25 percent, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows. The combination of antioxidants and certain acids in coffee may work together to soothe inflammation.
Reap the rewards. Choose a medium roast for the most antioxidants. And pick a drip brew: Filter papers catch coffee compounds that may raise cholesterol.
#
Advertisement | ad info
Curry
Don’t save this spice for takeout night. Early research suggests that eating curry once or twice a week might halve your dementia risk. Curcumin, a pigment in curry, may dissolve Alzheimer plaques. It may also fight cancer. When patients took a curcumin supplement, the size and number of colon polyps they had was cut in half, a study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology notes.
Reap the rewards. Pair curry with black pepper (sprinkle on vegetables) to absorb 2,000 percent more of its potent compounds.
#
Farmed rainbow trout
Eco-friendly farmed trout contains energizing B vitamins and brain-helping omega-3s. And eating any fish once or twice a week might make your brain function as if it were three to four years younger, a study from Rush University in Chicago reveals. The DHA in fish may replenish DHA stores in your brain.
Reap the rewards. Eat this lean protein once a week.
#
Grapes
Like vino, the skin of fresh red grapes contains the protective chemical resveratrol, which may sharpen your brain and reduce your risk for both heart disease and cancer. “And there’s no alcohol, which has been linked to certain cancers,” Gerbstadt says. Pop a bunch for a ticker-saving dessert: Eating 1 to 2 cups of red and green grapes protects against the heart-harming effects of a fatty meal, a study in Vascular Pharmacology concludes.
Reap the rewards. Go organic. Imported grapes, in particular, tend to have high levels of pesticides, reports the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in Washington, D.C.
#
Advertisement | ad info
Kiwifruit
Image: Kiwi
Gary Kazanjian / AP
Great things come in small packages: One kiwi packs more skin-brightening vitamin C than an orange, helping you get 94 percent of your daily quota. And unlike most fruit, kiwi provides some vitamin E to fend off free radicals and keep skin smooth. Plus, people who ate kiwis twice a day for 28 days were less prone to blood clots and lowered their blood triglycerides by 15 percent, a study from the University of Oslo in Norway finds.
Reap the rewards. Hot fuzz! You can eat the outside of a raw kiwi; it contains filling fiber.
#
Mushrooms
Make room for ’shrooms. Adding mushrooms to animals’ diets stimulated the animals’ immune system in a way that might help ward off infections and cancer, researchers from Penn State University at University Park say. They speculate that the same would likely be true in humans, and that beneficial bacteria or nutrients within fungi’s cell walls may strengthen your defenses against disease.
Reap the rewards. Aim for 2 teaspoons per day. This amount can cut women’s breast cancer risk by about two-thirds, a study in the International Journal of Cancer indicates.
#
Onions
Onions offer a trifecta of compounds to fight disease on all fronts: fructans, flavonoids and organosulfur. Fructans encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut, to thwart infection-causing bugs. Flavonoids prevent DNA damage that might lead to cancer. And organosulfur may keep blood clots at bay.
Reap the rewards. Buy stronger onions such as northern yellow. They’re best for inhibiting liver and colon cancer cell growth. Sauté, simmer, grill and roast away — their superpowers can stand the heat.
#
Advertisement | ad info
Oregano
Mamma mia! A mere .5 tsp of dried oregano contains the same amount of antioxidants as 3 cups of raw spinach, says Wendy Bazilian, R.D., author of "The SuperFoodsRx Diet" (Rodale). The pizza and pasta topper is also a surprising source of fiber (1 tsp has 0.8 grams) and bone-building vitamin K.
Reap the rewards. Dried and fresh oregano pack the same antioxidant punch. Sprinkle either version on chicken, omelets or fish.
#
Peanuts
Image: Peanuts
Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images file
What do wine and peanuts have in common? They both provide off-the-chart levels of resveratrol. And in addition to lowering cardiovascular disease and cancer risk, the high-fiber, protein-filled nibble also fights hunger, making it an ideal afternoon snack.
Reap the rewards. Eat an ounce of roasted, toasted or boiled nuts. They contain more disease-fighting polyphenols than raw ones.
#
Pumpkin seeds
Mellow out with this soothing snack. Pumpkin seeds are rich in the calming amino acid tryptophan. The seeds also deliver phytosterols that may help lower cholesterol and help fend off certain cancers. Smashing!
Reap the rewards. Toss seeds into granola, cereal, oatmeal, yogurt or salad to add crunch.
#
Advertisement | ad info
Shrimp
These little guys are a calorie bargain. One 4 oz serving sets you back only 119 calories but supplies 23 g of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and selenium, an antioxidant linked to lower rates of colon and lung cancer. Plus, eating about 10 oz of shrimp daily can raise your HDL (“good”) cholesterol by about 12 percent, researchers at The Rockefeller University in New York City have determined.
Reap the rewards. Look for Canada-caught shrimp for fewer contaminants. Frozen is fine; the big chill doesn’t nix the benefits.
#
Skim milk
Image: Milk
Graeme Robertson / Getty Images
It’s not only a bone builder. People who drank more than one glass of skim milk a day lowered their risk for colon cancer by 15 percent, a study from Harvard Medical School in Boston finds. The calcium and vitamin D in milk may work together to halt the growth of cancer cells. Sip a glass as a postworkout snack. “It helps your muscles recover faster, so you can get up and work out just as hard the next day,” Bazilian says.
Reap the rewards. Buy organic or look for milk without antibiotics or hormones such as rBST.
#
Tart cherries
This red-letter fruit is a firmer, more sour variety than the sweet cherries you usually eat. They provide relief from inflammation and pain and may help you sleep. The red globes might make dieting hurt less, too: Rats that were fed the equivalent of 1.5 cups of tart cherries for 90 days metabolized sugar better and had less belly fat than those who didn’t consume cherries, a study from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor shows.
Reap the rewards. Look for dried or frozen tart cherries or juices without added sugar, and buy organic — conventionally grown cherries are high in pesticides, the EWG notes.
#
Advertisement | ad info
Watermelon
Image: Watermelon
FeaturePics stock
Tomatoes get all the buzz for lycopene, a pigment that reduces your risk for heart disease and may help ward off certain cancers. But watermelon supplies more of the carotenoid, says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., of Salem, Oregon. The juicy fruit is also brimming with citrulline and arginine, which keep arteries healthy and help increase blood flow. Bikini bonus: One cup has only 46 calories and is 92 percent HO, quenching your thirst and helping you stay slim.
Reap the rewards. Leave your melon on the counter to maximize its antioxidant content. A watermelon produces more carotenoids at room temperature than it does when chilled, according to USDA research.
#
Whole-wheat pasta
Surprise! These heart-helping noodles have a lower glycemic index than whole-wheat bread, says SELF contributing editor Janis Jibrin, R.D. That means they won’t cause blood sugar spikes. “Pasta gets a bad rap, but 1 cup of whole-wheat pasta has triple the fiber of regular pasta, so it’s really satisfying” Gans says. And people on a diet featuring whole grains lost more belly fat than those on a plan that included refined carbohydrates, a study from Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey indicates.
Reap the rewards. Not a fan of whole-wheat pasta’s chewy texture? Mix it with regular pasta at first, then slowly skew the ratio.
#
Yellow corn
Lend us an ear: This grain is healthful in all forms, be it baby corn or popcorn. Research from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, reveals that milled yellow corn products — such as cornmeal, grits and corn flour — are rich in the carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein, two antioxidants that protect your eyes and skin from UV damage.
Reap the rewards. Steam corn briefly to maintain the cholesterol and blood sugar–lowering benefits of the kernels.
Are you sitting down? It's slowly killing you
The results show the time people spend on their derrieres is associated with an increased risk of mortality, regardless of their physical activity level.
The findings suggest public health messages should promote both physical activity and less time on the couch, the researchers say.
The current obesity epidemic in the United States has been attributed in part to reduced overall physical activity.
While several studies support a link between sitting time and obesity, type 2 diabetes, risk factors for cardiovascular disease risk and unhealthy dietary patterns in childrenand adults, very few studies have examined time spent sitting in relation to total mortality. Thus, public health guidelines focus largely on increasing physical activity with little or no reference to butt-on-the-chair time.
Alpa Patel, a researcher at the American Cancer Society (ACS), and his colleagues analyzed survey responses from 123,216 individuals (53,440 men and 69,776 women) who had no history of cancer, heart attack, strokeor emphysema that were enrolled in the ACS's Cancer Prevention II study in 1992. Participants were followed from 1993 to 2006.
The researchers examined the participants' amount of time spent sitting and physical activity in relation to mortality over the 13-year period.
Women more affected by sitting More leisure time spent sitting was associated with higher risk of mortality, particularly in women.
Women who reported more than six hours per day of sitting (outside of work) were 37 percent more likely to die during the time period studied than those who sat fewer than three hours a day. Men who sat more than six hours a day (also outside of work) were 18 percent more likely to die than those who sat fewer than three hours per day. The association remained virtually unchanged after adjusting for physical activity level. Associations were stronger for cardiovascular disease mortality than for cancer mortality.
When combined with a lack of physical activity, the association was even stronger. Women and men who both sat more and were less physically active were 94 percent and 48 percent more likely to die during the study period, respectively, compared with those who reported sitting the least and being most active.
"Several factors could explain the positive association between time spent sitting and higher all-cause death rates," Patel said. "Prolonged time spent sitting, independent of physical activity, has been shown to have important metabolic consequences, and may influence things like triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, resting blood pressure, and leptin, which are biomarkers of obesity and cardiovascular and other chronic diseases."
(High density lipoprotein is considered the "good" kind of cholesterol.)
The results are published in an early online edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology.