WHAT IS YOUR BMI?

BMI Index - What Is Your BMI ?


Autor: sayush


Your BMI will be a number that is calculated based on your height, weight and sex. The aim of this calculation is to take all of these important factors into account before giving you an assessment.


While BMI is one good measure of determining your ideal weight, you will have to see a professional medical advisor if you are concerned for more thorough evaluation. The good news is that it is possible to measure your body mass index in the comfort of your home since all you need to know is your weight and height and the relevant calculation.


It does not require expensive or sophisticated equipment or a visit to a gym or clinic.


How to calculate BMI


To calculate your own BMI you use a different calculation depending on whether you are going to be using your height in meters or inches and your weight in pounds or kilograms. For this example, let's assume that your weight will be weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared.

So, if your weight is 65 kilos and your height 1.5 metres, then you divide your weight, 65, by 1.25 (which is 1.5 squared). For using pounds and inches you take your weight in pounds and divide by your height squared and then multiply the answer by 703. Both of these methods of calculating BMI will give you exactly the same result.

If you are mathematically challenged as I am, there are several calculators available online that will crunch the numbers for you.


How to interpret your Body Mass Index value

Once you get the final number, you have to see where you fit in the range of values on a chart. The chart values will indicate that a certain figure is under weight, in the normal range, in the overweight range or the worst case scenario - in the obese range.


Body Mass Index is commonly used as an indicator of obesity. However, it is far from perfect and there are important factors that should also be taken into account. These factors are sex, race, age and body type. Different BMI values are healthy depending on your age, race, sex and body type. Therefore, you should take these into account also. If you are looking for one quick measure (besides your weight), then the BMI index will give you just that.
Source: Free Articles

EFFECTIVE HERBAL WEIGHT LOSS METHODS

Effective Herbal Weight Loss Methods

Autor: Lesley Lyon

Herbal products are prepared from the leaves, stems, roots, bark, buds and flowers of plants. They are taken in their natural form or refined into tablets. When compared with other weight loss products, herbal products are more effective and less in calories. Herbal products are rich in taste. Herbal products help in losing weight in a very short span of time without any risk and there are no restrictions in diet.


Some of herbal medicines manufactured for weight loss are:


Ephedra: This is a stimulant, which suppresses the appetite. Small amounts can be taken but it is not recommended for diabetic or heart patients.


PPA (PHENYL PROPANOL AMINE HYDROCHLORIDE): Researchers say that it improves weight loss when taken with a low calorie diet. FDA has approved it with a warning on their labels.


Herbal teas: The ingredients, which promote weight loss, are locus plant, ginseng, buchu leaves and papaya. Herbal teas are growing in popularity.


Amino acids (CARNITINE): This enhances the burning of fat. Since it has calories, it increases the calorie intake also.


Fucus vesiculosis: This is a sea vegetable having iodine, potassium, iron, magnesium and calcium. Since it contains iodine, it helps in thyroid hormone production to maintain metabolism in our body.


Gallium Aperine: This is a diuretic and lymphatic cleanser. It is used to clear the body of toxins.


Garcinia Cambogia is a natural appetite suppressant and boosts metabolism.


Taraxacum Officinalis has a rich source of vitamins like A, D, C and B and minerals, iron, magnesium, Zinc and manganese.


Glycolrrhiza Glabra is a tonic stimulant for the digestive system.


Erythrea Centauriumis is an excellent purifier of blood and a general tonic


Pauline Cupani boosts energy levels


Curcuma Longa was used three thousand years ago as a treatment for obesity


Zingiber Officinalis stimulates energy production and improves digestion

Herbals are most popular dietary supplements. Weight loss can be achieved through correct diet plan, regular exercise and brisk walk. Herbal products not only help in weight loss but are also good in taste. Herbal life products are les expensive compared to other weight loss pills. Herbal weight loss program is easy to follow and can fit into any schedule. Exercise is not a must to lose weight with the herbal weight loss program.

Source: Free Articles

FRUIT, VEGGIES LOWER MEN'S CANCER RISK

Fruit, veggies lower men's cancer risk: Japan study

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Men who eat more fruit and vegetables have less risk of developing a type of cancer of the esophagus, a study by a Japanese medical team said Thursday.
The study divided men into three groups and found that those who ate the most fruit and vegetables had nearly half the risk of developing esophageal SCC compared with the group with the least vegetable-based diet.


"An increase in consumption of total fruit and vegetables by 100 grams (3.5 ounces) per day was associated with an 11 percent decrease in the incidence of esophageal SCC," the researchers said in a statement.

The study concluded that vegetables, especially the so-called cruciferous family of vegetables that includes radishes and cabbages, may help prevent esophageal SCC.


A diet rich in fruit and vegetables would lower the risk of developing this type of cancer to nearly one-third, even among men who smoke and drink, it said.


But the study warned that fruits and veggies were no substitute for the health benefits of quitting smoking or drinking.


A scientific study at Britain's Institute of Food Research showed last month that men who ate more broccoli, one of the cruciferous vegetables, reduced their risk of prostate cancer and other chronic diseases.

SOURCE: http://www.nst.com.my

TIPS AFTER EXERCISE

Top Tips To Treat Pain After Exercise

Autor: raymondlee12

We all get stiffer after unusual exertion, and as we grow older we get stiffer more easily. Often the stiffness will be maximum on the second to fifth day after exercise. This creates a paradox. In order to stay in good physical shape we need regular exercise, which results in substantial amounts of pain and stiffness from time to time. To relieve this discomfort, we have to increase our exercise, which inevitably triggers at least a few episodes of increased pain.

This pain is not a message to eliminate the exercise program. Rather, it is a suggestion from your body to proceed more carefully with a gentle exercise progression. So don’t be discouraged by pain after exercise. Listen to the pain message and work with it.

On the other hand, people with osteoarthritis have pain during exercise that usually is relieved by rest. If you have significant arthritis, the pain after exercise may be localized to the joints and not the muscles. If the pain lasts more than two hours after you have stopped exercising, you may need to rethink your exercise program.

You don’t need the doctor unless signs of severe injury or nerve damage are present or unless the problem continues to bother you quite a bit for quite a while. This problem is a signal to review your home exercise program.

Almost always, pain after exercise indicates that you have disregarded one of the principles of a sound exercise program. Let’s review them. Exercise should not make you hurt very much. Don’t try to exercise through pain. If you hurt after exercise, that exercise is a bit too much for you right now. Exercise programs should be daily.

The weekend gardener is not going to become fit or able, may have reinjury, and will experience increased pain and stiffness on the days after gardening. Exercise programs should be gently graded. No day’s activities should be more than a 10% increase over the typical day’s activity. Slow and steady progression is essential to success.

Exercise programs should emphasize smooth actions, as with swimming, walking, or bicycling, until good conditioning is achieved. Jerky exercises with incompletely trained muscles are likely to result in reinjury.

Exercise programs should emphasize suppleness and muscle tone, not absolute strength. The stress of lifting heavy objects, squeezing balls, and so forth is likely to damage an already injured joint. Swimming easily is an excellent exercise.

Exercise should be preceded by a warm-up period in which the joints, ligaments, and muscles are stretched gently. The parts to be used should be physically warm, on a cold day, wear warm clothing. Exercise programs are in addition, not instead of, prescribed medications. Exercise programs always have setbacks in which there are periods of increased pain. This does not mean that the idea is wrong.

Back off just a little bit and begin again more gently. Older people are likely to think that serious exercise programs are for the young. This is absolutely not so. The principles of conditioning apply to all ages. You won’t get as well as you might unless you persevere in your exercise program.

Source: Free Articles

MEDICINAL VALUES OF GREEN TEA

Medicinal Values of Green Tea

Green tea is believed to be in use as a medicine for at least 4000 years in china. It is also believed that green tea lowers the cholesterol levels by increasing the good cholesterol and decreasing the bad cholesterol. Green tea is rich in antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) .


It destroys cancer cells and also inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Even though the French people consume diet rich in fat, they are less prone to heart attack than the Americans. Similarly, even though 75 percent of the Japanese are smokers, they are less affected. This is because EGCG is more in green tea used by them. It acts as a protective agent against premature death from heart attack and cancer.Green tea also destroys bacteria thus preventing tooth decay.


Researchers have also found that green tea even helps dieters. The leaves of green tea can also be used for cooking. The leftover leaves can be used as manure for garden plants to grow better. The ingredient present in green tea is polyphenol.



It is the most effective antioxidant. It is present in higher amount in green tea than in black tea.The basic difference between green tea and other teas like oolong and black tea is that while the latter come from the leaves of camellia simens plant, green tea is processed in a different way. Green tea leaves are steamed which prevents the EGCG, a power antioxidant, from being oxidized.



In contrast, black and oolong leaves are made from fermented leaves and so EGCG is converted into other compounds, which are effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.Clinical trials indicate that green tea raises metabolic rates and speeds up fat oxidation. Green tea also raises thermo genesis (the rate at which calories are burnt) and hence increases energy expenditure. Green tea also increases endurance in exercise.


Drinking green tea has a whole lot of benefits like fighting against cancer, stabilizing diabetes, helping in weight loss, slowing the ageing process and helping digestion. Green tea also enhances immunity in our body. About four cups of green tea each day provides 300 to 400 mg of polyphenols, which help in antioxidant activity. These antioxidants help in slowing diseases. A research Institute in Tokyo found that drinking green tea is the best method to prevent cancer at present.



All types of cancer like stomach, lungs, breast, liver, colon and rectal can be prevented by green tea.Green tea prevents cholesterol from being absorbed by the digestive tract. This in effect means that even if the fat is taken, the body does not absorb it. Green tea also helps in preventing unhealthy clotting. Rinsing the mouth with green tea after meals helps in fighting bacteria and thus prevents cavities.


One cup of tea with each meal acts as a metabolic stimulant. This helps in weight loss. The caffeine in the tea burns extra calories in the body and fat is digested by polyphenols. A recent study stated that EGCG found in green tea could help to boost one’s immune system thereby helping to prevent HIV.And to top it all, green tea probably is the only substance in the world with so many medicinal values and without a single side effect!

Source: Free Articles

QUALITY USE OF MEDICINE

Quality Use of Medicine


Definition

Quality use of medicine (QUM) involves:
- Selection of management options wisely (treatment with or without medicine) either by healthcare practitioner or individual (consumer).
- If a medicine (includes prescription, non prescription and complementary medicine) is necessary, a suitable medicine should be chosen.
- To get the best possible results, the medicine should be used safely and effectively.



Objective

To make the best possible use of medicines so as to improve health outcomes.

As a consumer/patient, you are responsible to:

Ask for and use information, resources and services.
Be aware of the risks and benefits of medicines, non drug options and healthy lifestyle.
Develop skills and seek help to solve problems related to the use of medicines.
Be aware of the place of the medicines in your health
Tell your doctor/pharmacist all medicines taken and your current health condition (including pregnancy, plan to become pregnant and nursing status).
In achieving QUM, you should be able to ask these questions and get satisfactory answers.


1) Is it necessary for me to take the medicine?

There must be an appropriate reason for you to take any medicines. This is because there may be better ways than medicine to manage many disorders. Medicines should be used to cure or arrest disease, relieve symptoms, ease pain, correct deficiency diseases and provide other benefits.

Other management options (treatment with or without medicine) should be discussed with your doctor or pharmacist.



2) How do I take the medicine?

Follow the instruction that has been written on the label or as instructed by your doctor/pharmacist.



3) Where can I get the medicine?

You can get your medicines from the hospital, pharmacy, health centre and clinic. Do not get your medicine from unauthorized personnel.

You need to be cautious when buying medicines and supplements online or from non-pharmacy sources as it put you at risk of getting the wrong, contaminated and counterfeit product.




4) What should I know about the medicine?
The name of the medicine
Active ingredients
The purpose of the medicine
How much, how often and how long to take it
How the medicine should be used or taken
Possible side effects and what to do if you have them
Special warnings or instructions about the medicine (take before bedtime or with meals, etc)
Expiry date


Storage conditions



5) How to store the medicine?

Proper storage is important to assure the quality and therapeutic properties of the medicines are maintained. Here are some guides on how to store your medicines:
Store all of your medications in a designated location in your house.
Do not mix different medicines together in one container.
Medicines should be stored in a cool, dry area.


Medicines stored in refrigerator should be separated from other items in the refrigerator and label as medicines.
Oral medicines should be kept separate from other items that are for external use only.
Expired medicines and any medicine that your doctor has discontinued should be discarded.
Never share or give your medicines to another person.


Make sure your medicines are stored out of children's reach.
If a drug is not stored in its original container, make sure that it is labeled properly i.e. for whom, drug name, dosage, frequency and expiry date.


Do not leave your medicine in an automobile for long period of time.


6) Can I stop taking the medication when I feel healthy?

No, you have to discuss this matter with your doctor/pharmacist. Compliance towards your medication is very important in order to get full benefit from it. Noncompliance may result in treatment failure.



7) What if I missed my medications?

Many people forget to take their medications. Whether to take a missed dose depends on the medicine. In some cases, it may be appropriate to take the missed dose as soon as you remember. In other cases, it may be too close to the time you need to take your next dose. If you are not sure what to do, get advice from your doctor/pharmacist.

Memory aids such as pillbox and marking on a daily calendar can help you to remember when to take the medicines.



8) What if I feel uncomfortable after taking the medicines?

Consult with your doctor/pharmacist. You may experience side effects or you are allergic to the medicines. Drug interaction may also contribute to this condition.




9) Where can I get more information about my medicines?

Consult with your doctor/pharmacist. You can get a lot of information from various websites on the internet but you must verify the information with your doctor/pharmacist.




10) If I have trouble to swallow, is there any alternatives to take the medicines?

You should tell your doctor/pharmacist of your problem. Dosage forms of medicine can be changed if available (eg. tablet to liquid formulation, gel, suppository or patch).

There are various types of dosage forms of medicines. The difference between each dosage form depend on where it works in our body, how fast it acts, for whom it is designed (eg. children may need liquid formulation or chewable tablets), how frequent it should be taken and specific disease states.



11) Is there a possibility that I may be taking the same medicine from different clinics / hospital?

Yes. Medicines may be prescribed by its brand or generic name. That is why it is very important for you to know the active ingredient in that medicine. This will be referred to as the generic name by healthcare providers. It also helps to know the dose of medicine to be taken, as to avoid overdosing or toxicity.

You can ask your doctor/pharmacist the generic name of your medicine when in doubt.



12) Is it safe to take other herbal medicines and other dietary supplements together with the prescribed medicines?

Many herbals and dietary supplements are made from natural ingredient, and many people think that they are safer than medicines. However, not many of these supplements have been tested when taken together with other prescribed medicines. Therefore, any side effects or drug interaction may not be documented and safety data cannot be established.

There are two myths that need to be addressed. First, once the natural or herbal ingredient has been made into tablets or capsules, it is no longer natural because other ingredients such as lactose or starch are added to make the final product. Second, herbs may contain very potent substance such as opium, curare and ephedrine. And they can kill!

Consult with your doctor/pharmacist before taking any herbals and supplementary medicines.



13) How should I take my medicines during fasting month (Ramadhan)?

In some cases, the new dosage regimen to be used during Ramadhan needs to be established beforehand. Dosage regimen of medicine can be changed to suite your need (eg. once daily dose is more suitable than three times daily dose as it can be taken anytime).

Discuss with your doctor/pharmacist your medicines regimen during Ramadhan as they can advice you when to take your medicines (before, during or after food intake).


articles source: http://www.knowyourmedicine.gov.my

VIDEO GAME HELPS YOUNG CANCER

Video game helps young cancer patients take medication

NEW YORK (Aug 6, 2008) : Playing a specially designed video game can help adolescents and young adult cancer patients adhere more closely to their prescribed treatment, according to a report in the journal Pediatrics.

"Targeted video games can help improve the lives of young people with cancer, most importantly improve their adherence to their treatment," Dr. Pamela M. Kato of the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands, the study's lead author, told Reuters Health.

Adherence is a major problem in this age group, Kato and her colleagues point out in their report. While dramatic improvements in survival have been seen in pediatric cancer patients, they add, death rates among teens and young adult patients have not followed this trend. "They're kind of a tough group that gets a little bit lost in the system," Kato said.

To investigate whether playing a video game might help, the researchers randomly assigned 375 male and female patients 13 to 29 years old being treated at centers in the US, Canada and Australia to play "Re-Mission" or "Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb," a standard video game not focused on cancer care.

In Re-Mission (http://www2.re-mission.net), developed by HopeLab, a Redwood City, California-based non-profit company, players control a tiny robot called Roxxi who moves around in a 3-D environment representing the inside of the body of a young cancer patient. Players can use Roxxi to blast cancer cells and control side effects, and winning the game requires taking chemotherapy drugs and antibiotics, using relaxation techniques, eating food, and keeping up with other types of self-care.

Patients in both groups were asked to play their assigned game for at least an hour a week, and 22 percent of those in the comparison group and 33 percent of those in the Re-Mission group actually did so over the course of the 3-month study.

Electronic pill monitoring showed a 16 percent rise in antibiotic adherence in the Re-Mission group, who took 62.3 percent of their total prescribed antibiotic medications, compared to 52.5 percent for the Indiana Jones group. Adherence to a standard chemotherapy drug was also higher in the Re-Mission group.

Playing Re-Mission was tied to improvements in cancer-related knowledge as well, the authors note.

According to Kato, the game worked because it gave the patients a new way of looking at their illness; for example, thinking of chemo as a way to combat cancer, rather than as an annoyance that makes their hair fall out. "To me it was kind of changing their reward system for taking chemo and giving them a different insight," she explained.

The game can be downloaded free from the Web site by patients and medical professionals. - Reuters

HIV INFECTIONS

12 million HIV infections could be avoided: UNAIDS

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Twelve million HIV infections could be prevented by 2015 by using a combination of prevention methods including condoms, circumcision and other measures, UNAIDS officials said at a conference here Wednesday.


HIV prevention often takes a back seat in the war against AIDS, behind advances in antiretroviral drugs which keep millions alive.


But combined prevention -- including condoms, circumcision, needle exchange, and changes in sexual behavior -- has gained ground in discussions at the Mexico meeting, which ends Friday.

"Governments, communities and scientists must fully implement combination HIV prevention, and the international community must mobilize all the support necessary for this effort," said UNAIDS officials.


They said that the most important HIV prevention programs in the field lacked money and did not target the most needy.

"International institutions, national governments, and community activists must work together to build demand for HIV prevention," the statement said, adding that "none of the successes in HIV prevention over the past quarter of a century have been easily won."


UNAIDS officials also urged the pursuit of an HIV vaccine, despite recent setbacks, and called for investment in research for potential HIV-prevention technologies.

Last year, 2.7 million people became infected with HIV, bringing the global total to 33 million.


ARTICLES SOURCE: http://www.nst.com.my

CONTROL AIDS

More circumcision needed to control AIDS in Africa

MEXICO CITY: Governments and health communities need to ramp up male circumcision to prevent HIV infection, particularly in vulnerable countries in eastern and southern Africa, researchers and advocates said on Monday.

Three studies were cut short in 2006 after they showed strong evidence that male circumcision could prevent HIV infection, but very little effort has been made to push for more men to go under the knife, they told a conference on AIDS in Mexico City.

"This is a call to action... to call for male circumcision. It's been two years and still there is not enough money, focus to scale up effort and more needs to be done," said Dvora Joseph, head of the HIV department at Population Services International, a US-based nonprofit organisation.

While people were beginning to accept this intervention measure, Joseph said stigma surrounding it was still strong.

"There is no national male circumcision campaign to promote it ... more education is needed," Joseph said.

The researchers said two studies in Africa showed the procedure did not reduce sexual pleasure and function, and did not result in any increase in risk-taking behaviour among newly circumcised men.

These two concerns have always surrounded male circumcision, which some studies indicate could be 70% effective in protecting men against HIV infection during vaginal sex.

"We found that there was no difference between the circumcised men and uncircumcised men -- that there is no increase in sexual dysfunction in circumcised men. And in fact, circumcised men did report greater penile sensitivity after circumcision," said Robert Bailey, an epidemiologist at the University of Illinois.

The study involved 2,784 men in Kisumu, Kenya, and the group who were circumcised reported no sexual dysfunction such as premature ejaculation, pain during intercourse or erectile dysfunction. More details of this study will be disclosed on Tuesday at the conference.

Bailey was also involved in another study published recently in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS ONE, which showed that circumcision did not result in any increase in risky sex behavior.

"In the trial, we are providing HIV testing and counseling every six months, so there's opportunity to follow up, especially counseling the circumcised men that they are not fully protected, that they still have to practice safe sex and use condoms," Bailey said. - Reuters

articles source: http://www.thesundaily.com

FACTS ON SMOKING

Smoking isn't a good habit anymore. In fact, they give more problems to our society rather than that macho looking habit and releasing the tense during the job. Here are some facts on smoking:

• In the coming 10 years, China, India and United Kingdom will loss estimated around USD558 billions, USD237 billions and USD33 billions respectively because of death by heart disease primarily caused by smoking.
• 49 percents adult male are smokers while 5 percents are women.
• Most women smokers are professionals.
• From 2004 to 2007, around 93,306 Malaysian death were caused by disease which is the result of their smoking habit.
• Research estimates that 36 billion world population will die at young age resulting from chronic diseases into year 2015.
• Parent that smoke give wide range of adverse effects to their children, including exacerbation of asthma, increased frequency of colds and ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome. It is called secondhand smoking, which the smoke comes from the cigarette being inhaled by others around, which has causes an estimated 150,000 to 300,000 cases of lower respiratory tract infections in children less than 18 months of age, resulting in 7,500 to 15,000 annual hospitalizations.
• Young people were beginning their lifelong addiction to smoking and it is an important result of tobacco advertising. They usually are not old enough to fully understand its long-term health risk. Approximately 90 percent of smokers begin smoking before the age of 21.
• Cigarette smoke contains over 4,800 chemicals, 69 of which are known to cause cancer. Smoking is directly responsible for approximately 90 percent of lung cancer deaths and approximately 80-90 percent of COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) deaths.
• Nicotine inhaled in cigarette smoke reaches the brain faster than drugs that enter the body intravenously. It is is an addictive drug. By linking smoking with many social activities, smokers not only become physically addicted to nicotine, they are social habit thus making smoking a difficult habit to break.

There are lots more, but I just list some of them. So, why smoke? Stop now. Think about the people around us, their future and your's. Bye... :)

ARTICLES SOURCE: http://blogmacammacam.blogspot.com