Easy Ways To A Healthy Heart

by Robert Orr

Easy Ways To A Healthy Heart

Smoking if you do give it up if you don`t then don`t start. If you want to have a healthy heart then no amount of smoking is safe. So called low tar or mild cigarettes also are dangerous, as is breathing in other peoples smoke.

Cigarette smoke contains thousands of different chemicals. Many of these can damage your heart and blood vessels, making you more likely to have hardening or narrowing of the arteries. Narrowing of the arteries can ultimately lead to a heart attack. Also nicotine in cigarette smoke puts stress on your heart forcing it to work harder by constricting blood vessels and pushing up your heart rate and raising your blood pressure.

Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke is very toxic and replaces some of the oxygen in your blood. This pushes up your blood pressure by forcing your heart to work harder to supply enough oxygen. Even occasional smoking while at a bar or restaurant with friends is dangerous and increases the risk of heart disease.

Women who smoke and take the pill are at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke than are those who don't. Worse, this risk increases with age, especially for those over 35.Also worth noting pregnant women who smoke are taking serious risks with the health of their unborn child. The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops significantly within just one year.

And no matter how long or how much you smoked, you'll feeling better and be recovering as soon as you quit There are many groups and programmes to help you quit smoking you could ask your doctor for details of health service programmes. Regular exercise and reasonably energetic physical activity can reduce your risk of heart disease by almost a quarter. And when you combine physical activity with a healthy lifestyle, such as looking after your weight,and keeping to a healthy and balanced diet.

Regular physical activity helps prevent heart disease by increasing blood flow to your heart and strengthening your heart and lungs so that your heart pumps more blood with less effort. Physical activity also helps you maintain your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress, which may also be a factor in heart disease.

So make the effort a thirty minute brisk walk every day can have very beneficial effect on your heart and blood pressure,remember even small changes can reap big benefits. A healthy balanced diet is essential in maintaining a healthy heart, fruits vegetables and wholegrains are amongst the elements that should be consumed regularly.

Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may lower your risk of heart attack, and lower blood pressure. Some fish are a good natural source of omega-3s. Omega-3s are present in smaller amounts in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, soybean oil , and they can also be taken in supplements. Keeping a healthy lifestyle also means drinking alcohol only in moderation no more than two drinks a day for men, one a day for women.

At that moderate level, alcohol can have a protective effect on your heart. Above that, it becomes a health hazard. Remember before making any major lifestyle or dietary changes make an appointment and discuss your changes with your doctor.

SOURCE: http://www.goarticles.com/

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