A healthy food regime consists of good nutritional diet that supplements the basic need of body. It supplies the appropriate amount of energy and sufficient raw materials to keep the body healthy. It also provides anti-oxidants that make people feel young and be proud of looking great. Having fair idea of why the body requires healthy food, the next thing is to know more about healthy food and eating methods of healthy food, in order to attain stronger body.
Healthy Food for Stronger Body:
Food in natural state: The food helps to build stronger body. Fresh fruits, apples and berries are good for satisfying the desire for sweets. Vegetables of all kinds such a green, yellow and orange are rich in vitamins and minerals. Steamed vegetables retain the nutritional value of the vegetables. Avoid calorie rich sauces and fats. High calorie foods are not good for health.
Fish, Chicken and Meat: To attain a stronger body, serve seafood two or three times a week. Ocean fish consists of essential fatty acids that are usually deficient in the healthy diet. Prefer baked chicken and fish rather than fried ones. The lean meat such as venison or bison is healthier than beef, which is rich in fat.
Processed bacon, lunchmeat, sausages and hot dogs contain plenty of junk, which the body does not require. Even if anybody wants to have such meats, then probably they can go for healthier versions that are available at health food departments.
Avoid Non-nutritional food: White bread and noodles are made of flour that is not good for health. The flour does not contain nutritional content. Moreover, the high starch content of white bread affects the sugar level of the blood quicker than a regular sugar. In addition, sugary pastries and snacks, apple pie are non-nutritional items, which are not good for health. It is essential that pasta or baked items have to be made from whole grains.
Benefits of Variety in Food & Water:
Some people are very much sensitive to frequently eaten food. Therefore, such people have to break the habit and start eating a variety in food to achieve stronger body. Consume various kinds of grains. Spelt is a better substitute for wheat. Prefer to have almond or rice milk rather than cow's milk. People have to eat variety of food even if they do not like it.
Drink plenty of water and limit beverages such as soft drinks. If individuals are tired of drinking plain water, add some lime or lemon slice to it. Serve kids with some fruit juice with carbonated water. Even green and herbal tea can be good substitute for water. However, avoid excess of caffeine.
Avoid Skipping Meals:
Skipping breakfast brings down the energy level by midmorning. It is better to split the breakfast in half than skipping it. It helps greatly by eating breakfast early such as oatmeal, egg or whole grain bread. Snacks such as almonds and raisins also benefit the health greatly. The split breakfast provides better solution than going for candy bars or coffee, and retains the energy level to feel good and fresh.
Healthy Food List
During a time when childhood and adult obesity along with fast-food lifestyles are two issues of great concern and importance to the overall health and future of the nation, it is vital that individuals and families have a healthy food list to ensure proper nutrition and avoid unnecessary weight gain. Rather than going through the drive through at the nearest burger joint, try preparing meals at home. Although at-home meals may take more time and energy, they are well worth the effort and the benefits certainly outweigh any inconveniences that at-home meals may pose. When shopping for meals to make at home it is important to know what foods are nutritious and which foods are simply empty calories. While eating at home is healthier than the fast food alternative, knowing the right foods to buy is essential to a healthy diet.
Items on a healthy food list include vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy products, beans and legumes, grains, nuts and seeds, seafood, poultry and other lean meats. These items include, but are not limited to:
• Vegetables: asparagus, carrots, green peas, kale, mushrooms, potatoes, spinach, squash, tomatoes and yams
• Fruit: apples, blueberries, cranberries, oranges, pears, pineapple, raspberries and watermelon
• Low-fat dairy products: low-fat or no-fat cheese, 1% or skim milk, yogurt
• Beans and Legumes: black beans, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans
• Grains: brown rice, corn, oats, whole wheat
• Nuts and Seeds: cashews, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts
• Seafood: salmon, scallops, shrimp, tuna
• Poultry and other lean meats: chicken, turkey, venison
Organically grown foods are recommended for promoting health, and whole grain foods are generally healthier than processed foods. If bland taste is a concern, there are many healthy herbs and spices that can be used to add flavor and pizazz to any food. Herbs and spices include but are not limited to:
• Cayenne pepper
• Chili powder
• Cinnamon
• Curry powder
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Rosemary
• Thyme
It is important when shopping to have a food list handy. Having meals and recipes determined beforehand will help shoppers limit their food purchases to only those items on the list. This will assist in curbing the desire to buy unhealthy foods, including snacks. The list alone is not enough as the shopper must exert willpower and control while shopping. The individual must also exercise willpower in restricting fast foods from their diets.
Creating and sticking to a healthy food list is one of the best ways to begin and set a foundation for not only healthy eating but healthy living. Many people feel that eating healthy is expensive and not within their budget. While some organic foods can be a little more costly, there should be a healthy alternative from which to choose so that your diet won't bust your belt or your wallet.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Healthy Eyesight
Have you ever walked out of the optometrist’s office with a new prescription for glasses and contacts, only to be utterly amazed at what you can actually and suddenly see? You notice all the details you never noticed before, the colors, the textures, even how sharp and in focus everything is.
It is admittedly a neat surprise. But did you know that there are nutritional supplements that specifically support wonderful healthy eyes and possibly prevent debilitating diseases of the eye, such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma. There are nutrients that can stop or relieve some of these more common vision problems that we can experience, especially as we age.
The eye is a delicate organ and the components that it contains, such as the lens, retina and macula are prone to free-radical attack. They can be protected with the super-powerful antioxidants like Vitamin C and Vitamin E. If you have a history of cataracts, macular diseases, glaucoma, or other age-related eye problems in your family, you should definitely read on as we give a run-down on the specific vitamin and mineral supplements that could aid in preserving your ever-so-precious eyesight. And if you smoke, have poor nutrition generally, or your eyes are not adequately protected from extensive exposure to sunlight, that goes double.
We will start with the powerhouse antioxidants. Besides doing so many extremely positive things for your body, Vitamin C will gobble up the free radicals as they attempt to attack the sensitive parts of your eyes. The lucky people who have not had trouble with cataracts are simply 60% more likely to have sufficient levels in their systems compared to the unlucky ones with cataract problems. It's the anti-oxidant powers at work. This clouding of the lens that can lead to blindness is something you can protect yourself against. Since our levels of Vitamin C decline as we age, bless your healthy eyes with a supplement of Vitamin C. How about just an extra 250 mg per day?
Several vitamins work in combination with each other to protect your eyes, especially the lens. Another awesome supplement to consider is Vitamin A, which can also be known as Retinol, and can really benefit your night vision. It is involved in forming and maintaining the skin cells that make up your eyes, as well as your mouth, nose, throat, lungs, digestive and urinary tract. The extremely delicate blood vessels in your eyes can be easily damaged by free radicals. An adequate supply of Vitamin E can help prevent this damage, and protect your lens as well. If you have low levels of Vitamin E, you are simply more likely to develop eye problems, such as cataracts. It is a no-brainer to easily cut your risk in half by supplementing with extra Vitamin E. Who needs cataracts?
Your eyes have a natural supply of zinc in them, and most of it is centered in the retina. Well guess where the eye disease macular degeneration is centered – the retina! So it follows that if you do not have enough zinc in your system, serious eye problems, or blindness can happen. Zinc supplements have been shown to reduce or prevent the vision loss of macular degeneration.
Luteine is another front-line defender of healthy eyes, and is well-known for its benefits to preserve vision, and especially important if your eyes are exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun repeatedly or for long periods of time. It is an anti-oxidant as well, and is another protector of the sensitive cells of the macula, which is the part of the eye responsible for good sharp vision. You may want to consider supplementing with luteine.
And, finally, let’s not forget bilberry. You may never have heard of this Scandinavian plant that is very similar to blueberries and very high in healthful flavenoids. Supplementing with bilberry could be your best hedge against night blindness. If you really can’t see well in dim light, or your eyes suffer from glare, you need to give this a try. It could make a big difference.
More than 25 million people live with vision problems, vision loss and blindness. Treatments can be expensive, risky or not effective at all. Good healthy vision is one of the most priceless gifts you have, so bless your vision all you can by educating yourself on the vitamins and minerals that can relieve, slow down or even prevent serious eye diseases and vision loss. To maintain and promote your own healthy vision is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.
It is admittedly a neat surprise. But did you know that there are nutritional supplements that specifically support wonderful healthy eyes and possibly prevent debilitating diseases of the eye, such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma. There are nutrients that can stop or relieve some of these more common vision problems that we can experience, especially as we age.
The eye is a delicate organ and the components that it contains, such as the lens, retina and macula are prone to free-radical attack. They can be protected with the super-powerful antioxidants like Vitamin C and Vitamin E. If you have a history of cataracts, macular diseases, glaucoma, or other age-related eye problems in your family, you should definitely read on as we give a run-down on the specific vitamin and mineral supplements that could aid in preserving your ever-so-precious eyesight. And if you smoke, have poor nutrition generally, or your eyes are not adequately protected from extensive exposure to sunlight, that goes double.
We will start with the powerhouse antioxidants. Besides doing so many extremely positive things for your body, Vitamin C will gobble up the free radicals as they attempt to attack the sensitive parts of your eyes. The lucky people who have not had trouble with cataracts are simply 60% more likely to have sufficient levels in their systems compared to the unlucky ones with cataract problems. It's the anti-oxidant powers at work. This clouding of the lens that can lead to blindness is something you can protect yourself against. Since our levels of Vitamin C decline as we age, bless your healthy eyes with a supplement of Vitamin C. How about just an extra 250 mg per day?
Several vitamins work in combination with each other to protect your eyes, especially the lens. Another awesome supplement to consider is Vitamin A, which can also be known as Retinol, and can really benefit your night vision. It is involved in forming and maintaining the skin cells that make up your eyes, as well as your mouth, nose, throat, lungs, digestive and urinary tract. The extremely delicate blood vessels in your eyes can be easily damaged by free radicals. An adequate supply of Vitamin E can help prevent this damage, and protect your lens as well. If you have low levels of Vitamin E, you are simply more likely to develop eye problems, such as cataracts. It is a no-brainer to easily cut your risk in half by supplementing with extra Vitamin E. Who needs cataracts?
Your eyes have a natural supply of zinc in them, and most of it is centered in the retina. Well guess where the eye disease macular degeneration is centered – the retina! So it follows that if you do not have enough zinc in your system, serious eye problems, or blindness can happen. Zinc supplements have been shown to reduce or prevent the vision loss of macular degeneration.
Luteine is another front-line defender of healthy eyes, and is well-known for its benefits to preserve vision, and especially important if your eyes are exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun repeatedly or for long periods of time. It is an anti-oxidant as well, and is another protector of the sensitive cells of the macula, which is the part of the eye responsible for good sharp vision. You may want to consider supplementing with luteine.
And, finally, let’s not forget bilberry. You may never have heard of this Scandinavian plant that is very similar to blueberries and very high in healthful flavenoids. Supplementing with bilberry could be your best hedge against night blindness. If you really can’t see well in dim light, or your eyes suffer from glare, you need to give this a try. It could make a big difference.
More than 25 million people live with vision problems, vision loss and blindness. Treatments can be expensive, risky or not effective at all. Good healthy vision is one of the most priceless gifts you have, so bless your vision all you can by educating yourself on the vitamins and minerals that can relieve, slow down or even prevent serious eye diseases and vision loss. To maintain and promote your own healthy vision is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Good health supplements to take
When it comes to minerals we don't hear much about the need for supplementing from the mainstream media. If there is any mention at all minerals are often downplayed or maligned as being dangerous and deadly if you listen to the latest test results. Unfortunately most of those tests are sponsored and approved by pharmaceutical companies whose main interest is in promoting their own drugs despite the serious side effects they have. As they see the increasing use of all supplements as a threat to their profit margin, they look for anything to downplay vitamin and mineral supplementation.
But the fact is that many people simply do not meet the RDA requirements for good health, even though those requirements are already at minimum levels.
Since what we eat is highly processed and lacks essential minerals and combined with the lack of those minerals in produce that has been grown on farms whose soil is depleted of nutrients along with the added pesticides, herbicides and chemical treatments the food is given, we all need to supplement on a daily basis. Supplementation is not a luxury. It has become necessary.
A lack of adequate minerals can lead to serious health problems similar to what occurs among diabetics. The delicate nerves in the feet and our eyes are particularly vulnerable to a lack of essential nutrients. While we know that scurvy is due to a lack of vitamin C, we don't realize that without adequate levels of this important vitamin, we are prone to slow healing of wounds and cuts. Diabetics are exceptionally low on vitamin C levels. Cuts do not heal and ultimately lead to foot ulcers, gangrene and the amputation of the foot.
So what supplements should you be taking now to help you maintain health and avoid complications? Let's have a look at some of the most important minerals:
Chromium: 90% of Americans do not get the recommended 50mcg (micrograms) of chromium a day. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences considers 50 to 200 mcg to be necessary. And if you are diabetic you need at least 200 to 400 mcg a day.
Chromium works with insulin in helping open cell membranes to accept glucose. Without it, insulin's action is blocked. It improves glucose tolerance and decreases cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as raises the HDL, the good cholesterol.
Cheese, legumes, beans, peas, whole grains and molasses are good sources of chromium. You can take both Chromium GTF or chromium picolinate.
Magnesium: Low intake of magnesium is a major risk factor in retinopathy. Blindness and heart disease are linked to a lack of magnesium. The RDA recommendation for healthy men and women is 350 mg and 300 mg respectively. Between 300 to 600 mg is considered ideal. Unfortunately the average American gets a low 143 to 266 mg per day.
Like chromium, magnesium is involved in glucose metabolism. Supplementation has been shown to improve insulin response, glucose tolerance and improve the fluidity of red blood cell membranes in diabetic patients. Most magnesium comes from seeds, nuts, legumes, tofu and green leafy vegetables. Take magnesium aspartate or magnesium citrate which are easily absorbed. For better absorption you should also take 25 mg of Vitamin B-6 daily.
Potassium: It's the major mineral inside all cell membranes. Sodium is found outside of those cell membranes and it's believed that the ratio of sodium to potassium is off-kilter in most people and is one of the reasons why insulin cannot act to open the cell doors to accept glucose. We consume far too much sodium.
High potassium diets have been shown to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease and even help to lower blood pressure. Plant foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains are the best sources of potassium.
Manganese: Animals deficient in manganese have lower insulin output. It functions in many enzyme systems including those involved in blood sugar control and thyroid hormone function. Good sources are whole grains, fruits and nuts, provided they are grown on well fertilized soil. A good daily dose of manganese is between 3 to 5 mg.
Zinc: This important mineral has a lot to do with various functions of the body from sexual development to immune functioning and maintenance of nerve tissue. Zinc deficiency leads to loss of appetite, susceptibility to infection, poor wound healing and skin disorders. It helps protect against the destruction of beta cells of the pancreas which occurs in many type 1 diabetics. Good sources of zinc are shell fish, organ meats, fish, pumpkin seeds, ginger root, nuts and seeds.
While these nutrients are especially important for diabetics, they are still necessary even if you are currently healthy. Our diets are low in all these minerals, so you should make an effort to supplement with them. Consult your doctor, naturopath or dietitian as to what minerals are best for you to take. But remember that no vitamin, mineral or herb will help you much if your do not make the changes in your lifestyle that is making you sick. Diet, exercise, supplementation and switching to a healthy lifestyle will guarantee you will live to old age without the diseases that afflict so many today.
But the fact is that many people simply do not meet the RDA requirements for good health, even though those requirements are already at minimum levels.
Since what we eat is highly processed and lacks essential minerals and combined with the lack of those minerals in produce that has been grown on farms whose soil is depleted of nutrients along with the added pesticides, herbicides and chemical treatments the food is given, we all need to supplement on a daily basis. Supplementation is not a luxury. It has become necessary.
A lack of adequate minerals can lead to serious health problems similar to what occurs among diabetics. The delicate nerves in the feet and our eyes are particularly vulnerable to a lack of essential nutrients. While we know that scurvy is due to a lack of vitamin C, we don't realize that without adequate levels of this important vitamin, we are prone to slow healing of wounds and cuts. Diabetics are exceptionally low on vitamin C levels. Cuts do not heal and ultimately lead to foot ulcers, gangrene and the amputation of the foot.
So what supplements should you be taking now to help you maintain health and avoid complications? Let's have a look at some of the most important minerals:
Chromium: 90% of Americans do not get the recommended 50mcg (micrograms) of chromium a day. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences considers 50 to 200 mcg to be necessary. And if you are diabetic you need at least 200 to 400 mcg a day.
Chromium works with insulin in helping open cell membranes to accept glucose. Without it, insulin's action is blocked. It improves glucose tolerance and decreases cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as raises the HDL, the good cholesterol.
Cheese, legumes, beans, peas, whole grains and molasses are good sources of chromium. You can take both Chromium GTF or chromium picolinate.
Magnesium: Low intake of magnesium is a major risk factor in retinopathy. Blindness and heart disease are linked to a lack of magnesium. The RDA recommendation for healthy men and women is 350 mg and 300 mg respectively. Between 300 to 600 mg is considered ideal. Unfortunately the average American gets a low 143 to 266 mg per day.
Like chromium, magnesium is involved in glucose metabolism. Supplementation has been shown to improve insulin response, glucose tolerance and improve the fluidity of red blood cell membranes in diabetic patients. Most magnesium comes from seeds, nuts, legumes, tofu and green leafy vegetables. Take magnesium aspartate or magnesium citrate which are easily absorbed. For better absorption you should also take 25 mg of Vitamin B-6 daily.
Potassium: It's the major mineral inside all cell membranes. Sodium is found outside of those cell membranes and it's believed that the ratio of sodium to potassium is off-kilter in most people and is one of the reasons why insulin cannot act to open the cell doors to accept glucose. We consume far too much sodium.
High potassium diets have been shown to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease and even help to lower blood pressure. Plant foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains are the best sources of potassium.
Manganese: Animals deficient in manganese have lower insulin output. It functions in many enzyme systems including those involved in blood sugar control and thyroid hormone function. Good sources are whole grains, fruits and nuts, provided they are grown on well fertilized soil. A good daily dose of manganese is between 3 to 5 mg.
Zinc: This important mineral has a lot to do with various functions of the body from sexual development to immune functioning and maintenance of nerve tissue. Zinc deficiency leads to loss of appetite, susceptibility to infection, poor wound healing and skin disorders. It helps protect against the destruction of beta cells of the pancreas which occurs in many type 1 diabetics. Good sources of zinc are shell fish, organ meats, fish, pumpkin seeds, ginger root, nuts and seeds.
While these nutrients are especially important for diabetics, they are still necessary even if you are currently healthy. Our diets are low in all these minerals, so you should make an effort to supplement with them. Consult your doctor, naturopath or dietitian as to what minerals are best for you to take. But remember that no vitamin, mineral or herb will help you much if your do not make the changes in your lifestyle that is making you sick. Diet, exercise, supplementation and switching to a healthy lifestyle will guarantee you will live to old age without the diseases that afflict so many today.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Ovary Cancer
Ovary
Ovary is an important tool in the womb of women. It has two essential tasks;
Ovary is an important tool in the womb of women. It has two essential tasks;
1. Produce eggs / seeds every month for female fertility.
2. Produce hormones hormone 'estrogen' and 'Progesterone' is important to feminize nature, loveliness and sexual passion.
Here's ovary is trying to produce seeds.
This is the barrenness ovary seeds and hormones (atretic)
This is the swollen ovary 'Polycystic ovary'. Irregular menstruation and not fertile.
2. Produce hormones hormone 'estrogen' and 'Progesterone' is important to feminize nature, loveliness and sexual passion.
Here's ovary is trying to produce seeds.
This is the barrenness ovary seeds and hormones (atretic)
This is the swollen ovary 'Polycystic ovary'. Irregular menstruation and not fertile.
This is a plant or 'Tumor' on the ovary, but not cancer.
This tumor cancers.
This 'tuboovarian abscess' which contains pus.
This' Endometriotic Cyst of Ovary. Contains blood as dirty coklet.
Stomach like pregnant women is large enough . Actualy it is 'Ovarian Cyst' very large.
Various diseases can override the factory ovary, most are 'Cyst' which usually contains water, mucus, blood impurities, fat. In 'Dermoid cyst' between content that is strange hair, cartilage, teeth and bones.
There 'cyst' that exist only temporarily like 'follicular cyst' containing water or 'Corpus Luteal Cyst' that often accompanies the early stages of pregnancy and contain blood and mucus. Cyst is usually not necessary and can be operated spontaneously broken and the liquid absorbed by the body.
Plant or 'Tumor' in the ovary include the 'benign' or non-cancer and the 'malignant' type of cancer.
Signs.
1. Many times 'cyst' and 'tumor' in the ovary factory found by chance, when the women undergoing examination for other purposes. There is no sign of felt.
2. Disruption in menstrual cycle which slow or not coming at the expected time, irregular menstrual periods or time outside saperti it comes a little bit but prolonged.
3. Less fertile or barren or repeatedly fall.
4. Pain syndrome, sick time or abdominal pain intercourse regardless of the time.
5. Pregnant belly grow without.
6. Menopause at a young age (Premature menopause)
7. Interruption of urine or defecation.
Stomach like pregnant women is large enough . Actualy it is 'Ovarian Cyst' very large.
Various diseases can override the factory ovary, most are 'Cyst' which usually contains water, mucus, blood impurities, fat. In 'Dermoid cyst' between content that is strange hair, cartilage, teeth and bones.
There 'cyst' that exist only temporarily like 'follicular cyst' containing water or 'Corpus Luteal Cyst' that often accompanies the early stages of pregnancy and contain blood and mucus. Cyst is usually not necessary and can be operated spontaneously broken and the liquid absorbed by the body.
Plant or 'Tumor' in the ovary include the 'benign' or non-cancer and the 'malignant' type of cancer.
Signs.
1. Many times 'cyst' and 'tumor' in the ovary factory found by chance, when the women undergoing examination for other purposes. There is no sign of felt.
2. Disruption in menstrual cycle which slow or not coming at the expected time, irregular menstrual periods or time outside saperti it comes a little bit but prolonged.
3. Less fertile or barren or repeatedly fall.
4. Pain syndrome, sick time or abdominal pain intercourse regardless of the time.
5. Pregnant belly grow without.
6. Menopause at a young age (Premature menopause)
7. Interruption of urine or defecation.
8. In the case of ovary cancer rated late - loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal bloating, sore waist and completely exhausted.
DO NOT WAIT until these signs happen, undergo for PAP SMEAR CHECK AND VAGINAL ULTRASOUND TEST once a year.
Uterus prolapse
Remove prolapse surgery
Vaginal Hysterectomy
Operated Uterus and prolapse
DO NOT WAIT until these signs happen, undergo for PAP SMEAR CHECK AND VAGINAL ULTRASOUND TEST once a year.
Uterus prolapse
Remove prolapse surgery
Vaginal Hysterectomy
Operated Uterus and prolapse
After surgery
For women undergoing hysterectomy Vaginal and repair, the beneficial side effect is vaginal channel be restored and create like a young women and get a better satisfaction in intercourse.. but it is depend on the surgery.Sometime surgery scars interfere during sexual intercourse.
Stop Smoking Benefits - 10 More Reasons To Quit Smoking
There are many benefits to stopping smoking. Most of the benefits are reductions in the risk of developing some disease or other. These benefits are the reason why you should stop smoking. They wont in themselves help you stop smoking but they will provide you with motivation to go on and learn how to stop smoking successfully.
Stop smoking benefit #1: When you smoke, the cocktail of hot gases and chemicals found in cigarette smoke damages your body. There are 4,000 of them in all! As a result, if you fall ill, you take longer to recover and/or heal. Stopping smoking will significantly improve your ability to fight disease.
Stop smoking benefit #2: Smoking causes damage to your mouth and gums. Smokers are more likely to suffer from 'acute necrotising and ulcerative gingivitis' (diseased gums) which increases the risk of tooth loss and gives you bad breath amongst other things. Urgh!
Stop smoking benefit #3: Smokers are 20 times more likely to suffer from angina than non-smokers.
Stop smoking benefit #4: Want to keep your eyesight? Smokers run twice the risk of developing cataracts when compared to non-smokers. Smokers are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and therefore diabetic retinopathy - the degeneration of the retina, leading to blindness. They are also twice as likely to suffer from macular degeneration of the eyes and amblyopia (loss of sight).
Stop smoking benefit #5: Hey stud! Men who smoke increase the risk suffering from erectile dysfunction, reduced ejaculate volume, reduced sperm counts and deformed, damaged or dead sperm. Basically, smoking is a good way to increase your chances of being impotent! Reduce your risks by stopping smoking as soon as possible.
Stop smoking benefit #6: Hey good looking! Smokers run twice the risk of suffering from psoriasis and skin wrinkling. Free radicals found in cigarette smoke damage skin tissues and reduce their elasticity more rapidly than non-smokers. This is why long-term smokers tend to look older and have a poorer complexion than non-smokers.
Stop smoking benefit #7: Cancer anyone? Smokers run an elevated risk of developing lung cancer. They also have a disproportionately high risk of developing throat, oesophageal, bladder, kidney, stomach, pancreatic, mouth and tongue and lip cancers!
Stop smoking benefit #8: 45% of all duodenum or stomach ulcers are found in smokers. Nicotine interacts with the parasympathetic nervous system (the automatic bit) and relaxes the stomach sphincters, allowing stomach excess into the oesophagus (heartburn) and the duodenum.
Stop smoking benefit #9: An aortic aneurism is the ballooning of the aorta which can result in it rupturing which leads to massive internal bleeding and quick, certain death. Smokers suffer 57% of all aortic aneurisms.
Stop smoking benefit #10: Stick around! Did you know that people who smoke between 1 and 14 cigarettes per day are 8 times more likely to die early when compared to non-smokers.. Smokers on 15 to 25 cigarettes per day are 13 times more likely to die early compared to non-smokers. Smokers who smoke over 25 cigarettes per day are 25 times more likely to die early!
Finally, there is a Japanese proverb that says "fall down seven times, get up eight". Stopping smoking is just like that too. You have to keep trying to stop. My advice as ever is never quit trying to quit.
So stop now...visit here
Stop smoking benefit #1: When you smoke, the cocktail of hot gases and chemicals found in cigarette smoke damages your body. There are 4,000 of them in all! As a result, if you fall ill, you take longer to recover and/or heal. Stopping smoking will significantly improve your ability to fight disease.
Stop smoking benefit #2: Smoking causes damage to your mouth and gums. Smokers are more likely to suffer from 'acute necrotising and ulcerative gingivitis' (diseased gums) which increases the risk of tooth loss and gives you bad breath amongst other things. Urgh!
Stop smoking benefit #3: Smokers are 20 times more likely to suffer from angina than non-smokers.
Stop smoking benefit #4: Want to keep your eyesight? Smokers run twice the risk of developing cataracts when compared to non-smokers. Smokers are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and therefore diabetic retinopathy - the degeneration of the retina, leading to blindness. They are also twice as likely to suffer from macular degeneration of the eyes and amblyopia (loss of sight).
Stop smoking benefit #5: Hey stud! Men who smoke increase the risk suffering from erectile dysfunction, reduced ejaculate volume, reduced sperm counts and deformed, damaged or dead sperm. Basically, smoking is a good way to increase your chances of being impotent! Reduce your risks by stopping smoking as soon as possible.
Stop smoking benefit #6: Hey good looking! Smokers run twice the risk of suffering from psoriasis and skin wrinkling. Free radicals found in cigarette smoke damage skin tissues and reduce their elasticity more rapidly than non-smokers. This is why long-term smokers tend to look older and have a poorer complexion than non-smokers.
Stop smoking benefit #7: Cancer anyone? Smokers run an elevated risk of developing lung cancer. They also have a disproportionately high risk of developing throat, oesophageal, bladder, kidney, stomach, pancreatic, mouth and tongue and lip cancers!
Stop smoking benefit #8: 45% of all duodenum or stomach ulcers are found in smokers. Nicotine interacts with the parasympathetic nervous system (the automatic bit) and relaxes the stomach sphincters, allowing stomach excess into the oesophagus (heartburn) and the duodenum.
Stop smoking benefit #9: An aortic aneurism is the ballooning of the aorta which can result in it rupturing which leads to massive internal bleeding and quick, certain death. Smokers suffer 57% of all aortic aneurisms.
Stop smoking benefit #10: Stick around! Did you know that people who smoke between 1 and 14 cigarettes per day are 8 times more likely to die early when compared to non-smokers.. Smokers on 15 to 25 cigarettes per day are 13 times more likely to die early compared to non-smokers. Smokers who smoke over 25 cigarettes per day are 25 times more likely to die early!
Finally, there is a Japanese proverb that says "fall down seven times, get up eight". Stopping smoking is just like that too. You have to keep trying to stop. My advice as ever is never quit trying to quit.
So stop now...visit here
Breast Cancer and Safe Screening Awareness
There is a tool available today to help identify the conditions and diseases that could be going on inside you, without symptoms and seemingly harmless. If your a woman that has concerns about breast cancer, this technology is for you. It could quite literally save your breasts, and your life.
When the normal function of your body goes dysfunctional, your body will try to heal itself through natural processes. If these processes fail, this is when symptoms develop and at which point most of us realize we need help. Especially when the symptoms affect our lives or even threaten them. The key is to get a heads-up when your body is going through some abnormal changes years before any discernible symptoms develop, thereby avoiding any potential danger.
Unfortunately, the conventional medicine community is keeps holding on to old ideas of cancer detection and treatment, not matter the proven ineffectiveness. Breast detection methods used by mainstream medicine include mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and PET scans. Awareness and education of a better, less risky, more effective options for detecting breast cancer are sorely lacking.
Concerning conventional breast cancer screening, it is recommended that all women over 40 get mammogram every one to two years, yet there is no solid evidence that mammorgrams save lives, and the benefits are a bit controversial. In fact, the health hazards of mammography have been well established.
The routine practice of taking four films of each breast annually results in approximately 1 rad exposure, and that is about 1,000 times greater than that from a chest x-ray. In case you havn't heard, radiation is not something to play around with. X-rays and other classes of ionizing have been a proven cause of virtually all types of biological mutations, and are an established cause of genomic instability, a characteristic of the most aggressive cancers.
Reducing exposure to medical radiation with unnecessary mammograms makes good sense, considering the high percentage of false reads, which unfortunately leads many women to have an unnecessarily mastectomy or harmfully treated with more radiation or chemotherapy. Mammography has its value, but there are other technologies that are proven to be more effective, less expensive, and completely harmless. A win-win situation.
What is an option that is safe and can give as much as 10 years warning of something about to develop? It is called thermal imaging, or thermography, which has the ability to detect problems early enough to use preventive choices, versus detecting disease at the stage where treatment is required. Thermography finding are the single most important indicator of high risk for breast cancer. The increased percentage survival rate is astounding when compared with other methods.
How does thermography work? It is basically infrared thermal imaging which detects irregular heat patterns which precedes a breast lump. A healthy body is thermally symmetrical, therefore both breasts that are healthy, the blood flow will show nearly identical patterns. Thermography is able to detect if something is awry by different vascular patterns, which can be an indicator of something wrong. The surface temperature of the breast increases as the body tries to feed the cancer tissue. Heat differentiation in the body is an indicator of disease, hence this principle applies most significantly in regard to breast cancer detection.
Ladies, thermography is non-invasive, painless, and risk-free. Prevention is the best cure.
Jonathan Bell has many years of extensive study in the area of natural cancer prevention and treatment. He has numerous success stories of people being diagnosed living cancer free with use of alternative methods.
When the normal function of your body goes dysfunctional, your body will try to heal itself through natural processes. If these processes fail, this is when symptoms develop and at which point most of us realize we need help. Especially when the symptoms affect our lives or even threaten them. The key is to get a heads-up when your body is going through some abnormal changes years before any discernible symptoms develop, thereby avoiding any potential danger.
Unfortunately, the conventional medicine community is keeps holding on to old ideas of cancer detection and treatment, not matter the proven ineffectiveness. Breast detection methods used by mainstream medicine include mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and PET scans. Awareness and education of a better, less risky, more effective options for detecting breast cancer are sorely lacking.
Concerning conventional breast cancer screening, it is recommended that all women over 40 get mammogram every one to two years, yet there is no solid evidence that mammorgrams save lives, and the benefits are a bit controversial. In fact, the health hazards of mammography have been well established.
The routine practice of taking four films of each breast annually results in approximately 1 rad exposure, and that is about 1,000 times greater than that from a chest x-ray. In case you havn't heard, radiation is not something to play around with. X-rays and other classes of ionizing have been a proven cause of virtually all types of biological mutations, and are an established cause of genomic instability, a characteristic of the most aggressive cancers.
Reducing exposure to medical radiation with unnecessary mammograms makes good sense, considering the high percentage of false reads, which unfortunately leads many women to have an unnecessarily mastectomy or harmfully treated with more radiation or chemotherapy. Mammography has its value, but there are other technologies that are proven to be more effective, less expensive, and completely harmless. A win-win situation.
What is an option that is safe and can give as much as 10 years warning of something about to develop? It is called thermal imaging, or thermography, which has the ability to detect problems early enough to use preventive choices, versus detecting disease at the stage where treatment is required. Thermography finding are the single most important indicator of high risk for breast cancer. The increased percentage survival rate is astounding when compared with other methods.
How does thermography work? It is basically infrared thermal imaging which detects irregular heat patterns which precedes a breast lump. A healthy body is thermally symmetrical, therefore both breasts that are healthy, the blood flow will show nearly identical patterns. Thermography is able to detect if something is awry by different vascular patterns, which can be an indicator of something wrong. The surface temperature of the breast increases as the body tries to feed the cancer tissue. Heat differentiation in the body is an indicator of disease, hence this principle applies most significantly in regard to breast cancer detection.
Ladies, thermography is non-invasive, painless, and risk-free. Prevention is the best cure.
Jonathan Bell has many years of extensive study in the area of natural cancer prevention and treatment. He has numerous success stories of people being diagnosed living cancer free with use of alternative methods.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Money Vs Health
Still, the 60-year-old Somerville resident, who friends say had just canceled his health insurance because of the tough economy, debated from a hospital emergency room whether he should stay and run up thousands of dollars in debt, or take antibiotics from home and hope they arrested the mysterious infection in his leg.
Fearing he could lose his home and flooring business, Abrams chose to leave Somerset Medical Center after a hospital physician said staying would "run him a lot of money," said Connie Dodd, a close friend who drove him to the hospital and heard the conversation. "I begged him to stay. But Dan’s a proud man. Talk of all the bills got him scared."
When Connie and her partner, Cindy Weiss, brought Abrams dinner the next night, July 29, they found his lifeless body in bed. Weiss performed CPR but it was too late. "It was a nightmare," Dodd said.
For people without health insurance, few things are more intimidating than the arrival of a hospital bill.
Nowhere is the sticker shock worse in the country than in New Jersey, according to health experts and a new report by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, a prominent health care policy group based in Trenton.
New Jersey’s hospital "charges" — the price list used to negotiate the cost of a bill for the uninsured and for insured people who use a hospital outside their network — are four times higher than the actual cost of treating a patient.
For thousands, the charges mean astronomical bills after a hospital stay. Insurers contend they also force higher premiums for anyone with health insurance.
More than 40,000 uninsured New Jerseyans this year will get a bill based on these inflated prices because they make too much money to qualify for financial aid for their hospital stay, according to an estimate by the New Jersey Hospital Association. Nobody tracks how many insured people get hit with bigger bills for using out-of-network hospital care.
Because the charges are used to negotiate prices of everything from treating pneumonia to removing a gall bladder, they inflate health insurance premiums, according to the largest health insurance company in the state, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. And there is no way to know how many people, like Abrams, decline hospital care when confronted with even the possibility of a big hospital bill, said David Knowlton, the institute’s president and CEO.
"Patients forced to pay the charge rate or anywhere close to it are getting screwed,’’ he said.
Hospital executives say the vast majority of the 1.3 million uninsured people in New Jersey never pay the full sticker price. Charges are used as a negotiating starting point, said Betsy Ryan, president and CEO for the New Jersey Hospital Association. "I think most hospitals would be willing to talk to most people about reasonable rates," Ryan said.
With nine hospitals closing and six filing for bankruptcy in the last two years, Ryan said, "Clearly, New Jersey hospitals are not getting rich on charges. Half of the remaining hospitals are losing money.’’
The institute has compiled a database of hospital charges for 20 common treatments and surgeries to demystify, and, Knowlton hopes, persuade lawmakers to change what he says are morally questionable billing practices.
Knowlton, who chairs Gov.-elect Chris Christie’s transition team for the Department of Health and Senior Services, said he’ll ask for laws to bring charges closer to real costs.
"I’m not beating up on hospitals. But I am holding them accountable,’’ he said.
National health care economist Graham Atkinson said the institute’s concerns are well-founded. New Jersey hospital charges are 4.1 times higher than what it costs to treat patients — far exceeding the national average of 2.8 times above cost, he said, based on American Hospital Association data. New York hospitals charges are a bit lower than the national average.
"The charge practices of hospitals generally, and particularly in New Jersey, are really unconscionable," said Atkinson.
While hospitals negotiate down from the charge price, the system is needed to help them recoup losses elsewhere, said Sean Hopkins, senior vice president of health economics for the New Jersey Hospital Association. New Jersey hospitals get an average of 89 cents for every dollar spent on Medicare, 66 cents for every Medicaid dollar, and 42 cents on the dollar for charity care patients, he said.
"A hospital will look for every opportunity to strike a deal with a payer to pay them cost or cost-plus, to generate a bottom line, just as any merchant would,’’ Hopkins said.
State Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard said she is not overly concerned about the impact of charges because few people actually pay them.
Just over half of New Jerseyans get their health coverage from the government — Medicare, for the elderly, and Medicaid for the poor, and charity care for the working poor.
And she stressed a law that took effect in February protects thousands of uninsured middle-class residents — who don’t qualify for other programs — from huge hospital bills.
For example, someone in an uninsured family of three that has an income of $54,930 to $88,000 would pay about $15,000 for a gall bladder surgery — far less than the $85,502 sticker price at Capital Health System’s Fuld campus in Trenton.
"We attacked this problem and provided substantial protection for people well above the average income,’’ Howard said.
The law leaves about 40,000, or 4 percent of the roughly 1 million patient visits at hospital each year subject to the much higher "charge" rate, Hopkins estimated.
Private insurance companies that cover 43 percent of the state’s population set rates by negotiating with hospitals. Jim Albano, vice president for health care services at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, said the high charges drive up premiums for everybody.
In addition, most insurance policies allow people to use hospitals that are out of the insurer’s network. Often, employees pick up 20 percent to 30 percent of the costs, Albano said. "That 20-30 percent people are paying is based on charges or something near charges,’’ he said.
The report also shows the charges at some hospitals can be dramatically higher than at others for the same procedures.
An uninsured stroke patient could receive a bill no higher than $35,000 from Morristown Memorial Hospital. But it inflates to $44,000 at Overlook Hospital in Summit, $57,000 at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston and $114,417 from the Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus, according to the report. The institute gave The Star-Ledger access to the report prior to publishing it today on its website, www.howsyourhealthnj.org.
The uninsured patient in Central Jersey could expect the top price for back surgery at Somerset Medical Center to run about $49,000. But it’s cut nearly in half to $26,000 at Hunterdon Medical Center in Raritan, just a 30-minute car ride away. In four categories — treating strokes, blood clots in the lungs, congestive heart failure and hip fractures — Hunterdon’s charges were the cheapest in the state.
Knowlton said he hopes the report becomes the hospital equivalent of the Kelley Blue Book for price-conscious car buyers. "This is a new tool in the consumer’s tool belt, to allow you to go to the hospital and say ‘This is your charge; your competitors in spitting distance from you charge this. What can you do for me?’" he said.
In the 1980s, New Jersey was one of a few states that regulated hospital charges, said Knowlton, who helped create the rules as deputy health commissioner under Gov. Thomas Kean, Facing pressure from suburban hospitals, the state deregulated the system in 1992-93, he said.
Knowlton said the current health care debate has not tackled the issue of cost in the system and wants state lawmakers to take it on. He won’t get an argument from Dan Abrams’ family and friends, who, four months after his death, remain angry.
Connie Dodd said she believes Abrams would still be alive if he wasn’t scared off by hospital bills. "We need universal health care,’’ Dodd said. "What will it take — for everyone to lose a friend or family member this way?’’
Vicky Allen, a spokeswoman for Somerset Medical Center, declined to discuss the case, except to offer "our deepest sympathy to the family of Daniel Abrams on their recent loss. We want to assure our community that we provide emergency care to everyone, regardless of whether or not they have health insurance or are able to pay for their care. If a patient is unable to pay for care, information about financial assistance through our charity care program is provided.’’
Fearing he could lose his home and flooring business, Abrams chose to leave Somerset Medical Center after a hospital physician said staying would "run him a lot of money," said Connie Dodd, a close friend who drove him to the hospital and heard the conversation. "I begged him to stay. But Dan’s a proud man. Talk of all the bills got him scared."
When Connie and her partner, Cindy Weiss, brought Abrams dinner the next night, July 29, they found his lifeless body in bed. Weiss performed CPR but it was too late. "It was a nightmare," Dodd said.
For people without health insurance, few things are more intimidating than the arrival of a hospital bill.
Nowhere is the sticker shock worse in the country than in New Jersey, according to health experts and a new report by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, a prominent health care policy group based in Trenton.
New Jersey’s hospital "charges" — the price list used to negotiate the cost of a bill for the uninsured and for insured people who use a hospital outside their network — are four times higher than the actual cost of treating a patient.
For thousands, the charges mean astronomical bills after a hospital stay. Insurers contend they also force higher premiums for anyone with health insurance.
More than 40,000 uninsured New Jerseyans this year will get a bill based on these inflated prices because they make too much money to qualify for financial aid for their hospital stay, according to an estimate by the New Jersey Hospital Association. Nobody tracks how many insured people get hit with bigger bills for using out-of-network hospital care.
Because the charges are used to negotiate prices of everything from treating pneumonia to removing a gall bladder, they inflate health insurance premiums, according to the largest health insurance company in the state, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. And there is no way to know how many people, like Abrams, decline hospital care when confronted with even the possibility of a big hospital bill, said David Knowlton, the institute’s president and CEO.
"Patients forced to pay the charge rate or anywhere close to it are getting screwed,’’ he said.
Hospital executives say the vast majority of the 1.3 million uninsured people in New Jersey never pay the full sticker price. Charges are used as a negotiating starting point, said Betsy Ryan, president and CEO for the New Jersey Hospital Association. "I think most hospitals would be willing to talk to most people about reasonable rates," Ryan said.
With nine hospitals closing and six filing for bankruptcy in the last two years, Ryan said, "Clearly, New Jersey hospitals are not getting rich on charges. Half of the remaining hospitals are losing money.’’
The institute has compiled a database of hospital charges for 20 common treatments and surgeries to demystify, and, Knowlton hopes, persuade lawmakers to change what he says are morally questionable billing practices.
Knowlton, who chairs Gov.-elect Chris Christie’s transition team for the Department of Health and Senior Services, said he’ll ask for laws to bring charges closer to real costs.
"I’m not beating up on hospitals. But I am holding them accountable,’’ he said.
National health care economist Graham Atkinson said the institute’s concerns are well-founded. New Jersey hospital charges are 4.1 times higher than what it costs to treat patients — far exceeding the national average of 2.8 times above cost, he said, based on American Hospital Association data. New York hospitals charges are a bit lower than the national average.
"The charge practices of hospitals generally, and particularly in New Jersey, are really unconscionable," said Atkinson.
While hospitals negotiate down from the charge price, the system is needed to help them recoup losses elsewhere, said Sean Hopkins, senior vice president of health economics for the New Jersey Hospital Association. New Jersey hospitals get an average of 89 cents for every dollar spent on Medicare, 66 cents for every Medicaid dollar, and 42 cents on the dollar for charity care patients, he said.
"A hospital will look for every opportunity to strike a deal with a payer to pay them cost or cost-plus, to generate a bottom line, just as any merchant would,’’ Hopkins said.
State Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard said she is not overly concerned about the impact of charges because few people actually pay them.
Just over half of New Jerseyans get their health coverage from the government — Medicare, for the elderly, and Medicaid for the poor, and charity care for the working poor.
And she stressed a law that took effect in February protects thousands of uninsured middle-class residents — who don’t qualify for other programs — from huge hospital bills.
For example, someone in an uninsured family of three that has an income of $54,930 to $88,000 would pay about $15,000 for a gall bladder surgery — far less than the $85,502 sticker price at Capital Health System’s Fuld campus in Trenton.
"We attacked this problem and provided substantial protection for people well above the average income,’’ Howard said.
The law leaves about 40,000, or 4 percent of the roughly 1 million patient visits at hospital each year subject to the much higher "charge" rate, Hopkins estimated.
Private insurance companies that cover 43 percent of the state’s population set rates by negotiating with hospitals. Jim Albano, vice president for health care services at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, said the high charges drive up premiums for everybody.
In addition, most insurance policies allow people to use hospitals that are out of the insurer’s network. Often, employees pick up 20 percent to 30 percent of the costs, Albano said. "That 20-30 percent people are paying is based on charges or something near charges,’’ he said.
The report also shows the charges at some hospitals can be dramatically higher than at others for the same procedures.
An uninsured stroke patient could receive a bill no higher than $35,000 from Morristown Memorial Hospital. But it inflates to $44,000 at Overlook Hospital in Summit, $57,000 at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston and $114,417 from the Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus, according to the report. The institute gave The Star-Ledger access to the report prior to publishing it today on its website, www.howsyourhealthnj.org.
The uninsured patient in Central Jersey could expect the top price for back surgery at Somerset Medical Center to run about $49,000. But it’s cut nearly in half to $26,000 at Hunterdon Medical Center in Raritan, just a 30-minute car ride away. In four categories — treating strokes, blood clots in the lungs, congestive heart failure and hip fractures — Hunterdon’s charges were the cheapest in the state.
Knowlton said he hopes the report becomes the hospital equivalent of the Kelley Blue Book for price-conscious car buyers. "This is a new tool in the consumer’s tool belt, to allow you to go to the hospital and say ‘This is your charge; your competitors in spitting distance from you charge this. What can you do for me?’" he said.
In the 1980s, New Jersey was one of a few states that regulated hospital charges, said Knowlton, who helped create the rules as deputy health commissioner under Gov. Thomas Kean, Facing pressure from suburban hospitals, the state deregulated the system in 1992-93, he said.
Knowlton said the current health care debate has not tackled the issue of cost in the system and wants state lawmakers to take it on. He won’t get an argument from Dan Abrams’ family and friends, who, four months after his death, remain angry.
Connie Dodd said she believes Abrams would still be alive if he wasn’t scared off by hospital bills. "We need universal health care,’’ Dodd said. "What will it take — for everyone to lose a friend or family member this way?’’
Vicky Allen, a spokeswoman for Somerset Medical Center, declined to discuss the case, except to offer "our deepest sympathy to the family of Daniel Abrams on their recent loss. We want to assure our community that we provide emergency care to everyone, regardless of whether or not they have health insurance or are able to pay for their care. If a patient is unable to pay for care, information about financial assistance through our charity care program is provided.’’
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