12/29/08

Understanding the Causes of Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common problem in the United States. While everyone will see their blood pressure raise on occasion, such as after strenuous activity or during a stressful event, a consistently higher than normal blood pressure reading can put a person at a much higher risk of other medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Because hypertension has potentially dangerous ramifications, especially when it is left unchecked, it is important to know the causes of hypertension so that you can determine whether you are at risk for this problem.

Types of Hypertension and the Causes

To understand the causes of hypertension, you must first learn about the different types of this condition. Primary hypertension is the most common type of high blood pressure. In this case, the cause of hypertension is usually not identified, and the condition will gradually develop over a number of years. With primary hypertension, the best treatment is to address the high blood pressure itself with medication and lifestyle changes. The other type is known as secondary hypertension, and in this case, the cause of hypertension is often an underlying medical problem like congenital heart defects or kidney abnormalities. With secondary hypertension, the first line of treatment may be to treat the underlying condition.

Primary hypertension is the most common type by far, meaning that the causes of hypertension can rarely be identified. This is why it is important to also understand the risk factors of this condition, so that you will be better able to evaluate the likelihood that you will develop this medical problem. People are more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension if they have a family history of the condition, if they are African American and if they are over the age of 65. However, just because you are a middle-aged white female with no family history, it doesn't mean that you will never be diagnosed with hypertension. It is also important to head to your doctor for regular screenings to ensure that your blood pressure stays within a healthy range.

Hypertension is often called the silent killer, because causes of hypertension are rarely known and there are few symptoms that will show up when the condition is present. The best way to protect yourself from this potentially deadly condition is to have regular screenings at your doctor's office or purchase a home blood pressure monitor that you can use yourself. While causes of hypertension may not be easily identified, you can do plenty to keep yourself safe from this serious medical condition.

Now as a final thought, remember that looking like Milos Sarcev or Carmen Garcia can only be accomplished if you have the right supplements. Alpha Lipoic Acid is one of them.

12/27/08

Understanding the Causes of Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common problem in the United States. While everyone will see their blood pressure raise on occasion, such as after strenuous activity or during a stressful event, a consistently higher than normal blood pressure reading can put a person at a much higher risk of other medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Because hypertension has potentially dangerous ramifications, especially when it is left unchecked, it is important to know the causes of hypertension so that you can determine whether you are at risk for this problem.

Types of Hypertension and the Causes
To understand the causes of hypertension, you must first learn about the different types of this condition. Primary hypertension is the most common type of high blood pressure. In this case, the cause of hypertension is usually not identified, and the condition will gradually develop over a number of years. With primary hypertension, the best treatment is to address the high blood pressure itself with medication and lifestyle changes. The other type is known as secondary hypertension, and in this case, the cause of hypertension is often an underlying medical problem like congenital heart defects or kidney abnormalities. With secondary hypertension, the first line of treatment may be to treat the underlying condition.

Primary hypertension is the most common type by far, meaning that the causes of hypertension can rarely be identified. This is why it is important to also understand the risk factors of this condition, so that you will be better able to evaluate the likelihood that you will develop this medical problem. People are more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension if they have a family history of the condition, if they are African American and if they are over the age of 65. However, just because you are a middle-aged white female with no family history, it doesn't mean that you will never be diagnosed with hypertension. It is also important to head to your doctor for regular screenings to ensure that your blood pressure stays within a healthy range.

Hypertension is often called the silent killer, because causes of hypertension are rarely known and there are few symptoms that will show up when the condition is present. The best way to protect yourself from this potentially deadly condition is to have regular screenings at your doctor's office or purchase a home blood pressure monitor that you can use yourself. While causes of hypertension may not be easily identified, you can do plenty to keep yourself safe from this serious medical condition.

Now as a final thought, remember that looking like Milos Sarcev or Carmen Garcia can only be accomplished if you have a Great Body

12/24/08

A Healthy Way Towards Losing Weight


Losing Weight in a healthy way is the ultimate goal for most people. You will not be able to achieve your goal with a many of the weight loss products out there. Obesity is at an all time high and there seems to be no signs of it slowing down.

The potential health problems associated with being overweight are well documented but most people ignore this factor until it is too late. Also there are some people who are not really aware of the risks that are related to being overweight or obese.

Here are a few of the health problems that could arise if you don't do something about your weight: 

1. heart attacks
2. strokes
3. diabetes
4.certain sorts of cancer
5. arthritis
6. high blood pressure

Losing weight in a healthy way will give you a far higher chance to avoid these health problems. 

The so called 'lose weight quick' methods are available today are not methods that will offer long term weight loss.

It is more realistic to focus on a healthy way to lose weight which will have longer lasting results.

Here are a few things you should know about losing weight in a healthy way.

1.   Never ever starve yourself.

The real method to a healthier way of losing weight is to forget about dieting

You may be under the impression that skipping meals will mean consuming fewer calories, which in return will equate to weight loss. Your body will react to this differently, the drop in calories will force your body to go into something called the starvation mode. 

This means that because it isn't getting enough calories, it will try even harder to hang onto the calories it is getting by slowing down your metabolism.

2.  Begin your day in the right way.

Who doesn't know about breakfast being the most important meal of the day. This is because your body has received no calories all the time that you have been asleep. When you don't eat breakfast...yes you've guessed it.... a process known as the starvation mode. 

3.Smaller meals should be eaten more often.

Consuming 4 or 5 smaller meals throughout the day is more beneficial than the 3 meals a day we are used to. This is because your body can only use and get rid of a certain amount of food in one go. Consuming large meals will result in lots of calories being stored as fat. 

4.  Give yourself a goal how much weight you want to get rid of.

Remember to keep your goals realistic. Forget about some miracle cure that is going to help you lose 40 or 50 pounds in a month. Focus on trying to lose around 2-3 pounds a month, and the repeat the process the following month. 

 

5.Stay away from white sugar.

It is said that if white sugar was invented today, it would be difficult to release it on the market because of its negative effects on the body. White sugar creates chaos in body and its systems. On top of that it rots your teeth and is very easily stored as fat. Avoid it as much as possible.

6.Keep a check on how much fat you may have in your daily diet.

Contrary to popular belief fat is not the culprit to being overweight. It is unhealthy fat that is to blame. You need fat in your diet for your body to function properly. Try to get your fat from foods like fish, nuts, olive oil, etc. your body needs these types of fat to stay in a healthy state. 

7.  Exercise.

Walk more instead of driving, use the stairs instead of the lift, take up a hobby such as dancing, skating, or cycling. You will not only lose weight with exercise, your body will look healthier and fitter.

Losing weight in a healthy way is the route to use for long term weight loss.

12/11/08

New Hope for Getting Rid of Viseral Fat

If you are one of the 25% of Americans not taking care of yourself, chances are you have Metabolic Syndrome. If you are over 40, have an expanding waistline, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, poor diet, not enough exercise, high blood sugar (pre-diabetic), then you have this condition!

However, there is also a recent anti aging supplement that has proven helpful with metabolic syndrome.

Here are the symptoms:

  • An expanding waistline (35 inches for women, 40 inches for men)
  • A BMI (Base Metabolic Rate) of over 25
  • Triglyceride level over 150
  • A low HDL (good cholesterol) level
  • Blood pressure over 130/85
  • Higher than normal blood glucose level


Because metabolic syndrome is actually a collection of factors, having any one of them does not mean you have it. But if you have any 3 of the above conditions, you may be at risk.

Here's the bad news:


Your risk factor for a heart attack or stroke is much greater.
You're at risk for getting diabetes.
At least 25% of Americans are in this dilemma.

There Is Good News

YOU can fix it.

Easy? Probably not. It requires a major lifestyle change. If a healthy diet and exercise isn't a part of your life, then you'll need to incorporate it now.

For diet this means eating fewer calories and less saturated fat, and emphasizing whole grains, fish, and fruits and vegetables. When using fats and oils, choose only unsaturated fats such as olive or safflower oil. Nuts are also good.

To start exercising, begin with at least 30 minutes of walking briskly at least 5 days per week. Work up to getting 60 minutes of moderate activity 5 to 7 days a week.

More Good News:

There is something new to help reduce that expanding waistline (visceral fat). It actually has been approved by the FDA as a new "dietary supplement".  What is interesting about this new supplement is that originally it was noted for its great antioxidant properties and has even been used in cosmetics! It was discovered in clinical trials that subjects taking the new supplement along with exercising had shed visceral fat twice as fast and the subjects that exercised without the supplement.

So here's the bad news: you still have to diet and exercise.

However, it's a good thing that there's something to help speed up your results - safely. It's made from Lychee Fruit Extract and Green Tea Extract. And it has other great anti aging benefits, too.

For more information about this new supplement: Oliginol for Metabolic Syndrome

12/10/08

Learn Yoga

Yoga is a system of breathing, stretching exercises, and meditation that helps the individual join with the Universal Self.  Even if you aren't a fitness fanatic you should already know that yoga is both relaxing and healthy.  There have been a number of studies that show you can lower your heart rate and blood pressure if you do yoga, and will help to suppress other body functions so that you can achieve a state total relaxation.  People of all ages can get involved as there is yoga for seniors and yoga for during pregnancy.

The meaning of yoga is to yoke or to unitu.  Anyone seeking to promote or get their health back to the best state are welcome to try a class.  It's widely beleived that yoga does a great job of cleansing and strengthening the body while allowing the mind to focus on connecting with the Universal Self.  People see yoga as being spiritual however it's not so in a religious way.

Although yoga in itself isn't a religion, there are strong links to Buddhism.  This is a fact that might surprise you:  yoga is several centuries older than Buddhism.  There have been ancient gods been shown to practice yoga in seals.  The seals were discovered in the Indus Valley which is beleived to be one of the civilizations ever to be started.  What we call India and Pakistan is what used to be this area.  The seals suggest that yoga was around before 3000 BC.

When doing yoga you will find that meditating is very much essential.  In order for you to acheive the best results, you need to stop your mind from over-thinking about life in general and focus on uniting the body, spirit, and mind.  Yoga is a common activity and you get out of it what you put into it.  So make sure you don't slack, the results will sow themselves off.

Much of yoga was taken from ancient tests called Hatha (the physical body).  There were many philosophers that enjoyed the activity and a variety of styles you could choose.  Although yoga is practiced for practical purposes, those who suffer the stresses of modern living can really benefit.  There are many exercises that cannot be done by certain people because they are too strenous however with yoga you will find it suitable for all ages and abilities.  You can sit in a chair or on the floor.  The stretching really helps the stiff muscles and the breathing helps to calm.

11/30/08

High Blood Pressure - Different Methods To Keep It Under Control

You've been to the doctor dozens of times and sat through the inflatable arm cuff test for high blood pressure. The nurse rattles off some numbers, but what do they mean? The magic "good news" number is 115/75, but not all of us are so blessed. As we age, our artery walls are bound to be a little narrower and the heart may have to work slightly harder. We work long hours, we get stressed out and we may not have enough time to eat properly or exercise as much. We may be drinkers and smokers, or we may have put on a few pounds over the years. Regardless of how our lifestyle has changed, we can always turn things around before it's too late!

Over at the Harvard School of Medicine, researchers have developed a dietary program known as "DASH," an acronym for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet includes: 8 grain servings, 5 vegetable servings, 2-3 low fat dairy servings, 1-2 servings of meat, poultry or fish and 5 servings per week of nuts, seeds or beans. Saturated fats and sugars should be limited and serving sizes generally run ½ cup cooked, 1 cup raw or 2 tbsp nuts and seeds. Exercise is crucial! Within just two weeks, the diet already began having an effect on Dr. Gabe Mirkin's patients, with 70% returning to normal blood pressure levels. He says that increasing minerals like magnesium, calcium and potassium had a strong impact, as did limiting fat and sodium. The diet triggers a diuretic effect, much like certain medications that work to "flush the system."

For some people, the thought of monitoring their diet may seem like an overwhelming obsession. How do you know if you're doing the right thing to lower high blood pressure or making the right choices to maintain heart health? Generally, most people need a little help getting started. Some people may try a free website like sparkspeople.com, where you enter everything you eat each day and receive a report tallying up your fat, calories, protein and nutrients, in relation to your weight loss or heart health goals. Or others may spend a little money on a dietician who can offer guided meal plans tailored individually to their needs. Many books have been written on the subject as well. After looking around a little, you'll find something that is enjoyable, you feel comfortable with and that works. Once you get into a routine, you won't even think about it anymore. Suddenly, your cardiovascular health will improve and your life will seem so much more manageable.

In addition to smoking, hypertension and high cholesterol, inactivity is one of the four major contributors to coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis and poor cardiovascular health. Sedentary people have a 35% greater risk of developing high blood pressure and 55% greater risk of developing heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 4 days per week. A 2002 study of overweight individuals found that strenuous activity, for example, jogging 20 miles/week, was needed to increase HDL (good cholesterol) but even walking or jogging 12 miles/week was enough to lower LDL (bad cholesterol). The best exercises for heart health include: walking, jogging, jumping rope, biking, cross-country skiing, skating, rowing, low-impact aerobics and water aerobics.

As we become older there are essential numbers that start to weigh to a great extent upon us. We have to worry about our blood pressure, weight and our cholesterol level. Things we may have ignored our entire lives now all of a sudden have great importance. However these are things that should not have been ignored. A lifetime of misuse on the body yields merely damaging things when left unchecked.

 

Your cholesterol level is absolutely crucial if you wish to remain healthy and your body functioning properly. High levels has the ability to lead lead to heart attacks as well as stroke, both of these things you do not want to have to deal with. Being concerned in regards to your cholesterol level is not just for the elderly. It is something both young and older people need to worry as well as be aware of if they hope to to lead a healthy lifestyle. In this article we will cover the fundamental principles of cholesterol and hopefully you will understand how key a healthy level is to your body as well as peace of mind.

What is bad cholesterol?

LDL cholesterol is bad. All cholesterol is carried by lipoproteins but the low-density lipoproteins moves in the blood stream and allows the cholesterol to begin to accumulate. If there is too much LDL then the cholesterol begins building up on the walls of the arteries. It begins to form plaque which makes the arteries hard and not as flexible. When clots form and block the artery a heart attack or stroke can occur.

How can you prevent high cholesterol?

You can help take steps against having too much LDL cholesterol in your body by exercising, not smoking and eating right. These three things are the primary reasons why people have excessive LDL. Yes, some of your cholesterol levels have to do with family history but doctors have proven time and time again that a diet rich in fish and Omega-3 along with a healthy weight will reduce the overall LDL numbers. The body needs to have plenty of exercise as well.

How is the blockage from the arteries removed?

The first stage is through medicines but if there is a critical contracting or blockage in the artery or blood vessel then a somewhat more aggressive operation is essential. The actual processes may change but one popular method is through a balloon angioplasty. The mechanical device is inserted into the artery and navigated to the obstruction where the build up of plaque has occurred. The balloon is then inflated to clear the passage. Nowadays the operation is minimally invasive and most patients are capable of going home on that very day.

How do I know what my cholesterol is?

Well in order to know what your cholesterol is you should have a blood cholesterol testing performed at least every five years. The most recommended test is a fasting lipoprotein blood profile. This test measures not only your total cholesterol but it also specifies the LDL and the HDL levels. It is a great idea to be knowledgeable about where your numbers are and to ensure that they are in the proper healthy range.

To discover more click here Lower Cholesterol with more helpful material at High Cholesterol and Normal Cholesterol Levels

11/29/08

Hypertension - What Are The Best Ways To Handle This Disease

Hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure, affects 1 out of every 4 Americans, according to the American Diabetes Association. High blood pressure is usually a symptom of a larger problem, whether your saturated fat content is too high, your LDL cholesterol is through the roof or your cardiovascular health simply isn't where it should be. If your doctor has found that you have high blood pressure, then you should at least be glad it was detected early. With some diet modifications and lifestyle changes, you can still minimize your risk of complications before it's too late.

If you are hypertensive, then it can be caused by many lifestyle choices. For instance, a 2005 study found that women who took 500 mg of Tylenol each day for headaches or pains were more likely to develop high blood pressure than women who did not. Users of cocaine and amphetamines, as well as smokers, were also more at risk. High body fat, high salt intake, low potassium intake, high cholesterol levels, inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and high stress are often linked to hypertension as well. Health experts say that this condition isn't so cut-and-dry, that poor lifestyle choices aren't always the culprit. Some people are just at risk because they're aging, pregnant or born into a family with a history of high blood pressure.

The next time you visit the doctor, listen for the reading when the inflatable arm cuff is squeezing your arm. The ideal number indicating normal blood pressure is 115/75. The doctor may say you have hypertension if your numbers are 120-139, which indicates systolic pressure, or over 80-89 for diastolic pressure. Stage one hypertension is a reading of 140-159/90-99 and stage two is a reading of 160+/100+. Don't feel alarmed by one high reading. You may have eaten a high cholesterol breakfast of bacon and eggs before coming in for tests and your heart is just working a little harder than usual. However, you should perform heart health tests either at home or return for another check up very soon to be sure.

If you're found to have hypertension, then you will generally first be prescribed a new lifestyle that cuts out fat and bad cholesterol, as well as adds healthier food choices and exercise. You will be instructed to stop binge drinking or smoking, if applicable, and chances are you may need medication to jump start your progress. Many doctors first try a diuretic or "water pill" that promises to cleanse the kidneys, eliminating sodium, water and toxins from the body. Beta-Blockers sometimes work alongside diuretics to slow down the heart a little, instructing it not to work so hard. Angiotension II receptor blockers and ACE-inhibitors are good for people with coronary artery disease, kidney disease or who've already suffered congestive heart failure because of relaxed blood vessels that may already be susceptible to narrowing. Statins are commonly prescribed for lowering cholesterol as well. By adjusting your lifestyle and trying some of the revolutionary products on the market, you will be well on your way to cardiovascular health in no time.

As we become older there are critical numbers that start to weigh heavily upon us. We have to concern ourselves about our blood pressure, weight and our cholesterol level. These are some of the things that most of us have ignored for the vast majority of our lives now suddenly have great importance. However these are things that should never have been ignored. A lifetime of misuse on the body gives only unfavourable things when left unchecked.

 

Your cholesterol level is without question chief if you want to continue healthy and your body functioning properly. High levels can lead to heart attacks and stroke, both of these things you do not want to have to deal with. Being concerned when it comes to your cholesterol level is not simply for the aging. It is something both young as well as older people must be concerned with as well as be cognisant of if they want to lead a healthy life. In this article we will cover the basic principles of cholesterol and hopefully you will realize just how significant a healthy level is to your body and peace of mind.

What is bad cholesterol?

LDL cholesterol is bad. All cholesterol is carried by lipoproteins but the low-density lipoproteins moves in the blood stream and allows the cholesterol to begin to accumulate. If there is too much LDL then the cholesterol begins building up on the walls of the arteries. It begins to form plaque which makes the arteries hard and not as flexible. When clots form and block the artery a heart attack or stroke can occur.

How can you prevent high cholesterol?

You can help take steps against having too much LDL cholesterol in your body by exercising, not smoking and eating right. These three things are the primary reasons why people have excessive LDL. Yes, some of your cholesterol levels have to do with family history but doctors have proven time and time again that a diet rich in fish and Omega-3 along with a healthy weight will reduce the overall LDL numbers. The body needs to have plenty of exercise as well.

In what way is the blockage from the arteries withdrawn?

The initial stage is through medicines but if there is a crucial tapering or closure in the artery or blood vessel then a slightly more intrusive operation is required. The actual procedures might vary however one popular method is through a balloon angioplasty. The mechanical device is entered into the artery and then naviagted to the occlusion where the build up of plaque has happened. The balloon is then inflated to clear the passage. Nowadays the routine is minimally invasive and the majority of patients are able to going home on that very day.

What is the normal range for a healthy cholesterol level?

The American Heart Association has guidelines established for what is considered a healthy range of cholesterol levels. A total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL is considered to be a desirable level since it puts you at a lower risk of having heart disease. Here is the trick though. It is not just about total cholesterol. Your HDL levels should be over 60 mg/dL and your LDL should be lower than 100 mg/dL. Mg/dL means it is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood.

For a lot more informational value go here: Foods Low In Cholesterol and more information at High Cholesterol Diet as well as Ldl Cholesterol

11/28/08

Would A Free Diet Program Work For You?

In today's less active world most of us live at a pretty slow pace, doing nothing to fast except gaining unwanted weight. In the U.S. we have been lucky enough to have a very easy life compared to most of the world. Today we don't have to put in as much effort physically as we used to.   More people drive more places, do less physical work, and have modern appliances and conveniences to carry the burden. Associate that with the actuality of the commercially farmed overly processed and chemically laden foods most of eat on a daily basis the resulting effect can only be expected.

Americans are obese. If you think obesity is just about looks, think again. If you carry more weight than you are supposed to you are putting yourself at risk for the big killer health issues the plague the U.S. Those being hypertension, stroke and heart disease. Not to be to sober but being overweight could cost you a date, but it could also cost you your life. This is exactly why those of us who are obese need to look at losing weight with a diet. With today's economy the way it is there is little discretionary income to spend on a costly weight loss program so a free diet plan can come in real handy for times like these.

There are many free diet programs from which to choose. What is needed is an overall healthy lifestyle plan to make any weight loss program a workable situation whether it is free or not. The best way to lose weight is natural, healthy, simple, and best of all it's free. Take in less calories each day and exercise more to burn off more calories.

If you just do exercise and think you're going to lose the weight you need to think again. You are going to fight an uphill battle. If exercise isn't a part of your program you will probably still be eating to much because you won't be doing anything to increase your metabolism and burn excess calories. Combine the two as part of a normal, sustainable routine to take off the weight and keep off the weight.

Want a simple way to reduce caloric intake without the expense of specialty diet programs that include expensive food?   Eat smaller portions. That's right.   Keep eating exactly what you now eat, but cut down the portions.  Find out the food values of what you usually eat and cut back the portions to a point that is less than what you would burn on a regular day.

You can also make a big difference, up to 90,000 calories a year for the average person, by drinking water instead of pop and fruit juice. Another choice, if your prefer, could be coffee or tea. Without the sugar and cream of course. One of the benefits of this is caffeine will speed your metabolism up and help you to burn even more calories.

If you think that exercising 5 time a week is going to do the trick you need to think again.  You should be working up a sweat doing some form of strenuous exercise every day. And you should do no less than thirty minutes of it. Kick that up a notch with extra physical movement such as parking further from the office or stores for a short walk, using stairs instead of elevators, and using hand tools for daily or weekly chores.

There it is, exercise combined with free diet programs to lose weight. Make it your life and make it a joy.

11/26/08

Coronary Heart Disease - Managing a Challenging Health Condition

Coronary heart disease is characterized by atherosclerosis, which is the clogging and narrowing of the arteries. The heart is then deprived of oxygen, has trouble pumping blood and may mutate. Think of it like what an exertion injury can do to other muscles in your body; causing hardening and scar tissue over time. If your doctor tells you that you have high cholesterol levels or elevated triglycerides, then these are your first clues of metabolic failure. At this point, you will still have a chance of turning your life around before it's too late!

Most people with coronary heart disease don't realize they have it until it's too late, even though basic medical tests can reveal telltale signs like elevated triglycerides and high cholesterol levels. Some people may experience "angina pectoris," which is the medical term for discomfort, heaviness, aching, burning, numbness or pain in the chest, left shoulder, arms, back or jaw. Often this pain will feel similar to indigestion but won't occur around meal times. Depending on what kind of angina you're suffering from, the pain may come after exertion (stable angina), when sleeping and while out in the cold (prinzmetal's angina) or sometimes even just suddenly while resting (unstable angina). Shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea and sweating often accompany the angina symptoms.

No matter what level of coronary heart disease you're suffering from, lifestyle and diet changes are essential. All other treatments are merely complementary. In some cases, you may be prescribed medications to lower high blood pressure, oxygenate blood, slow the heartbeat down and open up restrictive blood vessels. In severe cases, balloon angioplasty surgery, stent placement or coronary bypass are needed. Health experts are looking into new treatments like transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR), which utilizes laser beams to blast through the channels in your heart muscle, freeing up blood flow. Angiogenesis provides substances through the vein or directly into the heart, where the transporters have failed. Enhanced external counterpulsation can stimulate the opening of blood vessels in a very non-invasive way.

While some people are born genetically susceptible to coronary heart disease, the overwhelming majority of us become victimized by our imbalanced eating habits, our 50 hour work weeks, our poor sleep quality, our lack of exercise, our smoking, our drinking and our stress. There comes a point where we need to realize that work could be the end-all of existence if we don't better organize our priorities. On a positive note, more and more Americans are looking for healthier ways of living, judging by the number of self-help books flying off the shelves. There may not be an easy answer for lowering cholesterol or bypassing atherosclerosis, but with a positive attitude and a little bit of hard work, we can live a long, healthy life.

As we become older there are critical numbers that start to weigh heavily upon us. We have to concern ourselves about our blood pressure, weight and our cholesterol level. Things we may have ignored our entire lives now all of a sudden have great importance. But these are some of the thing that should not have been forgotten. A lifetime of misuse on the body returns merely damaging things when left unrestrained.

 

Your cholesterol level is absolutely critical if you wish to continue in good health and your body functioning the right way. High levels can lead to heart attacks and stroke, both of these things you do not want to have to contend with. Being concerned when it comes to your cholesterol level is not simply for the aging. It is something both younger people as well as older people must worry as well as be cognisant of if they hope to to lead a healthy lifestyle. In this article we will cover the fundamental principles of cholesterol and hopefully you will understand how important a healthy level is to your body as well as peace of mind.

What is bad cholesterol?

LDL cholesterol is bad. All cholesterol is carried by lipoproteins but the low-density lipoproteins moves in the blood stream and allows the cholesterol to begin to accumulate. If there is too much LDL then the cholesterol begins building up on the walls of the arteries. It begins to form plaque which makes the arteries hard and not as flexible. When clots form and block the artery a heart attack or stroke can occur.

What happens when cholesterol gets too high?

Well when LDL gets too high then the cholesterol begins to accumulate on the artery walls and then hardens into plaque. The build up continues until the entire artery is blocked off. This added blockage makes it hard for blood to get to the heart where it can be pumped to the rest of the body. It can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

When HDL levels are high this is a good thing because researchers believe that HDL helps rid the body of cholesterol build-up. That is why a diet rich in foods that promote HDL is always heavily recommended.

In what way is the obstruction from the arteries withdrawn?

The initial stage is through medicines but if there is a serious constricting or closure in the artery or blood vessel then a slightly more intrusive procedure is needed. The actual functions might vary however one frequent method is done through the use of a balloon angioplasty. The mechanical device is entered into the artery and navigated to the closure where the plaque build up has occurred. The balloon is then inflated to clear the passage. Nowadays the procedure is minimally intrusive and most patients are able to going home that day.

What is the normal range for a healthy cholesterol level?

The American Heart Association has guidelines established for what is considered a healthy range of cholesterol levels. A total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL is considered to be a desirable level since it puts you at a lower risk of having heart disease. Here is the trick though. It is not just about total cholesterol. Your HDL levels should be over 60 mg/dL and your LDL should be lower than 100 mg/dL. Mg/dL means it is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood.

For a great deal more informational value go to this online destination: Lower Cholesterol Levels and more information at High Cholesterol Levels as well as Low Cholesterol Diet Tips

11/25/08

Handling The Challenges Of Heart Failure

According to the American Medical Association journals, heart failure affects nearly 5 million Americans each year, with more than 300,000 people dying of this fatal disease. While the statistics may sound grim, there are many ways to educate yourself and simple lifestyle modifications can be made that will prevent you from becoming one of them.

Many people aren't aware that they have a chronic heart health problem until it's too late. Heart failure, in the form of a heart attack, sends surprised patients to the emergency room because they were not keeping up with routine checkups. Just as you take your car in for an oil change every 3,000 miles, so should you visit your doctor every year to test for abnormalities and treat entirely preventable diseases. While there may not be a 100% guarantee that you can avoid normal degeneration of the body, there are many things that you can do to add ten to twenty years onto your life and remain healthy and happy for the vast majority of your days.

To check if you may have heart health problems, your general practitioner can run several tests to be sure. Many people avoid getting tested in advance because they fear invasive pokes and prods, but most of these screening tests are very non-invasive. For instance, one test, which is a "stress test," has you walking on a treadmill for a specific interval of time through several intensity levels, while an IV-injected tracer moves through the blood, indicating possible obstructions or strain. Another test, the EKG, simply monitors your heart rhythms through electrical wires with adhesive ends stuck to your chest, arms and legs. An "Echocardiogram" is simply an ultrasound image taken of your chest, which is as painless as a photograph. Most people are familiar with the usual hypertension/blood pressure test done with a cuff around your bicep. The most invasive test, which is recommended for people with a genetic predisposition, is the "Catheriterization," which is a small tube inserted into the artery, which may open an obstruction or insert dye to see where the problem spots are.

You may have heard of something called "Statins." It is a medication prescribed for cancer patients and heart failure patients alike. Statins help cut cholesterol and regulate heart rhythms, but should never be used as a "cure-all." Health experts warn that a careful diet must still be adhered to for the positive results to be enjoyed. However, some patients report irritating side effects, like mental dullness and aching tendons. Nevertheless, the American Heart Association recommends Statins as a "first-line defense" against heart disease.

As we get older there are all-important numbers that begin to weigh to a great extent upon us. We have to concern ourselves about our blood pressure, weight and our cholesterol level. These are some of the things that most of us have ignored for the vast majority of our lives now all of a sudden they have significant importance. But these are things that should not have been forgotten. A lifetime of misuse on the body establishes merely damaging things when left unchecked.

 

Your cholesterol level is absolutely important if you want to stay in good health and your body functioning right. High levels has the ability to lead lead to heart attacks as well as stroke, both of these things you do not want to have to contend with. Being mindful about your cholesterol level is not simply for the elderly. It is something both younger people and older people must be concerned with and be cognisant of if they want to lead a healthy life. In this article we will go over the fundamentals of cholesterol and hopefully you will understand just how significant a healthy level is to your body and peace of mind.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a lipid that is found in the bloodstream of humans and all animals. It can be there from two different sources. The first source is your body itself. The body naturally produces cholesterol. The second source of cholesterol is the food that we eat. It may surprise you to know that not all cholesterol is bad for you. There is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. But you have to know the difference if you want to protect your health and your heart.

What happens when cholesterol gets too high?

Well when LDL gets too high then the cholesterol begins to accumulate on the artery walls and then hardens into plaque. The build up continues until the entire artery is blocked off. This added blockage makes it hard for blood to get to the heart where it can be pumped to the rest of the body. It can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

When HDL levels are high this is a good thing because researchers believe that HDL helps rid the body of cholesterol build-up. That is why a diet rich in foods that promote HDL is always heavily recommended.

In what way is the blockage from the arteries withdrawn?

The first stage is through medicines however if there is a life-threatening narrowing or closure in the artery or blood vessel then a slightly more aggressive operation is essential. The actual functions might vary however one popular method is through a balloon angioplasty. The mechanical device is inserted into the artery and then naviagted to the obstruction where the build up of plaque has happened. The balloon is then inflated to clear the passage. Nowadays the procedure is minimally invasive and the majority of patients are capable of going home that day.

What is the normal range for a healthy cholesterol level?

The American Heart Association has guidelines established for what is considered a healthy range of cholesterol levels. A total cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL is considered to be a desirable level since it puts you at a lower risk of having heart disease. Here is the trick though. It is not just about total cholesterol. Your HDL levels should be over 60 mg/dL and your LDL should be lower than 100 mg/dL. Mg/dL means it is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood.

For a lot more informational value go here: Normal Levels Of Cholesterol similarly Bad Cholesterol in addition to Total Cholesterol Levels

11/23/08

Benefits of Yoga - Physical and Emotional

Benefits of Yoga Video

Basic Yoga has been designed to primarily focus on the overall wellness of a person. When you get involved with yoga you will surely learn new lifestyle ideas and new ways of approaching life and the world. Yoga can improve your health in a variety of ways. You will also increase your strength, become more flexible, have improved body balance and learn to let go of stress and increase your vitality. Yoga also is an enjoyable way to loose weight.

Practicing the various yoga positions, also known as asanas increases your flexibility by working on your joints, your muscles, tendons and ligaments. You will notice a significant improvement in your flexibility as you continue the practice of yoga. You will be pleased with the benefits of yoga such as muscle toning and the reduction of body fat.

Yoga is wonderful for thoroughly messaging the organs and the glands of your body, including those that rarely receive stimulation. The massaging of your organs and glands helps your body to prevent diseases from harming your health. A significant benefit of practicing yoga is the increased blood flow that occurs throughout your body which improves your health. The increased blood flow significantly improves your body’s ability to remove toxic substances and delivers nourishment throughout your body.

There are said to be over 8,400,000 asanas or yoga positions compiled by the yoga masters over the period of 5,000 years that yoga has been in existence. For most yoga novices, a lot less are required in order to get started. The number of basic yoga asanas recommended by instructors varies but usually only a little more than 12 basic yoga positions are taught to beginners.

Even if one does not desire to be able to perform the more advanced and complicated asana, there are benefits to practicing basic yoga exercises, no matter the school of thought you choose to follow. Improved balance, strength, and flexibility are the first most obvious benefits. 

Benefits of yoga that might be less obvious would be a greater awareness of oneself and of nature. Yoga has also been shown to offer health benefits such as improved internal organ function, a boosted immune system, reduction of the symptoms of many chronic diseases and many, many other benefits. Yoga of all kinds, including basic yoga, aids relaxation and reduces tension without fatigue and too much exertion.

Basic yoga involves seven types of body movement during exercise including circumduction, flexion, abduction, adduction, rotation, extension, and hyperextension. Combinations of these body movements are used to create the yoga stances and positions. These movements are combined with breathing exercises and concentration. Breathing is also the guide in basic yoga for coming into an asana, holding an asana, and coming out of it. All the movements are ideally done gracefully. To learn how to do basic yoga, look for a qualified instructor and failing that, look for educational videos that may help you.

FInd more on Yoga here Yoga Retreats

11/18/08

What is Hypertension and What can You do About It?

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects many people in this country every year, and can increase the risk of other medical conditions like heart attack and stroke. Because hypertension is a potentially serious and even life threatening condition, it is important to understand what hypertension is and what you can do to reduce your risk of getting diagnosed with this condition. If you are hit with a diagnosis of high blood pressure at some point in your future, you need to know what your treatment options are to get your blood pressure back under control.

What is Hypertension? Two Categories

There are two types of hypertension that can be diagnosed, and each will come with its own risk factors and treatment choices. It is important to understand what your hypertension is, so that you can find the best treatment plan for you. The first type is called primary hypertension, which occurs in approximately 90-95% of all hypertension cases. With primary, or essential, hypertension, the cause is usually not known and the condition will develop over a number of years.

The other type is called secondary hypertension, and this condition can usually be related to a preexisting condition. Kidney abnormalities and congenital heart defects are two of the common culprits in secondary hypertension. By understanding what hypertension is and what the various categories are, you are on the road to determining the best treatment options for you. In the case of secondary hypertension, the treatment will often involve "fixing" or treating the underlying cause. In primary hypertension, treatment must be focused on lowering the blood pressure through medication and/or lifestyle changes.

What is Hypertension Treatment?

Once you understand what hypertension is and the type that you are diagnosed with, it is time to move onto a treatment plan. Even if you are feeling completely healthy, it is important to bring the blood pressure down to reduce the risk of other medical conditions. Your doctor may decide to put you on a medication that will help to manage your blood pressure numbers. There are many different types of blood pressure medicine available, so chances are excellent that you will find one that you tolerate well and that is effective for your condition. This medication will probably need to be taken for the rest of your life, since high blood pressure is not cured with medication, but merely managed.

Lifestyle changes involving diet, exercise, weight maintenance and quitting unhealthy habits are also a part of hypertension treatment. Your doctor can make specific recommendations for you in terms of these changes and which ones may benefit you the best. By learning what hypertension is and the best ways to treat it, you will be on your way to lower blood pressure readings and a healthier cardiovascular system.

Someone suffering from hypertension will not have Ronnie Coleman biceps or look like Alain Ngalani. Do not go on a high fat low carb diet and all should be a lot better.

11/12/08

Vitamin D Can Reduce Blood Pressure And More

Recent research has proven that healthy vitamin D levels may protect the body against osteoporosis, cancer, and multiple sclerosis.  There is now evidence that suggests that vitamin D may help protect against a potentially dangerous rise in blood pressure which occurs in some people as they get older.  A study that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition had researchers finding that as many as 60 percent of whites and more than 90 percent of blacks who participated in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey had insufficient blood levels of vitamin D. 

Vitamin D can be obtained through the diet or produced in the skin, thanks to the effects of the sun.  Researchers also investigated the association between vitamin D, blood pressure, and age.  This investigation found that people with lower blood levels of vitamin D had significantly higher increases in systolic blood pressure as they aged than did those people who had healthy levels.  Actually, the age-related rise in blood pressure turned out to be 20 percent lower in those people who had healthy vitamin D levels, as oppose to those people who did not.  This suggests that vitamin D deficiency may play a critical role in high blood pressure development. 

Many other studies have suggested that there is a role for vitamin D in reducing blood pressure.  One of these studies showed that daily doses of about 400 I.U. of vitamin D, along with about 600 milligrams of calcium were able to significantly reduce blood pressure in elderly women by more than nine percent after just eight weeks.  However, treatment with 600 milligrams of calcium alone reduced blood pressure by only four percent.  According to Vin Tangpricha MD, PhD., an assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Lipids at Emory University School of Medecine, there is not enough evidence that vitamin D prevents hypertension available, however, because vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent throughout the United States, it may be a good idea to take a vitamin D supplement solely because of the strong evidence on vitamin D’s ability to prevent osteoporotic fractures. 

Dr. Tangpricha, along with his colleagues, hopes that there are improved methods to detect and treat vitamin D insufficiency in adults, especially blacks, in the United States.  It has been noted that further studies are needed in order to determine vitamin D’s effect on blood pressure.  Additionally, it needs to be determined if giving all patients vitamin D will help lower blood pressure.  Those people who have a family history of other risk factors that are associated with high blood pressure, such as being older than sixty-five, should have their blood pressure checked regularly.  These people should also talk with their doctor about dietary factors that may help to protect against this condition. 

Be sure to look for more studies and information on the effects of supplemental D vitamins on both white and black habitants of the United States to help battle vitamin D deficiency.  To learn more about supplemental vitamin D, contact your local health food provider.

11/6/08

Why Being Overweight Is Unhealthy

Obesity manifest to being the primary source of major health risks that root from an unhealthy lifestyle. Myriads of weight loss programs continue to proliferate in the market yet, the apparent state of millions of overweight people are incessantly evident. This health dilemma now becomes the major culprit of various diseases faced by people from all over the globe. A lot of people struggle with weight. I personally love to just sit in my computer looking at charting software.


Risks to ones health are a plenty that are caused by being overweight. Thus, awareness of these health hazards must be known to people to thwart possible health threats that might befall. Being obese is considered a possibly life threatening condition that can only be cured through hard work and a proper diet.


Obesity causes risks of heart attack and strokes. If you are obese then you almost surely have hight blood pressure, and that leads to cholesterol buildup and other problems. Heart attacks are a major killer world wide, and not trying to protect yourself from them are foolish.


Do you often snore when you sleep? Do you hear an uncontrollable and almost unbearable loud noise? If this so, then you are suffering from sleep apnea. This kind of health disorder is discernible among overweight people. When sleeping, usually people will slow breathing and making the airway smaller. Sleep apnea is the result of inflammation of fat surrounding your neck which makes it difficult for a individual to breathe properly. If that is what happened, then you should seek out a doctor. Sleep apnea is not a minor health problem as this will pave the way for auxiliary diseases if not given utmost attention.


Another health risk that overweight people might confront is the type 2 diabetes. This occurs when the cells producing insulin have come to a state of experiencing difficulty to generate normal blood sugar level. If you have diabetes then you suffer things like high blood sugar that does stuff like cause other system failures in the body. If you don't get treatment then other infection can cause amputation and loss of sight.


Being overweight can also increase your risk of cancer. Cancer can be caused by being heavy, and it also leads to many types of conditions like Colon and liver cancer, or many more. The gall bladder disease is also apparent to people who experience weight gain. Gallstones are caused by an increase in cholesterol and if you are obese then there is an even larger Cancer about a big gallbladder.


You wouldn’t want all these health risks to happen to you, would you? If you confirm that then you need to check for ways to stop yourself for getting more and more overweight. A good exercise and proper diet should not be applied in a short span of time; a healthy lifestyle serves as a lifetime commitment to oneself and health in general. If you seek a good weight loss program my suggestions are mytrack.

11/5/08

Fight Heart Disease With Herbal Supplements

With heart disease being the number one cause of death in Americans and high blood pressure being the “silent killer,” high homocysteine levels are considered by most researchers to be as dangerous as high cholesterol levels.  An aging heart is proven to be less efficient and much more likely to develop disease.  Thankfully, certain nutrients and specialty compounds may help to promote healthy blood pressure, homocysteine levels and heart function, which ultimately exert a positive impact on heart disease. 

One of the most significant remedies in traditional medicine is Dansheng, which has historically been associated with the circulatory and cardiovascular systems consequently, leaving it to be recommended for conditions surrounding the blood and heart.  Many studies have shown that dansheng dilated coronary arteries, increased coronary blood flow, and scavenged free radicals in ischemic diseases, which reduce the cellular damage from ischemia and improve heart conditions.  Studies have proven that dansheng can improve the ischemic state of the myocardium by dilating the coronary vessels and, in turn, decreasing serum lipid peroxides and increasing levels of SOD in patients with coronary heart disease. 

These effects could potentially be associated with dansheng’s ability to inhibit platelet aggregation, reduce blood viscosity, improve myocardial ischemia, and protect the cytomembrane.  Dansheng has even been shown to effectively improve and protect myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary heart disease who are undergoing non-heart surgery. 

Hawthorn has traditionally been used as a cardiac tonic, and current used for it include treatment of angina, hypertension, arrhythmias, and congestive heart failure.  Research has shown that it may improve cardiac muscular contractions and blood flow in coronary arteries.  The use of hawthorn has been validated by Germany’s Commission E, in which it was reported that hawthorn improves subjective findings as well as increases heart work tolerance, and decreases blood pressure/heart rate.  Similarly, clinical research has confirmed that hawthorn is beneficial in treating mild congestive heart failure.  Regarding angina, hawthorn extract, when taken three times per day, improves heart function and exercise tolerance in angina patients. 

Garlic has also shown significant contributions toward cardiovascular health.  Garlic’s lipid-lowering effects, which have been proven in six randomized, double blind studies.  Garlic also has an anti-hypertensive effect, which was proven in two randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled studies.  A review and meta-analysis of randomized trials was conducted to determine the effects of garlic on blood pressure.  Of seven trials comparing the effects of garlic to a placebo, three demonstrated a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and four in diastolic blood pressure. 

Garlic has also been shown to have a positive impact on platelet function.  Garlic’s ability to prevent and possibly reverse atherosclerosis was tested in one of the longest clinical trials on garlic to date.  After four years, subjects experienced an average reduction in plaque volume of about 2.6 percent, while the placebo group increased in plaque volume by 15.6 percent. This allowed researchers to conclude that garlic has a preventative and potentially curative role in arteriosclerosis therapy.

Finally, cayenne also has a history of traditional use for its ability to simulate circulation.  Traditionally used as a catalyst herb in herbal combination formulas, cayenne’s stimulant effects sped up circulation and thus aid in absorption.  This herb increased absorption ability is believed to be due to the fact that cayenne can draw blood to the intestinal walls aiding in food digestion and absorption in the intestinal tract.  Whether you choose dansheng, hawthorn berry, garlic, or cayenne in single or herbal combination, you can go wrong by choosing natural herbal formulas to help restore heart function and prevent heart disease.

11/4/08

What is the Finest Technique to Losing Fat?

The biggest error people make when they make their mind up to lose fat is not setting sensible targets.  They set their goals too high which set them up for dissapointment.  The greatest strategy to losing weight is to set sensible and feasible, short-term targets.  With each objective you achieve you can set new targets; this increases confidence and self-esteem.


After setting your targets you should converse with your physician about your fat loss plan and solicit his/her recommendation.  Your doctor can help you with providing knowledge about a healthier life-style by selecting foods that help maintain your dietary needs.  It is always best to talk to your doctor before you start any weight loss strategy; it’s good to get a base-line weight and blood pressure so your physician can watch you as you start to lose fat.


The next step would be to inform yourself about all the reasons why you are over-weight.  It’s not only the food you eat, but the reasons you turn to those foods instead of healthy foods. An outstanding spot to find information is by checking out the Top Secret Fat Loss Secret Review; this gives details why some people are over-weight and not capable to lose fat no matter what they do.


Once you comprehend what got you to where you are, you have to change  the way you see food.  You can’t allow your cravings and emotional bonds to food over-take your need to eat healthier and live a more vibrant life.  The best ways to lose fat is by changing your tendencies; eating foods that are designed to work with your body and exercising to make your body stronger.


You don’t need a structured diet strategy to lose fat; you just need to take control of your life and recognize and accept that if you want to live a long, happy life, you have to make some changes.  Our bodies need certain vitamins and minerals to perform at its finest; some diets reduce some of those vitamins and minerals, which is unhealthy and quite dangerous.  Just eating reasonable, nutritious meals and exercising daily will give you the quickest and most helpful and long-lasting results.  Once you start eating correctly you will notice that you will have more energy.  Once you have more energy, you will want to exercise.  Taking a brisk walk in the evening prior to bed is an outstanding way to burn calories and jump start your metabolism.


It is extremely important to drink a lot of water; this has many effects to your body.  Many times we tend to eat out of tendency or monotony; a cup of water will help restrain that craving to eat plus it will give your body its most main factor of survival.


You don’t have to go hungry or minimize your portions of foods as long as you are eating healthy foods.  Eat until you are full and then quit.  If you get hungry, eat again.  As long as you are eating healthy foods that are supplying your body with what it wants, you are safe.  The answer is in selecting the foods you eat.  If you need something sweet, fruit offers this along with nutritional values that sustain a healthy eating routine.  Food is what makes your metabolism work; when you don’t eat because you are “dieting” you are in fact slowing down your metabolism and obstructing your fat loss. When you eat dietary foods, you are not only jump starting your metabolism, but you are also feeding your body with what it desires.  This gives you much more energy and the ability to be more lively, thus you begin losing weight. In fact, eating more is the answer to losing weight, as crazy as it might sound. Read Fat Loss 4 Idiots Reviewed to find out how to use the calorie shifting procedure so that you can actually eat more and lose fat.


Take control of your life; set sensible objectives and move forward, day by day.

11/1/08

What Causes Erectile dysfunction

Just like how how women think its inappropriate to discuss about yeast infection of the vagina, men don't discuss about problems regarding erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is generally regarded as shameful and has for the longest time been a topic subjected to the culture of silence. How do you characterize impotence? Its hallmark symptom is the inability to develop and keep an erection of the penis that is sufficient to pleasure the opposite sex during sexual intercourse. To get an erection, one needs to have normal, integrative functions of the nerves, blood vessels, muscles and brain. Impotence, contrary to what people perceive, is not just a physiological problem, it is a psychological problem as well.

In a lot of cultures, the ability to spread one’s seed is a reflection of success, masculinity and potency. Not being able to do likewise renders the man useless in the eyes of such communities. How society think about impotence says a great deal about how the very same people view masculinity, its responsibility and their depth of understanding on coitus and its causes and remedies (which really is quite limited). Male impotence isn’t a disease. It isn’t a joke either. It’s not due to of bad luck and it definitely isn’t life’s greatest tragedy. Erectile dysfunction is experienced by 150 million men all around the world. According to some studies, one in ten males is bound to experience impotency at some point of their lives. So, in reality, there is nothing to be ashamed about. The man sitting in the next office can be suffering from the same thing as you are.

Erection is a hydraulic mechanism that allows the blood to be channeled into the penis and be maintained there. As with a functional reproductive male organ, obtaining strong erections at times, such as during sleep is normal. However, the dearth of nocturnal hard-ons certainly does not imply the opposite.

After all, not every male body is the same, they work differently and not every man experiences wet dreams. Another underlying condition associated with erectile dysfunction is vascular disease which results in lazy erections that are not rigid or full and are lost quicker than expected.

Arteriosclerosis is the hardening and narrowing of the arteries causing the reduction of blood flow throughout the body. Tied closely to age, it is responsible for for 50 to 60 percent of impotence in men over the age of sixy. Risk factors include diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Smoking can lead to any of the risk factors listed above and is hence is considered to be the most significant risk factor for impotence in the case of arteriosclerosis.

Diseases that troubles the testicles and pituitary glands may bring down testosterone levels which will consequently lead to erectile dysfunction. This is known as hypogonadism. In addition, other factors for instance drugs, hormone disorders, pelvic trauma, surgery, radiation therapy can also bring about impotence.

What many do not know is that over two hundred commonly used drugs, various over-the-counter medications cancause impotence. These include drugs for high blood pressure, heart medications, antidepressants, tranquilizers and sedatives. Also, alcohol may affect the nervous system and is generally associated to impotence.

Are you suffering from the pain of erectile dysfunction? Find out about natural penis enhancement solutions that can help you get rid of your impotence instantly. Discover natural male enhancement pills and herbal sexual enhancers that brings strong solid erections that last without you needing to worry about any side effects.

10/28/08

Even Doctors are endorsing The Use Of Natural Male Enhancement Pills Nowadays

The most frequently asked question regarding male enhancement pills is valid and it is a question which needs to be addressed. The answer, in short, is yes; the good male enhancement pills really work. The key being that healthy blood flow is vital to natural male enhancement.

Insufficient flow of the blood stream brought about by activities for example smoking, bad dietary habits or just the natural symtom of aging may be rectified by consuming quality male enhancement pills that use ancient herbal ingredients to improve the blood flow.

The penis is categorised into 3 chambers, 2 large chambers at the top, that being your erectile tissue (Corpora Cavernosa) and then a smaller one which is located at the bottom you urinate and ejaculate from (Corpus Spongisum).

The process is straightforward and the same for every male. When you have an erection, your brain gives out a hormone that leads to blood being directed to your penis and filling your Corpora Cavernosa which generates the erection.

The Corpora Cavernosa can be made larger through proper exercise and the consuming of natural male enhancement supplements. The result will be improved sexual drive with longer stamina and improved erection rigidity. The consumption of the best male enhancement pills is like using vitamins when we want better general health.

The best male enhancement products use scientifically tested, potent aphrodisiac herbal concentrates that have been in use in China, Europe and South America for centuries to empower sexual activity, maintain strong erections and boost sexual pleasure. These herbal male enhancement pills now use superior delivery processes to direct the natural herbal remedies to your body system much quicker.

Medical Consultants that were sceptical in the past of traditional natural ingredients are now endorsing these proven receipes for male sexual enhancement.

The reason why doctors are endorsing these treatments is because they encourage peripheral tissue vasodiliation and thus improve arterial erectile function. The natural herbal ingredients have a direct effect on the endothelial cells, which improves the flow of blood to penile arteries and veins with no change in the systematic blood pressure. The best male enhancement pills have the ability to settle down the nervous system which is vital to tackle effectively with any psychological anxieties which could be present.

Why must males continue to suffer from the pain of penile dysfunction? No longer should men feel the inadequacy and embarrassment of incompetence or mental agony of the anxiety from not being able to perform.

Men don't have to suffer in silence any longer! The advent of prescription drugs that demonstrated that males need not endure their penile dysfunctions. Nonetheless, prescription drugs are not suitable for everyone. Natural male enhancement pills offer resolutions that can be adopted more easily and inexpensively than with a visit to the doctor's office and ongoing consumption of prescription drugs.

The simpler and less expenisve options are the introduction of quality herbal sex pills that use herbal remedies. Many men are presently taking this option and it is giving them great results.

 

10/27/08

The Factors of Lap Band Surgery To Consider

Being overweight is very hard on the body and the mind. It can make you feel alone in a society that seems to cater to those who are thin. You have to worry about diabetes 2, depression and cardiovascular disease. Being overweight affects everything you do, from booking an airplane seat to buying clothing. But there is help if you have tried the countless diets on the market and have exercised. Lap Band surgery may be the solution that you are looking for.

The Lap Band system has a great success rate and offers fewer complications than previous weight loss surgery options. Previously, the preferred method was that of Biliopancreatic Diversion or the laparoscopic Roux en Y surgery. The Lap Band surgery is a much easier and there are generally less complications and hospitalizations than with the other two options.

If you have tried several of the traditional top 10 diets without success and you are considering the Lap Band procedure, then there are a few things you have to keep in mind. The first is that it will mean a dietary change for life. There are a number of do's and don'ts with this type of surgery. You have to constantly be mindful of what type of food you are placing in your body. Instead of three meals a day, you will most likely be eating small, three ounce meals, ten to twelve times daily.

The second thing to consider is that there are Lap Band complications. This will most likely occur in the first few weeks as patients try to learn and adapt to their low diet. Overfilling the stomach is the number one complication for most patients. They simply do not take into account that the stomach pouch is one-third the size it used to be. So there will not be any gorging at Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.

The third thing to consider, post surgery, is that you still have to exercise. This is not some miracle cure that will happen overnight. You will still need to exercise in order to keep your heart and the rest of your bodily systems healthy. The surgery may work as a weight loss cure but you will still need to follow a diet and exercise regime.

The last factor to consider is that even with exercise you may still be facing plastic surgery after weight loss. You will be losing roughly half of your body weight. This is going to leave a lot of extra skin that you do not want hanging on your new figure. Lap Band surgery is a complete change of lifestyle, yet you will need to exercise and adhere to a special gastric bypass diet. But if you can stick to it, then you will be the weight you have always dreamed of.

10/26/08

Yoga for Perfect Curve : How to acquire a Shapely waistline through Yoga

The size of the waist is an meter reading of total physical fitness for many people. Almost all wellness experts agree that a smaller waist is healthier than a big one. The logical thinking behind this is that additions in fatty tissue around the waistline normally effect in amplified wellness risks such as diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure level.

In evolutionary and biological terms, a small waist stands for youthfulness and vitality. Simply exercising continuous workouts of crunches entirely will not grant you to accomplish that Venus-like waistline of your dreams. You'll need to supplement specialised waist-orientated workouts with ones by several disciplines.

Specifically you'll require to exercise the interior waistband of muscular tissues - normally called the core muscles - with decelerate abdominal muscle workouts that exploit really deep into these muscle groups.

Although commonly associated with establishing flexibleness, a few particular workouts of yoga-based exercises also aim the underlying core group muscular tissues around the waistline.

So, how can yoga help reshape your waist.

This is very important for women to learn. To explain them in  simple terms, by requiring you to move - and hold - your torso muscles as a unit. Instead of setting apart your abdominal muscles as you make out in crunches, yoga poses facilitate to lengthen your overall body, producing a feeling that is both concentrated and strong.

Think of your torso as a long vessel through which numerous muscles interact to keep you looking lean. Your transversus abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle, works with the others to hold in your lower belly. Your erector spinae, the muscles that attach on your spine, straighten your posture and can make you feel (and appear) taller, while your rectus abdominis and obliques are the strong and flexible muscles that allow your limbs to move freely.

10/25/08

The Cases For And Against Natural Male Enhancement Pills

Herbal sex pills are marketed as safe alternatives to Viagra and other prescription medications for male enhancement. There are two camps when it comes to herbal sex pills. You are either for it or not.

There are people attest that natural male enhancement pills works within minutes, creates strong and longer lasting erections and leads to an instant boost in sexual desire and libido. Supporters of herbal male enhancement pills have reported experiencing solid erections, immediate increase on penis size and girth, prolonged orgasms and decrease in refractory period. Simply put, it works just as well as any other oral pill you that pop into your mouth or even better.

Take for instance, Hot Rod, an alternative sexual medication. Given its all natural herbal remedies, it is able to increase your life force energy, channel maximum blood flow to the penis and increase libido. It consists of ingredients unheard of to many of us, such as deer antler velvet, Tongkat Ali ( testosterone booster ), butea superba and other plant species used in Asia and the Himalayas.

The opposing camps, however, think that herbal sex pills carry unseen dangers. According to particular surveys, this appears true for men who are on heart medication. Their argument is that many of the alternative prescriptions with its apothecary’s delight of rare Asian ingredients work because they comprise of unsupervised versions of the pharmaceuticals they are supposed to replace.

This poses as a danger for millions of men who take nitrates – drugs used to bring down blood pressure and regulate heart disease. When nitrates and impotency alternative treatments are taken simulatneously, it can slow blood flow dangerously, resulting in heart attack. There are instances of people who after consuming herbal sex pills had transitory effects like blurred vision and severe headaches. At the end of the day, it is difficult to know if it was an after effect of natural male enhancement pills or was it caused by something else.

Erectile dysfunction can have many causes to it. Some are physical while others mental. Consuming pills, wether it be prescription medication or herbal pills does not always address the underlying problem of male impotence. It does, however, help in the short run by allowing erection to be developed and maintained throughout sexual intercourse. There are other alternatives for example the penis pump which is a cylindrical vaccum mechanism that helps achieve erection. Others believe that male impotence is due to stress and is not an ideal state for getting and maintaining erections. Also, there is the possibility of people rehearsing the scene repeatedly, causing a downward spiral that inevitably leads to male impotence.

In order to cure the problem, natural male enhancement pills alone might not be enought to do the job. It’s primary a mental problem not a physical one. In order to solve this, some people suggest hypnosis as it hands performance back to the unconscious mind, reduces anxiety during sexual performance and reminds the head of old effective methods of getting and maintaining an erection. By the end of the day, whether to pop herbal sex pills or not, depends on the source of impotence itself. Consumers are advised to read up on the product itself before taking it. Not all herbal pills are bad. Just like everything else in life, there’s always two sides to it, one would have to choose wisely.

10/24/08

The Medline Website Is The Premier Medical Information Portal

chronic fatigue

Newsweek called Medline "the absolute best source of up-to-date medical information on just about every disease or condition, plus any medications you might need to know about. It's one-stop shopping and your tax dollars pay for it, so you should use it!" The Wall Street Journal added that "MedlinePlus should be the first stop in any internet health search." The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) gave this health site an 86/100 score, which is the highest of any government site, and Yahoo said it's one of the "seven most trusted health sites on the net." If you're looking for medical advice, information, research or local resources, then join the 32 million visitors who come to Medline each month.

Medline offers many unique functions to enhance your understanding and enrich your life. For instance, if you are about to undergo a colonoscopy or hip replacement surgery, a biopsy, a laparoscopy, LASIK eye surgery or another procedure, then you can watch an interactive tutorial that will show you what will be done and alleviate some of the mystery and anxiety. Another resource you may find very useful is the "Health Check Tools" page, which gives you educational quizzes about breast cancer, arthritis or alcoholism, as well as an "alcohol calorie intake counter," a mental health screening quiz, a cancer risk questionnaire, a diabetic "rate your plate" assessment, a target heart rate calculator, an interactive menu planner and a risk assessment tool for coronary heart disease.

Medline is set up to accommodate all different types of people. Speak Spanish? No problem, as there is a version en Espanol, as well as forty other languages! Is your eye sight failing? Don't worry, there is a version, located on the lower right-hand corner of the "Health Topics" page, which offers an easier to view page.

Some of the most frequently requested topics on Medline include: alzheimers, back pain, birth control, cervical cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, diabetes, exercise, heart diseases, herpes simplex, high blood pressure, kidney diseases, multiple sclerosis, ovarian cancer, Parkinson's disease, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, shingles, skin diseases and thyroid disorders. If you were to look up back pain, then you would find a menu that is divided by the very basics that includes: Basic Overviews, Latest News, Diagnosis/Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention/Screening. Next to that column, you'll find another menu exploring additional information: Alternative Therapy, Rehabilitation/Recovery, Coping, Specific Conditions and Related Issues. For the multimedia lovers, there are interactive functions, videos, tutorials and health check tools like quizzes and calculators. You can read journal articles and the latest research, you can look up organizations or statistics, and you can look up additional information specifically related to your age or gender. Even if you don't have a preexisting condition, you may want to come to the site simply to find out how to live a better, healthier life.

As the G.I. Joes said, "Knowing is half the battle." The more educated you are, the better chance you will have at living efficiently. No one wants to live out the last 20 years of life stuck in a wheelchair with limited mobility. We want to be looking great and feeling great for as long as possible! Whether you're looking for research to give you renewed optimism for a chronic disease or information on a medical procedure/medication you've been prescribed, Medline is a gold mine of medical information, paid for by your tax dollars. So why not take a look and get your money's worth? Visit Medline at www.Nlm.Nih.gov.

10/20/08

Principles of Diet and Weight Loss

Diet can mean two very different things; one meaning is something we do in order to lose weight, a set of rules to follow to this end, a second meaning is a general eating habit, which will be different for each person.

There are two main reasons why people go on diets.  1) They have some medical condition that requires a better eating habit such as high blood pressure.  2) They would like to lose weight or slim down.

When you make the decision to lose weight you need to ask yourself a very important question, "Am I doing this so I can weigh less or so I can fit into a smaller pair of pants?"  That may seem like a silly question but it's actually very important and will determine what you do on your diet.  Too many people depend fully on what the scale tells them, not on how well their clothes fit.  Multiple problems can stem from this; one of the main ones is the issue of losing muscle as well as fat.  If what you're looking to do is slim down and fit into smaller clothes then basing your progress on your scale at home will only slow you down.

This is why I have such a big problem with so many of the fad diets that exist out there, they can help you lose weight but they can also be very unhealthy.  When a diet calls for a great reduction in the amount of calories you eat every day, such as the cabbage soup diet, or require you to cut out a large chunk of your daily diet, such as Atkins does, you can run into health problems and a very poor quality weight loss, one that when the diet is over, you are very likely to just gain all the weight back that you worked so hard on losing.

How Weight is Lost

L et’s cover briefly how weight is lost, and by weight I’m talking about fat, not water weight (which is all too common).  Fat is just excess energy stored for later use, so to lose weight basically all you have to do is provide your body with less energy than it wants.  So, by depriving your body of calories (the energy that it uses to run) you will force it to pull energy from other sources, including fat and muscle.  This is where a bit of exercise comes into play.  Yes, you can lose weight without any real activity however you will be more likely to lose more of the weight from muscle loss, this is a poor quality weight loss, it won’t help your toning, and in the end will only slow your progress.

Losing muscle during weight loss will severely hinder your weight loss progress.  The act of having muscle means your body needs to burn calories just to keep it alive and around.  So if you not only keep the muscle you have but actually add to it a bit your body will need to burn more calories every day just for upkeep, thus helping you continue to lose weight. Keeping your muscle and even adding a little is very beneficial to your weight loss goals.  Just having muscle requires energy, so, allowing your body to lose muscle will decrease the amount of sustaining calories your body burns and thus will make it more difficult to continue to burn off fat, creating a weight loss plateau.

This brings me to my next topic: exercise.  As much as most of us hate to do it, exercise is incredibly important in high quality weight loss (the loss of body fat as opposed to muscle or just water).  However that doesn’t mean you have to go join the local gym and pump iron for 2 hours a day or train to run a marathon, it just means you need to work that muscle a bit so your body keeps it around.  There are many different exercises you can do at home that don’t require any additional equipment nor do they demand too much of your time, but will still get the job done. But the best exercise will always be finding something that you enjoy doing, such as swimming, kickboxing, aerobic dancing etc…  And remember, finding a partner will help with motivation and boosting the fun factor of it all. So, remember, what you eat is very important in losing weight, but exercise is just as critical. Find a partner, find a sport or other activity that you enjoy, do anything, just as long as it's active.  I promise that you will succeed where others so often fail.

10/19/08

One Question Everybody Should Ask Them Selves About Heart Disease

1.    Where was American heart disease 100 years ago?
2.    What are doctors saying about magnesium?
3.    Why is 80% of the American population deficient in magnesium?
4.    What is the most important mineral?
5.    Can’t we just eat better?

Reading all the above questions may lead you to wonder what exactly is going on with today’s American diets.  What can I do to fix this mineral deficiency in my own diet?  The answer is adding magnesium an inexpensive mineral to ones diet can solve a lot of health problems.

1.    As magnesium intake levels have dropped over the last 100 years, heart disease has skyrocketed.  In the year 1900, heart disease was virtually unheard of and few doctors specialized in the field.  Back then, food and drinking water contained much higher levels of magnesium – levels which are not available today.  This is why most American experience some sort of magnesium related disease as they age.


2.    The author of “The magnesium factor: Dr. Mildred S seelig, MD said: “Most modern heart disease is caused by magnesium deficiency.”
Dr. Julian Whitaker, MD, one of America’s best known doctors of integrative medicine. Said: “Research has overwhelmingly demonstrated the critical relationship between low levels of magnesium and cardiovascular disease.”

Hundreds of studies confirm that magnesium deficiency is linked to heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, what’s worse studies also show that 4 out of 5 people are magnesium deficient – and even a small deficiency can lead to serious health problems. 

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency are as follows:

  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Asthma
  • Anxiety and Panic attacks
  • Nervous disorders
  • Migraines
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Osteoporosis
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Kidney disease


Many researchers believe that magnesium is the single most important mineral in our bodies – even more important than calcium.  In fact, when we get low on magnesium, our cells can not and does not use calcium properly, leading to over calcified heart muscles, hardening of arteries, and brittle bones.  Additionally, low cell magnesium leads to insulin resistance, the primary cause of type II diabetes. 

Studies show that 90 percent of the individuals with type II diabetes have low levels of free intercellular red blood cell magnesium.  When admitted to the hospital for heart trouble, the first thing you are hooked up to in the ER is a magnesium drip.  Magnesium is essential to those suffering from a heart attack.

You might be asking your self, can I just eat better?  Magnesium is unlike other minerals in the body.  Our body does not store magnesium so we need to constant daily supply.  Even fruits and vegetables don’t have much magnesium anymore, due to modern farming techniques.  Another primary source of magnesium was drinking water, but with modern filtration eliminates minerals like magnesium from the water.

Fortunately, mineral magnesium is one of the least expensive minerals found in your local health food store or grocery store.  Magnesium comes in many forms, amino acid chelate, aspartate, citrate, oxide, and carbonate.  No matter what form of magnesium you decide to purchase, it is important to get at least 400mg each day minimum.  If you are currently taking a calcium supplement, consider switching to one that is blended with magnesium.  For best results take your 400mgs before bedtime which will help you relax and get to sleep faster.

10/16/08

Vitamin D In Recent Research Can Extend Ones Life Expentency

Throughout the past few years, vitamin D has rightly gained a lot of overdue respect for the various health benefits that is provides to those throughout the world.  However, many of us continue to fall short of the adequate intake of this nutrient as a result of many lifestyle choices.  Although it’s important to use it, sunscreen is one of the main culprits contributing to vitamin D inefficiency because it blocks the skin’s ability to make vitamin D during sun exposure.  Adding to the problem is the fact that we need even more of this vitamin than we previously thought. 

The need for vitamin D is higher than ever, the general population’s adherence to the advice to stay out of the sun or apply sunscreen when outside has inadvertently contributed to 65 to 85 percent of American adults having a vitamin D deficiency.  Actually, diet and sun sources of vitamin D are so inadequate that Robert P. Heaney, MD, a bone-mineral specialist and professor at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, urges all adults to supplement about 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day.

So if you run low on vitamin D, what’s the problem?  For starters, vitamin D deficiency puts your bone health in danger and increases your risk of rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, glucose intolerance, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, and type II diabetes.  Additionally, vitamin D is underappreciated for its crucial role in preventing osteoporosis.  Since vitamin D is necessary for the efficient absorption of calcium, the principal bone mineral, if you’re planning on getting enough calcium in your body and keep it there, then it is necessary that you have enough vitamin D in your body. 

If that isn’t enough motivation to cause you to consider vitamin D supplementation, consider the fact that new research has found that supplementing with vitamin D also prolongs life. Upon reviewing data from 57,000 people involved in 18 different trials, researchers at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France have found that supplementing with vitamin D lowers the risk of death by 7 percent.  These trials used vitamin D supplements ranging from 300 to 2,000 IU per day, with the average being approximately 528 IU.

Several experts, those including doctor Robert P. Heaney, MD, are calling for an increase in vitamin D intake for all adults.  A good supplement amount of natural D is 1,000 to 2,000 IU per day.  This amount is safe for everyone, and, considering the importance of vitamin D and the affordability of the supplement, you can’t afford not to do it.  The benefits of supplementing with vitamin D far outweigh any costs that are incurred in the purchase of the product.  Vitamin D products are sold at many health food stores around the world.  To learn more information about the many benefits of vitamin D and its great effects on the body, as well as the results of vitamin D deficiency, don’t hesitate to contact your local health food store.