Health Topic

Hi my friends

The concept of this topic just popped up in my mind this morning, while I was reading an article about health. So let's share the new articles which related to health, medications, skincare, hair care and etc.

With best wishes

:11::11:

12simple ways to supercharge your brain

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Have you ever felt exasperated when you bumped into someone at the store but absolutely couldn't remember their name? Sure, it happens to all of us.
Despite being the strongest computer on the planet, our brains do lapse. It's hard to blame them really. As humans, we spend much of or existence stuffing our brains with stuff.

No matter how powerful our brains are, they need recuperation time to be kept in shape. Think of it as a tune up for your brain. Skipping brain maintenance is as silly as the person wandering the parking garage because they forgot where they parked. Is that you? Are you that person? If so, fear not; we are all that person at some point.

Now I am not a brain surgeon and I am not going to suggest you do anything surgical or dangerous. I am however an astute student of human behavior so I always look for simple ways to super charge my brain.

Here are some things you can begin doing as soon as today to begin the great brain tune up:


Eat Almonds
Almond is believed to improve memory. If a combination of almond oil and milk is taken together before going to bed or after getting up at morning, it strengthens our memory power. Almond milk is prepared by crushing the almonds without the outer cover and adding water and sugar to it.


Drink Apple Juice
Research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) indicates that apple juice increases the production of the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, resulting in an increased memory power.


Sleep well
Research indicates that the long-term memory is consolidated during sleep by replaying the images of the experiences of the day. These repeated playbacks program the subconscious mind to store these images and other related information.


Enjoy simple Pleasures
Stress drains our brainpower. A stress-ridden mind consumes much of our memory resources to leave us with a feeble mind. Make a habit to engage yourself in few simple pleasures everyday to dissolve stress from your mind. Some of these simple pleasures are good for your mind, body and soul.

Enjoy music you love
Play with your children
Appreciate others
Run few miles a day, bike or swim
Start a blog
Take a yoga class or Total Wellness routine

Exercise your mind
Just as physical exercise is essential for a strong body, mental exercise is equally essential for a sharp and agile mind. Have you noticed that children have far superior brainpower than an adult does? Children have playful minds. A playful mind exhibits superior memory power. Engage in some of the activities that require your mind to remain active and playful.

Play scrabble or crossword puzzle
Volunteer
Interact with others
Start a new hobby such as blogging, reading, painting, bird watching
Learn new skill or a foreign language

Practice Yoga or Meditation
Yoga or Meditation relives stress. Stress is a known memory buster. With less stress, lower blood pressure, slower respiration, slower metabolism, and released muscle tension follows. All of these factors contribute significantly towards increases in our brainpower.


Reduce Sugar intake
Sugar is a non-food. It’s a form of carbohydrate that offers illusionary energy, only to cause a downhill slump once the initial burst has been worn off. Excess intake of sugar results in neurotic symptoms. Excess sugar is known to cause claustrophobia, memory loss and other neurotic disorders. Eat food without adding sugar. Stay away from sweet drinks or excess consumption of caffeine with sugar.


Eat whole wheat
The whole wheat germs contain lecithin. Lecithin helps ease the problem of the hardening of the arteries, which often impairs brain functioning.


Eat a light meal at night
A heavy meal at night causes tossing and turning and a prolonged emotional stress while at sleep. It’s wise to eat heavy meal during the day when our body is in motion to consume the heavy in-take. Eating a light meal with some fruits allows us to sleep well. A good night sleep strengthens our brainpower.


Develop imagination
Greeks mastered the principle of imagination and association to memorize everything. This technique requires one to develop a vivid and colorful imagination that can be linked to a known object. If you involve all your senses - touching, feeling, smelling, hearing and seeing in the imagination process, you can remember greater details of the event.


Control your temper
Bleached food, excess of starch or excess of white bread can lead to nerve grating effect. This results in a violent and some time depressive behavior. Eat fresh vegetables. Drink lots of water and meditate or practice yoga to relieve these toxic emotions of temper and stressful mood swings.


Take Vitamin B-complex
Vitamin B-complex strengthens memory power. Eat food and vegetables high in Vitamin B-complex. Stay away from the starch food or white bread, which depletes the Vitamin B-complex necessary for a healthy mind.

I don't believe these are that tough. If you find yourself increasing stumped, give a couple of these a try.

Written by Shilpan Patel of Success Soul and cross-posted from Dumb Little Man, a web site that provides tips for life that will save you money, increase your productivity, or simply keep you sane.

By LISA SCOTT - Monday, October 27, 2008

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Check yourself this month while it's breast cancer awareness

Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in British women under 35 years old, with 44,000 new cases diagnosed every year

We know that oestrogen, the female s.e.x hormone, is linked to the disease and many women are exposed to it through the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy.
Doctors are still concerned that rates of breast cancer are rising and say they can no longer blame it on an ageing population and better rates of detection.
We look at suspected causes for this rise and how you can lessen the risk…
? Are our lifestyles to blame
Although the biggest risk factor is age – 80 per cent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women over 50 – lifestyle choices in younger women are attracting more attention.
Many women are opting for later pregnancies and smaller families and breast cancer is thought to be caused by the absence of hormonal changes associated with childbirth.
Liz Carroll, assistant director of services at Breast Cancer Care, explains: 'There is a correlation between cases of breast cancer and women who choose to have children later in life,' she explains.
'These are only statistics and we don't know why there is a link but if you have your children before the age of 30 and if you breastfeed, you have less chance of developing the disease.'
There are also tenuous links to stress but doctors have difficulty finding concrete evidence to support the theories.
However, regular boozing will increase your chance of developing the disease.
Uh-oh, I do enjoy a tipple. How much is too much? Unfortunately, just a few units over the daily guidelines can increase your chances of developing the disease.
Women who drink one large glass of wine a day, which means 21 units of alcohol per week compared with the recommended 15, increase their risk by a fifth.
It's unclear how drinking alcohol promotes breast cancer but it may raise levels of oestrogen in the body.
? What about fat people? Aren't they at risk
Although studies do say breast cancer is linked to obesity and a lack of exercise, Carroll says it only matters if you are overweight and more than 50 years old.
'But we do still worry these women will never attempt to lose weight and will still be larger during their menopause.'
? What about the risks you can't control
Genes are a pain in the you-know-what – you're stuck with what you get.
Of the 44,000 new cases every year, five per cent are genetic.
There has to be a strong family history says Carroll: 'It has to affect many female relatives on the same side of the family, so your mum, your auntie and your sister.'
What about toxins? I've heard using deodorant and drinking cow's milk puts you at a higher risk
There have been concerns that pollutants in the environment affect our hormone levels and we digest pesticides through the consumption of farm animals.
However, the evidence is all anecdotal, says Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK's science information manager.
'There is little evidence that environmental factors play a major role in breast cancer risk.
'It's unlikely changes in farming practices are a significant factor. Younger women simply need to limit the amount of alcohol they drink.'
... If only doctors could invent a magic pill to stop us getting breast cancer
A-ha, some good news at last. Because pregnancy in early life has shown to be protective, doctors are looking at what hormones are released during this time.
One hormone that increases massively during pregnancy is prolactin, which produces changes that cause lactation.
Doctors are currently working on a vaccine that will mimic these hormonal changes.
For more information, telephone 0808 800 6000 or visit

کد:

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www.breastcancercare.co.uk

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Boys get it too
There are 300 cases of male breast cancer every year. Nicky Avery, 26, a labourer from Southend, was diagnosed two years ago:
'I first noticed the lump beneath my left nipple in 2003. I ignored it but two years ago it became itchy, so I saw a doctor who did a biopsy. 'Two weeks later they told me I had breast cancer. They were baffled and told me I was unlucky.
'I thought that was an odd choice of words – unlucky is losing a tenner in the pub. I now have a ten-inch scar where the lump was and have had six months of chemo and three months of radiotherapy.
'So far, the cancer has gone and although I don't go out as much, I've had lots of support from my friends.
'They were pretty shocked at first but now call me Nipper-less Nicholas. At least we're all laughing

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Caffeine is a morning ritual most people don't think twice about. In this age of Starbucks and $4 lattes, coffee seems to have become a regular part of the daily diet. Getting pregnant means having to change that habit, and the amount of caffeine intake, whether it is from coffee, tea, soda or other forms. Women who are pregnant and consume caffeine, even as little as one cup of coffee a day, are at a higher risk of delivering an underweight baby.

In January 2008, researchers from the U.S. found that pregnant women that consumed two or more cups of coffee daily are at twice the risk of having a miscarriage as those women who avoid caffeine during their pregnancy. These findings are the most recent in mounting evidence indicating that the amount of caffeine a person consumes could directly impact their health, especially women who are pregnant.

Babies that are born underweight are more likely to develop a wide range of health conditions when they grow older, including problems such as heart problems, diabetes, and high blood pressure. There are also more serious complications that can arise with caffeine such as the caffeine can cause the blood vessels to constrict, and it may reduce the blood flow to the placenta, and since it is so easily crosses the placenta and reaches your baby (who then very slowly metabolizes it), caffeine may directly affect his developing cells. It has also been show that pregnant women who drink eight or more cups of coffee a day double the risk of having a stillbirth or miscarriage.

In the U.S. study, women who were pregnant that consumed one to two cups of coffee per day, or between 100-199 milligrams, had a 20 percent increased risk of having a baby with a low birth weight. This data was compared to the women how consumed less than 100 milligrams per day.

Justin Konje and his colleagues from the University of Leicester in Britain wrote, “Caffeine consumption during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of fetal growth restriction and this association continued throughout pregnancy. Sensible advice would be to reduce caffeine intake before conception and throughout pregnancy.”

Konje and his research team, which included some researchers from the University of Leeds, looked at approximately 2,645 women at an average age of 30 who were between 8 and 12 months into their pregnancy. The women studied reported an average caffeine intake during their pregnancy of 159 milligrams daily, which is lower than the new recommended limits of 200 milligrams in Britain.

The likelihood of having a baby with a low birth weight rose to 50 percent for women that consumed between 200 milligrams and 299 milligrams daily, which is about two to three cups of coffee. Even small amount of caffeine may prove to be harmful, but Konje said that the best advice would be to limit caffeine consumption to below 100 milligrams daily. “We couldn’t say that there was a lower limit for which there is no effect,” he stated. “My advice is if possible to reduce caffeine intake to a minimum. You have to be realistic because you can’t ask people to stop taking caffeine.”

It is never easy to just completely cut off caffeine when you are used to having it every day. If you are a devoted cola drinker or java junkie, you may experience caffeine withdrawal and it won’t be easy. To minimize the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, which may include lethargy, irritability, and headaches, you may want to ease of gradually. You can start mixing decaf with you regular cup of caffeinated coffee. Or you can reduce the caffeine in homemade hot beverages by simply brewing them weaker or for a shorter time. If you happen to love a cup of soothing English Breakfast, steeping you tea bag for just one minute instead of five minutes reduces the caffeine by as much as half.

Although herb teas often have no caffeine in them, be sure to read the ingredients list and speak with you healthcare provider before trying anything new, as certain herbs and additives are not safe during a pregnancy.

Here is a chart of amounts of caffeine in common food and beverages to help you decide what to cut back on.

For the Coffee Lovers
generic brewed coffee 8 oz 102-200 mg
Starbucks brewed coffee 16 oz (grande) 330 mg
Dunkin' Donuts brewed coffee 16 oz 206 mg
Starbucks caffÉ latte or cappuccino 16 oz (grande) 150 mg
Starbucks caffÉ latte or cappuccino 12 oz (tall) 75 mg
Starbucks espresso 1 oz (1 shot ) 75 mg
Generic espresso 1 oz (1 shot) 30-90 mg
generic instant coffee 8 oz 27-173 mg
generic decaffeinated coffee 8 oz 3-26 mg

For the Tea Drinkers
brewed black tea, 8 oz 40-120 mg
Brewed green tea 8 oz 30-50 mg
decaffeinated black tea 8 oz 2 mg
Tazo Chai Tea latte Starbucks 16 oz (grande) 100 mg
Nestea 12 oz 26 mg
Snapple 16 oz 42 mg
Lipton Brisk iced tea 12 oz 10 mg

Soft drinks
Coke 12 oz 35 mg
Pepsi 12 oz 38 mg
Jolt Cola 12 oz 72 mg
Mountain Dew 12 oz 54 mg
7-Up 12 oz 0 mg
Sierra Mist 12 oz 0 mg
Sprite 12 oz 0 mg

Energy drinks
Red Bull 8.3 oz 80 mg
SoBe Essential Energy, orange or berry 8 oz 48 mg
SoBe No Fear 8 oz 83 mg

Desserts
dark chocolate 1.45-oz bar 31 mg
milk chocolate 1.45-oz bar 11 mg
frozen yogurt or coffee ice cream 8 oz 50-60 mg
hot cocoa 8 oz 3-13 mg

Find out what's fueling your fatigue — and what to do about it

You can blame some of your energy crisis on a serious lack of shut-eye, but there may be other reasons you're slogging along like a turtle. Find out how to light a fire under your butt

Your breakfast menu


Missing a morning meal slows metabolism and depletes your body of the fuel it needs to function optimally, explains SELF contributing editor Joy Bauer, R.D. But what you eat matters as much as the fact that you eat something. Carbohydrates — as in a breakfast muffin or pastry — signal the brain to release serotonin, a neurotransmitter that brings on calm when you most want to be up and at 'em. Also, your body digests simple, unrefined carbs quickly, sending blood sugar soaring and then plummeting, resulting in an energy crash, Bauer says.

Fatigue fighter: Start each day with a breakfast that contains at least 5 grams of protein. This nutrient activates the production of norepinephrine, a neurochemical that increases heart rate and alertness. Unlike carbs, protein digests slowly so blood sugar and energy levels stay stable. Some tasty recipes: a cup of cereal (with 3 g or more of fiber, no more than 120 calories per serving) topped with skim milk, 1/2 cup of blueberries and 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts (10 g of protein per serving), or an omelet made with 4 egg whites, 1/2 cup of chopped broccoli, 1/4 cup of chopped onion and 1 ounce of lowfat shredded cheese (22 g of protein per serving)l

Your outfit

Those killer heels and pencil skirts may look polished and professional, but if you're sacrificing comfort for fashion, they can also turn you into the office sloth. Workers took an average of 491 fewer steps on days they wore more formal business attire compared with dress-down days, according to research commissioned by the American Council on Exercise in San Diego. And using less energy leads to having less energy, says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., chief science officer with ACE: "Sitting at your desk all day slows circulation, so less energizing oxygen is delivered to cells throughout your body."

Fatigue fighter: Wear clothes that allow for movement and cushy footwear instead of uncomfortable heels to the office so you'll be more likely to walk around. If you can't part with your stilettos, keep them on at work, then slip into flats or low-heeled shoes for a lunch-break walk outdoors and your commute. Today, companies such as Cole Haan and Aerosoles offer fashionable flats and kitten heels that won't make you look like a secretary circa 1987

Your caffeine habit

Going on a Starbucks run at 3 p.m. can help carry you through the rest of your day — and unfortunately, well into the night. "Caffeine can stay in your system for up to eight hours or even more, so drinking coffee too late in the afternoon may disrupt your slumber, stealing the rest you need for next-day stamina," Bauer says.

Fatigue fighter: Limit coffee consumption to two or three 8-ounce cups a day (about 200 or 300 milligrams of caffeine) to avoid overload and subsequent headaches and jitters, and cut out the upper about eight hours before bedtime. Still sleepy in the afternoon? Have an energizing, high-protein snack; a handful of almonds will do it

Your worrying

Credit card debt, a micromanaging boss — long-term stressors such as these can leave you spent. "Chronic stress increases heart rate and blood pressure, making your body work overtime," explains Nieca Goldberg, M.D., director of the New York University Langone Medical Center Women's Heart Program in New York City. "When you're on edge, you also tend to tighten your muscles, which sets you up for aches and fatigue." What's more, worriers often take shallow breaths, so they don't take in enough oxygen, Dr. Goldberg says. "You're essentially hyperventilating and building up carbon dioxide in your blood, a waste product that can make you feel tired and dizzy."l

Fatigue fighter: When anxiety strikes, take three slow, deep breaths to give your body a big dose of energizing oxygen while slowing down a rapid heart rate. Then, as soon as you have a few minutes of downtime, do something distracting that feels good, like talking to a friend or watching a funny movie. And always pay attention to how you talk about things, which has a direct impact on your mind-set, explains Linda Sapadin, Ph.D., author of "Master Your Fears" (Wiley). "Worriers tend to say 'I'll never' or 'I can't,' such as 'I can't get out of debt,'" Sapadin says. She suggests countering negative sentiments by tacking on a positive phrase at the end. For instance, say, "I can't get out of debt right now, but I can research credit cards with better interest rates." l

Your messy desk

Digging through piles of unorganized paperwork is a time and energy stealer in and of itself, but merely the sight of those stacks can stress you out, decrease efficiency and drain your brain, says Carol Landau, Ph.D., clinical professor of psychiatry and medicine at Brown Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island.

Fatigue fighter: "A little disarray is OK, but in general, your desk should hold only items that you use very frequently — your computer or stapler — and the paperwork you're working on that day," notes Laura Stack, author of "The Exhaustion Cure" (Random House). Nonessential items — a labeler and a three-hole punch — can go in a drawer. To keep your desk clear, spend five minutes at the end of each day putting documents you're working on in a neat pile and filing away the rest. "Prepping your workspace for the next day gives you a sense of completion that instantly reduces stress, which is crippling to your energy levels," says Steven Berglas, Ph.D., author of "Reclaiming the Fire: How Successful People Overcome Burnout" (Random House). l

Your Saturday sleep-ins

"Bingeing on sleep on weekends to catch up on missed zzz's throws off your circadian rhythm, your body's 24-hour clock that plays a key role in sleep and wakefulness," says Amy Wolfson, Ph.D., author of "The Woman's Book of Sleep" (New Harbinger Publications). Sleeping in — and hitting the hay that night later than usual as a result — also makes it hard to readjust to your workweek routine, so you start Mondays in a fog.

Fatigue fighter: No one's saying you can't go out and have a good time, but strive to get up within the same 60-minute range both days: Oversleeping by more than one hour significantly disrupts your body clock. Still wake up with a case of the groggies? Open your bedroom shades as soon as your alarm goes off. The sunlight sends a signal to your brain that it's time to get up

Your lack of vitamin C

About 30 percent of women don't get enough vitamin C, and too-low levels can zap your energy. That's because vitamin C helps produce carnitine, a molecule that shuttles fatty acids into cells where they're burned for energy, says Carol Johnston, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at Arizona State University at Mesa. "Lack of carnitine forces the body to use carbs or protein for energy instead. That can cause your body to produce lactic acid, a waste product that builds up in tissue and fatigues muscles."l

Fatigue fighter: Aim to get the recommended daily allowance of 75 mg of C daily by noshing on naturally rich sources such as an orange or a kiwifruit (both have about 70 mg per fruit), broccoli (1 cup chopped: 74 mg) or strawberries (1 cup: 89 mg). l

Your stuck-in-a-rut routine

Grandma was right: Variety is the spice of life. "We all crave diversity and challenge," Berglas says. "When there's no challenge in completing a task, you go on autopilot — it's mind-numbing."l

Fatigue fighter: If job monotony is dragging you down, ask your boss for more or different responsibilities, or have lunch with someone in another department to find out if her type of job is something you'd like to explore, Berglas suggests. Blasé about your daily regimen? Simple change-ups can deliver some rut-busting benefits. For instance, find an alternate route home (and stop at a park or shop that grabs your eye along the way); sign up for a language, pottery or photography class to get your brain chomping on something new; or trade the treadmill for a fun circuit training class

Your heavy flow

Heavy periods can deplete your iron levels and even cause anemia, a condition in which there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate energizing oxygen to tissue, according to Rajiv K. Pruthi, M.D., a hematology consultant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.l

Fatigue fighter: If you're feeling chronically wiped out despite getting ample shut-eye, see your doc. She may perform a blood test to check your iron and red cell count and, if they're low, advise taking iron supplements to boost your stores. (Don't take supplements without your M.D.'s knowledge because iron overload can be toxic.) Eating more iron-rich foods, such as lean red meat and poultry, beans, lentils and spinach, can also help shore you up


Your sluggish thyroid

Found at the base of the throat, this gland secretes hormones that help control metabolism, heart rate and more. "The less active your thyroid is in producing hormones, the slower your metabolism and the less energy you have," says Stephen Richardson, M.D., an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Medical Center. Other telltale signs of an underactive thyroid include constipation, menstrual irregularities and dry skin, hair and nails.

Fatigue fighter: A blood test can reveal whether your levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone are high — a sign that the thyroid isn't working up to speed. If they are, your M.D. can help pinpoint and treat whatever is elevating them; a viral infection or Hashimoto's thyroiditis (an autoimmune disease) are potential culprits. If your gland can't do its job, you may need to take a daily synthetic thyroid hormone pill. Fortunately, once those hormones are back in balance, your lethargy will disappear. In the meantime, try relaxation exercises (deep breathing or yoga). "If you have a thyroid problem, stress might add to the drain on your energy levels," Dr. Richardson says. That's one more good excuse to take it easy — and save your energy for something fun

First federal guidelines set minimum amount of activity adults need

WASHINGTON - Get moving: The nation's new exercise guidelines set a minimum sweat allotment for good health. For most adults, that's 2 hours a week.lHow much physical activity you need depends largely on age and level of fitness.l
Moderate exercise adds up for sluggish adults. Rake leaves, take a quick walk around the block or suit up for the neighborhood softball game. More fit adults could pack in their week's requirement in 75 minutes with vigorous exercise, such as jogging, hiking uphill, a bike race or speedy laps in the pool.l


Children and teens need more — pretty brisk activities for at least an hour a day, say the government guidelines being released Tuesday.l
Consider it the exercise version of the food pyramid. The guidelines, from the Health and Human Services Department, aim to end years of confusion about how much physical activity is enough, while making clear that there are lots of ways to achieve it.l
"The easy message is get active, whatever your way is. Get active your way," HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt told The Associated Press.l
It's OK to start slowly. Someone who's done no exercising will start seeing benefits with as little as 10 minutes of moderately intense exercise a day, which is an incentive to work up to the recommended amounts, said Rear Adm. Penelope Royall, deputy assistant secretary for disease prevention.l
"Some is better than nothing, and more is better," she said.l
The guidelines come as scientists are trying to spread the word to a nation of couch potatoes that how active you are may be the most important indicator of good health. Yet a quarter of U.S. adults aren't active at all in their leisure time, government research concludes. More than half don't get enough of the kind of physical activity that actually helps health — walking fast enough to raise your heart rate, not just meandering, for instance. More than 60 million adults are obese.l
Worse, the nation is raising a generation of children who may be less healthy than their parents. About a third are overweight and 16 percent are obese. And while young children are naturally active given the chance, schools are decreasing the amount of recess and gym time. By high school, a recent study found, fewer than a third of teens are getting an hour of activity a day.l
To put science behind the how-much-is-enough debate, HHS gathered an expert panel to review all the data. The panel found that regular physical activity can cut the risk of heart attacks and stroke by at least 20 percent, reduce chances of early death, and help people avoid high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, fractures from age-weakening bones and depression.l


The government used that scientific report to set the minimum activity levels.l
The kind of exercise matters a lot, said Dr. William Kraus, a Duke University cardiologist who co-authored the scientific report. Runners like Kraus can achieve the same health benefit in a fraction of the time of a walker.l
"If you do it more intense, you can do less time," explained Kraus, who praised the guidelines for offering that flexibility. "This brings it back down to earth for a lot of people."l
What's the right kind of exercise? The guidelines advise:l



You don't have get all the activity at once. A walk for an hour three days a week works as well as, say, a 30-minute exercise class on weekdays or saving most of the activity for a two-hour Saturday bike ride.l


For aerobic activities, go at least 10 minutes at a time to build heart rate enough to count.l


You should be able to talk while doing moderate activities but not catch enough breath to sing. With vigorous activities, you can say only a few words without stopping to catch a breath.l


Children's daily hour should consist of mostly moderate or vigorous aerobic activity, such as skateboarding, bike riding, soccer, simple running.l


Three times a week, children and teens need to include muscle-strengthening activities — sit-ups, tug-of-war — and bone-strengthening activities, such as jumping rope or skipping.l


Adults should do muscle-strengthening activities — push-ups, weight training, carrying heavy loads or heavy gardening — at least two days a week.l


Older adults who are still physically able to follow the guidelines should do so, with an emphasis on activities that maintain or improve balance.l


These are minimum goals, the guidelines note. People who do more will see greater benefits.l

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Two University of Pennsylvania doctors, after an extensive review of literature, say there is no scientific evidence establishing the need for the average healthy person to drink increased amounts of water. Their recommendation: “Drink when you’re thirsty. That’s the way your body is designed.” According to the study entitled “Just Add Water,” increased water intake is only really justified in certain cases, such as for athletes or those engaged in vigorous exercise, those living in hot, dry climates, and people suffering from particular illnesses.l
Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, a kidney specialist, and his colleague Dr. Dan Negoianu, both with the Renal, Electrolyte and Hypertension Division at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, scoured literature on the benefits of drinking water. In the U.S., it is a long held belief that drinking the recommended eight glasses of water per day is essential for everyone. Water has been touted to be helpful not only in removing toxic chemicals from the body and keeping organs in top condition, but for stopping headaches, keeping weight off, and even improving skin tone.l
The doctors examined the theory that drinking more water helped the kidneys flush more toxins from the body. They found that while drinking more water does have an impact of the rate at which various substances are cleared by the kidney, there is no indication that this resulted in any actual health benefits. In a radio interview, Dr. Goldfarb said that drinking large amounts of water actually tends to reduce the filtering ability of the kidney. They also found no documentation that an increased amount of water is beneficial to the body’s organs, regardless of whether it is gulped or slowly ingested.l
The doctors searched for evidence that headaches could be attributed to water deprivation. They found one small study in which trial participants who drank more water experienced fewer headaches than those who did not, but the statistics were not significant.l
Water is supposedly an ideal aid for those who want to lose weight, creating a sense of fullness, thus curbing the appetite. The doctors found the clinical evidence in this case to be inconclusive. Dr. Goldfarb said that while some studies suggested that calorie intake was reduced in those given water prior to meals; other studies suggested that it wasn’t. The doctors found no clinical trials measuring the effects of water intake on weight maintenance.l
The doctors also reviewed literature relating to water and skin tone. They said that while dehydration can decrease skin tension, no studies were found that showed a clinical benefit to skin tone with increased water intake.l
The doctors added that, in certain cases, drinking a lot of water may actually be harmful. Dr. Goldfarb cited the case of a woman who, as part of a contest, drank water continuously and very rapidly for several minutes. Shortly afterward, she developed swelling of the brain and died.l
An earlier study by Heinz Valtin from Dartmouth also debunked the 8x8 water recommendation (8 ounces, 8 times a day), as well as a few other myths; dark urine does not mean dehydration, thirst doesn’t mean “it’s too late,” water doesn’t help or prevent constipation, cancer or heart disease, and caffeinated beverages count as fluid intake.l
Dr. Goldfarb says there is no rational basis for the widespread belief that people need to drink eight glasses of water a day, and isn’t clear where the recommendation comes from. But Valtin speculates that our obsession with water may have evolved from The Food and Nutritional Board of the National Research Council who, in 1945 wrote that “an ordinary standard for diverse persons is 1 milliliter for each calorie of food.” This would amount to about 2-2.5 liters, or 64-80 ounces per day. However, eager readers may have stopped short before reading the sentence noting that “most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods.”l
On the other hand, Dr.’s Goldfarb and Negoianu conceded that “there is also no clear evidence of lack of benefit.” Dr. Goldfarb suggests there may even be a placebo effect to those eight daily glasses. He says if you are convinced that a lot of water makes you feel stronger and healthier, so be it. However, he also notes that people who don’t feel that way should not feel obligated to do so.l

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According to an article published by the Mayo Clinic, eating fish that contains omega-3 fatty acids is very good for your heart. If you eat one to two servings of fish a week, you could be cutting your chances of having a fatal heart attack by at least one third. This isn’t a new approach; the American Heart Association has recommended this for years. Although there are concerns about contaminants in fish, such as the level of Mercury content, at least two large, federally sponsored studies have concluded that the heart health benefits of eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids usually outweigh the risks associated with contaminants.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, established fish consumption could reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by one third, and the overall mortality was 17% less.

Another study released by the Institute of Medicine found that eating seafood also seems to support a healthy heart.

According to Donald Hensrud, M.D., chair of Mayo Clinic's Division of Preventive Medicine and associate professor of preventive medicine and nutrition, “Fish contain unsaturated fatty acids, which, when substituted for saturated fatty acids such as is contained in meat, may lower serum cholesterol. But the main beneficial component appears to be omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids have many potential beneficial effects including improving cognitive function in developing children, decreasing triglycerides, lowering blood pressure, reducing blood clotting, enhancing immune function, and possibly others. However, the strongest benefit from omega-3 fatty acids is reducing the risk of sudden cardiac death, which appears to be due to decreasing the risk of abnormal heart rhythms.”

Fatty fish that contain the most omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, herring, and tuna. In addition, many types of seafood contain small amounts. Two three-ounce servings per week of fatty fish are recommended. Due to their high susceptibility to toxins found in fish, Dr. Hensrud recommends that children, as well as women of childbearing age, should limit the amount of canned Tuna to 6 ounces per week and limit other fish eaten to a maximum of 12 ounces a week. In addition, they should avoid eating certain fish like shark and swordfish altogether.

Toxins in fish include mercury, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). How much toxin a fish has is dependent on the type of fish and where it was caught. Each state issues advisories concerning a safe amount of locally caught fish for consumption. Fish that have higher levels of mercury include shark, tilefish, swordfish, and king mackerel, as they are large fish that feed on smaller fish that, in turn, store methyl mercury in their own bodies from their own dietary consumption. Therefore, these fish have more concentrated mercury content.

Don’t like Fish? Although supplements and non-fish foods have not been proven to have the same level of heart healthy benefits of eating fish, people with heart disease can take supplements of omega-3 fatty acids or eat non-fish foods that contain omega-3 fatty acid with some benefit. These include flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil.l

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It may feel pretty lonely out there when everyone you know is trying to shed pounds and you are trying to put some on. However, your goals are exactly the same as those trying to lose some weight: To eat a healthy diet, and reach a normal body weight. It’s just as much of a challenge for the overweight person to lose pounds, as it is for you to gain them.

The good news is that it’s possible for all of you to sit at the same table, with the same menu, enjoy each other’s company, and reach your goals. You will be choosing a few things that they may be avoiding, but generally, eating healthy to gain weight involves eating the same variety of foods as your friends.

Whether you are underweight because of a recent illness, an eating disorder, or simply because your sense of taste declined as you grew older, the way to increase your weight is to increase the calories in your diet. To do this in a healthy way, you will not want to just add more junk foods to your diet. Junk foods don’t offer much nutritionally, and are loaded with unhealthy saturated fats and sugar.

Eating fish, nuts, and even seeds, routinely throughout the week will provide you with needed healthy fat and calories. Because red meat has a high saturated fat content, meals of this type would best be limited to one or two times a week.

Black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, dried peas, and soy beans are all good sources of protein and calories. A delightful snack is easy to make by placing beans and cheese on a tortilla; roll it up, and microwave until it’s hot, enjoy.

Powdered milk added to soups, sauces, and smoothies, is a relatively effortless way to get bonus calories and protein.

Olive oil is a healthy diet choice because this monounsaturated fat will add calories to your diet, and help keep your cardiovascular system in good shape. For healthy salad dressings and mayonnaise, choose those made with canola or safflower oil.

The carbohydrates found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, infuse energy and nutrients into your daily diet. The USDA recommends that our daily diet include lots of grains and cereals; and that at least three servings a day are from whole gain breads, cereals, or and pastas. Whole grain carbohydrates provide calories, fiber, nutrients, and some protein in a healthy diet.

In the naturally calorie sparse vegetable group, starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn provide more calories, per serving, than the dark green vegetables; however, since dark green vegetables are important to any balanced diet, their caloric values can be easily supplemented by adding a little olive oil for flavoring, or toppings like slivered almonds, or grated cheese.

Fruits supply plentiful vitamins as well as phytochemicals which may possibly help prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Avocados are relatively high in calories, rich in monounsaturated fat, vitamin B and fiber. Bananas are also relatively high in calories, and can add an interesting taste to your morning cereal, or to a lunchtime peanut butter on whole wheat sandwich. Dried fruits can be used as healthy, high calorie snacks.

Replace sugary sodas with fruit juices to add calories, nutrients, and hydration to your diet.

Remember to take your multivitamins daily. Your healthcare provider can tell you if one of the many weight gaining supplements on the market today, is an appropriate way for you to add additional calories, protein, and carbohydrates to your daily diet.

Everyone eats desserts on occasion; a little chocolate is certainly good for the spirits. Your best choice in this category might well be something made with dark chocolate because it has anti-oxidants not found in other sweets.

One study found that people tend to eat more when eating with close friends, and also tend to eat more when eating with people who eat more. Socializing may be part of the answer; enjoy eating with your friends, especially those that really enjoy a meal; you’ll be having fun and eating your way to a healthy, normal weight.l

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You don't have to be Oprah Winfrey's gourmet chef or spend a fortune on expensive cookware to prepare food in healthy ways. You can make your favorite dishes without large amounts of fat or salt using basic cooking techniques.l
Baking isn't just for breads and desserts. You can also bake poultry, lean meat, seafood, and vegetables. Baking usually doesn't require adding fat to the food, although you may need to baste the food to keep it from drying out. Simply place your desired food in a pan or dish and cook either covered or uncovered.l
Roasting is like baking, but usually at higher temperatures. You can place your food in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet. When roasting meat, poultry or seafood, put a rack inside the roasting pan which will allow the fat in the food to drip away during cooking.l
Broiling and grilling are cooking methods which allow the fat to drip away from the food. Both methods expose the food to a direct heat source. To broil, place the food on a broiler rack in the oven below a heat element. To grill, place the food on a rack above either a bed of charcoal or you may want to use a gas grill. A grill basket is very useful when cooking smaller items such as vegetables or seafood.l
Braising is a two step technique. The ingredient is first placed in a pan on top of the stove and browned. A small amount of liquid, usually water or broth, is added. Then, the ingredient and the liquid is covered and slowly cooked. The cooking liquid is sometimes used afterward to form a nutrient-rich sauce.l
Poaching involves gently simmering ingredients in water until they are cooked through. You may also choose a more flavorful liquid such as broth, juice or vinegar. Be sure to use a covered pan that best fits your food which will enable you to use a minimal amount of liquid.l
Steaming is one of the simplest cooking methods. Place the food in a perforated basket and suspend it above simmering liquid. You can use water with seasonings added, or you may choose a more flavorful liquid. Flavor the food as it cooks.l
Stir- frying is a traditional Asian cooking method which requires only a small amount of oil or nonstick cooking spray. The food is cut into small, uniform-sized pieces and then rapidly stirred in a wok or large nonstick frying pan.l
You can give your meal more appeal by adding color, aroma and taste to your food. An excellent way is through the use of herbs and spices. You can add dried herbs in the early cooking stages, or fresh herbs toward the end of cooking. Be sure to use fresh herbs that aren't wilted and that have bright color. If you substitute dry herbs for fresh, only use one-third the amount.l
Now that you're armed with the proper cooking techniques, you can prepare your meals like the pros, making them healthier and more appealing.l