That long soak in a hot tub to warm up during the winter could hold some unexpected dangers, a Japanese study has found.

Taking a hot bath on a cold day may spell trouble for the heart, said a team led by Chika Nishiyama, at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine School of Nursing, with the rate of cardiac arrests during bathing rising ten-fold from summer to winter.

The findings could be especially significant in Japan, where bathing is a key part of life both at home and as a form of recreation, with people flocking to the country’s numerous hot springs for long, relaxing soaks.

“In Japan, most people take a deep, hot bath, since traditional Japanese homes are not well-insulated as in the west and central heating is quite uncommon,” Nishiyama and colleagues wrote in “Resuscitation.”

The team based their study on data from nearly 11,000 cardiac arrests in the western prefecture of Osaka between 2005 and 2007.

Prior to the cardiac arrest, 22 percent of people had been sleeping, 9 percent had been bathing, 3 percent had been working, and 0.5 percent had been exercising. The rest had been doing “nonspecific” or unknown activities.

When looking at cardiac arrest rates, at the top of the list was 54 arrests per 10 million people per hour of bathing, followed by 10 per 10 million people per hour of exercising.

For bathers, the risk was tied to outside temperatures, with more cardiac arrests on colder days.

While it’s still unclear how to explain the link, getting into a hot tub on a frigid day causes a rapid blood pressure drop, which stressed the heart.

“Preventive approaches such as warming a bathroom and hallway or refraining from taking a deep, hot bath could be important for high risk people,” Nishiyama and colleagues wrote.

Courtesy: http://in.news.yahoo.com

Acai berries are native to Central and South America and have been consumed by the natives for hundreds of years as one of the staples of their diet. The acai berries are a fruit about the size and shape of a grape, with a deep purple skin. Acai berries are related other berries (including blueberries and cranberries).

Acai berries have become famous in the media over the past couple of years as a weight loss supplement since the compounds in the acai berry may help to suppress appetite, increase metabolism and assist in muscle building.

They possess numerous other health benefits. Natural health experts have described the acai berry as the number one super food.

Acai berry products are also being touted as beneficial for their anti-ageing properties. Foods high in antioxidants help prevent skin damage (not just to the surface of the skin, but to the collagen and elastin which gives skin its elasticity) and thus can prevent premature ageing.

Many makers of cosmetics are now including acai oil in their skin care products, as the oil itself is very high in antioxidants and can be used safely in face and body creams, shampoos and conditioners, and other beauty products.

http://tinyurl.com/6ys9398

A good mother has so much tolerance for her family. She accommodates and adjusts and learns to fulfill the heavy demands and needs of each member. Why? Because she has deep love and commitment and responsibility. Where there is love and commitment there is no feeling of having to tolerate. Where there is no love, the feeling of having to tolerate comes in.
When we deal with a situation with love then there is no feeling of tolerating. Tolerant people are like brick walls. No matter what they are up against they rebound and yet remain strong, secure and loving. It’s all about absorbing and accepting. A paper towel is able to absorb and soak up water. Gardens and fields are able to withstand any type of weather. Can we be the same and yet keep on smiling? Without a doubt….Yes

A resounding yes. Willpower and determination can move mountains. Each of us is living human trees who go through all four seasons; everyone’s capacity to tolerate is different. Inner strength comes from understanding. As I stand still I begin to understand that actually I am not tolerating, but just have a big and generous heart to accept and absorb what is coming towards me. If, like the ocean, I am able to accept anything that comes my way with open arms then life becomes easier, relationships are happier. When I resist something, problems occur and even escalate.
Sometimes, we feel pain and resentment, both of which are negative qualities. We are unable to tolerate and instead feel empty and at a loss. Our capacity to tolerate is just not there and we start to re-act and blame. However when we learn to just accept and move on, we again begin to fill ourselves with inner strength and our capacity to tolerate again increases. Difficult circumstances are like a mirror and we see ourselves in our real colors. Our responsibility is to respond in the best possible way. Imagine a tree laden with fruits and a small boy throwing stones at it as he tries to get the fruit down. The tree doesn’t get upset with the boy but yields its fruit anyway. Let us learn to have such tolerance and our life will definitely become happier.

Inspirations for the Power to tolerate

*Love melts impatience
*Kindness reaches out to hardened hearts and makes them soft and kind
*Compassion creates confidence
*By remaining a companion of tolerance, we remain safe
*A silent mind and quiet heart bring the power to tolerate
*Tolerant people continue to inspire and carry on. They never give up
*Tolerance works like a bridge bringing everyone together and uniting
*Sometimes in life we are forced to face situations in which we have no choice

Tap inside and feel the power within; use the inspirations above to bring about change in your life and see how much happiness it can bring to you and others.

Adopted with courtesy from: http://www.bkwsu.org/

Stress is the fact of life. You may not be able to avoid it but you surely lower it.

Don’t get surprised, there are simple ways:
• Make a schedule. Start with important things – first.
• Be honest with your approach. You would find simpler ways to do a thing better.
• Limit your alcohol, avoid smoking, get plenty of rest. Take care of yourself.
• Try out new ways of thinking. When you find yourself starting to worry, try to stop the thoughts. Work on letting go of things you cannot change. Learn to say “no.”
• Assertive communication can help you express how you feel in a thoughtful, tactful way.
• Successful people have a strong network of family and friends. It helps in managing stress better. If need be, don’t hesitate to see a counselor.

Relieve your stress through:
• Walking is a great way to get started.
• Write about the things that are bothering you.
• Talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when you need to with someone you trust.
• A hobby can help you relax. ‘Helping others’ can be a great stress reliever.
• Go for breathing exercises, muscle relaxation exercises, massage or yoga
• Laughter really can be the best medicine
• Try meditation and listen to relaxing music.

Adopted with courtesy from: http://www.webmd.com

Relaxing music: http://youtu.be/aeYTBvanFmE

Your eyes are always busy, telling the world about you. That’s one reason why the area around them is so prone to expression lines. But while we can love laugh lines, let’s be honest: we can do without dark circles, fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness and dark spots. To deal with them effectively, it’s important to understand eye skin care and give proper attention to this, one of the thinnest, most delicate skin on your body.

Shedding light on dark circles, lines, dark spots and puffy eyes.

Dark circles have a variety of causes. Many experts believe that blood retention caused by fatigue, lack of sleep or stress can create the look of dark circles. Other causes? Veins and capillaries can show through skin; irritation and dry skin can make the area look dull and tired. Finally, natural shadows from the brow bone can also make this area appear darker.
When it comes to fine lines (crow’s feet), wrinkles, puffiness and dark spots, it’s wise to remember that this delicate area of the face can show signs of aging a lot sooner than other areas of skin on our face and body. So it’s important to limit sun damage, improper care and neglect.

Bottom line: Give your eye area the right kind of care.

To help prevent or to minimize the appearance of dark circles, fine lines and damage, make sure to use a special lightweight moisturizer (eye cream) under the eye area. Under-eye creams are specially formulated to deal with the special needs of this area. For example, they won’t migrate on the skin. That way, they won’t run into the eye and irritate it—which regular moisturizers can do.

Further reflections on eye skin care.

Look for under-eye creams that contain gentle and non-irritating ingredients along with a wide range of vitamins, antioxidants, and skin-plumping substances. Be careful to also manage salt intake, get enough sleep and try not to rub the area around the eyes. If you have allergies/sinusitis be sure to keep them under control as much as possible since that can also contribute to the puffiness in this area. The under-eye area is also one place where stress shows very quickly, so managing your stressors is helpful as well.

Nighttime is an especially good time to treat this delicate area, as skin is more receptive then. Gently massage eye products into the skin around the eyes. And, as you treat and care for the skin around your eyes, remember to always protect your skin with an SPF product during the day.

Courtesy: http://www.olay.com

The noise of snoring is caused by parts of the nose and throat - in particular, the soft palate - vibrating as you breathe in and out. At night, the muscles that help keep your airways open relax and become floppy. This causes the airways to narrow and vibrate more, making snoring more likely.

Causes and risk factors

There are also a number of factors that can make snoring worse:
• Alcohol or sleeping tablets relax the muscles even further.
• Being overweight puts pressure on the airways.
• Colds, allergies, nasal polyps, a damaged or crooked nose can block the nose, causing you to breathe through your mouth.
• Smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to snore because their airways get inflamed and blocked.
• Sleeping on your back.
You may also be suffering with obstructive sleep apnoea. In this condition, the relaxed throat muscles block the airway briefly hundreds of times each night stopping you breathing and depriving your body of oxygen.
More than 3.5 million people in the UK snore. It’s thought to affect four out of ten men and up to three out of ten women. And, of course, millions of partners and neighbours suffer sleep-disturbed nights as a result.

Treatment and recovery

The following can help reduce the chances of you snoring:
• Avoid drinking alcohol late at night.
• Maintain your ideal weight.
• Raise the head of the bed.
• Sleep on your side (to stop you rolling on to your back, sew a ball in the back of a top to wear in bed or wedge a pillow under your back).
• Keep your nasal passages clear by using a humidifier, inhaling steam or rubbing a few drops of eucalyptus or olbas oil on your pillowcase (antihistamine tablets and/or anti-inflammatory nasal sprays may help; always check with the pharmacist that they’re suitable for you, especially if you’re taking other medicines).

Surgical techniques have improved recently and are more widely available but should be seen as a last resort.

Surgery can be used to remove nasal polyps, straighten crooked noses and cut out floppy soft palate tissue to stop it vibrating. Laser surgery stiffens the palate to reduce vibration. Somnoplasty uses radio frequency energy to shrink the floppy soft palate tissue rather than cutting it out.

Courtesy: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health

Urinary tract infections can affect any part of your urinary tract, but the lower urinary tract is far more common—specifically, your bladder (cystitis) and urethra (urethritis). Once in a while, a UTI can progress up to the kidneys (nephritis or pyelonephritis), which is a more serious infection and warrants a trip to your health care provider.

Kidney infections can cause permanent kidney damage and kidney failure if not promptly resolved, or can spread to your bloodstream.

In addition to the classic UTI symptoms listed earlier, symptoms of kidney infection can include:
• Fever
• Back, side (flank) or groin pain
• Abdominal pain

Take care while using an antibiotic, it has to be of high quality & high potency. It is advisable to take probiotic to replace the beneficial bacteria killed by the antibiotic. If you take your antibiotic at 8am and 8pm, take your probiotic at 2pm to minimize the affects of the antibiotic.

As a woman, there are some specific hygiene steps you can take to maintain a healthy urinary tract:
• Drink plenty of pure, filtered water every day
• Urinate when you feel the need; don’t resist the urge to go
• Wipe from front to back to prevent bacteria from entering your urethra
• Take showers instead of tub baths; avoid hot tubs/Jacuzzis
• Cleanse your genital area prior to sexual intercourse
• Avoid using feminine hygiene sprays, which may irritate your urethra
• Use only white unscented toilet paper to avoid potential dye reactions, or better yet—a bidet

In addition, a healthy diet is key in supporting your urinary tract.

Antibiotics for a UTI must be avoided whenever possible.

There are number of reasons:
1. Antibiotics are highly overused in humans and pets, as well as in livestock, and this careless overuse has created antibiotic-resistant superbugs like MRSA and antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis.
2. Antibiotics kill the good bacteria, along with the bad, as described earlier, setting you up for fungal infections, diarrhoea, and other digestive trouble.
3. Many antibiotics have terrible side effects and can cause dangerous allergic reactions.
4. Antibiotic treatment does not successfully kill all the bacteria participating in the infection and may, in fact, encourage many of the bacteria to persist in a resting state.
5. Using unnecessary antibiotics with children prevents them from developing their own natural defences as their immune systems mature.
6. Physicians often prescribe newer, very expensive antibiotics for UTIs instead of “old gold standards,” which is a strain on your pocketbook.
The majority of urinary tract infections can be cured when symptoms first arise, or prevented altogether by practicing the natural measures outlined in this article.

Occasionally, despite preventative measures, a kidney infection can develop. If you suspect you have a kidney infection—especially if you have a fever—it might be necessary to see a physician and employ an antibiotic so the infection does not spread to your kidney and cause some very serious problems.

Adopted from an article, Courtesy: http://articles.mercola.com

Get in the mood
A fulfilling relationship with your partner helps you overcome your daily challenges-a difficult boss, rush hour traffic, rising prices and random rudeness from strangers-and multiplies your joys. You have something (or someone) to fall back on every day (thank God!). You are calmer and securer. How could that not be good for you? But it’s not just that feeling of high, or the sense of security that makes love so wonderful.

There’s emerging evidence about the physical benefits of love too: sex, kinship and caring all improve heart health, boost immunity, lower stress and give that wow glow to your skin! In fact, it may not be long before doctors prescribe steamy sex, romantic getaways and compassionate communication in addition to a healthy diet, exercise and sleep. Sounds good? Explore love with your partner to bring on happiness and cash in on the health gains.

Love protects your heart
A 2007 study from the University of Pittsburgh found that women who are in good marriages or relationships have a much lower risk of heart disease than those in high-stress ones. “This is possibly because being in a loving relationship reduces stress, which is a major risk factor for heart disease,” explains Dr Anil Mishra, Medical Director and Senior consultant Interventional Cardiologist, BM Birla Heart Research Centre, Kolkata.

It’s equally beneficial for men, who have sex twice or more a week are up to 45% less likely to have a heart attack and stroke than those who have sex once a month or less, according to several studies.
It keeps you disease-proof
Studies have shown that lovemaking increases the levels of immunoglobulin A, an antibody that is the body’s first line of defense in fighting bugs that cause diseases and infections. This gives your immunity an overall boost helping you keep diseases at bay.

One of the most concrete pieces of evidence comes from a study by Carl J Charnetski, PhD, a professor of psychology at Wilkes University and co-author of Feeling Good Is Good for You. He measured the immune function of 112 college students, many of whom were in close, loving relationships.

He found that those who had sex with their partner once or twice a week had higher amounts of immunoglobulin A than those who had sex less than once a week or not at all. Charnetski was, however, surprised to discover that the immune systems of those who had sex three or more times a week were comparable to the no-sex group. According to Charnetski, the possible explanation for this was that “couples who have sex just once a week are simply in healthier, more secure relationships and have nothing to prove.”
It helps you fight cortisol

“Research on the neurobiology of love has shown its impact on several hormones and neuro-transmitters,” says Prevention adviser Dr Prabha S Chandra, professor of psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru. Romantic love, triggers the release of several neuro-transmitters such as dopamine, neuro-hormones like oxytocin and neuro-peptides like endorphin, that have an overall bearing on stress and well-being.

“These happy chemicals have a positive effect on your cerebral (and physical) ambiance and seem to dispel disease-and-stress-inducing negative chemicals,” explains Dr Jitendra Nagpal, senior consultant psychiatrist, Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (VIMHANS) and Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi. The release of oxytocin, for example, evokes feelings of contentment, calmness and a sense of security focused around your partner. Combined, all of these factors help to reduce stress.

Sex, experts emphasize, is only one aspect of love, important, but not as powerful as the real magic in relationships-bonding. That sense of being united, even when bad times strike, is what Brian Baker, a psychiatrist at the University of Toronto, calls cohesion. And Baker’s research has found that cohesion is crucial to both health and happiness (more than a good sex life!).

In one study, he tracked 229 adults under job strain. Though they had higher BP to begin with, spouses in pleasurable marriages actually helped to lower systolic BP by 2.5 mm/Hg over a 12-month period.

He also found that happy couples seem to know almost instinctively that doing things together and spending more time with each other adds to their happiness (see Work Out Together and Come Closer). It’s not that sex didn’t matter to these couples. “It’s one component of satisfaction, but at the end of the day it was their emotional collaboration that kept the marriage strong,” Baker adds.

It keeps you fit
Sex is a fantastic workout! Says Dr Sudhakar Krishnamurti, andrologist, micro-surgeon, sexual medicine expert, and founder of Andromeda Andrology Centre, Hyderabad, “A vigorous round of sex can burn mega calories!” Studies say it can vary from 85 to 200 calories depending on the intensity and duration.

This is the equivalent of walking between half an hour to an hour on the treadmill. “If it’s vigorous, the pulse rate rises to about 150, which is equivalent to an athlete’s pulse rate at maximum effort. Plus, the sexual act builds the muscles of the pelvis, buttocks, thighs, arms, neck and the thorax,” says Krishnamurti.

Mumbai-based Reebok master trainer Vinata Shetty explains that the pelvic floor muscles that you build through sex not only prevent conditions like urinary continence but also lead to improved core strength.

It makes your skin glow
Sex increases blood circulation which pumps oxygen into your skin, making it glow. “Also, when you are happy (and love does makes you happy, right?), your endocrine system (that regulates your hormones) functions properly, creating a good oestrogen-progesteron balance that has a good effect on your skin,” explains Mumbai-based dermatologist Dr Aparna Santhanam.

Get in the mood for love, people. Getting healthy will never be so much fun!

Adopted from an article by Kathakoli Das Gupta, Courtesy: http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com

Hard to believe it’s been more than a decade and a half since a 25-year-old Jennifer Aniston began her rise to super-stardom, playing rich-girl-turned-waitress Rachel Green on NBC’s super successful sitcom “Friends.” So how does the now 42-year-old manage to look better now than she did then?

According to her nutritionist Carrie Wiatt, prior to landing her stint on “Friends,” Jen’s agent insisted she would get more roles if she lost weight, so Wiatt created a portion-controlled, nutrient-dense meal delivery service for the actress, who, indeed, got her breakout role soon after.

“For Jennifer, the key was high protein and low carbs, with plenty of vegetables and fruit and no processed foods,” Wiatt tells “ Life & Style”, “It’s an understatement to say Jen has maintained her weight beautifully.”

Over the years, media reports have had Aniston on a variety of kooky diets, from eating only cucumbers to a baby-food plan, a rumour she has vehemently denied. “I’ve been asked lately, ‘Jen, what’s this baby food diet all about?’ I kept thinking: That’s the strangest question ever,” Aniston said last year. “Sorry, but the last time I had baby food, I believe I was 1. I’ve been on solids for about 40 years now.”

The actress has also admitted that she doesn’t starve herself, and when she feels like indulging, as she once told ABC News, “I pretty much go to grease, fried foods. Salt.”

As for exercise, the svelte star credits yoga for keeping her body toned and slender. “My legs got leaner,” she said in the UK edition of Harper’s Bazaar. “My arms got strong.”

Courtesy: http://omg.yahoo.com

Doctors have long known that infants who are breast-fed contract fewer infections than do those who are given formula. Until fairly recently, most physicians presumed that breast-fed children fared better simply because milk supplied directly from the breast is free of bacteria. Formula, which must often be mixed with water and placed in bottles, can become contaminated easily. Yet even infants who receive sterilized formula suffer from more meningitis and infection of the gut, ear, respiratory tract and urinary tract than do breast-fed youngsters.

The reason, it turns out, is that mother’s milk actively helps newborns avoid disease in a variety of ways. Such assistance is particularly beneficial during the first few months of life, when an infant often cannot mount an effective immune response against foreign organisms. And although it is not the norm in most industrial cultures, UNICEF and the World Health Organization both advise breast-feeding to “two years and beyond.” Indeed, a child’s immune response does not reach its full strength until age five or so.

Several studies indicate that some factors in human milk may induce an infant’s immune system to mature more quickly than it would were the child fed artificially. For example, breast-fed babies produce higher levels of antibodies in response to immunizations. Also, certain hormones in milk (such as cortisol) and smaller proteins (including epidermal growth factor, nerve growth factor, insulinlike growth factor and somatomedin C) act to close up the leaky mucosal lining of the newborn, making it relatively impermeable to unwanted pathogens and other potentially harmful agents. Indeed, animal studies have demonstrated that postnatal development of the intestine occurs faster in animals fed their mother’s milk. And animals that also receive colostrum, containing the highest concentrations of epidermal growth factor, mature even more rapidly.

Other unknown compounds in human milk must stimulate a baby’s own production of secretory IgA, lactoferrin and lysozyme. All three molecules are found in larger amounts in the urine of breast-fed babies than in that of bottle-fed babies. Yet breast-fed babies cannot absorb these molecules from human milk into their gut. It would appear that the molecules must be produced in the mucosa of the youngsters’ urinary tract. In other words, it seems that breast-feeding induces local immunity in the urinary tract.

In support of this notion, recent clinical studies have demonstrated that the breast-fed infant has a lower risk of acquiring urinary tract infections. Finally, some evidence also suggests that an unknown factor in human milk may cause breast-fed infants to produce more fibronectin on their own than do bottle-fed babies.

All things considered, breast milk is truly a fascinating fluid that supplies infants with far more than nutrition. It protects them against infection until they can protect themselves.

Adopted from an article by By Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC
Courtesy: http://www.breastfeedingonline.com

JACK NEWMAN founded the breast-feeding clinic at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto in 1984 and serves as its director. He has more recently established similar clinics at Doctors Hospital and St. Michael’s Hospital, both in Toronto. Newman received his medical degree in 1970 from the University of Toronto, where he is now an assistant professor. He completed his postgraduate training in New Zealand and Canada. As a consultant for UNICEF, he has worked with pediatricians in Africa. He has also practiced in New Zealand and in Central and South America.

Choosing a physician may perhaps be one of the most important decisions an individual can make. Unfortunately, there is certainly very little information available that will serve a potential patient decide if an individual physician is right for them. There are a few options though, although they are generally relatively weak considering precisely what the ramifications are for the affected person.

Word of Mouth

This can be subjective; nevertheless someone who has had the same doctor for years may be able to impart an important amount of information regarding the high-quality of a physician. At the same time, the patient that always seems to be about some kind of medication and it seems to never get better can say plenty about a physician as well. This will not always be the case; a patient might just be that sick, however may be worth investigating.

Location of Practice

Although it might always be the case, the area the location where the physician has set up his or her perform may indicate how good there’re. A top physician may require top dollar, and where they will practice could indicate the best way skilled they are. \When it comes to well-being though, it may be worth it.

Trial time period for Physicians

A physician may look fantastic on paper, but in practice they will not be the right fit. A good number of insurance plans will allow changing with physicians, although they usually need a reason for the switch. Suffering from several physicians can be a difficult process as well. Testing unique physicians is a good idea for a doctor, but unfortunately will not improve specialists, and even surgeons. For these people, there really is no way to have a clue how good they are until afterwards.

There are ways to find a good medical doctor, difficult as it may be. An authorized, board certified physician will be a minimum of adequate most of the time, but for a decision as personal as getting a health care practitioner, adequate might not be enough. There are changes currently being made in insurance companies and even govt regarding the quality of doctor’s, but the changes are shatteringly slow. Until then, there are few strong options.

Article adopted from, courtesy: http://www.medicalboard.info (16/04/11)

The tamarind fruit is a long 12-15 cm brown pod. Inside the pod of the tamarind is a soft, brown pulp with shiny black seeds. It is this pulp that people eat to get all the nutritional and health benefits of the tamarind.

Initially it has sour taste, but it gets sweeter as it ripens. Tamarind is a rich source of vitamins (vitamin C and vitamin , fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium and other nutrients.

Tamarind is used in Indian Ayurvedic Medicine. It has been found to treat gastric and/or digestion problems effectively.

Tamarind contains antioxidants like carotene, vitamin C, and flavonoids. Another powerful antioxidant which is responsible for the sour taste of tamarind is tartaric acid. These antioxidants protect the body against cancer and the damaging effects of free radicals.

The juice of tamarind act as a mild laxative. Tamarind pulp is a rich source of dietary fiber. The dietary fibers augment bowel movements and prevent constipation. 100 gm of tamarind fruit pulp provides around 13 percent of the daily value for dietary fiber. The fiber attaches to the toxins in the food and offers protection to the mucous membrane of the colon against harmful chemicals. You can take one or two tablespoons of tamarind in the evening or drink a glass of tamarind juice at night before you go to sleep. To make the juice, soak the tamarind pulp in water for an hour and then puree the pulp using a fork. Mix it with water and drink.

Tamarind helps in the lowering of the blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels in the body, according to animal studies. The dietary fibers present in the pulp get attached to bile salts (produced from cholesterol) and diminish their re-absorption in the colon. This helps in the elimination of the “bad” LDL cholesterol from the body. However, human clinical trials are needed before it can be recommended for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) or diabetes.

Tamarind fruit pulp is a rich source of potassium. Potassium aids in the regulation of heart rate and blood pressure by controlling the effects of sodium in the body. This helps promote a healthy heart.

Tamarind can lead to the healing of inflammations. Various combinations of the pulp, leaves and flowers, when applied on painful and swollen joints, can ease discomfort to a large extent.

Tamarind aids in the digestion of food. However, people who have digestive problems associated with acid reflux should avoid it. For those who suffer from loss of appetite, tamarind fruit drink works as a great appetite stimulant. To create a tamarind fruit drink, mix the pulp with a little water and combine it with black pepper, cloves and cardamom.

Tamarind fruit, being an extremely rich source of vitamin C, helps strengthen the immune system and protect the body against cold. It prevents scurvy (characterized by bleeding gums, loosened teeth and anemia caused by a lack of vitamin C).It also serves as a good cure to reduce fevers. Dilute the tamarind fruit pulp in water and add half a teaspoon of pepper and salt to taste. Drink it hot to get the benefits.

Tamarind pulp in the diluted form, can be used to help get rid of stomach worms and other intestinal parasites in young children.

Tamarind in your diet may delay the progression of fluorosis (bone and dental disease caused by excessive consumption of fluoride)

Gargling tamarind fruit boiled in water provides relief from a sore throat.

Article has inputs, Courtesy: http://www.lifemojo.com

You probably don?t realize it, but Aubrey De Grey is one of the leading anti aging researchers in the world. This lecture he gave at TED is a major treat and will give you insights into what the top thinking in the world is on this subject.

Centenarians or older, are actually becoming more and more common in the United States. In 1950, there were 2,300 U.S. centenarians and by 2003, there were more than 40,000.

It does not seem unrealistic that in the not too distant future, science will be able to add one year of longevity per year, so the AVERAGE life expectancy could be over 100 years in the next 30 years or so. I believe the current maximum lifespan is about 120 years and any manipulation of genes is unlikely to improve your lifespan significantly beyond that. However the more I study this area, the more I am absolutely convinced that Professor De Grey is absolutely correct, and it is not unrealistic to extend the human lifespan well beyond 120 years old.

Ironically, even though most people express an interest in living to their maximum potential, many people refuse to use the available methods that are sure to slow aging. If they did, we would surely not be facing the ever-increasing epidemics of obesity and diabetes in the United States.

Unfortunately, drug companies are aware of this fact as well and are rapidly jumping on the bandwagon to develop highly unnatural analogs, which they can patent and use to make a handsome profit. You can be virtually guaranteed that these synthetic versions will be grossly inferior to the real deal, especially when it comes to side effects and potential toxicity.

Rather than sitting idly by, waiting for another ?magic pill? that will erase old age – with who-knows-what kind of unforeseen and potentially disastrous side effects – you can take control of your health, and hence increase your lifespan, NOW.

What Can You do NOW to Maximize Your Lifespan?

If you want to take advantage of the advances in this new science you will need to follow healthy lifestyle principles like the ones outlined below. Probably the most important is normalizing your insulin and leptin levels.

There is no way you will age slowly with elevated insulin or leptin levels.

? Keep your insulin levels low ? Elevated insulin levels are one of your key physical influences that contribute to rapid aging, and there is no question that optimoizing your insulin levels is an absolute necessity if you want to slow down your aging process. Consuming sugar and grains will increase your insulin level, which is the equivalent of slamming your foot on your aging accelerator. There?s simply no more potent way to accelerate aging than eating sugar and grains.

? Eat a healthy diet based on your nutritional type ? My nutritional plan, based on natural whole foods, is your first step toward increasing your chances of living a longer, healthier life. The heart of my program is the elimination, or at the very least, drastic reduction of grains and sugar in your diet, which is a far simpler way of restricting your calorie intake naturally, without suffering.

? Take your omega-3 fats ? Krill or fish oil is a strong factor in helping people live longer, and many experts believe that it is likely the predominant reason why the Japanese are the longest lived race on the planet.

? Get your antioxidants from foods ? Antioxidants have been shown to have anti-aging effects. Good sources include blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, beans, and artichokes.

? Switch to coconut oil ? Another excellent anti-aging food is coconut oil. In fact, it?s doubly beneficial because it can be both eaten and applied directly to your skin. Coconut oil can be used in place of other oils, margarine, butter, or shortening, and can be used for all your cooking needs. It can help you lose weight, or maintain your already good weight, reduce your risk of heart disease, and lower your cholesterol, among other things.

? Get your resveratrol naturally ? Resveratrol is one of the forerunners in the anti-aging pill race, but more than likely, by the time they?ve manipulated it into a synthetic pill, it won?t be healthy for you. Although resveratrol is the antioxidants found in red wine. I can?t recommend drinking wine in the hopes of extending your life because alcohol is a neurotoxin that can poison your brain and harm your body?s delicate hormonal balance. Instead, get your resveratrol from natural sources, such as whole grape skins and seeds, raspberries, mulberries, and peanuts.

? Get plenty of exercise – Studies repeatedly show that regular, moderate-to-vigorous exercise can help prevent or delay your onset of hypertension, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and the falls that lead to hip fracture. Although a lifetime of regular exercise is ideal, it?s never too late to start. It?s been shown that even individuals in their 70?s can substantially increase both strength and endurance with exercise.

? Avoid as many chemicals, toxins, and pollutants as possible ? This includes tossing out your toxic household cleaners, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides, and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them with non-toxic alternatives.

? Avoid pharmaceutical drugs ? Pharmaceutical drugs kill thousands of people prematurely every year ? as an expected side effect of the action of the drug. And, if you adhere to a healthy lifestyle, you most likely will never need any of them in the first place.

There is no quick fix when it comes to life extension ? no pill and no magic fountain. While there are certainly some exceptions – some centenarians do little in the way of healthy eating or exercise – for most of us, living a healthy life well into our 100?s will take some dedication to making healthy lifestyle changes, and it’s up to you to decide if it?s worth it.

Courtesy: http://articles.mercola.com

People who fear the dentist’s drill now have the option of getting their teeth fixed using a near pain-less procedure. Dental lasers deliver quick pulses of heat energy to the treatment area. Lasers help dentists conserve as much bone and teeth as possible without damaging the surrounding tissues and structures. They remove the cavities without the pressure and vibration and sound of the dental drill. Also, patients require little or no anesthesia for most dental procedures.

In recent research conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles, only three in 1,300 patients requested local anesthesia for laser treatment. Extensive pre-clinical and clinical studies have shown good overall performance and safety, better patient comfort and satisfaction when compared with the traditional high-speed drill.

There are several advantages to using a laser. One, the procedures are performed using soft tissue. Dental lasers may not require stitches. Little or no anesthesia is needed for most procedures. There is minimal blooding as the high-energy light beam aids in clotting. The beam also sterilizes the area being worked on, lowering risk of bacterial infection. The precision lowers damage to the surrounding tissue, with patients reporting faster wound healing and tissue regeneration.

Article by Dr Ashish Kakar, Orthodontist, Clinic in Gr Kailash – II, New Delhi Courtesy: www.hindustantimes.com

Bananas include three natural sugars; sucrose, fructose and glucose coupled with much needed dietary fibre, a banana provides an instant, sustained as well as substantial boost of power. Preliminary research has established that just two bananas provide enough energy for any arduous 90-minute workout. No question the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only method a banana can help people keep fit. It can also help conquer or prevent a considerable number associated with health conditions and conditions, making it a must to increase a person’s diet. After scanning this summary on bananas, an individual will in no way look at a banana in the same way again.

A few people have a small problem with the ingestion of bananas, the easy resolution, though it may seem strange, is in order to dust just a little “pepper” about the banana prior to eating, it really works like a charm. Some things that a “banana each day” might perform for an individual; help with anaemia, blood pressure level, brain power, constipation, depressive disorders, hangovers, acid reflux, morning sickness, mosquito attacks, nerves, obese, PMS as well as SAD, smoking, stress, cerebral vascular accidents, physical as well as emotional heat control, ulcers and hpv warts. This list could continue.

Bananas are big in iron and bananas can encourage the manufacture of haemoglobin within the blood and so helps in cases of “anemia”. This exceptional exotic fruit is very higher than average in potassium however low in sodium, which makes it the perfect fruit to defeat blood pressure. So much so, the country’s Food and Drug Administration has simply allowed the actual banana business to make official statements for the actual fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of “blood pressure” and “heart stroke”. More than three hundred school students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were assisted through their exams this season by eating bananas at breakfast every day, breaks, and lunch time in an offer to increase their “mental ability”. Groundwork has shown that the actual potassium-packed fresh fruit can assist learning by making individuals more aware.

The simple banana is high in dietary fibre, such as bananas in the diet can help “stop constipation” and restore natural bowel action, helping conquer the problem without relying on stimulant laxatives. According to a current study carried out by MIND amongst individuals struggling through “depression”, many individuals felt far better after consuming a banana. This happens because bananas consist of tryptophan, a type of protein that the entire body converts into serotonin, known to make a man or woman relax, improve their mood and usually make a person feel happier. One of the swiftest ways of curing a “hangover” would be to make a banana milkshake or smoothie, sweetened along with honey. The banana calms the belly and, with the help of the honey, increases reduced glucose levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates their own system.

Bananas have an all natural alkalizer impact in the body; so if an individual is experiencing “heartburn”, consider eating a banana for comforting relief. Snacking on bananas in between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoids “morning sickness”. Just before reaching for the insect bite remedy, try rubbing the actual affected region brought about by “mosquito attacks” with the inside of the banana skin. Many people discover it incredibly beneficial at decreasing swelling and discomfort. Bananas with regard to nerves, they’re high in B nutritional vitamins that help calm the actual nervous system.

Overweight and in the workplace? Research at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found demands at the office leads to gorging on comfort foodstuff like chocolate, potato chips and crisps. Looking at 5,thousand hospital sufferers, researchers found the most obese had been more likely to be in higher-pressure jobs. The ground-breaking report came to the conclusion that, to prevent panic-induced food craving, people have to control their blood sugar levels through snacking upon high carbohydrate foods each and every two hrs to maintain levels constant.

Forget about the medicines with “PMS” and eat the banana. The vitamin B6 it has regulates blood sugar levels, which can influence an individual’s state of mind. Bananas and (SAD) or “seasonal affective disorder” can help SAD affected individuals mainly because these people contain the actual natural mood enhancer tryptophan. Bananas can also help people trying to stop “smoking”. The actual B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, assist the body recuperate in the consequences associated with nicotine withdrawal. Bananas and “stress”, blood potassium is a vital mineral, which helps stabilize the actual heartbeat, transmits oxygen towards the brain as well as manages the body’s water balance. When individuals are stressed, their metabolism rises, therefore decreasing an individual’s potassium amounts. These could be rebalanced by using a high-potassium banana snack food.

Bananas can assist with “cerebro-vascular events” and in line with the research in “The New England Journal of Medicine,” eating bananas as a part of a normal diet can reduce the risk of “death by strokes” by as much as 40%! Amazing! Many other cultures observe bananas like a “cooling” fruit that may lower both “physical and emotional temperature” of pregnant women. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

The actual banana is used as the actual nutritionary food against intestinal tract disorders like ulcers because of its soft texture and level of smoothness. It may be the only uncooked fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler instances. It additionally neutralizes over-acidity and lowers irritation by covering the lining of the actual stomach. Those enthusiastic on all-natural alternate options claim that if a person wants to kill off a verruca, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the verruca, using the yellow part out. Very carefully hold the skin in place with the plaster or surgical tape!

A banana in fact is an organic remedy for countless afflictions. When a person even compares bananas to an apple, it has fourfold the protein, twice the actual carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin An and iron, and two times the other vitamins and minerals. It’s also abundant in potassium and it is one of the best value foods around.

Understandably its time to adjust that well-known expression so that people say, “The banana each day keeps the doctor away!” Bananas must be the grounds why monkeys are so very pleased all the time!

Tags: Banana a day keeps doctor away, Heal intestine ulcers, Helps in ‘Stop smoking’, Helps in avoiding death by stroke