Daily Health News Blog

Many individuals who diet, wonder what prevents them from succeeding toward their long-term goal of losing weight. Appesat helps these individuals to overcome one of the principal hurdles that cause these disappointments: simply having a big appetite. Most individuals who go astray from their diet do so because they are undisciplined or not committed enough to their long-term goals; they go astray because their appetite gets the best of them and because the diet foods they're eating are simply not enough to satisfy that appetite. Appesat is designed to attack this problem at its root. When we eat, our stomachs eventually send a signal to the brain that indicates that a satisfactory amount of food has been consumed. As anyone knows, this signal is sent at different times between one individual and the next. Some people who struggle with weight simply have a big appetite. Appesat is a natural fiber product which is consumed before eating. It functions to send the brain a message th

With the rising costs of groceries, we'd all love to save a few bucks at the checkout line. Now you can easily slash your bill with some clever shopping moves and DIY recipes. Manufacturers would like to make you think you're getting a good deal in exchange for convenience, but it's really just eating away at your food budget. Don't be fooled any longer. Cross these items off your list for good! 1. Bottled water. Bottled water is a bad investment for so many reasons. It's expensive compared to what's coming out of the tap, its cost to the environment is high (it takes a lot of fossil fuel to produce and ship all those bottles), and it's not even better for your health than the stuff running down your drain! Even taking into account the cost of filters, water from home is still much cheaper than bottled water, which can run up to $1 to $3 a pop. If you have well water and it really does not taste good (even with help from a filter), or if you have a

Walking through the processed food-packed aisles of your supermarket, you might forget that all fruits and vegetables are Right Stuffs...and that some, like cantaloupe, are among the cream of the crop. A cup of cubed cantaloupe (about a quarter of a medium melon) supplies more than a day’s vitamin A, nearly a day’s vitamin C, 12 percent of a day’s potassium, and 9 percent of a day’s folate. All for only 50 calories, no saturated fat, and virtually no sodium to burden your blood vessels. Even an apple, pear, or banana has around 100 calories. You know a cantaloupe is ripe when it has a strong aroma, the blossom end (opposite the indented end where the stem used to be) yields to gentle pressure, and the rind has a yellow cast. What to do with your ripe melon? Cut into chunks, spritz with fresh lemon or lime juice, and dig in. Or top with shaved Parmesan and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Or serve with a bit of goat cheese over a bed of mixed greens tossed with a red wine vinaigret

Another reason to get the flu shot this year: It may prevent a heart attack. Heart attack rates rise about 30% during flu season, according to a recent Russian study. Don’t stop eating fish because of recent reports of tainted Chinese imports—the benefits still outweigh the risk overall. But do vary your selections. • If you have acne, avoiding high-glycemic carbohydrates may help. While the role of diet in acne is controversial, emerging research suggests that such foods, which are quickly broken down into sugar in the blood, raise insulin levels, which in turn may increase production of hormones implicated in acne. • Stretching regularly may make your muscles stronger, suggests a new study. Performing regular hamstring stretches (the muscle at the back of the thigh), not only improved flexibility and increased range of motion in young people, it also strengthened their leg muscles. And stronger leg muscles, in turn, can help prevent knee injuries. • It’s increasingly importa

Spring is in the air – and so are pollen, molds, grasses and dust. Are you one of the millions of people who can’t smell of fresh scents of springtime because your nose is blocked? Over half of all Americans suffer from allergies, so you’re not alone if you’ve been sneezing, coughing or wiping your watery eyes. There are some natural supplements that you can take to help ease allergy symptoms: •Astragalus – A traditional Chinese remedy for allergies, this herb strengthens the immune system. •Butterbur – Taking butterbur supplements may reduce hay fever symptoms. •Evening Primrose – This oil works two ways to suppress allergies. First, allergic reactions cause inflammations and evening primrose oil acts as an anti-inflammatory to decrease the reaction. Secondly, it stimulates the white blood cells that regulate the production of histamines and antibodies. •Gamma Linolenic Acid – GLA has a long history in folk medicine for treating allergies. People who have allergies may requir

Why is the sun so bad for my skin? The sun's rays, which are called ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays (UVA and UVB rays) damage your skin. This leads to early wrinkles, skin cancer and other skin problems. Being in the sun often over time, even if you don't burn, can lead to skin cancer. A tan is the body's attempt to protect itself from the sun's harmful rays. Are tanning booths safer? No. Tanning booths use ultraviolet rays. Makers of the booths may claim that they use "harmless" UVA rays. But both UVA and UVB rays cause skin damage. While UVA rays take longer than UVB rays to damage the skin, they go deeper into the skin than UVB rays. On what parts of the body is skin cancer most likely to occur? Most skin cancers occur on parts of the body that are repeatedly exposed to the sun. These areas include the head, neck, face, tips of the ears, hands, forearms, shoulders, back, chests of men, and the back and lower legs of women.   What are t

Life looks a little rosier after 50, a new study finds. Older people in their mid- to late-50s are generally happier, and experience less stress and worry than young adults in their 20s, the researchers say. The results, based on a Gallup phone survey from 2008 of more than 340,000 Americans, held even after the researchers accounted for factors that could have contributed to differences in well-being with age, such as whether the participants were married, had children at home or were employed. So if having a partner and getting rid of the kids aren't responsible for the uptick in happiness and general life satisfaction with age, then what is? More studies will be needed to find out, the researchers say. "That can be based on social things, on societal things, on biological things; and for us that is the big question," study researcher Arthur Stone, a psychologist at Stony Brook University in N.Y. Two ways to look at life The findings agree with

Low-dose resveratrol may slow aging Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red wine, may mimic the effects of calorie restriction and inhibit various aspects of the aging process, according to a new study. The study adds to a growing body of research linking resveratrol and red wine consumption to a range of beneficial health effects, including brain and mental health and cardiovascular health. Red wine and resveratrol have been lauded as the answer to the “French paradox,” the question that asks why people who live in some regions of France where diets are soaked with saturated fats and washed down with a glass of wine, have a low incidence of heart disease. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies with resveratrol suggest that the compound may help prevent the negative effects of high-calorie diets and have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer potential. Critics of resveratrol’s benefits state that in order to gain support from dietary sources, one would have to drink 350

Magnesium May Decrease Colon Cancer Risk in Men Increased intakes of magnesium may reduce a man's risk of colon cancer by 50%, according to a new observational study from Japan. Intakes of the mineral of at least 327 mg per day were found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 52%, compared to intakes of less than 238 mg per day. No benefits were observed in women. The findings were published in the Journal of Nutrition . Being an epidemiological study, the findings do not prove causality, and additional studies, particularly randomized trials, are needed to confirm the findings, said researchers from Japan's National Cancer Center in Tokyo. Dietary sources of magnesium include green, leafy vegetables, meats, starches, grains, nuts, and milk. Earlier dietary surveys show that many adults do not meet the RDA for magnesium (320 mg per day for women and 420 mg per day for men). The Japanese researchers recruited 87,117 people with an average age of 57 and follow

What Should You Believe About Salt? A high salt intake and high blood pressure (hypertension) have been linked for many years, not only by scientific research but in the minds of many health-conscious people. However, the furor about trans fat and carbs has moved salt way down on the list of our dietary villains. Only a few people (7%, according to one survey) ever bother to check labels for salt anymore. As concern has faded, people have been eating more salt. Since the early 1980s, U.S. per capita salt intake has risen by about 50%. In large part, this is because Americans have turned increasingly toward takeout and restaurant meals, fast foods, prepared foods, and snacking. Low-sodium foods don’t sell well. Most packaged foods and restaurant meals are salty—not just at McDonald’s, but also elegant meals on white tablecloths. Portion sizes have increased dramatically, along with the prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure. No connection with salt intake, says the

Scientists in Palermo, Italy claim that cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruit consumption decreases oxidative stress in healthy humans. In fact, they found that cactus pear fruit positively affects the body's redox balance (helping maintain a healthy oxidative balance), decreases oxidative damage to lipids and improves antioxidant status in healthy humans. In a randomized, crossover, double-treatment study, 18 healthy volunteers received either 250 g of fresh cactus fruit pulp or 75 mg of vitamin C twice daily for two weeks. Then after a six-week break, they switched. Their blood was analyzed both before and after each two-week session. Researchers found that both the cactus pear and vitamin C supplement groups had higher vitamin C and E levels. However, after eating cactus pear fruit, volunteers had more signs of antioxidant effects than the vitamin C group. Researchers weren't sure why vitamin E levels went up since neither cactus pear nor vitamin C supplements are a

For people who embark on weight-loss programs, keeping weight off is even harder than losing it. A new study found that about five hours of exercise per week makes it easier for overweight women who lose weight to keep it off. Prescription for weight loss The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, included 201 overweight and obese women from 21 to 45 years old. The women were instructed to limit calories to 1,200 to 1,500 per day, and calories from fat to 20 to30% of total intake. Participants were divided into groups that engaged in four different levels of exercise intensity. Extra support was provided through regular support group meetings and telephone check-in calls with members of the intervention team. They were followed for two years. The women lost an average of 17.8 pounds (8.1 kg) in the first six months, but only 9.2 pounds (4.2 kg) remained off after two years. Energy expenditure through exercise similarly increased early in the study, but dropped ba

Adding soluble fiber to the diet may improve symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but insoluble fiber may worsen the effects, according to a new study. Sufferers of IBS assigned to receive a soluble fiber supplement (psyllium) experienced a 90-point reduction in the severity of their symptoms, almost double the levels observed in the placebo group. Reductions of 58 points in the severity of symptoms in the group assigned bran were noted, but this group experienced a high level of early drop-out following a worsening of IBS. “In this randomized trial in primary care patients with irritable bowel syndrome, psyllium resulted in a significantly greater proportion of patients reporting adequate relief of symptoms compared with placebo supplementation,” researchers wrote in the British Medical Journal . The precise numbers of people living with IBS in the United States are not known, as many people with mild symptoms do not consult a physician, but it

"A Better You" Your 7 days program to self-improvement I seem to lost count on how many times I've read and heard of celebrity marriages failing almost left and right. Not that I care (and personally I don't), it seems strange that we often see movie and TV stars as flawless people, living the fairytale life of riches and glamour. I suppose we all have to stop sticking our heads in the clouds and face reality. There are many ways to lose your sense of self-esteem despite of how trivial it could get. But whatever happens, we should all try not to lose our own sense of self. So what does it take to be a cut above the rest? Here are some of the things you can think and improve on that should be enough for a week. 1. Know your purpose Are you wandering through life with little direction - hoping that you'll find happiness, health and prosperity? Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to you

BBQ Peanut Butter Chicken Recipe courtesy of Santa Cruz Organic, a proud sponsor of Go Organic! for Earth Day Preparation facts Yield: 6 servings Ingredients 1 cup Santa Cruz Organic® Peanut Butter® 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup Santa Cruz Organic® 100% Lemon Juice garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp red pepper flakes 2 tsp ginger, finely chopped 2 1/2 lbs chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 1/2 inch strips Directions Prepare marinade 2 hours before ready to grill by mixing the ingredients, except the chicken, in a blender until combined. Marinate the chicken for approximately 2 hours. Lightly oil medium-hot BBQ grill. Grill marinated chicken for 6-8 minutes per side. Nutrition facts Serving Size  1 serving Calories  305 Calories from Fat  154 (50%) % Daily Value* 26% Total Fat  17g 22% Saturated Fat  4.4g Polyunsaturated Fat  3g Monounsaturated Fat  5.7g 32% Cholesterol  96mg 19% Sodium  459mg 11% Potassium  384mg 1% Total Carbohydrate  4g 2%

Health Secrets of Red Wine are Uncovered “Although excessive consumption of ethanol in alcoholic beverages causes multi-organ damage, moderate consumption, particularly of red wine, is protective against all-cause mortality,” according to a study published online in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research . New research is uncovering the disease-prevention secrets of a polyphenol called resveratrol, one of the compounds in red wine that seems to improve health. Although the benefits have been touted for years, researchers weren’t sure how polyphenols, and resveratrol in particular, worked in the body. “The breadth of benefits is remarkable—cancer prevention, protection of the heart and brain from damage, reducing age-related diseases such as inflammation, reversing diabetes and obesity and many more,” said Lindsay Brown, an associate professor of the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia and co-author of the study in Alcoho

Following a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in olive oil and fruit and vegetables, may improve vascular health and reduce the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure), according to a new study. Findings published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition report that a diet rich in olive oil and fruit and vegetables was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of hypertension. The Mediterranean Diet is rich in cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish and olive oil. Although it is the traditional diet of the Mediterranean region, it has garnered interest all over the world in recent times as a scientific spotlight has been trained on the health benefits it can confer. For instance, recent research has indicated that the diet may have benefits for arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, heart health and blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, lung disease and allergies. Led by Dr. Jorge Nunez-Cordoba from the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, the scien

Green Tea May Add Years to Your Lifetime Everyone wants to lead a long and healthy life. Now it appears that green tea can help you achieve your goals. A study completed by a research team from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that green tea “reduced mortality due to all causes.” At the beginning of the study, researchers noted “Green tea polyphenols have been extensively studied as cardiovascular disease and cancer chemopreventive agents in vitro and in animal studies. However, the effects of green tea consumption in humans remains unclear.” So they decided to “investigate the associations between green tea consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality.” Researchers began the Ohsaki National Health Insurance Cohort Study in 1994 among 40,530 Japanese adults aged 40 to 79 years without a history of stroke, coronary heart disease, or cancer. Participants were followed for up to 11 years for all-ca

Vitamin D Levels Could Play Role in Heart Disease, Diabetes Risk "High levels of vitamin D among middle-age and elderly populations are associated with a substantial decrease in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome," said Dr. Oscar Franco of the Health Sciences Research Institute in the United Kingdom. Dr. Franco is a lead author of a systematic review and meta-analysis that looked at the association between blood levels of vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Twenty-eight studies giving data on 99,745 participants across a variety of ethnic groups including men and women were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Maturitas. After analyzing the 28 studies researchers found that the highest blood levels of vitamin D were associated with a 33% reduction in the risk of developing CVD, a 55% reduction in the risk of developing

Niacin Protective against Dementia in Aging Taking niacin may help protect patients against Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of cognitive decline according to the results of a recent study. A research team followed 3,718 participants in the Chicago Health and Aging Project for six years and tracked their niacin intake and mental status via food frequency questionnaires and testing of cognitive functioning at three-year intervals. The subjects were 65 and older and did not have Alzheimer's Disease when the study began. Scientists tested a random sample of 815 subjects, 131 of whom had developed Alzheimer's. When the niacin intake of the sample was examined, it was found that subjects who ranked in the top three-fifths of the sample's niacin consumption through supplements and foods had a 70% lower adjusted risk of developing the disease than those in the lowest sample. Even when the vitamin was obtained from food alone, the protective benefit was similar. Cogn

How To Cure White Patches on Skin By: Dr. Mital John White patches affecting millions of population from any races and both sexes. Actually this post is a brief discussion about the skin conditions which causes the white patches on skin, what are the causes of these patches and how these skin conditions can be treated. The other cause of this is called vitiligo. This is a condition of unknown cause, but is probably an autoimmune condition. The pigment cells in the skin are absent, and so even pale skin shows white patches, and this is much more noticeable in dark skin. Some causes of white patches on the skin include: • Vitiligo - causing white patches • Hypo pigmentation • Halo nevus - a pale mole with surrounding hypo pigmentation. • Skin injury - causes a white or pale patch during skin recovery. • Tania vesicular • Lichen sclerosis • Leprosy Other causes of white patches include deficiency of vitamin B12 which in turn leads to anemia, hyper activity of the thyroid

Millions of people who have hypertension, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, or a family history of premature heart disease—or who have already had a heart attack—have been advised by their doctors to take low-dose aspirin. Just one-quarter adult tablet (81 milligrams, sometimes called a "baby" aspirin) daily reduces the tendency of the blood to clot, thus helping to ward off heart attack and stroke. Some people take half a tablet (162 milligrams) every other day or daily. Aspirin therapy has probably saved thousands of lives. If you are on it, you may have noticed recent headlines and TV news reports claiming that for some people, aspirin doesn’t work. What’s going on here? As aspirin therapy has become commonplace, scientists have learned more about it. While low-dose aspirin reduces the risk of a first heart attack in middle-aged men by 44%, for example, it is not a cure-all. Some people on aspirin therapy have a heart attack anyway. No one is sure why—but one factor may b

When it comes to cholesterol, most people think lower is better. But it isn’t so simple. While all the cholesterol you eat is the same, cholesterol in the blood travels in different types of packages. The two basic kinds are LDL (low-density lipoprotein, the "bad" type), which promotes atherosclerosis, and HDL (high-density lipoprotein, the "good" type), which helps protect against this. So while you want to keep your LDL and total cholesterol low, you want to keep your HDL high. HDL is turning out to be even more cardio-protective than previously thought. Not only does it help remove cholesterol from artery walls, but recent research indicates that it also acts as an antioxidant, reduces inflammation and blood clotting, and helps blood vessels to dilate and stay flexible. Low HDL is a part of the metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that greatly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes. It’s estimated that for every 1 mg/dl incre

Socializing to Continue Healthy Aging It is always a good thing to have friends, which you can socialize with. There are so many good things about being around people. It is difficult living alone without someone there to lend you an ear when needed. Unfortunately, we live in a world filled with consume souls, which rarely take the time to share and listen to others. Still, you can find someone in the billions of people in the world who will listen. When you are alone you, feel lonely. At this time your body and mind endures unwarranted stress from lack of socialization. Experts tell us all the time to get out and enjoy life, since withering away, locked behind the walls of your home will affect your health. What problems can non-socializing cause? Non-socialization can affect your mind and body. Usually a person who refuses to socialize will sit around dawdling in self-pity. The mind starts to stress out, which leads to depression. While you may enjoy being alone away from stre

Is Exercise a Natural Sleep Aid for Seniors? There are a number of reasons why exercise, particularly if performed at the right time of day, is considered the most positive sleep aid for seniors. None, however, are more significant than the fact that exercise is a completely natural form of aid. But before discussing why exercise is such a great sleep aid, it is important to examine both the definition of insomnia and the reasons that people suffer from this affliction. At its basic level, insomnia is defined as a difficulty to either fall or stay asleep, or to experience sleep that seems inadequate or fails to produce the refreshing feeling that sleep normally provides, despite the length of time spent sleeping. Insomnia is not considered a disease, rather it is a symptom that is thought to have numerous, quite different causes. Of the types of things that can lead to patterns of insomnia, physicians note that physical disorders, drinking large amounts of alcohol in th

The Importance of the 12 B Vitamin The 12 b vitamin is one of the b vitamins that are essential to maintain a healthy body. Otherwise known as Cobalamin, the 12b vitamin is needed for the processes to convert the carbohydrates, fats and proteins from food into energy. 12 b also, more importantly, helps keep the red blood cells healthy and therefore prevent heart disease as well as keeping the immune system functioning at its maximum level. In addition, 12 b is used to create the protective covering of all nerve cells in the body. The most important function of 12 b is to form healthy red blood cells. However, all cells need 12 b to keep them healthy. It is the white blood cells, amongst others, that need 12 b to help ensure that the immune system functioning properly. All of the nerve cells in the body also need 12 b to form their protective fatty layer. This is essential for all of the nerves but is especially so for those in the brain. If there is not sufficient 12 b to creat

Sex and the Baby Boomers The number of men and women continuing to have sexual intercourse into old age had increased from 52 per cent to 68 per cent among married men and 38 per cent to 56 per cent among married women. With the passage of time, pensioners are no longer inhibited about admitting their continuing desire to get between the sheets. The perception that sexual desire abates with age is wrong. Indeed, the post-50 phase is the golden age for couples, since their kids have grown up and their social responsibilities are over. Viagra is reviving bedroom lives, and often it is the women who push their husbands to consult a sexologist. What part has the post-liberalisation media, with its near-obsession with sex, played in the Great Awakening? Psychologist Anjali Chhabria believes it is a definite influence. "The openness with which the print and electronic media discuss sexual issues has encouraged senior citizens to look after themselves and their personal life,"

ARTHRITIC BASICS Arthritis signals people in a variety of ways. Joints might crack suddenly, like knees upon standing. Other joints may be stiff and creak. Maybe pain occurs, like when trying to open a jar. What’s it all about? Let’s look at the basics and learn more. Arthritis actually means “joint inflammation” and has over 100 related conditions or type / forms of disease. Left untreated, it can advance, resulting in joint damage that cannot be undone or reversed. So early detection and treatment are important. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although both have similar symptoms, both happen for different reasons. When joints are overused and misused, the results can be OA. What happens is that the cushioning cartilage that protects the joint breaks down, resulting in the bones rubbing together. This generally happens in the knees, but can be found in the hips, spine and hands often, too. And only in later stages wi

Staying Fit and Healthy Aging The aging process starts from the day we are born. A person may not realize it but we need to work on staying fit and healthy everyday. In the end, you’ll feel and look younger all during the aging progression. There are many things you can do to stay healthy and feel good. Watch your diet and continue activities throughout the course of your life. Your diet has a lot to do with aging and health. Your diet contains vitamins, minerals and other nutrients you need to stay healthy. If your over weight try getting yourself into an exercise program. Walking is a great program to get involved. Start out walking gradually and work your way up to 12 to 15 miles by walking two or 3 times a week. Walking brings up the heart rate making it do its work. You can loosen the tight and stiffness in your legs and besides loosing weight with diet it will help to tone your muscles. Combined weight lifting with your walk agenda but don’t over work, yourself becau