Archive for December, 2009

Tips to have a healthy heart

Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept it as your fate. Although you lack the power to change some risk factors — such as family history or age — there are some key heart disease prevention steps you can take.

- Don’t smoke or use tobacco products : Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,800 chemicals. Many of these can damage your heart and blood vessels, making them more vulnerable to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack. In addition, the nicotine in cigarette smoke makes your heart work harder by narrowing your blood vessels and increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke replaces some of the oxygen in your blood. This increases your blood pressure by forcing your heart to work harder to supply enough oxygen.
The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year.
- Exercise : Physical activity helps you control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also reduces stress, which may also be a factor in heart disease.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet : Ideally aim for a diet containing about 25 percent calories from fat, divided as follows: polyunsaturated fat (10 percent), monounsaturated (10 percent) saturated/trans fats (no more than 5 percent). Major sources of saturated fat include beef, butter, cheese, milk, and coconut and palm oils. Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat (intake should be approx 10 percent), may decrease your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure. Foods high in polyunsaturated fat include corn oil, safflower and sunflower oil, nuts, seeds and some fish. Foods containing polyunsaturated fat are best eaten cold or lightly cooked.
- Soy foods contain beneficial protein — 25 grams of soy protein per day may help reduce risk of heart disease. Substitute soy milk for skim milk, choose tofu or tempeh daily, snack on soy nuts or enjoy a smoothie made with soy milk and fruit.
- Limit sodium intake to 2400 milligrams a day.
- Eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
- Avoid foods containing trans-fatty acids.
- Blood clots : Blood clots can block or stem the blood flow, causing a heart attack. So foods which contain chemicals which prevent blood clotting can protect against heart disease. These include naturally oily fish, such as mackerel, sardines and salmon.
- Fibre : Fibre has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels and may therefore reduce the risk of heart disease. Foods high in fibre include cereal crops such as oats, pasta, bread and potatoes.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Get regular health screenings.

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Tips to have a healthy skin

The skin is one of the most powerful indicators of health. Wrinkles, dry or oily skin, acne, and inflammation all are signs of poor internal health, often brought on by consuming unhealthful foods and avoiding skin-healthy nutrients. Everything you eat becomes a part of not only your inner being, but the outer fabric of your body as well. The healthier the foods are that you consume, the better your skin will look.

- Drink plenty of water : It helps keep the skin hydrated, and helps clear out the system, which will not only mean beautiful skin, but feeling better all around.
- Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and plums : The common link between these four foods is their high antioxidant content.
- Salmon, Walnuts, Canola Oil, and Flax Seed : Loaded with essential fatty acids, they’re just what the skin needs to protect itself. Additionally, it also helps the skin look younger by giving it the nourishment it needs to keep it supple.
- Green Tea : Yet another liquid, but an incredibly beneficial one. Green tea has anti inflammatory properties and is rich in poly phenols. And, for an added benefit, helps the metabolism.
- Whole Wheat Bread : This item, while some might say has a less appealing flavor than, say, white bread, is healthy because it contains selenium. Selenium is a mineral that is helpful when it comes to skin cells, and, studies show, might even help skin damaged by the sun.

TOP NUTRIENTS NEEDED :
- Silica : Silica is a trace mineral that strengthens the body’s connective tissues – muscles, tendons, hair, ligaments, nails, cartilage, and bone – and is vital for healthy skin. Food sources of silica include leeks, green beans, garbanzo beans, strawberries, cucumber, mango, celery, asparagus and rhubarb.
- Zinc : Zinc acts by controlling the production of oil in the skin, and may also help control some of the hormones that create acne. Zinc is also required for proper immune system function, as well as for the maintenance of vision, taste, and smell. Zinc consumption is also strongly linked to a reduction of prostate cancer. Foods rich in zinc include fresh oysters, pumpkin seeds, ginger, pecans, Brazil nuts, oats, and eggs.
- Omega-3 Fatty acids : EFAs are responsible for skin repair, moisture content, and overall flexibility, but because the body cannot produce its own EFAs, they must be obtained through the diet. Omega-6 fatty acids found in baked goods and grains, and lacking in omega-3s, found in cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel, as well as flaxseeds and safflower oil.

OTHER TIPS :
- Wash your skin everyday with a gentle, moisturizing soap.
- Wear sunscreen everyday, even in the winter or when it is cloudy out.
- Moisturize : Dry skin doesn’t heal as easily as soft skin, and therefore is more susceptible to other forms of damage.
- Exercise is good anytime and for multiple reasons, but it helps the skin keep elasticity, which will, in turn, help reduce wrinkles.

THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT DO :
- Avoid oily foods.
- Reduce stress.
- Be cautious in using different skin products.
- Avoid direct sunlight.
- Avoid breathing tobacco smoke.
- Alcohol dries the skin, so keep it off your skin and out of your diet for maximum skin protection.

Cervical mucus method

Cervical mucus method: One way that women track their fertility cycles is called the cervical mucus method. The hormones that control your cycle also make the cervix produce mucus. It collects on the cervix and in the vagina. And it changes in quality and quantity just before and during ovulation. The consistency of your cervical mucus changes during the menstrual cycle. In the average cycle, there are 3 to 4 dry days following a 5 day menstrual flow.

The Mucus Pattern
* During your period, your flow covers the mucus signs.
* After your period, there are usually a few days without mucus. These are called “dry days.” These may be safe days if the cycle is long.
* When an egg starts to ripen, more mucus is produced. It appears at the opening of the vagina. It is generally yellow or white and cloudy. And it feels sticky or tacky.
* Usually, you will have the most mucus just before ovulation. It looks clear and feels slippery — like raw egg white. When it can be stretched between the fingers, it is called spinnbarkeit — German for stretchable. These are the “slippery days.” It is the peak of your fertility.
* After about four slippery days, you may suddenly have less mucus. It will become cloudy and tacky again. And then you may have a few more dry days before your period starts. These are also safe days.

Step 1: Collect the mucus from the vaginal opening with your fingers by wiping them from front to back.
Step 2: Record it daily on your fertility calendar by making note of the color (yellow, white, clear or cloudy), the consistency (thick, sticky, or stretchy) and the feel (dry, wet, sticky, slippery, stretchy).
Step 3: Ovulation is recorded on the day that your mucus is clearest, slippery and most stretchy.
Do not douche or use spermicides which increase your risk for infection and may wash away or change the appearance of the mucus.