The Medical Health Plus

Diet and Eating Habits

Why eat healthy?
Eating the natural foods humans are well adapted at utilizing, enhances ones ability to cope with the reality of every day life. This in essence improves the probability of living a longer, healthier and happier life. Quality food consumption becomes especially important in the present world of high stress and pollution – making a healthy diet an essential aspect of modern self health care.
Eat Healthy to provide the necessary nutrients that your body needs to create new cells, clean toxins, and to just function every day, also eating right now can help prevent future diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

If you want to eat healthy, it is important to make healthy choices in what you eat all the time, meals and snacks.
Foods with refined grains, such as white flour or refined wheat, have high amounts of starch that the body just stores away and doesn’t use. Try to eat more whole grains such as whole wheat (bread, etc.), brown rice and oats — which provide energy over a longer period of time after you eat them.
Remember to eat a balanced, varied diet, and eat sweets and foods that are high in fat or calories only in moderation. Following a healthy diet is something you must do for your entire life.

Best strategies to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits is to:

• Maintain a balance between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don’t eat more food than your body uses. The average recommended daily allowance is 2,000 calories, but this depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity.
• Eat a wide variety of foods. Healthy eating is an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don’t normally eat
• Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol. Try to get fresh, local produce
• Drink more water. Our bodies are about 75% water. It is a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush our systems, especially the kidneys and bladder, of waste products and toxins. A majority of Americans go through life dehydrated.
• Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products.   Sugar is added to a vast array of foods. In a year, just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can increase your weight by 16 pounds. See suggestions below for limiting salt and substituting whole grains for refined grains. Limit sugary drinks, such as soda and fruit-flavored drinks. Serve water and low-fat milk instead.
• A healthy diet improves your energy and feelings of well-being while reducing your risk of many diseases. Adding regular physical activity and exercise will make any healthy eating plan work even better.
• Limit fat intake by avoiding deep-fried foods and choosing healthier cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products.
• Be sure you serve fruit or vegetables at every meal.
• Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein, such as fish, eggs, beans, and nuts.

Steps towards healthy eating

• Take time to chew your food: Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Avoid stress while eating: When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised, causing problems like colitis and heartburn. Avoid eating while working, driving, arguing, or watching TV (especially disturbing programs or the news). Try taking some deep breaths prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
• Listen to your body: Ask yourself if you are really hungry. You may really be thirsty, so try drinking a glass of water first. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly. Eating just enough to satisfy your hunger will help you remain alert, relaxed and feeling your best, rather than stuffing yourself into a “food coma”!
• Eat early, eat often: Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off. Also, eating small, healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals, can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.

NOTE: eating habits don’t have to change all at once. You can gradually get rid of unhealthy foods and start eating them less.

Caffeine Intake

Caffeine is a natural ingredient found in the leaves, seeds or fruit of a number of plants, including coffee, tea, cocoa, kola, guarana and yerba maté. It is also manufactured and used as a food additive in some carbonated drinks, and as an ingredient in certain drug products, such as cold and headache remedies.

Foods and drinks with caffeine are everywhere, it’s wise to keep caffeine consumption to a minimum. People have enjoyed foods and beverages containing caffeine for thousands of years. It is one of the most well-studied ingredients in the food supply.
Historically, Coffee originated in Africa around 575 A.D., where beans were used as money and consumed as food. At eleventh century Arabians were known to have coffee beverages, While exploring the New World, Spanish conquistadors were treated to a chocolate drink by Aztec Emperor Montezuma in 1519. The world’s first caffeinated soft drinks were created in the 1880′s.

Caffeine in its natural and added forms is found in a growing list of products including coffee, tea, cola beverages, new “energy” drinks, chocolate and even some medicines. The increasing presence of caffeine in our lives raises the question of how much is too much for the average consumer.

Too much caffeine can cause:

• Jitteriness and nervousness
• Upset stomach
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty sleeping
• Increased heart rate
• Increased blood pressure

How caffeine affects kids

A stimulant that affects kids and adults similarly, caffeine is a drug that’s naturally produced in the leaves and seeds of many plants. Caffeine is also made artificially and added to certain foods. Caffeine is defined as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system. At lower levels, it can make people feel more alert and energetic.
For children aged one to five, their caffeine comes from cola drinks about 55% , about 30% from tea, and about 14% from chocolate. The rest comes from other sources, including medicines.
Reasons to limit kids’ caffeine consumption include:

• Consuming one 12-ounce (355-milliliter) sweetened soft drink per day increases a child’s risk of obesity by 60 percent.
• Caffeinated beverages contain empty calories (calories that don’t provide any nutrients), but kids who fill up on them don’t get the vitamins and minerals they need from healthy sources, putting them at risk for nutritional deficiencies. In particular, kids who drink too much soda (the consumption of which usually starts between the third and eighth grades) may miss getting the calcium they need from milk to build strong bones and teeth.
• Drinking too many sweetened caffeinated drinks could lead to dental cavities (or caries) from the high sugar content and the erosion of tooth enamel from acidity.
• Caffeine is a diuretic that causes the body to eliminate water (through urinating), which may contribute to dehydration. Whether the amount of caffeine in beverages is enough to actually cause dehydration is not clear, however. It may depend on whether the person drinking the beverage is used to caffeine and how much caffeine was consumed that day. To be on the safe side, it’s wise to avoid excessive caffeine consumption in hot weather, when kids need to replace water lost through perspiration.
• Abruptly stopping caffeine may cause withdrawal symptoms (headaches, muscle aches, temporary depression, and irritability), especially for those who are used to consuming a lot.
• Caffeine can aggravate heart problems or nervous disorders, and some kids may not be aware that they’re at risk.

Sources of Caffeine

Home Treatments for Tuberculosis

TUBERCULOSIS (a.k.a. TB) is caused by entry of tubercle bacillus though the nasal passage, all the way to the lungs. It multiplies millions of times, and leave tiny spots called tubercles all over the body.
A chronic or acute infection in the lungs caused by a bacterium is known as tuberculosis, it is one of the most common diseases in the world. Early symptoms and the first signs of tuberculosis are easy to miss and overlook, there is great danger in this as the physical symptoms gradually become obvious and apparent only after the illness has developed to such an extent-that X-ray pictures can easily show obstructions in the lungs. Physical symptoms include the presence of a subtle fever, physical malaise and a sudden weight loss in the person. TB patients are affected by the production of large amounts of mucus in the lungs, gradually coughing begins with the production of scanty sputum that which appears green, and has a pus-like consistency-later on, the mucus begins to obstruct respiration and full scale TB results. The presence of a bloody cough, constant pain in the walls of the chest and a shortness of breath are the usual and most obvious signs of tuberculosis.  

Symptoms Of Tuberculosis

• Difficulty Breathing
• Rise in Body Temperature, especially in the evening
• Persistent Cough and Hoarseness
• Pain in Shoulders
• Indigestion, and Chest Pain
• Blood in the Sputum

Home Remedies for Tuberculosis

• A Milk Diet: A large source of calcium is vital as part of the TB healing process. Milk is the riches source of calcium, Unpasteurized milk produces the best results. At least 4 to 5 litres of milk must be consumed daily.
• Pineapple: Juice of pineapple is veryn much effective in tuberculosis. It dissolves mucus and faster result of recover. Taking one glass of pineapple juice is advised daily.
• Custard Apple: This revitalizes the body, custard Apple mixed with 25 seedless raisons need to be boiled together. And then mixed with a sugar candy substance, along with cinnamon, cardamom and other spices. This helps rejuvenate the patient’s body.
• Orange:  A pinch salt with a tablespoon of honey added to a glass of orange juice can help inhibit the spread of secondary diseases.One glass cup of this juice must be taken to norish their lungs and regain vitality.
• Indian gooseberry (Amla) is most beneficial home remedy,its gives energy and improves healthy capacity of vigorous activity. Add one tablespoon of honey with a tablesspoon of fresh juice of indian gooseberry take it every morning.
• Avoid Questionable Foods and Drinks: Foods such as white bread, refined sugar, and processed cereals should be avoided. Also coffee, puddings and pies, and canned foods should not be eaten. Also, the patient should not drink strong tea or coffee. Furthermore, condiments such as pickles and sauces cannot be used.
• Banana is also great.

Usual dosage to be taken

• Garlic, three capsules thrice a day.
• Vitamin A, 25,000 IU (should be avoided during pregnancy) or beta-carotene, 50,000 IU.
• Vitamin B6, 50-100 mg.
• Vitamin B complex, 100 mg thrice a day.
• Vitamin C, with bioflavonoids, 1,000 mg every few hours, up to 5,000-10,000 mg a day up to bowel tolerance.
• Copper, 4 mg.
• Zinc, 50 mg or more.
• Selenium, 600 mcg.
• Calcium, 1,000 mg, with 500 mg magnesium.
• Pycnogenols like grape seed extract, pine bark extract and quercetin, bilberry, catechin, hesperidin, 300 mg or more.
• Lactobacillus acidophilus, three capsules or one tsp.
• Parathyroid glandular extract, one to two capsules.
• Halibut liver or cod oil, three to six capsules, for vitamin D.
• Coenzyme Q10, 100 mg thrice a day.
• Green food supplements, one tbsp.

Tuberculosis can be successfully healed by exposure to lots of fresh air, to adequate sunshine, and to regular participation in physical exercises along with deep breathing techniques. It is important to keep the bedroom of the patient well ventilated and cool with a flow of air at all times of the day and night. It is ideal for all TB patients to spend an extended period of time in the cool and fresh mountain air-a good environment is very important in recovery from TB. Patients should avoid staying for long periods of time in stuffy and air-conditioned rooms. To avoid spreading the germs of tuberculosis around the home, whenever coughing, use a tissue held up to the face-cover the mouth and nose with this when you cough.

How is tuberculosis transmitted?

The tuberculosis germ is carried on droplets in the air, and can enter the body through the airway. A person with active pulmonary tuberculosis can spread the disease by coughing or sneezing. The process of catching tuberculosis involves two stages: first, a person has to become infected; second, the infection has to progress to disease. To become infected, a person has to come in close contact with another person having active tuberculosis. In other words, the person has to breathe the same air in which the person with active disease coughs or sneezes.
Transmission occurs only from persons with active TB disease (not latent TB infection). A person has to come in contact with someone who has active TB disease with TB germs present in the sputum. The likelihood of this happening also depends on the time spent in close contact with the person with active disease. The process of infection progresses to disease in about ten percent of those infected, and it can happen any time during the remainder of their lives. Although the chance of progression to disease diminishes with the passage of time, tuberculosis can develop more easily if the immune system weakens.

SNORING (stertor)

Breathing through the nose is the body’s ideal method of receiving air because the nose acts as a humidifier, heater and filter for the breathed air, but when the nose becomes blocked, the body is forced to obtain its air through the mouth, which does not filter, humidify, or heat the received air. This problem causes snoring.

Snoring is called medically as “stertor” and its slang name is “sawing logs”. Snoring is also one symptom of a serious sleep disorder known as sleep apnea. When a person has Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition that interrupts your breathing when you are asleep. Its usually caused by an obstruction blocking the back of the throat so that the air cannot reach your lungs. The cessation of breathing automatically forces you to wake up in order to start breathing again.  People with colds or allergies frequently have trouble with snoring. Congestion in the nose makes it more difficult to breathe and can result in loud snorts and sniffs. Many with chronic allergies are chronic snorers because they deal with long-term congestion.

Snoring is followed by periods of quietness that could last 10 seconds, maybe more. The lack of oxygen signals the brain to wake up, forcing the airway to open with a loud snort or gasp. This repeats itself over and over again in an adult who is affected by this. If this condition is left untreated, high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke could be the result.

What Causes Snoring?
There are many reasons why people snore. Here are some of the most common:

• Seasonal allergies can make some people’s noses stuffy and cause them to snore.
• Sex men snore more frequently than women because the air passage in their throats is narrower than women’s air passages.
• Blocked nasal passages or airways (due to a cold or sinus infection) can cause a rattling snore.
• Pregnancy may make some women snore especially during the last few months. This may be due in part to weight gain, and also to increased nasal congestion. Pregnant women are also advised not to sleep on their backs during the last couple of months of pregnancy, since this position may not be a good one for the unborn child.
• * A deviated septum (say: dee-vee-ate-ed sep-tum), which is the tissue and cartilage that separates the two nostrils in your nose, may be crooked. Some people with a very deviated septum have surgery to straighten it out. This also helps them breathe better – not just stop snoring.
• Enlarged or swollen tonsils or adenoids may cause a person to snore. Tonsils and adenoids (adenoids are glands located inside of your head, near the inner parts of your nasal passages) help trap harmful bacteria, but they can become very big and swollen all of the time. Many kids who snore have this problem.
• Being in the menopause is linked with snoring

Here are tips to reduce or prevent snoring:

• Lose weight if you are overweight, Fat and skin tissue in the neck puts pressure on the airway, making nighttime breathing more challenging. Being overweight is a common cause of snoring. Loose throat tissues are more likely to vibrate as you breathe.
• Limit or avoid alcohol and sedatives at bedtime, Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at least four hours before bedtime.
• Avoid sleeping flat on your back, Sleep on your side. Lying on your back allows your tongue to fall backward into your throat, narrowing your airway and partially obstructing airflow.
• Treat nasal congestion or obstruction.
• Avoid smoking. Smoking causes swelling, inflammation and irritation to your nostrils and throat, making snoring more likely.
• Avoid big meals just before bed time.

In conclusion, Snoring could be a sign of a serious health problem and experts have warned that if it is left untreated, high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke could be the result.

Napping increases Type 2 risk diabetes

Taking regular lunchtime siestas could increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to research.

The study of 16,480 people, found those who napped were 26% more likely to get the condition than those who did not.

Several factors which may be behind the link included disrupted night-time sleep and an association between napping and reduced physical activity.

But a conference in Glasgow will hear that factors like genetics and being overweight are more significant.

The researchers will tell delegates at the Diabetes UK event that napping during the day may disrupt night-time sleep.

This could have an impact as short night-time sleep duration has been shown to be associated with an increased Type 2 diabetes risk.

‘Another step’

Waking up from napping also activates hormones and mechanisms in the body that stop insulin working effectively, the researchers said, and this could predispose people to Type 2 diabetes – which can develop when the insulin the body makes does not work properly.

Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Diabetes UK, said: “We already know that people who are overweight or obese, and therefore more at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, can have problems sleeping.

“This new research could be another step towards explaining the possible link between disturbed sleep patterns and Type 2 diabetes.”

“However, in terms of being major risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, disturbed sleep or napping are likely to remain less significant than already established risk factors such as being overweight, being over the age of 40 or having a history of diabetes in the family.”

Diabetes is a serious condition that can lead to long-term complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputation.

Short-term complications include hypoglycaemic episodes, which can lead to unconsciousness and hospitalisation if left untreated, and persistent high blood glucose levels can be fatal if untreated.

The research, conducted by scientists from the University of Birmingham and from Guangzhou Hospital in China, will be presented at Diabetes UK’s annual conference in Glasgow’s SECC.

Diabetes drugs given sooner

One in three people with type 2 diabetes are given medication too soon, instead of being urged to eat better and do more exercise, a study suggests.

A study of 650 people in south west England found 36% were put on tablets within a month of being diagnosed, a Diabetes UK conference heard.

Yet UK guidelines recommend patients should first try to make lifestyle changes to control the condition.

The Royal College of GPs agreed diet and exercise should come first.

More than 400 people a day are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the UK.

It is often associated with obesity, and attempts in recent years to screen people for the disease has increased the number of people being diagnosed.

In the latest study, researchers found that in many patients lifestyle management was not given a chance, despite being widely recognised as being the initial first “treatment”.

Metformin is the first drug of choice, but more drugs can be added if that is not doing enough to control blood sugar levels.

The researchers found that 13% of participants were actually on two types of tablets within the first few weeks of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Lifestyle

Study author Dr Rob Andrew, a senior lecturer at the University of Bristol, said they had not expected the figures to be quite so high.

“There is quite clear guidance that says when you’re first diagnosed, you should have the opportunity to concentrate on lifestyle then if that doesn’t work the next stage is metformin.

“When people are diagnosed, they’re ready to make a lot of changes but if you give them a tablet, you’re saying it is not their lifestyle that is the problem.”

He added that incentive payments to encourage GPs to reduce blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes, a lack of NHS resources for lifestyle support and a cultural attitude that people will not make the necessary changes are probably all to blame.

Simon O’Neill, from Diabetes UK, said they were concerned that in some cases medication seemed to be the first port of call.

“A healthy, balanced diet and doing physical activity should always be the foundation of good diabetes management.

“Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition – the longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they are to need tablets, and eventually insulin.

“Even if people are on tablets, medication should not simply replace diet and physical activity.”

Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said there was probably a case of jumping in too quickly with pills.

“It is a reminder for GPs and nurses managing newly diagnosed diabetes that lifestyle advice is the most important component.”

He added that in some areas of the country there was a lack of resources for supporting behavioural changes.

source: bbc

Dealing With Stress – Everyday Stressors

Some time we feel our self angry, frustrating and irritating it is just because of stress. We can not ignore stress but we can manage stress in many ways. The best solution for dealing with stress is to breathe deeply but apart from these there are many other ways also of dealing with stress and everyday stressors.

1. Taking good nutrition and having good diet helps you in managing your stress easily. If you are taking a good diet and taking on time then it means that at least you are taking one major step for dealing with stress.

2. Sleep is very important for good health. Your health has direct link with your stress and stressors. If you are taking plenty of sleep it means you are providing your body relaxation.

3. Doing exercise provides your body lot of satisfaction. Exercise not only helps you in dealing with stress but it also maintains the physical structure of your body.

4. Laughing is good for health, after a brief laugh you feel relaxed. You can also take part in conversation with your friends, family members and your co-workers.

5. Take some time out from your busy work schedule for relaxation. Although there are different tools for relaxation but the most cheap and effective tool is that you must spend some time alone. But spending some time alone doesn’t mean that you lock yourself alone in a dark room. Doing this will only increase the level of your stress. Garden or seaside’s are places to consider when you are looking to spend some time alone.

These are few important steps which can help you in dealing with stress and everyday stressors. Follow them and you will be in a peaceful state of mind. A peaceful state of mind means that you are in a relaxed state and stress free.

Strategies For Getting Rid Of Stress

As we all are aware that life is becoming faster and hectic day by day. People are facing enormous amount of work load each and every day. Therefore every person is facing stress problem. It is important for you to understand that you must design some strategies for getting rid of your stress. I will be sharing some knowledge with you that how you can design or select a strategy for dealing with your stress.

If you want to manage your stress then no one will help you in doing so apart from you. It is important for you to get rid of your stress as quick as you can because it can affect your health and can cause some health problems like headaches, digestion problem, heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, lack of concentration and other major diseases.

Now days there are many articles published in news papers, internet regarding stress.

They provide information and about the various techniques that how can u manage your stress and even they provide you proper guidelines for designing strategies for getting rid of your health.

Most of the time the reason for stress is not similar, it may be from work, traffic jam, financial situations and etc. The most common symptoms of stress one could feel are laziness, feeling sleepy and weariness.

The most common and easy strategies which you can adapt for getting rid of your stress can be breathing deeply, exercising daily and involving in conversations with your family members and friends.

Apart from all this you can design your own strategies for getting rid of stress according to your problem or stressor.