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Kidney Infection Or Lower Back Pain? How To Distinguish Between The Two

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 31, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Back pain is a part of our lives and can affect anyone at any point in time. Back pain may occur periodically, remain for a short time, and then quickly disappear. This is known as acute back pain and can be taken care of with medication and rest. The pain would be deemed chronic back pain when it remains for over three months. Many people are on constant medication for back pain.

However, if you are experiencing back pains near the kidney area, its time to pay a visit to the doctor. Kidney infection may cause pain, which is similar to lower back pain. The kidneys are located on either side of the spinal column just above the hip. That is why any kind of pain in that area may be diagnosed as kidney infection. The pain originates in the kidney and radiates to the lower back. This is known as referred pain. Therefore, very often kidney infection is confused with lower back pain.

So how does one distinguish between pain caused by kidney infection and lower back pain? One symptom is that pain due to kidney infection comes on rapidly and disappears once the course of medication is over. With back pain, the pain continues even after the infection has cleared up. The symptoms of kidney infection or kidney stone could be pain during urination, blood in the urine or fever with accompanying chills. If the doctor presses on the kidneys at the time of physical examination, there will be shooting pain in the area. If, on the other hand, you have a stretched, torn or twisted muscle, the pain will be specific to the area. The pain may occur either in the lower back, or between shoulder blades, below the waist or over the spinal column. This type of pain will get worse with movement and ease away while resting. Kidney infection can be safely ruled out in this scenario.

If you happen to suffer from kidney infection, the pain will occur on one side of the back, above the waist but just below the rib cage. The pain may increase as the bladder gets full or it may travel to the genital area. During the time you may have bouts of vomiting, pain while urination, blood in the urine and even fever. Lower back pain could be another symptom of kidney infection. These are general guidelines, which give an idea how to diagnose the pain in the lower back area. If you still are not sure what you are dealing with, any such symptoms call for an urgent visit to the doctor. It is always better to be safe than sorry. If there is an earlier history of kidney infections, then there may be another attack coming on. On the other hand, it may just be a stretched back muscle. Therefore, it is better to visit the doctor so that he can make the proper diagnosis and begin treatment for the pain or kidney infection as the case may be. The kidney infection and resultant back pain will probably clear up with a dose of antibiotics. Lower back pain treatment may call for physiotherapy or medication in the form of pain relievers.

Health And Lifestyle Guide - About Organic Food

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 31, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


We all know that what we eat affects the overall health of our body. This is the reason many health groups and healthy lifestyle practitioners clamor for people to choose organic. However, in the endless sea of labels and ingredients claiming to be organic, it can be confusing for an average Joe. With that in mind, this article can help one to make better and smarter choices with regards to the food they consume and make a better commitment to stay healthier.

Understanding Organics

Do you know that the way a produce came to be has an overall impact to your body's health? Not only that, but it also affects the environment. You may see plenty of produce labelled "organic" while others may have "100% organic" on it. The term "organic" is simply a way for manufacturers to tell consumers how produce are grown and processed. Organic produce are grown from natural surroundings, using natural fertilizer and water resources to grow it. Some produce that are termed as "100% organic" means that all materials used came from organic resources and processing of the food is done naturally. Organic meats, for example, means that the livestock are given natural food, are free range and not subjected to any man-made hormone growth products or vaccines.

Why Go Organic

Many studies show that going organic has several advantages compared with consuming conventional products. For one, organic food is healthier because it has no chemicals or preservatives added to it. Many farmers use pesticides or insecticides to safeguard their crops from insects. Although this produces ideal yields, residues from the chemicals used can affect the health of the consumer especially those with food sensitivities. Studies show that low exposure to pesticides can increase the person's risk to cancer and even more so for pregnant women and young kids. Chemicals from fertilizers are also harmful to the environment causing ecological imbalances such as increased soil erosion and other environmental problems.

The need to feed the world's ever increasing population has also paved the way for Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs. These plants or livestock have their DNA tweaked to ensure better resistance to bacterial strains thus increasing the chance of higher yields. Although this helps in sustaining the world's population, GMOs also open up the possibility of other health risks that might be less responsive to existing treatment. Eating organic food that is GMO-free means less exposure to future health problems.

Food Labels

Food labels are a great source for those who want to purchase organically made produce. Industry production standards differ from one country to another and as such it is important to read and understand the fine print. 100% organic means that all ingredients used come from 100% organic materials. Some may also see an approved seal from the country's food bureau like the USDA seal showing that all standards are met and the food item has passed inspection.

The Attraction of Pigtails

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 30, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Very young girls wear their hair in pigtails because their mommies do their hair for them. Of course, this is because the hairstyle is easy and moms just want their little girls to look cute. When girls get older, the pigtails hairstyle is sometimes selected out of choice. This certainly goes for teenagers, but it is also true for young women as they mature into their 20's, and sometimes beyond. This begs the question, "Why?" Why do young women sometimes choose to wear their hair in pigtails?

The possible reasons for pigtails being a hairstyle of choice are many, some more obvious than others. When the weather is hot, getting the hair away from the head is a cooler way to go, and pigtails help immensely. When a girl is short on time and needs to get her hair ready in a jiffy, pigtails are quick and easy. Ladies might wear pigtails as a fashion statement. Or they might wear them because they want to look young, playful, cute, or sexy. (And yes, pigtails can be both cute and sexy at the same time.) Another possibility for pigtails is when a young lady wishes to present herself as an enigma. "Is she a good girl pretending to be bad, or a bad girl trying to look good?" Pigtails are an attention getter, and the more mature the woman wearing pigtails, the more attention those pigtails get.

So, why do pigtails attract attention? Let's start with reasons for men liking pigtails. (OK, not all males enjoy pigtails, but most do, even if secretly.) Pigtails represent youth and, in our society, youth is attractive. As I said above, pigtails are cute and sexy, and what man doesn't enjoy a female showing off something cute and sexy? Some men fall for the enigma thing: "Why is this lady wearing pigtails? What is she up to?" Other men, myself included, see a woman in pigtails and think, "Wow, this lady is truly special." But pigtails also attract the attention of other females, who pretty much react the same way that men do, but with additional possible thoughts like, "She's such a child!", or "Wow, I wish I had the guts to wear pigtails."

So, we see here that there are oodles of reasons for pigtails to be appreciated by pigtail wearers and pigtail observers alike. But I will close with what pigtails mean to me. To me, an adult female with her hair in pigtails screams confidence. This is a lady who is fun-loving, outgoing, bold, and confident. She likes what she has, but knows what else she wants, and is determined to get it. This is a woman with very high self-esteem. There are women all over the world capable of being dream girls, but it takes a truly special lady to have the confidence to be a pigtailed dream girl.

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Help to Reduce Belly Fat

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 30, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Can You Lose Weight Where You Want?

If you have excess weight only in specific parts of your body, you still must look at yourself as a whole. It's not possible to spot reduce; in other words, you can't dictate that you only want weight to come off one place or another. In most cases your so called "trouble spots" is where the fat will come off last, so be prepared to lose weight in your fingers (rings fall off) and your face (friends may ask if you're feeling all right) first. There is hope for losing that belly fat though.

Work Toward Building Muscle and Reducing Body Fat

If you work toward building muscle and reducing body fat you will eventually tackle those trouble spots though, and develop a better physique in the process. Muscle tissue is active meaning it requires calories to be maintained. If you were stranded without a food supply, eventually your body would turn to its own muscle tissue as a source of nutrition first (muscles are protein) while saving the fat stores for last. Simply put, fat is nature's way of ensuring survival during times of famine. That's why the prevalence of heart failure kills someone who is severely malnourished. By building more muscle you become a more efficient energy burning machine which translates to mean you can eat more food! That to me is a good thing.

The More Active You Are, The More You Get to Eat!

That explains why some people can eat so much more than others yet not gain weight; your efficient energy burning friend simply has a greater proportion of muscle to fat than you. Muscle is more dense than fat. It's often said that a pound of muscle is heavier than a pound of fat, but the truth is a pound is a pound. What they mean is a one pound volume of muscle is a smaller package than a one pound volume of fat, or put another way, fat is billowy and fluffy while muscle is sleek and compact. Lady No. 1 weighs 120 pounds with 30% body fat so she has 84 pounds of lean tissue and 36 pounds of fat, while Lady No. 2 also weighing 120 pounds but at 18% body fat is carrying roughly 98 pounds of muscle and 22 pounds of fat. Would you rather be Lady No. 1 or Lady No. 2? Which do you think takes up more space, 22 or 36 pounds of fat? I'd say 36 pounds of fat would be a lot bigger package than 22 pounds.


How Much You Weigh is Meaningless

That is why body weight as a number by itself is meaningless, but your ratio of fat to muscle is very important and worth working to change. Strive to decrease your body fat and increase your muscle mass and you'll look better, you'll feel stronger and more energetic and you'll simply be healthier.

You can generally have your body fat tested at fitness centers and most gyms so ask about having it done. It's better to know you have 30% body fat and work to reduce it to 29, than not to know and only think in terms of body weight. Most people who think only of how much they weigh tend to do everything to reduce that weight, and it's usually at the expense of losing more valuable muscle.

The best way to increase muscle and decrease fat is through a consistent exercise program. Start at whatever is your beginning, but do start.

Begin with an overall body conditioning type exercise program, doing whatever you enjoy, whether it be a sport, gardening, weight lifting, biking, hiking, or any other activity. Any physical movement you do regularly counts as exercise even if it is doing laundry or taking out the trash. Get as much as you can out of every chore you do, and stop thinking of it as a chore but instead as an opportunity to move your body.

In the early 1900s a washing machine was a new invention. People used to wash their clothes by hand, and hang them outside to dry. Being a housewife was actually a pretty strenuous job. It's no wonder women were thankful for modern conveniences like automatic washers and dryers, but now we've come to where our daily activities are not taking our bodies at all, so unless we want to get fatter and fatter we must do something about it.

Get Fit and Belly Fat Disappears

It doesn't make sense to drive around and around in the parking lot looking for the closest space when you're on your way to run or walk on the treadmill. Why take the elevator five flights every day at work and then pay a monthly fee to do the StairMaster after work? What if we all started to notice that our world is full of exercise equipment.

We could become so much more fit if we'd just start to notice all the opportunities for physical movement we miss in the name of convenience. Look around and see if you can spot some exercise opportunities, and then get busy and get fit.

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Treatments For Teenage Depression Guide

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 28, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , ,


The causes of teen depression are very similar to that of adult's depression. The death of a friend or family member, the death of a pet and loss of a relationship can all be catalysts for Depression. Feelings of guilt, failure, and worthlessness may also lead to Depression.
Abuse, chronic illnesses, and physical/learning disabilities can also cause depressive feelings.
Symptoms of teen Depression are also very similar to those of an adult. There may sleep or diet changes and withdrawal from friends, family, and favorite activities. Their moods may frequently change. Their self esteem is virtually non-existent and they may feel guilt, real or imagined. They can't make decisions, become overly sensitive to criticism. There is a pervasive sense of sadness about the teen who is depressed.

Treatments for teenage Depression can include medications known as anti-depressants.
These medications all work in different ways but are very effective. Unfortunately they also come with very serious side effects. A decision regarding medication can be made with the advice of your child's doctor. Children under the age of 21 should be monitored closely if they on antidepressants because they can cause your child to have suicidal thoughts.

Psychotherapy should be a part of the treatment plan. It can help your teen to learn different ways of solving problems and recognize and change negative thinking. It is important to find a psychiatrist and/or therapist that can develop a rapport with your child.

Part of treating a teen for depression is ruling out any physical causes. Hypothyroidism and Anemia can cause depressive feelings in teens. If nothing is found as physical symptom, other options for treatment should be explored.

Herbal Supplementation is an option with teens. They are all natural. They have few if any side effects. If your child is taking any other prescriptions for other conditions the herbal supplement may reduce the effectiveness of those medications

Conclusion

Treatments (for) teenage depression are very similar to adult treatments as are the causes of Depression. Help is available to you to help you help your teen. It is important that you let your teen know that you love them and that you are there for them. Monitor them closely when they are taking antidepressants because they can cause suicidal thoughts in children up to the age of 21. There is hope for your teen. Recovery is possible.

We have found a pure natural depression supplement that can also help with
anxiety and overall general well being.

How to Treat Nail Fungus

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 23, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , , ,


How to treat nail fungus? If you're grappling with this problem, you're not alone: fungal nail infections are common, difficult to get rid of, and if you decide to use a prescription drug, you'll be faced with both high costs and possible side effects. If you're prepared to try to treat the infection without a prescription, read about home remedies, homeopathic treatments and alternative medicine treatments in order to choose something that you'll be comfortable with.

Curing nail fungus takes time no matter what route you choose. Fingernails grow slowly and toenails grow more slowly still - once a fungus has infiltrated the nail, the portion that's affected must grow out completely before all signs of infection will be gone. (Even if the fungus is dead, the damaged nail will not rebuild itself - it must grow out). Fungal remedies for nail infections often require you to set aside time every day, so when you are comparing methods for how to treat nail fungus, be honest with yourself about how much time you're willing to give it over the long term.

While it's likely that most home remedies that have stood the test of time will work in time if you follow instructions and stick with it, some of the most promising methods for curing nail fungus are new alternative remedies based on herbal knowledge and research. Producers of these products have approached the problem of how to treat nail fungus by investigating the antifungal properties of plant extracts - things like tea tree oil, neem oil, golden seal, echinacea, ginkgo, ginseng, and other well known herbal remedies. In recent years, scientific studies have supported the antifungal and antibacterial potential for many of these plants.

While prescription drugs used for curing nail fungus are generally taken orally, home remedies and alternative medicine products are generally applied topically (although at least one alternative remedy combines a topical treatment and an oral herbal supplement). The topical approach appeals to many people investigating how to cure nail fungus because it means that treatment is directed to the site of the problem instead of at the whole body. This differs from treatment with oral drugs, which expose internal organs to the antifungal agent unnecessarily.

Nail fungus infection should always be confirmed by a medical professional before any treatment is attempted: other nail conditions can mimic fungal infection.

Baby Bad Breath

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 23, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , ,


Most babies have sweet smelling breath, but occasionally baby bad breath does occur. It can be a particular problem upon waking, after the baby has been asleep for a few hours - like morning breath in adults. During sleep, the mouth is typically relaxed and motionless, there is decreased saliva production, and bacteria that live in the mouth cavity have an opportunity to multiply undisturbed. Some of these bacteria can produce the unpleasant odor we associate with bad breath, and when they multiply to sufficient numbers, the odor becomes detectable.

If you think that "morning breath" is causing bad breath in baby, try treating it by cleansing the mouth before putting baby down for a nap. If baby is very young and has no teeth, encourage a water rinse to flush traces of formula or bits of food out of cracks and crevices. If baby has teeth, a gentle brushing and a rinse should help. Rinsing and brushing upon waking can be helpful too. (Fluoridated toothpastes should be used very sparingly in young children, and brushing should always be supervised even when your child is old enough to begin brushing on her own.) If these measures relieve the baby bad breath, you needn't do more.

However, if bad breath in baby persists after brushing and cleansing, there may be another problem. Does baby use a soother or habitually suck on some other object like a blanket or stuffed toy? An object that is continually put into the mouth gets coated with saliva and oral bacteria and can develop an unpleasant odor. Though the smell may not be offensive to your child, it can contribute to lingering bad odors in the vicinity of baby, and to baby bad breath. The simple solution is to wash or replace the offending item regularly. Eventually, your child will give up the sucking habit and the problem will disappear on its own.

Occasionally bad breath in baby has a more sinister cause. If your efforts to solve the problem are fruitless, you should consult your pediatrician or family doctor. The physician will check for signs of throat or sinus infection, infection somewhere in the mouth, tooth decay, or a foreign object lodged in a nasal passage. Sinus congestion can contribute to baby bad breath as well, by causing baby to breathe through the mouth: dry mouth is a cause of breath odor in both children and adults because saliva is naturally antibacterial and, in a healthy mouth, it keeps the population of odor causing bacteria at a minimum.

Once again, baby bad breath is relatively unusual: if simple measures don't solve the problem, your child should be seen by a medical professional to rule out more serious problems.


How Do You Know if You Have Diabetes?

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 23, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


The most reliable diabetic symptom for diagnosis is high blood sugar levels caused either by decreased insulin production (Type I diabetes), or by the body developing a resistance to
insulin (Type II diabetes). Though high blood sugar is a reliable diabetic symptom when diagnosing the disease, it can often be hard to detect directly. More diagnostic are diabetic symptoms that are side effects of high blood sugar that can act as an indicator to the underlying diabetic symptom, and serve as an early warning to the patient that he or she should get tested for diabetes before the diabetic symptoms worsen into more serious conditions.

Excessive thirst is an early diabetic symptom, especially when there is no obvious cause, such as exercise, hot weather, or other illnesses. Another diabetic symptom is excessive hunger, even when consuming normal amounts of food. Frequent urination is also an early diabetic symptom, and most often manifests itself as frequent trips to the bathroom during the night. Fatigue after meals is another early diabetic symptom. Finally, rapid weight loss without explanation, or any dramatic weight change can also be an early diabetic symptom.

Though these diabetic symptoms can also be related to other medical conditions, patients should be tested for diabetes if any of these diabetic symptoms persist for an extended period of time. Testing for diabetes is a simple procedure, and if these diabetic symptoms are not recognized early on, the disease can progress untreated, potentially leading to more severe diabetic symptoms.

In some cases where early diabetic symptoms are left untreated, neurological diabetic symptoms may develop, such as: blurred vision due to macular degeneration, which can eventually lead to blindness; numbness in the extremities due to peripheral neuropathy; slow-healing wounds and/or persistent and recurring yeast infections in women due to a suppressed immune system; and dry, itchy skin due to diminished sweat gland function as a result of peripheral neuropathy.

If you or anyone you know is chronically affected by any of these diabetic symptoms, they could be suffering from untreated diabetes and should see a doctor immediately. If left untreated these diabetic symptoms could progress into more serious and potentially life-threatening conditions.

Overcoming Anxiety Attacks - Knowing Where to Begin

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 22, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , ,


When you struggle with them, overcoming anxiety attacks are all you think about, but it is not easy to do when you do not know where to begin. There are a great number of options available these days, so finding one that works for you can be difficult.

Getting an understanding of why these attacks happen, helps to work out what to do alleviate anxiety attacks, no matter how bad they might be.There are certain tips and tricks that will help overcome anxiety attacks in a way that can make them go away and not come back.

So, why do we experience or develop anxiety attacks?

Largely, they are a result of how we live and what we do every day. They can also occur as a result of a major traumatic event especially if the person struggles to cope with it, but usually it just a result of accumulated stress.

Many people these days work too hard, stay up too late, push themselves too long, continually expect too much of themselves, and worry too much - and they do this each and every day!
And they tell themselves that it will only be for a little while, or till they have reached this goal, or have that 'thing'... until their bodies and their minds 'yell' - Enough!!

Continuing to live like that, means the body and mind are in a continual state of over-stimulation, and eventually it will lead to worrying about not getting things done, or to start fantasizing about things that may or may not happen.
Then there are other things that can happen on top of all of that, that will keep making the anxiety worse until whatever is wrong is finally confronted.

Overcoming anxiety begins with finding out what causes the anxiety to begin with. Is the cause the mind and nervous system being continually over-stimulated, or is it whatever is driving that behaviour in the first place?

There was a time when I tried to do full time study, part time work and still be a full time mother, and within eight months I had crammed so much into my mind and my day that my system could no longer take it.

My mind shut down, and I had anxiety attacks which made me feel absolutely terrible, terrified and out of control - I had what was defined as 'burn-out'. One of the best tips I received at that time was to 'ground' myself where I was. I needed to slow my thinking down and to start taking care of myself very basically.

My 'cure' was to change doing what was causing the over-stimulation and the anxiety, and just get back to basics - my body needed activity and rest and eating properly.

Relaxation and exercise were the first things I focused on, and these two are some of the most important things you can focus on in the beginning. Getting these in balance helped me cope with the anxiety more easily.

Starting to eat better and staying away from foods that did not 'feed' me, or that made things worse like caffeine, was also important in helping restore that balance.

My basic routine to begin with included - eating good food at least three times a day so that my body was not stressed by irregular intake of food and poor quality food, exercise like going for walks to stimulate blood flow and relax and release tension from my body, and rest, getting enough sleep to help my mind slow down and recover.

Some of the worst times were at night, waking up suddenly, feeling cold and shaky and my heart beating fast and feeling like I was only 'half there'. It was easy in the middle of the night for my mind to race and for feelings of panic to grip me.

One of the things I would do was tell myself where I was (grounding), I would wrap myself in something warm and comforting, and make a warm milky drink and sip that slowly. I would walk up and down the hallway to release the physical tension (fight or flight syndrome - boosts energy levels in the body and walking helped relax and release that energy) till I was calm enough to climb back into bed to sleep. (Oh, and I found for me that when I walked and prayed that helped me calm down a lot faster!)

Some of the other ways you can help yourself sleep better at night is - have a warm shower before bed, sleep in a warm bed in a cool quiet room and try some relaxation techniques before getting into bed.

I found overcoming anxiety was not easy at first, but when I finally realised that the attacks themselves could not harm me, I stopped getting them. There are things that can be done that will make it easier to overcome anxiety attacks and ensure that they never come back.

Four Natural Supplements That Will Ease Back and Joint Pain

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 22, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , ,


If you suffer from back or joint pain, taking supplements may be preferable to drugs. Supplements that are naturally found in the body are less likely to have side effects like brain fog or sleepiness. They're also easier on your kidneys which have to process those drugs. Generally natural supplements are less expensive than drugs and, of course, available without a doctor's prescription.

There are several natural substances you can use to ease back and joint pain:

Magnesium

If you want relatively quick relief to muscle and joint pain, magnesium is the first supplement to try. Magnesium is necessary for numerous body functions. It is used to maintain normal muscle and nerve function, regulate heart rhythm, and support the immune system. Magnesium also regulates blood sugar levels and blood pressure. For many people, a normal diet may not be enough for optimum magnesium levels so it's wise to take a supplement. Also, medications such as diuretics and antibiotics may result in magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium is used in analgesics before surgery to help the patient's muscles relax. Take it right before going to bed, and it will help you have a good night's sleep. In the morning you'll awake with relaxed muscles. The only negative to magnesium is diarrhea can occur if you take more than the recommended dosage. This is a temporary effect, however, and will cease when you reduce the dosage. Magnesium is available in tablets, liquid, or powder. It is basically tasteless, so if you're averse to pills, the liquid or power can be mixed into smoothies or tea.

Glucosamine Chondroitin

Like magnesium, glucosamine is found naturally in healthy cartilage. Early medical trials show it may be helpful in treating osteoarthritis, especially in the knee. It also shows promise for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Often glucosamine is combined with chondroitin which, again, is also found in healthy cartilage. They work synergistically to rebuild cartilage. It is common to find glucosamine chondroitin combined with MSM or calcium. Taking it will not provide quick pain relief, but it will aid in rebuilding joint tissue over time. As far as side effects, there are rare reports of abdominal pain, loss of appetite or nausea.

Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)

MSM is odorless and tasteless. It is related to DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), an alternative treatment for arthritis. Like chondroitin, it is often combined with glucosamine. MSM is naturally found in cow's milk, meat, seafood, fruits, and vegetables. While there is no dietary requirement for MSM, it is available in capsules, tablets, creams and lotions. Clinical trials have indicated that MSM is effective for osteoarthritis, but many people suffering from rrheumatoid arthritis have claimed it was helpful.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA)

Hyaluronic acid is found throughout the body as a component of connective tissue. Its main function is to cushion and lubricate. HA helps to support healthy skin, eyesight and joint function. Joints deficient of HA don't move well and become stiff. Those taking the supplement report relatively quick relief to joint pain; however, it's main benefit will be felt over time as it aids strengthening of connective and joint tissue.

How To Start Using Teeth Whitening

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 21, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

For any one who has not used teeth whitening before, it can be a little daunting, many questions can be going around in your head and one of them most certainly will be, "how do I get started?'

First of all do not rush the first time that you wish to whiten your teeth, take your time and read the instructions carefully. They will explain the procedure fully and reassuringly.

What may daunt people the most about teeth whitening is how to make the mould that is used to hold the teeth whitening gel in place over your teeth.

This mould can be done at the dentist for a professional fit; it will be expertly done but will be very expensive.

There is nothing to stop you doing one for your self at a fraction of the cost.
All it takes is a little patience, two or three single arch thermo forming bleaching trays.

One for the bottom set of teeth, one for the top and a spare just to practice on and some water, just off the boil.

These trays are firm when first bought and have a tab at the front for you to hold while creating your mould. They are very pliable when placed in the boiling water and quickly change shape so you have to work quickly.

Using your fingers to hold the tab, hold the mould in the hot water for just a few seconds, then withdraw the mould from the water and with out shaking it, place over either the top or bottom set of teeth. You them suck strongly, to get the air out of the mould, this allows the mould to take the shape of your teeth. Hold the tray in place for a few seconds before you remove it. Repeat the process putting the tray over the opposite set of teeth.

You now have a good cast of the shape of your teeth, it only remains now to cut off the tab from the front of the mould and to trim any surplus of the tray which may cover the gums.

This is done so that the gum will not be exposed to the gel during whitening and will not cause any sensitivity to soft tissue.

You are now ready to use the whitening gel and the trays will last over many uses.

Hypertension - The Silent Killer

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 21, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , ,


Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure, that is, the blood pressure is higher than normal or at an elevated state. Hypertension tends to affect the working age group that is often associated with high-stress conditions in the workplace. If hypertension is not controlled, those suffering may become a huge burden on the health system due to serious health problems. Hypertension is classified into two types, primary and secondary. Primary hypertension is high blood pressure that shows no specific cause. However, certain diet drugs can be suspect. Hypertension is not caused by tension or stress, even though some believe it is. Secondary hypertension may be the result of an underlying or dormant disorder. It is estimated to affect more than 50 million Americans and is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular and renal disease. It is also a leading cause of stroke, heart disease and kidney failure.

Hypertension can exist in several different forms and symptoms do not appear until it is severely high. It is common in older people and is widely associated with vascular dysfunction in the coronary circulation. When there is excessive pressure against the blood vessel walls and persist over several weeks to months, hypertension is diagnosed. Pressure inside the eye causes both retinopathy and ocular complications. Hypertension can be a serious condition since it can cause damage to many body organs including the kidneys, eyes and heart, among others.

Hypertension is the single most autonomous and important risk for cardiovascular disease, as well as congestive heart failure and even kidney failure. Other factors credited to hypertension are high salt intake, obesity and genetic vulnerability. It can continue for years and not be detected due to lack of symptoms, unless damage has occurred. It is a medical condition that can be a symptom of a dormant disease. The worst effects of hypertension are on the heart, kidneys, eyes and brain. Hypertension is a leading cause of deaths in adults, is a major health care problem and is the single most significant contributor to stroke, one of the biggest killer diseases known to man.

Shortness of breath upon exertion is the most common symptom of pulmonary hypertension and virtually everyone who has the condition develops it. Symptoms may include mild fatigue, dizzy spells, fainting, rapid heartbeat, ankle or leg swelling, bloating, tremors, stooped posture, slowness of movement as well as muscle rigidity. Primary pulmonary hypertension is found two times more often in women as men over age thirty-five. During pregnancy, primary hypertension may be most responsive to dietary calcium.

Diagnosis is by physical examination and renal imaging or measuring the blood pressure. Just about every physical examination includes checking the patient's blood pressure. A doctor may suspect pulmonary hypertension in people who have an underlying lung disorder. Portal hypertension is implied by the presence of known chronic liver disease such as enlarged spleen.

Treatment varies according to the stage of the disease. Hypertension is controllable with treatment, which may require periodic adjustment. The treatment is often associated with weight loss and increased exercise, but a doctor should be consulted even in cases of pre-hypertension. Hypertension is a very serious condition and should be taken seriously by both patient and doctor. It is commonly treated with drugs that decrease cardiac output and controlled with medications, dietary and lifestyle changes such as giving up smoking, lowering cholesterol and salt intake and exercising on a regular basis. Treatment of patients with primary hypertension is usually directed at the underlying disease. Treatment of high blood pressure significantly reduces the risk of heart problems and stroke. Opening the obstructed renal artery, with or without a stent, usually relieves hypertension.

Some patients may experience excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, morning dry mouth or headaches, chronic nasal obstruction, irritability, depression or impotence. Patients with a diabetic nerve injury will improve if their diabetes is better controlled. Those patients that are overweight, have high stress levels and high intake of caffeine or alcohol, smoke or do not exercise regularly must change their lifestyles to decrease the risk for hypertension. Patients who experience extreme dips in blood pressure at night and extreme surges in the morning, as a rule, stay in the hospital overnight to quickly resume normal activities.

Alcoholism And How It Develops

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 20, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , ,


Alcoholism has a number of definitions, depending on who is defining it. To those who witness it firsthand, it seems like a form of escalating madness. Even within the medical community there are differing viewpoints about alcoholism. Psychiatrists may focus on the psychological components of alcoholism and an alcoholic's interaction with life and society. Other doctors may view alcoholism purely as a physical addiction and choose to treat it with drugs. Usually both approaches are used, particularly with advanced alcoholism. Various political and religious groups may choose to view alcoholism in a different light. Due to the failure of prohibition few politicians would condone a return to it, however even today some jurisdictions do limit public drinking to maintain public order.

The abuse of alcohol is probably as old as agriculture, when human beings first made alcohol. Some people believe that alcohol production became a way of purifying water. This would have protected early humans from the risks associated with catching intestinal parasites from drinking water.

Some human genes seem to cause some individuals to fail at producing chemicals within their brains that alcohol can mimic. This is what is meant when an individual is considered to have a genetic vulnerability to alcohol addiction. There have been several genes identified that are linked to this vulnerability.

Although there may be a genetic vulnerability to alcohol abuse in some people, few experts on the subject would consider genetics to be the sole cause of alcoholism. The social groups that the individual belongs to and the culture within those groups in relation to drinking, may also have an impact on the drinker. These social groups would also include relatives. It may be difficult to separate a genetic vulnerability and a tendency in some families to drink on a variety of occasions and maybe frequently. To say it runs in the family may not be identifying much in terms of exact causes.

There seems to be ample evidence to suggest that social behaviors of some groups, as well as psychological vulnerabilities of some people, can contribute to the development of alcoholism. The vulnerability of an individual may be enhanced by poor emotional health. Emotional health can be effected both by external events in an individual's life and by their personal reaction to these events. Examples could be unhappy employment or job loss, the decay of or loss of a romantic relationship, or even health problems. Part of the issue is the problem itself, but a portion of the responsibility lies with how the individual chooses to cope with the problem.

The damage to the body, brain, social life and finances of an alcoholic can be devastating in the long run. The longer that the alcoholism goes on, the greater the resulting damage will be. With exception to drinking and driving convictions, modern societies have no mechanism to compel an alcoholic to seek treatment - regardless of how much damage they've done to their lives.

Cures for alcoholism always carry with them the potential of failure; a percentage of alcoholics will always start to drink again. Some organizations, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, favor complete abstinence. Others recognize that some renewed drinking, as long as it is moderate, is not necessarily a failure.

Grappling with alcoholism is a life long struggle for those who suffer from it. Unfortunately those who wrestle with this illness may suffer considerable damage before summoning the resolve to attempt recovery. Science and medicine continue to make advances in coping with alcoholism, but the real effort is in the life and resolve of each alcoholic trying to get better.


Aromatherapy Massage - Benefits

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 20, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


An aromatherapy massage combines the benefits of massage therapy with the use of essential oils. 

They can have many different effects on the mind, body and spirit, and make an aromatherapy massage an uplifting experience.

Essential oils are an aromatic essence distilled from a single botanical source and are renowned for their sedative, stimulating and analgesic properties. They have many different therapeutic uses.

A few drops in the bath, for inhalation, or added to creams and lotions can be very pleasant, but the most relaxing and therapeutic use is through aromatherapy massage.

The Benefits of Aromatherapy Massage

Massage, dates back around 4,000 years where massage was used in traditional Chinese medicine where it was used as a healing therapy.

The benefits of massage affect the body as a whole and it particularly influences the activity of the following areas of the body:

Musculoskeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, and nervous systems.

Massage is a 'hands-on' therapy and there are many variations, ranging from a gentle stoking and kneading of muscles to firmer, deeper, manual techniques.

Many studies have shown that massage therapy is an excellent way of reducing stress. Many people from all walks of life enjoy regular massages for this reason.

With the correct techniques and the right blend of essential oils, an aromatherapy massage can provided symptomatic relief to a variety of problems.

Stress for example, can cause and exacerbate many chronic problems including digestive problems, migraines, hypertension, back ache and muscle tension.

An Aromatherapy massage can be an effective way of inducing relaxation, combating stress and ensuring continuation of good health.

Aromatherapy Massage - What You Can Expect

On your first visit for an aromatherapy massage, you will be expected to provide your therapist with in-depth information into your current state of health and wellbeing.

This is likely to take the form of an initial consultation. During this consultation, your therapist will need to ascertain if you have any illnesses or injuries that may affect the massage.

Your therapist may also want you to consider what factors in your life may be contributing to the symptoms you are experiencing. For example, backache or muscle tension might be related to stress at work or family worries.

The therapist will be looking to treat you as a 'whole' - mind, body and spirit. He or she will blend oils to relax and calm, to ensure you get the best from your aromatherapy massage.

A good therapist may also make suggestions for dealing with the issues that are contributing to your symptoms. They may suggest alternative forms of treatment or help.

Aromatherapy Massage - How does it work?

Armed with the information gathered from your consultation your therapist will select and blend essential oils that they feel best meet your individual need.

The essential oil blend will be added to a 'carrier oil' and this will be used for your aromatherapy massage.

During the aromatherapy massage, much of the essential oils are inhaled and absorbed through the mouth and nose stimulating the production of relaxing, sedative euphoric or sedative neuro-chemicals, providing beneficial mental and emotional effects.

Aromatherapy Massage - Choosing a Therapist

Massage is a very personable experience. It is important that you choose a therapist whom you are comfortable with, as you will be expected to remove some of your clothing, but only as much as you feel comfortable with.

Clear communication, understanding and consent are vital and you should feel confident to advise your therapist if any specific technique hurts, or you feel discomfort at any time.

An aromatherapy massage usually lasts about one hour, but can be shorter or longer on request. After the session, your therapist may suggest a blend of oils that you can continue to use at home.

The amount of sessions you have will depend on your personal circumstances. Many people recommend the use of aromatherapy massage as a maintenance tool to be used as often as possible.

Finding the right aromatherapist for you

You should take the time to find a therapist with the appropriate skills and training. If in doubt you should ask to see any relevant certificates of training.

There are various professional bodies that you can contact for details of aromatherapy massage and a number of organizations will provide an aromatherapy massage in the comfort of your own home.


Cupping Therapy - The Heath Benefits of Chinese Cupping Therapy

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 19, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , ,


Body pain is associated with every individual's life in this world. Pain basically indicates that there is some disorder or imbalance in the body due to some external or internal factors. Right from the ancient times to this modern world various medicines and therapies have evolved to treat different pains in different parts of the body. The modern therapies used are some modification of ancient ones only but the basic concept or logic behind them remains the same.

Among so many therapies, one is cupping therapy. This is basically a 3500 years old China based therapy for reducing body pain. Cupping therapy mainly includes use of plastic or glass cups to create a vacuum on the body part which enhances circulation of blood and lymph through tissues. During ancient times, heat was generated among the glass or bamboo cups and then this heat was applied to the painful part of the body. This heat would help in healing that particular area.

Cupping therapy mainly works on the meridians. Meridians are the energy pathways lying all across the body reaching to all tissues and organs. The energy inside our body, also called as chi, flows through these pathways only. Any disorder in our body is caused due to blockage in smooth flow of energy. So this therapy mainly clears the energy pathways through increasing circulation of blood and oxygen and smooth working of lymphatic system. This is mainly carried out on back portion as our back have maximum no of meridians i.e. five. Moreover this helps in releasing body toxins from the tissues and organs. As the vacuum creates the suction, it reaches deep inside the cells and tissues which causes toxins to move out of cells.

This Cupping therapy is performed in two methods. One is Stationary and another is moving. Basically oil is applied on the body for creating smooth movement of suction cups. Sometimes these cups are kept on a particular part for 5-7 minutes without any movement. This comes under stationary method. While when vacuum pumps are continuously moved on body covering a large area then this is called as moving cupping therapy. At times, five to six cups are placed on different parts simultaneously and removed cyclically. This is termed as Flash Cupping.

Once you are over with this therapy, you may feel some sensation and tingling deep in the tissues. This sensation is the indication of fast blood flow after this therapy. It is very beneficial to apply essential oils just after this treatment so that it reaches inside the tissue, nourishes them and makes your skin glow and shine.

There are so many health benefits of this Chinese cupping therapy. It mainly reduces back pain, headache and fatigue. This regulates and balances hormones in the body, helps in ovulation in women, solves the constipation problem, eliminates skin problem and makes your skin healthy and reduces weight problems. It also strengthens our immune system thus giving us power to fight with attacking diseases.

If you want to try this therapy for yourself then you may visit any health centre who will offer you complete package. You may also get the instruction from the internet so that you can do it for yourself. For this you will have need of cupping set which can be purchased from any medical supplier or you can also order it through on internet from anywhere in the world. Due to the increasing health benefits of this Chinese cupping therapy, it's becoming popular day by day.

What Are The Causes Of Childhood Obesity?

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 19, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , ,

Today, the rise in childhood obesity has several causes. The main cause of obesity is certainly children eating too much and/or not performing regular exercise or being generally inactive. The extra calories that are not able to burn up through exercises or physical activities will translate into fat, and when this fat becomes excessive and more, one will become obese. This difference results in weight gain and will vary from children to children that was due to few factors such as genes, health issues, physical inactivity as well as psychological issues also contribute to weight gain and may be what the causes of obesity are. Even though the main cause of obesity is underlying disorders, nevertheless, it is also closely related to people lifestyles as well.

Poor eating habits and food choices

Today, the way we prepare food and the no of time per day is totally different as compare with our ancestors did in the old time. During the old time, everything need to be cooked from scratch, but now with the help from modern equipments, the time and effort to prepare food became simple and faster. This is one of the reasons why now fast food restaurants dominate our diets.

By study how the children eat today; you will know what the main cause of childhood obesity is. Small changes in their daily diets can have large help enabling you to prevent childhood obesity. The best healthy choices of food include vegetables and fruits instead of sugary snacks. The most popular choices include carrot and bananas, celery sticks, apples and even salads that include a large variety of vegetables. By helping children understand and choosing the correct and better foods during the childhood time, definitely will ensure that they make the correct choices as they move into adulthood.
Bad behavior is also one of the causes. This group of children eats food that is low in nutrition and high in fat. This group of children eats fast food meals, rich desserts and drinks with a lot of sugar. They also usually overeaten, and the food that they consume has many empty calories. In other words, the food that they eat does not provide enough nutrition for a children needs. This same group of children eats lots of sweets food which in general have empty calories.

Lack of Exercise

Lack of regular exercise is a factor that has contributed to this being one of the causes of childhood obesity. Children who spend a lot of time watching TV programs will have a greater risk of child obesity than those who go outside playing or sporting. This is typically true when the children are eating fast food while watching television or playing video games.
 
In the pass, children like to play sports more often, enjoy outside activities as forms of entertainment and walk to school. But now a day, children are completely opposite from the pass. The sports our children like to do these days include watching television, playing computer game, surfing internet, chatting, and any game they choose while exercising only their mind, head and hands only. When you combine the poor choices in food and the lack of exercising, there is a high chance that childhood obesity will end up lead to disease.

Genetics

Genetics and DNA have been found to be a contributing factor in the causes of childhood obesity. Unfortunately, some children are naturally predisposed to obesity. These children are born with genes that cause them to put on weight more quickly than other children. The children with certain genes end up storing the fat more easily than other children. There is not much that these children can do about their genes, but there are steps that they can take to conquer the obesity.

Children parents can also aid in determining your chances of dealing with childhood obesity. If children parents had a problem with overweight, chances are the children will deal with the same issues. This makes it very important that you keep an eye on your children and their action and habits. Our DNA can not be changed. We can do some small changes in other areas that can make a great deal of improve on your child obesity. Some small changes, such as walking to school, playing outdoor games rather than letting children stay at home and avoid exercise. The simple and regular exercise can help your children avoid childhood obesity.

Psychological issues and Stress

Some study say that about 10% of people that are mildly obese was cause by psychological or stress problems. Some children have a difficult time dealing with stress so they use food as a comfort when they feel, and many children are prone to eating in response to negative emotions like being bored, feeling anxious or being angry.

Each child has to contend with different factors in their lives. The causes of obesity are can also be viewed as being weakness, a lack of willpower or a lifestyle choice of overeating and not exercising enough.

Environments

The environment too plays a role in the causes of obesity. The family home is an important place to learn about proper nutrition and enough physical activity. Attitudes, Habits, and beliefs about food selection and how to spend family leisure time are critical factors to forming a healthy relationship with food. Children spend a lot of time in school, their food choices at school become important and it was influenced by the school eating environment.

Modern lifestyles have improved our quality of life but also contribute greatly to physical inactivity. Cars are used for short trips, and the number of walking trips the average American children takes each year have decreased. Today only about 10% of public school students walk to school compared to the large no of student a generation ago.

List of Gout Diet Foods to Eat and Gout Foods to Avoid

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 18, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


A correct diet for gout is needed to help prevent gout from seriously damaging your health. Here you'll find a list of gout diet foods to eat and foods to avoid.

WHY YOU NEED A GOOD GOUT DIET

Your agonising symptoms of gout are caused by uric acid crystals that have formed in your joint(s), which can form when you have high uric acid in your blood. This usually occurs when your kidneys either can't excrete excess uric acid from your body effectively enough, or, your body is manufacturing too much acid for your kidneys to be expected to handle.

Uric acid is produced as a result of the natural breakdown of chemical compounds in your cells called 'purines,' but, they also exist in our foods at varying concentrations or levels. Some have high / very high levels, others have moderate, and others relatively low purine levels.

The trick is to identify those foods that have high / very high purine levels and avoid those. And supplement with those foods that have relatively low levels. And to help you do this I've listed the foods you can eat with gout, and, the foods to avoid for gout...

GOUT DIET FOODS TO EAT LIST

These are some of the low-purine foods that go to make a good gout diet:-

Complex carbs (cereals, rice, pasta, vegetables, fruits, etc. - not white flour products)
Low fat dairy produce (low fat cheese, milk, yoghurt, etc. - but not soya)
High vitamin C foods (fruit, potatoes, red bell peppers, red cabbage, etc.)
Essential fatty acids (nuts, seeds, flax-seeds, tuna, etc.)
Vegetables (celery, cabbage, parsley, kale, other green-leaf vegetables, - but not cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms)
Fruit (especially cherries, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, other blue / red berries)

LIST OF GOUT DIET FOODS TO AVOID

These are some of the foods, that are high / very high in purines, and should be avoided:-

Red meat (burgers, mincemeat, game, etc.)
Offal (liver, heart, kidneys, etc.)
Poultry (duck, goose, etc.)
Some fish (herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, etc.)
Shellfish (mussels, shrimp, scallops, etc.)
Gravy (broth, consomme, etc.)
Yeast (baker's and brewer's)
Dried legumes (peas, beans, lentils, etc.)

OTHER ISSUES AFFECTING YOUR GOUT

A good gout diet is an essential starting point in helping to get rid of the symptoms of your current gout attack, and, to prevent frequently recurring gout attacks, which can lead to permanent joint damage, kidney problems and hypertension, etc. Plus, once having had gout you're chances of more attacks are markedly increased.

But there are several other important issues to consider to give you the best possible chance of preventing recurring gout. These are things like your lifestyle, your weight, stress, medications being taken, family history, underlying medical conditions, and so on. You need to investigate these and sort them out.

You're in luck though. There's a special gout report available online [see below] that has all the information you need in one place. It is what thousands of ex-gout victims worldwide have successfully used to prevent their gout returning. It also contains a special 2 hour gout pain relief program.

And it uses fully-researched, totally natural methods. So that you benefit two ways: (1) you get rid of your excruciating pain very fast, and, (2) you prevent your gout returning, so that you reduce the risk of permanent damage.

So, in order to get gout pain relief in 2 hours, plus, prevent your gout returning in the future, go to http://gout-relief-today.blogspot.com and discover how you can quickly do both without expensive drugs with their horrible side effects.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet - Foods That Heal

Posted by: healthy editor Posted date: July 18, 2016 / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , ,

What is Inflammation?

 Inflammation is a natural process with the biological purpose to initiate healing by increasing circulation. It is a complex process involving both the immune system and vascular system and the interplay of various chemical mediators. Increased circulation brings white blood cells and nourishment to the site of injury or infection so that invading pathogens are killed and damage may be repaired. Characteristic signs of inflammation include pain (dolor), heat (calor), swelling (tumor) and redness (rubor).

When Inflammation Goes Awry:

While some inflammation is beneficial and appropriate for healing, chronic or excessive inflammation, serving no purpose produces damage. Chronic inflammation has a bad reputation because it is implicated in various disease processes including (but not limited to)...
- autoimmune diseases
- arthritis
- diabetes
- Alzheimer's disease
- atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries that leads to heart attack and stroke)
- ADD and ADHD
- allergies & asthma
- cancers
- inflammatory bowel disease
Soft tissue swelling and chemical mediators involved in inflammation can also irritate nerve endings, contributing to pain.

What is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

It is a well-known fact that different foods are metabolized differently, some promoting inflammation and others reducing it. The purpose of the anti-inflammatory diet is to promote optimal health and healing by choosing foods that reduce inflammation. If one can successfully control excessive inflammation through natural means (like through diet), it reduces one's dependence on anti-inflammatory medications that have unwanted and unhealthy side effects and don't solve the underlying problem. While anti-inflammatory medications (such as NSAIDs) are a quick fix to ease symptoms, they ultimately weaken the immune system by damaging the gastrointestinal tract which plays an important role in immune system function (1).
Anti-inflammatory Diet Basics:

In general, eat an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, anti-inflammatory fats and nuts while limiting processed foods, meat protein, milk products, refined sugars, artificial colors/flavors/sweeteners and food sensitivities.

Vegetables:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits in a variety of colors (preferably organic). Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber which give the body the essential building blocks for health. Examples include beans, squash, lintels, sweet potatoes, cruciferous vegetables, avocados, dark leafy greens... There are so many choices! As for fruits, pineapple and papaya are particularly good because they are high in bromelain, a powerful natural anti-inflammatory. Fruits and vegetables also make great, healthy snacks.

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid produce that is not grown organically. Toxic chemical residues from herbicides and pesticides can remain and when ingested are foreign irritants to the system. Many crops in North America are also genetically engineered and are put on the market without rigorous scientific study to determine safety for human consumption. Independent research is finally being done to show toxic effects of consuming genetically modified organisms (2). Foreign DNA is randomly inserted into the genome of a crop. Examples include herbicide resistant corn and soy which are resistant to the herbicide Roundup, made by Monsanto. Roughly 90% of all corn and soy sold in North America is genetically modified. Also be aware of derivatives of genetically modified ingredients (such as corn starch and corn syrup etc.). It has also been suggested that consuming GMOs is a contributing factor to the rise in allergies as our bodies are recognizing these food substances as foreign (3). By choosing items with the "certified organic" label, you avoid both GMOs and toxic herbicides/pesticides.
For some people, vegetables in the nightshade family may pose a concern. Examples of nightshade vegetables include tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplant. Nightshades contain alkaloids which are thought to exacerbate inflammation and joint damage in certain susceptible individuals with arthritis (though research is conflicting). Thus, for some individuals, limiting or avoiding nightshade vegetables may be beneficial.

Fats:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy healthy, anti-inflammatory fats including olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts, salmon and sardines. In humans, there are two essential fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3) and linoleic acid (an omega-6). These are "essential" because they are required for good health but the body does not synthesize them. Omega-3 fats are anti-inflammatory. Omega-6 fats can be pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory (as it can be metabolized by two different pathways). Researchers suggest that keeping the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 between 2:1 and 4:1 is best for health. The modern diet tends to be high in omega-6 as it is abundantly available in cooking oils. Thus, including rich sources of omega-3 is important (such as fish, flax and walnuts especially).
Avoid / Limit:
Fats to limit or avoid include margarine, butter, shortening, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, saturated fats, and milk fat. Omega-6 fats are very high in corn oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil. Trans fats are linked with inflammatory diseases (4).

Meat:
Eat and Enjoy:

In general, limit animal proteins because they tend to acidify the body and also promote inflammation. When selecting animal protein, enjoy fish, poultry (especially free-range and organically raised), lamb and omega-3 eggs.

Avoid / Limit:

Limit beef, pork, shellfish and factory farmed eggs. In general, grass-fed is superior to grain-fed. Avoid charred foods, smoked foods and cold cuts. Cold cuts contain nitrates and nitrites which promote cancer. Barbequed foods contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs) which also promote cancer.

Dairy:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy dairy substitutes in moderation (such as almond milk).

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid or limit dairy products in general. This includes milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream. As we age, we lose the enzyme that digests dairy, resulting in lactose intolerance and inflammation. The milk protein, casein, is also acidifying which (despite what many people are brought up thinking) robs the bones of calcium.

Grains:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy whole grains as opposed to refined grains. Refined grains are grains in which the germ and bran have been removed. This means there is loss of fiber, minerals and vitamins. In other words, the good stuff is removed in exchange for a longer shelf life. Some good examples of healthy grains include (organic) whole wheat/oats/bulgar/coucous, quinoa and whole oats (like steel-cut oats).
Whole grains are also a rich source of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates (as opposed to simple sugars) will prevent spikes in your blood sugar level. Sugar promotes inflammation.

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid or limit refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pastries, sweet things and pastas.

Nuts:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy nuts and nut butters such as almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and flax.

Avoid / Limit: 

Avoid any specific nut allergies.

Beverages:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy plenty of pure, filtered water (avoiding chlorine, fluoride and other contaminants which are irritants that promote inflammation). Other great choices are lemon water and herbal teas.

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid sugary sodas, fruit juice (with sugar added) and milk.

Spices:
Eat and Enjoy:

Many spices reduce inflammation. Some great examples are turmeric, oregano, rosemary, ginger, garlic and cinnamon. Bioflavenoids and polyphenols reduce inflammation and fight free radicals. Cayenne pepper is also anti-inflammatory, as it contains capsicum. Capsicum is often used in pain-relief creams.

Sweeteners:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy stevia, molasses, maple syrup or honey as better alternatives for refined sugar.

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid refined sugar, fructose and especially high fructose corn syrup which promote inflammation. Avoid artificial sweeteners.

Other:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy fermented foods such as kimchi, miso soup and sauerkraut. Fermented foods are probiotic and help to rebuild the immune system by supporting healthy microflora in the gut and to reduce inflammation. Fermented foods also tend to be easy to digest and are also factories for B vitamins.

Avoid / Limit:

In general, eliminate processed foods, artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives. Also avoid foods that you have a known sensitivity or allergy to as this promotes inflammation. Low grade sensitivities are easy to miss, so if you're unsure, have a food allergy test. Some of the most common problem foods include wheat (gluten), corn, soy, milk and nuts.
Everything we need for health, can be found in nature. We just need to choose well. If you need help and ideas of what to eat, there are plenty of anti-inflammatory diet recipe books available.

What Else Can You Do to Reduce Inflammation?

- Chiropractic care boosts immune system and reduces inflammation!
- Reduce exposure to environmental toxins (such as smoke)
- Reduce stress (5)
- Certain types of exercise reduce inflammation - specifically, long term, gradually progressive training, avoiding over-exertion (6)

1) Singh G & Triadafilopoulos G. (1999). Epidemiology of NSAID induced gastrointestinal complications. The Journal of Rheumatology, Supplement; 56:18-24.
2) Seralini, GE, Clair E & Mesnage R et al. (Sept. 2012). Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize. Food and Chemical Toxicology.
3) S. J. Khan, S. Muafia, Z. Nasreen and A.M. Salariya. (2012). Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Food Security or Threat to Food Safety. Pakistan Journal of Science; 64(2):85-91.
4) Lopez- Garcia, E, Schulze, M & Meigs, J et al. (2005). Consumption of Trans Fatty Acids Is Related to Plasma Biomarkers of Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction. Nutritional Epidemiology; 135:562-566.
5) Cohena, S, Janicki-Deertsa, D & Doyleb, W et al. (2012) Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk. Psychological and Cognitive Sciences.
6) Ploeger HE, Takken T, de Greef MH, Timmons BW (2009). The effects of acute and chronic exercise on inflammatory markers in children and adults with a chronic inflammatory disease: a systematic review. Exerc Immunol Rev. 2009;15:6-41.

Dr. Miron, DC, BSc(Hons) graduated Cum Laude with Clinic Honours from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Dr. Miron witnesses the benefits of chiropractic care every day in her North York chiropractic office. From pain relief to wellness care, chiropractic works!

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