General Health Articles

Natural Ways of Lowering your Blood Sugar Levels

There are a couple of natural ways of lowering your blood sugar levels. This require changes in your lifestyle habits. Controlling your blood sugar levels is essential especially for diabetics. However, this should still be consulted with your doctor. Taking supplements and changing your eating habits must be consulted with a doctor to eliminate and side effects this could have in your health.

Drastically changing your sugar intake can also lead to dangerously low levels of sugar. This can lead to another medical condition and again place your health at risk. So before proceeding with your blood sugar management program, consult a doctor to keep things safe.

Live a more active lifestyle

Parking your car a few blocks from work and walking could do wonders for your blood sugar levels. This increases insulin which is responsible for breaking down blood sugar. This also helps in solving your weight problems and strengthen the heart.

Before participating in an exercise program, be sure that you are physically ready for the task at hand. Walking or swimming are physical activities that help you burn sugar without putting too much stress on your body. This reduces the risks for injuries.

Exercising does not only help you break down excess sugar but also helps in your weight loss efforts. People with overweight problems are more likely to suffer from high sugar levels. Overweight place people at high risk for developing diabetes.

Adding more Fiber

There are two types of dietary fiber. Both of which are beneficial in managing blood sugar levels. Soluble and insoluble fibers takes more time to digest, which keeps your stomach satiated. This in turn increases your insulin sensitivity which makes managing your blood sugar levels easier. Taking more fiber improves digestion.

Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of fiber. Substituting sugary treats for fruits gives you a healthier alternative for your sweet cravings. Apples, pears, oranges, oats and celery are just some of the fiber-rich foods that can help you lower blood sugar levels. Sources for insoluble fiber on the other hand includes whole wheat, tomatoes and dark leafy vegetables such as celery. Good sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber are carrots and cucumbers.

Avoid Sugar-rich Foods

While increasing your fiber intake is recommended, avoiding sugar-rich foods is a must. Increase in blood sugar levels is mainly attributed to eating certain types of food. Things to avoid include bread, pasta, rice, pasta and other foods rich in starch. Sweet drinks such as soda is also discouraged.

Vitamin D

Studies have shown that the levels of Vitamin D has a profound effect on insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels. Research has shown that low levels of Vitamin D has a negative effect in insulin resistance and on the pancreas which is responsible for producing insulin.

Increasing your Vitamin D levels can be done by simply spending at least half an hour under the sun every day. Taking a multi-vitamin with a minimum of 400 IU of Vitamin D is also recommended.

Keeping your Hair Healthy

The hair is called your crowning glory for a reason. Imagine how beautiful you can be when you sport that thick, long, healthy, and super shiny mane that glows with life. Pretty isn't it? The good thing is that “pretty” is very achievable. No matter what the type of hair you have, you can make it beautiful by taking care of it right.

How to take care of your hair? We would like to help through these tips.

Hair Health through Diet

• Get Enough Protein. The hair is made of proteins and to keep it healthy, you have to get the right amount of protein from your diet. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, there is no need to increase your intake, but if you are active, you will need more.
• Omega-3. Eat food rich in omega-3 like cold-water fish, calamari, and seafood among others. Omega-3 is a vital fatty acid that cannot be produced by our body so we have to take it from external sources. About 3% of the hair shaft is made up of those fatty acids and they play a big role in keeping the scalp hydrated. People searching for places where to buy Omega 3 should look for natural sources.
• Iron is a very important mineral for hair health and too little iron in the body can cause major hair loss. The hair follicle and hair root are fed by a nutrient rich blood supply, and that is what iron is for. This happens the same way with people who are experiencing high-levels of stress. Stress is caused by low iron supply, thus hair-loss also occur. When you get iron, you hit two birds in one stone—healthy hair and a body that keeps stress at bay.
• Vitamin C. Before you go and take that iron supplement to reenergize your locks, also consider Vitamin C. The good ‘ol immunity booster aids the body in absorbing iron so they will be great partners. Good sources of Vitamin C are blackcurrants, broccoli, guava, oranges, papaya, and berries. Vitamin C also helps increase the production of collagen that strengthens capillaries for hair shaft.
• Zinc and Selenium. There is a good reason to eat oysters and seafood. They are rich in minerals like Zinc and Selenium. Take these minerals from rich sources such as whole grains, beef, and eggs.

Care Tips to Achieve Beautiful Locks

Wash your hair right.

1. Massage your scalp with shampoo and conditioner for about 40 minutes. If you have an oily hair, shampoo would be enough.
2. Pour conditioner into your hands and massage hare from root to tips. For softer hair, you can leave the conditioner for three minutes before rinsing it off.
3. For the final wash, rinse hair with cool water, this seals the hair cuticle for locked in moisture.

Dry hair properly.

• The use of hair dryers has a bad image to many when it comes to hair health. However, they simply do not know how to use it right.
• When blow drying, hold a distance between hair and the dryer. The heat boils the hair and as much as possible keep it a good distance away. Too much heat can make the hair coarse and dry.
• Do not wring your wet hair. Wet hair is vulnerable. Wringing it can cause breakage and hair-fall.
• Use wide tooth comb when drying a wet hair.

Get a regular treatment.

• There is no need to go to the salon every month if you want your hair to get treated. A deep conditioning treatment with coconut oil, avocado oil, or olive oil will do.
• There are hair masks available in the market that you can apply yourself.
• Be careful on using styling products.

With good health practices, and proper grooming tips, you can boost your hair's beauty to the maximum.

How to Keep our Joints Healthy

Joints connect everything and every bone in our body. They glide and roll and bend to keep you walking, running and moving. It even comes in different sizes and varieties, but they need the same thing, the right care.

To keep bones and joints healthy, you may have to do some change in lifestyle and to take in some necessary nutrients needed for it. And since it can be susceptible for wear and tear after some time, damage may occur in form of arthritis and other condition. So what should you do?

Joint Stats

According to statistics, ¾ of people have joint age that is older than their actual age. And once you are overweight, your joint health might be that much better compared to those who have the right weight.

And joint health may also vary depending on the career path you are having. Those who are in the field of education are more likely to have aging bones than their actual age compared to those who are in the media, legal and finance careers.

In Most countries in the world, arthritis ranks 1 in the doctor visits followed by joint pain. And women are more likely to have joints problem than men due to the estrogen in their bodies that starts to decline as they age. And before the age of 85, more or less 50% of population will acquire osteoarthritis.

Now, how will you combat these statistics? What will you do?

Limiting Sugar

Sugar from soda, sports drinks is associated with the decrease in bone density. And more often, it can lead to weight gain and loss of calcium in the body. The reduction of sugar in diet will help. Substituting sugar craving with healthy sweets can be the next easy step you can give your body.

Ingest Calcium

You might be on diet that is low on calcium. Remember that calcium is essential for bone health. Good strong bones can resist breakage even during falls which helps protect joints as well. You can have your calcium from dairy products (milk, yogurt, and cheese), kale, broccoli and fish.

Pile on some Omega-3 Fatty Acids in your Diet

Omega-3 fatty acids are rich in anti-inflammatory properties. These can help you resists joint swelling and even help you reduce arthritis problem. It can help your bone to be strong as well addressing the bone breakage problems which estrogen may cause during the menopausal stage among women. Omega-3 fatty acids can be source from fish such as tuna, mackerel, salmon and sardines.

It can also be taken from other marine sources such as krill and calamari. If eating fish seems not a viable option, supplements such as marine oils (fish oil, calamari oil, krill oil) can be options.

Vitamin D

The intake of Vitamin D in your diet may help in better absorption of calcium. Vitamin D is mostly found in food such as eggs, salmon, Vitamin D enriched milk products and in cod liver oil.

Lose Weight

Your weight can squish your joints, your bones and everything that keeps it standing. So better lose some flabs before your knees give out on you.

Exercise

So you may have oiled your joints from above recommended foods. But still, if it goes unmoved, your joints and bones may still suffer from problems. So better be exercising everyday. And practice good posture.

Visit Your Doctor regularly

Your doctor can provide you evolution and the right insights to what you are experiencing. So try to see him regularly and have some medications right away or get more to tips to prevent joint demise.

Breast Cancer - Early Signs

The incidents of breast cancer continuous to rise over the past years even with the advent of new technologies and new cancer intervention treatments. And this is not only confined to women but with men as well.

Cancer Causes

Even with breasts cancer awareness programs and information drives, plenty still of those who have it are still unaware of it. Most often this happened when these women are not in any line of cancer genes or has been healthy all their lives.

Breast cancer though can be very silent and can stalk you without knowing. Causes of breast cancer are detailed below:

• Old age
• Genetics/ hereditary
• History of breast cancer
• Breast lumps
• Estrogen exposure
• Obesity
• Height (taller women has higher chance of having it)
• Alcohol consumption
• Radiation exposure
• Specific Jobs(night jobs exposed to carcinogens and endocrine disruptors)
• HRT or hormone replacement therapy

Early Signs of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer intervention can be very effective once it is done at the start early onset of the condition. To be able to detect it early, women should be able to keep their selves aware of its different symptoms.

Angelina Jolie, when diagnosed with a certain rare cancer strand had a Mastectomy (removal of breasts). The beauty of early intervention is it keeps you even from acquiring it or making it worse. Jolie who undergo mastectomy have had a breast implant or breast augmentation after to go back to normal.

Many women who had mastectomy ahs found a savior from breast implants to restore normal look and be confident again. And for the early diagnosis and intervention, see below.

1. Change in nipple and breast feeling. Tendency is, there will be lumps or thickening near the breast. Mostly it appears near the underarm area also. Another notable one is the enlargement of pores in the breast. But don't panic once you detect a couple o lumps, some are not cancerous. To be sure, have a professional examine it for you.
2. Change in breast and nipple appearance. A change in the size of the breast as well as any dimpling can be an early sign. Uneven swelling or shrinkage should also be checked. When suddenly your nipples turn inverted or inward, it can be a sign that you need to be checked up.
3. Nipple discharge. A milky discharge is okay with women who are breastfeeding. But once you are not into it, chances are you may be experiencing something. Though it might not be cancer, it always pays to be careful.
4. Pain in the armpits. Once the pain in your armpits is bothering you and it isn't by any chance related to your period, then see a doctor right away.

Don't Panic, Be Calm

Once you have some of the symptoms above, don't panic nor be alarmed. Keep calm and go to a doctor right away. Have some laboratory tests scheduled. Some may even be a false alarm.

Once your first diagnosis is positive, always go for the second and third opinion. But if it is really positive, there are interventions in it.

There are plenty of treatments for cancer.  Treatments depend on the cancer stage. Known ones include chemotherapy, mastectomy (like those of Angelina Jolie), hormone therapy and biological treatment. But the biggest weapon you can have is a huge heart, a good fighting will and a strong spirit. So be aware of its symptoms and have early intervention once you suspect you have it.

Coffee Overload - Why too much coffee is Bad for your Health

There are always two sides to a story and when it comes to drinking coffee you might want to consider spending some time to consider its negative side effects to your health. This might be a hard thought to swallow for the millions of Americans who drink a cup or two of coffee daily. Too much of a good thing can have a negative effect on your health. So before you take your daily dose of coffee, here are a few things to consider.

Coffee Makes Sleeping Much Harder

Coffee's greatest benefit might also work against your health. Sleeping is a time when our body's recuperate and repair itself after a grueling day at the office. Research shows that people who drink more than two cups of coffee have a harder time going to sleep or have poor sleep quality.

Coffee can make you feel depressed

Coffee is a great way of instantly boosting our energy levels. But drinking large amounts of coffee also depletes the body's level of serotonin. This is a feel good chemically that gives us that natural good feel. Serotonin is often taken by people suffering from depression. And when we rob ourselves of  this chemical, it only increases the risk of us suffering from bouts of depression.

Coffee weakens our Immune System

Caffeine increases our body's production of glucocorticoids and cortisol. High levels of glucocorticoid decrease our immune system's effectiveness. Drinking more than normal amounts of coffee during those cold winter nights might warm your body but also increases the chance of you catching a cold.

Coffee can hurt your Liver

The liver is responsible for producing enzymes that breakdown caffeine. The more coffee you drink, less enzymes are available for detoxifying your bloodstream. When our liver is stressed to produce more enzymes, it increases the possibility of long term liver damage.

Coffee disrupts our metabolism

If you're on a diet or watching your weight then this could be a good reason to cut down on your coffee intake. Coffee can make you gain a few more pounds not because of the calories it contain but because it interferes with your normal metabolism. Coffee may not directly affect our body's metabolism but its action on the other organs ultimately leads to weight gain. The thyroid gland controls our rate of metabolism. Coffee has a negative effect on the adrenal gland which releases hormones that control the normal functioning of the thyroid gland.

Coffee can interfere with your nutrition   

Coffee can interfere with how your body absorbs nutrients and vitamins. Drinking coffee or tea during meals increases the chance that most of the nutrients especially iron won't be absorbed. Calcium, sodium, zinc, potassium and thiamine are just some of these nutrients that are affected when we drink coffee during meals.

Coffee negatively affects our sex drive

Testosterone is a sex hormone responsible for sex drive in both men and women. These hormones are produced in the adrenal gland that is affected when we drink too much coffee. When the adrenal gland is hard pressed to produce adrenaline for example, it has little energy to produce other important hormones such as testosterone. You might be awake for a good portion of the night but have little drive or energy to perform sex.