Body, Nutrition, Health & Disease. Symptoms, Cure, Home remedy and much more…

Double Chin – How to get rid of

If you’ve ever been called ‘chin chilla’ or ‘chin up’ don’t worry too much. You’re just one of those unfortunate few who puts the pounds on the face before the body. To keep your chins up and reduced, consider the following:

Point 1) Stars such as John Travolta, Vince Vaughn and Danny DiVito don’t exactly have slim faces and it has never stopped any of those guys advancing through life.

Point 2 ) Obesity in the abdomen can carry many diseases which include diabetes, cardiovascular despise and much more. Being obese in the chin area is not so bad in comparison.

Point 3) It will give you the drive to lose weight. When you look at your face in the mirror and see you chins, which can be enough incentive to crack down on the candy bars. You can’t put a baggy shirt over your chin as you can with a big belly. If the fat is around the mid rift, you can convince yourself that the jeans shrunk in the wash and the diet can wait.

Point 4) You’ll always look years younger than what you really are. As we get older, our faces get thinner. If you have some fat in your chin, t will take a little longer than most for the face to look thinner.

But if you can’t take comfort in these facts, try a few simple steps to get rid of the double chin:

Cut down on the calories and get active to burn the fat stores.

Cut down on the salt. It is known that salt will make you retain water. Your face loves to retain water so the excess fluid will find its way to your chin. Try it for a week and see the difference.

Cut down on medicine. With some forms of medications, they can contribute to water retention. Prescription medication you may need to keep taking but all the other pharmacy stuff, if you don’t really need it, don’t take it.

If worse comes to worse, just wait it out. Our faces get thinner with age so in a decade or two, that chin may have finally disappeared.

Fitness training article

There are many fitness training centers developed due to the rising demand as people have become aware of the causes and consequences caused if fitness is not maintained. It is very necessary to take fitness training but before that one should be ready by doing warm ups and stretching exercises. This is necessary as immediate fitness training leads to injuries and pains. So there are many steps to be known about stretching before starting fitness training. To avoid injuries and increase the flexibility one should stretch their body before and after the work outs as this helps the muscles to be flexible. One should their stretching position for more than 60 seconds as this helps the body to be flexible.

After stretching the body for few seconds one should not relax immediately as it strains or damages the bones and muscles. One should start the exercises slowly and than proceeding to the hardest position or exercises. It is essential to work out or warm up all the parts of the muscles as generally people neglect the neck exercises. Regular work outs will help the person to increase their flexibility and strength. People should work out keeping in mind their capabilities. They should force their body as one could have been tired. Continuous work outs will lead to decrease in energy and one should rest in between the exercises allowing our body to get the energy. To strengthen the heart one can do aerobic exercises which helps the heart to fuel the oxygen for this one can skip the ropes, or do running and swimming.

Music is the best which helps a person while exercises. One can hear the music through radios, or mp3 players to increase the timings of their work outs. One should use headsets so that other people are not disturbed. Stretching is good for tired body and helps to prevent depression.

Cholesterol and medicine

The Role of Medicine in cholesterol

The use of medicines and vitamin supplements should always be approached with caution. The consumption of excessive quantities of vitamins or the side effects of medications can lead to serious consequences. Medications that have been deemed safe for others may not be safe for you, so avoid taking any substance prescribed for someone else. Drug interaction effects can be serious; always inform your doctor of any herbal remedies, vitamins or other medications you’re taking.

What Are Statins?
Statins are drugs that slow down the production of cholesterol and increase the liver’s ability to remove it from the blood. Commonly prescribed statin drugs are Zocor®, Lipitor®, Pravachol®, Mevacor®, and Lecol®.
If you’re a heart disease patient, your physician will almost certainly prescribe drugs when LDL levels are above 129 mg/dL (even possibly if above 100 mg/dL). Your physician will evaluate all information before prescribing medication when your LDL is below 130 mg/dL.

In all probability, if a drug is prescribed, your physician will recommend that you also follow a low fat diet and be more physically active. In some cases, heart disease patients have to lose weight, stop smoking or make adjustments for high blood pressure and/or diabetes. Sometimes a combination of drug therapies will be recommended.

Drug Effectiveness

The information in the following table is based upon two major studies of statin drugs: the Scandinavian 4S study of simvastatin and the five-year CARE study of pravastatin conducted jointly by American and Canadian researchers.

Although they don’t have a direct impact on cholesterol levels, aspirin and beta blockers are common drugs used in treatment. Aspirin helps to prevent blood clotting after surgery, thereby reducing frequency of heart attacks. Beta-blockers slow heart rate and lower blood pressure.

*The number of patients showing a positive effect compared with the total number of patients taking the medication, expressed as a percentage.

Vitamin E for heartburn

Those suffering painful burning symptoms may consider the use of vitamin E for heartburn.

Vitamin E is an essential vitamin found in many foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, green vegetables and some cooking oils.

It is a powerful antioxidant that prevents buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. It also enhances the immune system and prevents degeneration of DNA into cancer states. Little wonder then, that people have suggested vitamin E for heartburn.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence to support the notion of prescribing vitamin E for heartburn. Do a search yourself online, and you will find little hard evidence showing that vitamin E should be prescribed for heartburn.

Actually, many people have found that vitamin E supplements can actually cause heartburn! this is not due to the vitamin but more the other ingredients that are used to produce the tablet.

In fact, taking vitamin E for heartburn can be dangerous because if overdosed, this vitamin can give symptoms of nausea and bad digestion in itself. Unless you are a smoker or in some other group that has a vitamin E deficiency, it is much better to have a balanced diet than to take vitamin E supplements because they are really not required for most people.

If you suffer from regular heartburn, do not take vitamin E for heartburn symptoms but instead consider the latest generation of pharmaceutical drugs known as PPIs. These are higly efficient, have relatively few side effects and can prevent the onset of long term complications.

If you only suffer from heartburn rarely, taking a simple over the counter antacid for hyperacidity should relieve your symptoms.

Anti aging skin care tips

With our youth-centered culture there is an ever-growing movement towards reversing the natural signs and conditions associated with aging in order to prolong both life and the quality of life. Anti aging solutions include a vast assortment of treatments, theories, plans and products each with their own effectiveness, benefits, drawbacks and limitations.

Anti-Aging Treatments

Experts in the field of anti-aging tend to differ on the best methods that can be used to achieve the goal but, that said, the basic methods seem to break down into a handful of general categories:

Diet and Exercise: Getting and staying as fit as possible is a proven way of helping to add years to your life and vitality as those years pass. Beyond watching what you eat (eschewing overly processed food in favor of healthier choices as well as limiting such things as fried food, sweets and salt) and keeping a close watch on overall caloric intake, some experts even recommend occasional fasts to cleanse and recharge the body. This will also make you look young.

A regular program of exercise and physical activity is another vital component in the anti-aging effort. Getting moderate (and regular) exercise can not only improve your appearance but add years to your life and make the quality of those years all the more beneficial.

Lifestyle: Aging can be exacerbated by things such as stress, so finding a balance in your life is also an effective anti-aging treatment. Things such as having a vocation that brings challenge and commitment (rather than resentment, frustration and stress) and taking time to relax and recharge are extremely important when it comes to staving off the ravages of time. Being prosperous, however you define that, and in a good place in life is also a boon in the anti-aging process.

Drugs and Other Applications: Above and beyond the management of diet and lifestyle, there exists a wide array of treatments designed to aid in the anti-aging process.

There are drugs, vitamins and herbs all designed to slow and reverse the process of aging. Some are effective, some are not. Some experts insist that taking anti-aging drugs regularly can add years or even decades to your life.

Cosmetic solutions, including things such as wrinkle-removing creams and lotions, moisturizers, skin bleachers, age spot removers, etc., are available in abundance (and, again, with varying degrees of effectiveness).

Medical procedures to aid in anti aging are also widely available. Included among these are things such as plastic surgery, including facelifts, tummy tucks and laser skin treatments for age spots, wrinkles, acne scarring and other effects of age. Some patients opt to go with hormone replacement therapy or topically injected substances such as collagen and Botox.

The Next Frontier?

Some experts foresee a time in the not too distant future where anti-aging solutions will include things that once seemed like the stuff of science fiction. Foremost among these is the notion of cloning–including growing replacement body parts for those worn out by age.

Acne treatment home remedies

Acne Treatment home remedies by Bodyalivenutrition.com

Acne is a condition in which the glands which produce the skin’s natural oils become overactive, resulting in skin outbreaks such as pimples, blackheads, whiteheads ,and other cysts and nodules. The greatest concentration of the oil-producing glands is located on the face, so that is where acne outbreaks often manifest. Acne also frequently shows up in other places on the body where the glands are prevalent including the neck, back, chest and sometimes the upper arms.

The exact cause of acne is not fully understood but it is known that hormone imbalances play a part which is why teenagers and young adults, whose hormone systems are going through periods of radical adjustment, are often victims of the condition. Teenagers are almost all affected by some aspect of acne, though for most it goes by their twenties at the latest. Acne is not limited to teenagers though. People in their thirties and forties can also suffer from acne. Acne is not a life-threatening condition but it can be embarrassing and even disfiguring, and thus treatments are sought to correct its effects.

Manifestations of Acne

Blackheads are one of the most common manifestations of acne. They result from blockage of pores with sebum accompanied by excess pigment. Whiteheads are another common form of acne; in those the sebum gets trapped within a hair follicle in a more closed fashion (as opposed to the more open blockage that results in blackheads).

Papules and pustules are acne lesions that contain pus including oils, white blood cells, bacteria and, sometimes, hair follicles. They can be almost invisible (though leaving the skin with a “sandpaper” feel to it) or very apparent.

Nodules are inflamed areas of acne lesions that go deeper into the skin and can cause scarring as a result.

Cysts are sac-like lesions that can go deep into skin tissue layers and are often accompanied by inflammation, discomfort and permanent scarring of the skin surface.

Acne Treatments

The first line of defense is keeping the areas prone to acne as clean as possible. A good cleansing agent and lukewarm water are the best. Strong soaps and hot water may tend to break down the natural oils that skin needs to stay healthy and supple. Mild acne can often be treated with over-the-counter lotions, pads, and creams that dry out oily skin and help it shed dead skin layers.

More severe forms of acne can be treated by doctors using stronger solutions of lotions and ointments as well as antibiotics, hormone treatments (mainly for women) and oral medicines.

Resisting the urge to pick at or squeeze acne bumps is also crucial for skin care as this action will sometimes result in scarring. Severe acne scarring can sometimes be lessened through the use of lasers and other cosmetic treatments.

Low Cholesterol Recipes for the Holidays

With the holidays coming quickly, many individuals are preparing their list for the delightful dishes they plan to prepare for family and friends. The major problem today is that many of the foods may not be suitable to serve every member of your family due to the cholesterol level. A matter of fact, no matter if you have a problem with high cholesterol or not, now is the time to begin eating healthy so you will not have problems in your later years. Therefore, how can you prepare all those wonderful dishes while keeping to a low cholesterol diet? The answer is not as hard as you might imagine. You CAN keep cholesterol levels down even during holidays.

First, plan your meal. For most individuals, the most important dishes will be roasted turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, a green vegetable of some type, rolls, and of course that scrumptious pumpkin pie. The good news is that turkey is low in cholesterol. However, you have to watch the product you use to baste the turkey or you will be adding more cholesterol. The turkey skin has the most cholesterol and the darker meat. If you want to avoid the higher cholesterol in the skin and dark meat, purchase turkey breasts and remove the skin prior to roasting. Do not use any type of product that contains saturated fat to baste your turkey. Read the labels, you can find margarine that contains 0% cholesterol.

The same goes for your mashed potatoes. The potato itself does not contain any cholesterol; it is the way in which they are prepared that adds the cholesterol. Do not use butter or whole milk. Once again, use a margarine that does not contain cholesterol and then use skim milk. This way you are not adding as much cholesterol to the dish.

For sweet potatoes, you can use maple syrup and margarine to create yummy sweet potatoes that the entire family will love and the cholesterol in the dish will only be 5g. Not bad for a tasty treat.

Of course, green vegetables do not have any cholesterol as cholesterol is found in animal products. Just remember when you prepare any type of vegetable, do not use any type of shortening or seasoning that uses saturated fats and you will be fine.

Rolls are of course high in cholesterol, according to the type you choose to serve. Using whole grains and making your own rolls will be the best choice here, since all commercial rolls will be high in cholesterol.

Now, on to that delectable pumpkin pie. There is no way around creating a pumpkin pie that is cholesterol free. However, if you plan the rest of your meal with no cholesterol items or low cholesterol items you will be able to find all kinds of recipes that will help you keep your pumpkin pie at a low cholesterol level. This way everyone will be able to enjoy at least one small piece of your pumpkin pie.

 

Regards,

Ashish Thakkar

About : Ashish Thakkar is no expert but still runs a blog on Best way to lower cholesterol.

Causes and Signs of Silent Heart Attack

Causes of Silent Heart Attack

Silent heart attacks are an extreme form of a common medical condition known as silent ischemia. With silent ischemia, oxygen and nutrient-filled blood have difficulty making it to the heart.

Almost all cases of heart attacks are caused by atherosclerosis or coronary artery disease (CAD). Atherosclerosis happens when cholesterol plaque builds up in the heart arteries. While the plaque builds up, the arteries narrow. This is the same for all heart attacks, whether they are silent or not. When oxygen cannot reach the heart, the heart becomes damaged. In the majority of people, the severe pain known as angina happens as a result of the body protesting this lack of oxygen in nutrition. Approximately 25% of the people do not feel this pain and instead suffer from a silent heart attack.

While blocked arteries are the most common cause of heart attacks, they are not the only cause. This is especially true with silent heart attacks in women. Microvascular disease, in which the microscopic blood vessels of the heart have problems, can also cause heart attacks.

Although not as likely as coronary artery disease, a spasm that interrupts the blood flowing through the arteries can also lead to a heart attack. Unfortunately, the cause of these spasms is not clear. There are a variety of things that can cause coronary artery tightening, and it can be difficult to narrow down the exact cause. Cocaine and other drugs, including cigarette smoking, can lead to the spasms. Extreme cold exposure can also lead to these spasms. Finally, even stress or emotional pain can cause coronary spasms.

Some of the causes of a silent heart attack can be avoided. Coronary artery disease can run in families, so be aware if you are at risk due to your genes. While you can’t control your genes yet, you can control some of the causes of coronary artery disease and heart attacks. If you eat a healthy diet, exercise, and don’t smoke you’ll be less vulnerable to atherosclerosis and heart attacks.

Warning signs of Silent Heart Attack

The body gives several warning signs in the event of a normal heart attack. These signs may include pressure or a squeezing pain in the chest that lasts for more than a couple of minutes. A person may experience shortness of breath, lightheadedness, nausea, sweating, or even fainting along with chest discomfort. Nervousness and anxiety are common during a heart attack, as is a feeling of doom. The heart rate may be increased or beating irregularly. Finally, the pain in many heart attacks spreads to the neck, shoulders, or arms.

Unfortunately, the body does not always give warning. A silent heart attack accounts for around 25% of the heart attacks that occur. When a silent heart attack occurs, you don’t feel extreme chest pain or arm pain. Since silent heart attacks are easy to go unnoticed, but they can be deadly if they are not treated.

Although the warning signs of a heart attack may not apply to people with silent heart attacks, the body does sometimes warn you with less obvious signs. If you tire easily and have a shortness of breath, you might have had a silent heart attack. Also be aware of any discomfort in the chest, jaw, or arms. This discomfort might not be strong enough to label as pain, but it might be a warning sign of a silent heart attack.

The only way to identify a silent heart attack is to be examined by your doctor. An electrocardiogram (ECG) will be taken to measure heart activity. Your blood will be tested for cardiac enzymes. Finally, your medical history will be studied.

If you are worried about silent heart attacks, it is important to talk your physician. This is especially true if you are more at risk for a silent heart attack. People who have had prior heart attacks, people who have diabetes, women, anyone over 65 years of age, and individuals prone to strokes should be extra cautious since they are more likely to experience silent heart attacks.

How to manage stress

Today’s fast-paced lifestyle has caused more and more people to become prone to stress and stress-related illnesses. By following some simple-to-do guidelines, you can actually live a stress-free life.

Be honest to yourself. There are a variety of things that could cause a person to become extremely stressed. Some of these could be as indifferent as a news footage that you may have watched last night to unruly children as well as joyous occasions such as preparing for a wedding or a somber one like a death in the family. The first step to get rid of stress is to admit that you are stressed and these certain things are causing you to feel stressed. Once these causes of stress, called as “stress indicators”, are known, you may be able to take the necessary actions to deal with this in a very constructive manner. Taking a vacation to recharge yourself or by simply keeping a positive outlook in life would allow you to approach stressful situation differently. By taking control of your life slowly, you will slowly feel more confident about approaching the situation head on to overcome this.

 

Breath in and out slowly. People who are extremely stressed out are those who experience rapid and irregular heart rates and shallow breathing, causing the muscles in the body to stiffen up. Take a few minutes to do slow, deep breaths, focusing on the air traveling in and out of your body. This would allow your heartbeat to slow down and would soon make you feel more relaxed in no time.

Don’t worry. Often stressed-out people are those who worry too much. Worrying about the situation would cause more harm that good to you because not only would you not be able to think straight. Instead, learn to focus more at the positive side of the situation. No matter how bad the situation may be, there is always a good side to it.

Stress from holidays

It is that time of the year again. With Christmas just around the corner, shopping malls are packed with shoppers scurrying around and almost fighting among each other over the last piece of apparel or the last turkey on the shelf. Every year, the resolution remains the same: “I will begin my Christmas shopping earlier to avoid the stress squeezing through malls so that I can enjoy the season.

Well, it looks like everyone seems to have the same idea because no matter how anyone tries, the scenario always remains the same and the stress brought about by holiday shopping never goes away. Here are a few tips that have been tried and tested to relieve holiday shopping stress while saving you a few extra bucks.

Start now. You don’t have to wait for the Christmas season to arrive first before you do your Christmas shopping. Many shopping malls have sales that are held throughout the year. Go through them and if you find something that you believe that your relative or friend would like, it is best to get it now and then just store it away for you to wrap for the holiday season. Christmas cards are at its lowest right after the holiday season so the best time to buy your Christmas cards the week after the previous Christmas were you can get them as low as 25% of their usual price.

Mail your cards ahead of time. Once the holiday seasons arrive, you will be so engrossed with gatherings and parties that you will eventually completely forget to take some time off to send out your Christmas cards. Make a list of all the people that you will be sending Christmas cards to and try to start writing about two Christmas cards a week as soon as autumn comes in. By the time that the Yuletide season arrives, you will have completed all of this for you to send out.