Ways to Take Care of Your Heart

Some people don't pay much attention to their own heart health unless they experience chronic chest pain. After a severe chest pain, your doctor might recommend a few changes you need to make. At this point, it has become increasingly obvious that you definitely need to think about your own heart health before these unwanted issues develop.

Here are some ways on how to take care your heart:

1. Regular exercise. You should know that regular exercise is good for your heart. Exercising does not only help you shed excess ponds, but it can also protect you from heart disease. Taking care of your heart through regular exercise does not necessarily mean you have to hit the gym everyday. Any form of exercise with a heart rate between resting and maximum is good for your heart health.

2. Include low-fat meals in our diet. Eating foods that contain essential vitamins and minerals will help you maintain a good heart health. Make sure you include fruits and fresh vegetables to your daily diet. Try to curb your fat intake because it is not good for your heart. Include fish and lean chicken on your daily meal for these are foods that contain low fat.

3. Get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep is good for your overall health. Many studies show that lack of sleep can lead to certain heart conditions. According to experts, 7 to 8 hours of sleep at night is good while 5 hours or less can be detrimental to your heart health. Try not to get too much sleep for it can also lead to heart problems.

4. Reduce your level of stress. According to studies, stress can lead to heart problems. It can also deplete the level of your hormones in the body. When you are stressed or burned out, you tend to lose your appetite. You no longer focus on exercising or even eating healthy foods. You can improve the health of your heart by taking time to relax every time you are feeling strained or exhausted.

5. Don't forget your fish oil supplements. Studies show that omega-3 fish oil supplement is good for your heart. If you happen to have high triglycerides in your body, you may develop heart problems. With omega-3 fish oil supplement, you can lower the triglycerides in your body and keep them at a healthy level.
Remember that it is never too late to take preventive measures in taking care of your heart. It is crucial that you consult your doctor as early as possible before heart problems develop. These 5 tips can help you maintain a good heart health.

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Digestive Health and Cardiac Disease

It's always scary to discover that a friend or family member is suffering with cardiac disease, or worse yet, has actually had a heart attack. When I get that horrible news, however, I always experience a very unique kind of frustration because I know how it likely could have been prevented.

At the same time, I also see it as an opportunity to turn someone's life around.

As with many, many other health issues, cardiac health is greatly affected by your digestive health. I know from direct experience and countless studies that a strong presence of good bacteria in your gut is key to overall health. When your gut is functioning correctly and those good bacteria are correctly processing all of the nutrients, minerals and vitamins that you need, your immune system is working at an optimal level and your body is in balance, making it hard for conditions like coronary disease to take hold.

I'll give you an example: you probably know that high cholesterol is one of the prime villains when it comes to coronary disease, but did you know that your cholesterol levels are largely impacted by the amount of good bacteria in your gut?

When your gut is out of balance, everything in your body starts working less efficiently. Often, it will lead to your gallbladder ceasing to filter cholesterol out of your body, resulting in a rise in cholesterol and possible cardiac problems. Furthermore, probiotics, which restore balance to your gut, have been shown to create beneficial acids in the body that love to feed on cholesterol, lowering your levels overall. If you were taking care of your digestive health, you could nip that entire degenerative process in the bud!
The miracle workers in the world of probiotics are friendly, good bacteria which replenish your gut. These little helpers are able to mend countless problems that start in your digestive system, and it seems like we're learning more about them with each passing day.

These good gut bugs have been praised by no less than Dr. Stephen Sinatra, one of the country's most respected cardiologists and a champion for integrative medicine. His findings show that quality probiotics containing the best strains of good bacteria - as can be found in our products - are able to maintain excellent circulation, blood flow and blood pressure, in addition to tackling a whole host of digestive issues such as gas and bloating.

Finally, keep in mind what your own doctor has probably told you: that being overweight carries a strong risk of heart disease along with it. If you're making probiotics a regular part of your diet, you're giving your body the go ahead to reject the worst parts of food that end up being stored in your body as fat. In short, you're less likely to pack on those extra pounds.

It may sound surprising, but it all adds up to a basic fact that we want everyone to know: that if you take care of your gut, it will take care of you!

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Day Spa Massage Services

A day spa usually offers several types of services to its customers according to their needs and preferences. Many of the services that are offered by these establishments are focused on improving the beauty and relaxed state of the customer. There are many different ways to achieve beauty and relaxation, but the most effective is being in a relaxed and comfortable state of mind. To achieve this, the customer can initially have a massage done before anything else. There are different types of massages around the world that can work wonders and the more popular and effective ones are usually available in the facility.

One of the more popular kinds of massage therapy that can be offered in a day spa is the Swedish massage. This kind involves longer and smoother strokes of the hands with the use of either a kind of oil or lotion. The lubricant is necessary to prevent friction, making the strokes smoother and less uncomfortable. The therapist will also use a kneading and circular motion to promote the wellbeing and relaxation of the individual. Basically, it is a gentle and soothing therapy that can invoke a sense of calm and relaxation in the individual. Many people prefer this relaxing massage over others because they can sleep and have the rest that they crave. In many cases, the oil or lotion that is used by the therapist may be aromatherapy to help the person be more relaxed and stress free for the duration of the service.

Another popular form of this service is the hot stone massage. This type involves the use of several smooth and flat stones that are heated to the correct temperature and then placed in strategic places over the person's body. These warm, flat stones are expected to help loosen tight and stressed muscles as well as help to even out the centers of energy of the body. The day spa therapists will combine another form of massage with the application of the hot stones in order to achieve the best possible results for the customer. The stones can also be moved around as well as held in the hand of the therapist and used during the actual massage for better results. Many customers find the heat from the stones comforting and very relaxing.
Shiatsu is the type of therapy that utilizes the fingers of the masseuse to improve the blood flow of the customer. Firm but relaxing pressure is used on pressure points all over the body. There is no need to use any form of lubricant for this kind of therapy.

Deep tissue massage is focused on penetrating through the body to reach the affected muscles and tissues of the customer. To do this, the therapist utilizes shorter movements and even against-the-grain strokes for friction therapy. This particular massage is effective for individuals who suffer from chronic pain, constantly tight muscles, or may be recovering from injuries as well as problems with one's posture.

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What to Expect From Partial Knee Replacement Surgery

What are the advantages of a partial knee replacement?

There are many research studies available that support how a modern partial knee replacement performs superbly for a vast majority of patients. There are many advantages to having a partial replacement versus a total replacement of the knee. These include a quicker recovery time, less blood loss during the procedure, and less pain after surgery. Many report that a partial knee replacement feels more "natural" than a total replacement and the range of motion is often reported as "better".
 
Who is a candidate for a partial knee replacement?

The orthopedic specialist may recommend this procedure if you have severe osteoarthritis of the knee and have tried and failed with nonsurgical treatment measures. A partial knee replacement is only considered if your knee problems affect your quality of life and interfere with your daily routine. Also, your arthritis should be limited to one compartment of the knee, not the entire knee as seen with inflammatory arthritis. Those patients with significant knee stiffness or ligament damage are not ideal candidates.

What should I expect before the surgery?

Your orthopedic specialist, working closely with your family doctor, will determine which type of procedure you need. He may test your range of motion, the ligament quality, and assess your activity status. Patients who have pain located entirely on either the inside portion or outside portion of the knee are good candidates for a partial knee replacement. Those who have pain throughout the entire knee or in the front aspect are usually better qualified for a total knee replacement. You may have additional imaging tests on your knee to determine which surgery suits you best.

Before your operation, a member of the anesthesia team will evaluate you. Anesthesia will either be spinal (you are awake but numb from the waist down) or general (you are completely asleep). The choice will depend on your surgeon's preference and your health needs.

What happens during the surgery?

A partial knee replacement generally lasts 1 or 2 hours. The orthopedic specialist makes an incision at the front of your knee in order to explore the three compartments of the joint space. He uses a special saw to remove the damaged cartilage and knee components and caps the ends of the femur (thighbone) and tibia (lower leg bone) with metal coverings. These metal pieces are connected to the bone with a special type of cement. To create a smooth gliding surface, the doctor places a plastic insert between these two metal components.

What happens after surgery?

After your procedure, you will be taken to a recovery room and closely monitored. Expect to have an IV for around 24 hours to receive medicines for pain control and antibiotics. Once you are awake, you will notice a bandage on your knee and a small drain that collects fluid from the joint space. Some patients may be candidates to have this procedure on an outpatient basis, but most will need to be admitted to the hospital. You can expect to go home 1 to 3 days following a partial knee replacement.

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Basic Healthy Lifestyle Tips

You may have a great career and a good job, but all of your achievements are due to your performance and good health is a great part of it. Keeping fit and healthy is a very broad topic, but in this article, we'll just tackle the basic information that an individual should know to start a healthy lifestyle.

Keeping physically and mentally fit doesn't mean slogging it out to the gym and participating in massive strength training to maintain a slim and healthy body. The general idea is leveraging one's activities everyday from a simple walk to simple resistance training afterwards.

Men and women have different necessities when it comes to beauty and health. Women are more particular when it comes to beauty, however, they cannot be completely beautiful if they are not in good health. This is why women are researching natural healthy ways to keep them healthy and looking beautiful. There's no such magic pill to help you achieve a desired figure instantly. The pathway to optimal health has no shortcut. It is a slow and steady process that also has some challenges. This means that determination is the key to its success.

Most people today have a major concern about maintaining a healthy heart. Why? Without the heart everything else stops since blood flow is critical to living. People today are starting to realize that by taking a few extra steps into consideration like a healthier diet and moderate exercise that they can decrease the risks of having a heart attack.

Exercise is a huge factor to a healthy lifestyle. It is a big misconception that we have to participate in high intensity aerobic workouts to maintain a healthy heart. This is a contradiction based on a study done by the National Institute of Health. The research shows that exercising which stays at a low-intensity level activity (less than the targeted heart rate) is much healthier. This is the reason why athletes are advised not to overdo their training which can produce heart scar development.

Eating fruits and vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes are shown to be good for the heart. These types of foods contain omega 3, vitamins, and minerals which help keep the heart tissues healthy.
According to an American school of cardiologists, getting about six to eight hours sleep a day is found to reduce risks of acquiring heart disease. A good night's sleep greatly contributes to a sound and peaceful mind.

Overall wellness doesn't come along without community involvement. Being socially connected with your friends and loved ones is found to build a positive outlook in life, thus helping to reduce the stress in your life. Laughing, smiling, and doing some recreational activities is the best idea to be stress-free and being in a good mood state. Meditating before going to bed will also help to reduce stress so that you can rest soundly.
All of these are natural strategies that can keep a person healthy Start out by incorporating at least 30 minutes of exercise a day with eating healthier meals and meditating before going to bed and see what results you get.

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Common Shoulder Injuries Related to Sports

Clavicle Fracture (Broken Collarbone)
A broken collarbone (clavicle) is a very common fracture that occurs in people of all ages but occurs more commonly with sports related injuries. The clavicle is located between the ribcage and the shoulder blade and it connects the arm to the body. The collarbone lies above many vital structures, such as nerves and blood vessels.

What causes a clavicle fracture?
Clavicle fractures are most often caused by a direct blow to the shoulder area. These types of injuries occur during a fall on an outstretched arm, a contact hit (when a football player collides with an opponent), or any other type of direct impact to the shoulder that can occur during sporting activities.

What are the symptoms of a broken collarbone?
These types of fractures can be very painful and make it difficult to move your arm. Other symptoms include a sagging shoulder, inability to lift the arm due to pain, a grinding sensation with arm movement, a deformity or "bump" along the collarbone area, bruising, swelling, and tenderness over the broken area.

How is a clavicle fracture treated without surgery?
Broken collarbones do not always require surgery. If the bone ends are not shifted out of place and line up correctly, you may be treated with an arm sling and rest. Basically, the orthopedic specialist will have you wear this to keep your arm in proper position while the collarbone heals. Once your bone begins to heal, your doctor may order physical therapy for you to help you strengthen the muscle of your shoulder. The therapist will teach you exercises, too, to help prevent weakness and stiffness.

What is involved with surgical treatment?
If your bones are displaced (out of alignment) your orthopedic specialist may recommend surgery to align the bones. This is done to hold them in position while they heal.

During the procedure, the bone fragments are repositioned into normal alignment and held in place with special screws and metal plates that attach to the outer surface of the bone. After your surgery, you may notice a small patch of numb skin below the incision but with time this is less noticeable. You will also be able to feel the plate through your skin. These plates and screws are not removed until long after the bone heals.
Dislocation of the Shoulder

Many athletes who play tennis, baseball, or football tend to experience a dislocated shoulder. The shoulder joint is the body's most mobile joint, turning in many directions. This advantage puts this joint at risk for dislocation. A complete dislocation means that the humerus (upper arm bone) is all the way out of the socket.

What causes dislocation of the shoulder?
Your shoulder can become dislocated by throwing, hitting, and overuse. Many people who play softball or baseball injure their shoulder this way.

What are the symptoms of a dislocated shoulder?
Symptoms include numbness, weakness, bruising, and swelling of the shoulder area. Some dislocations are severe enough to tear tendons and ligaments and to damage nerves. The shoulder joint can be dislocated forward, backward, or downward. The muscles of the shoulder area may have spasms from the disruption, as well, leading to pain and stiffness.

How is a dislocated shoulder treated?
Your orthopedic specialist will have to place the ball of the humerus back into the joint socket. This procedure is called a closed reduction and no surgery is necessary. Once the shoulder is back in place, the pain stops immediately.

Shoulder Impingement (Rotator Cuff Tendinitis)
The rotator cuff is made up of tendons and muscles that allow for a great range of motion of your arm. This is a frequent source of pain for athletes and an area that is at risk for injury during sporting activities. Shoulder impingement is often referred to as rotator cuff tendinitis and is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain.

What causes rotator cuff tendinitis?
When you raise your arm to shoulder height, the space between the bone and rotator cuff narrows. The bone can rub against (or impinge on the tendon and the bursa, causing irritation and pain when the arm is used repeatedly. Young athletes who use their arms for overhead action are particularly vulnerable. This includes those who play tennis, softball and baseball, and swimmers.

What are the symptoms of shoulder impingement?
When the rotator cuff is irritated this can lead to local swelling and tenderness in the front aspect of the shoulder. You may also have pain and stiffness when you lift your arm. There is also a sensation of tenderness when the arm is lowered from an elevated position. Other symptoms include sudden pain when reaching or lifting, pain radiating from the front of the shoulder to the side of the arm, minor pain at rest, and pain when throwing or using the arm.

How is rotator cuff tendinitis treated without surgery?
Your orthopedic specialist wants to reduce your pain and restore function of your shoulder. He will consider your activity level, your age, and your general state of health. Many times shoulder impingement can be treated with medications and rest. It is not uncommon for athletes to be ordered physical therapy to help restore normal motion of the shoulder. Your therapist will teach you specific stretching and strengthening exercises to relieve your shoulder pain and help you get back to normal activities.

What is involved with surgical treatment?
The goal of surgery is to create more space for the rotator cuff and this involves removing a portion of the inflamed bursa. Your orthopedic specialist will perform an anterior acromioplasty, where part of the bone is removed to allow for movement of the rotator cuff. Many times, the surgeon opts to perform this procedure by way of arthroscope.

The arthroscopic technique allows for use of small thin surgical instruments to be inserted around puncture wounds around the shoulder. The doctor can see inside the shoulder through a small camera inserted into the joint that displays images onto a computer TV monitor.

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Heart Warming Vegetable Beef Soup

Vegetable Beef Soup On A Cold Winters Day

Waking up with freezing rain and temperatures below freezing warrants a day for a steaming hot bowl of soup. We have all grown up with our favorite version of Vegetable Beef Soup. Soup is one of those dishes that taste even better the next day. When I make Vegetable Beef Soup I start it early in the morning and let the beef cook most of the day in the rich broth, it produces amazing flavor.

Varieties of Vegetables for Soup

When making Vegetable Beef Soup you can use any vegetables that you like. Some people choose corn, peas, green beans with potatoes and carrots added. In our home we have potatoes, turnips, carrots and cabbage. The secret to Vegetable Beef Soup is your broth, if your broth is bland your soup will be bland. There is nothing as heart warming than coming in from the freezing cold and smelling the wonder aroma of the broth from your soup.

Mama T's Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup olive oil
-2-3 pounds rump roast cut into chunks
-1 large onion, diced
-4 cups beef broth (made from 5-6 tablespoons beef base and 4 cups water)
-1 14ounce can of tomato sauce
-1 tablespoon oregano
-1 tablespoon marjoram
-1 tablespoon thyme
-1 tablespoon basil
-3-4 bay leaves
-Salt and Pepper, to taste
-6 large carrots, diced
-3-4 turnips
-4-6 potatoes, diced
-1 medium to large head of cabbage, shredded

Directions:

1. In a heavy-bottom stock pot add 1/4 cup olive oil on medium-high heat. Add onions and roast chunks. Cook until meat is brown.

2. Mix together the beef broth and tomato sauce. Add to the meat mixture; and turn heat down to medium.

3. Add all spices. Add extra water if needed. Make sure and keep the meat covered in liquid. Cook 3-5 hours, make sure meat is very tender.

4. Add carrots, turnips, potatoes and cabbage. Cook on medium until done.

5. Once the vegetables are tender you can turn the heat to medium-low and allow for the flavors to continue to meld together.

It is ready to serve with your favorite rolls.

Our pot of soup is almost ready. Soon our family will sit around the table enjoying this heart warming Vegetable Beef Soup. When you sit around the dining room table with a warm bowl of soup, it is a great time to talk about your favorite memories with your family.

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7 Sustainable Diet Secrets

1. Use the KISS principle, Keep It Simple Silly. The idea of simplicity when it comes to losing weight may come as a surprise because we get lost in the drama of our diet story. The do and don't rules, restrictions and limitations of a quick fix diet abound when we're confronting those extra 20 pounds and are desperate to lose it. And I understand reacting in crisis mode having been there myself one too many times.

But there's a mindset worth nurturing that will help you every day, crisis or not, to make simple changes that take almost no effort yet benefit the bottom line, your weight. After all, weight gain comes down to a simple idea. More calories in than needed, the excess is stored as fat. It doesn't get more complicated than that and yet many women forget or overlook applying the Kiss idea in their daily lives especially regarding eating.
What are some ways you can use kiss as your guide. cut down on consumption, lose weight and rethink how you eat and manage your diet?

2. Try applying flexibility, be open to creativity and be willing to switch high impact foods and drinks to lighter substitutions you can self-create. When you decide to eat something that's high impact, resist for a moment and ask yourself how you can tone it down, maybe substitute or leave something out so you can control your own story. Keep in mind, whatever you choose to action for yourself that improves an outcome is proactive and sharpens your awareness. There are many opportunities every day to apply Kiss. For example:

3. In coffee, Frappuccino's, Caffe Mocha, Latte's, Smoothies, Alfredo's, switch to no-fat milk without whipped cream. Get only one pump of the flavored syrup, or ideally, switch to the sugar free syrup. Instead of all these high impact drinks that distract from the pure pleasure of a great tasting coffee, why not return to the basics and add your own signature flair? Try a double espresso with nonfat foam layered right to the top. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg atop the foam, some low or no fat milk, mix and presto, a delicious low calorie foamy drink without a big impact. Experiment and enjoy how great the pure taste of coffee is when its not buried under other stuff.

By the way, cinnamon helps the body regulate your intake of sugar. It helps to prevent sugar spikes by moderating sugar's release into the blood. That's not a license to overload on sweets, it's just a tip t0 know and use to help moderate sugar absorption.

4. In drinks: replace high sugar sodas, shakes and juices with sparking water or plain water with lemon. Lemon naturally balances the body's Ph levels. Try club soda, preferably salt or sodium free, seltzer, plain iced or hot tea with a sprig of mint or cinnamon stick, fresh squeezed carrot or fresh squeezed orange juice. Sugar free Kool-Aid or sugar free Lemon-Aid works.

Important point about sugar --it's in almost everything. Read the food labels and be aware of where and how the foods you buy and eat are impacting your health and your weight. Soda and big gulp sodas overload your body with empty calories, carbs and sugar and because sodas have high phosphorus content, they tend to lower calcium levels which weakens bones, a huge red flag for women especially over 40.

5. In fast foods: You can still order a fun meal only with a slightly lighter impact. Here's some suggestions for saving calories at some of the more well known chains.

KFC - replace fried chicken, crispy and extra crispy for grilled. Grilled is delicious and saves on calories, fat and sodium. The chicken meal with corn, mashed potatoes and gravy with biscuit is just as delicious getting grilled and deleting the gravy from the potatoes. You won't even notice and every little bit of calories saved helps. This includes not using butter on the corn or biscuit. You don't need it since KFC has the best, sweetest corn by itself and their biscuit plain is outstanding. These are simple adjustments that you can make that do not affect how you experience your meal..it still tastes great and is fun to eat with a little less impact on your bottom line, calories in.

McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's. The Big Mac's or double cheeseburgers, bacon and cheese meat or chicken combos can be enjoyed without the bread. Yikes, am I kidding? No. Remember you're being flexible so ask for a knife and fork, toss the bread and be surprised how easy it is to do. Or if that isn't imaginable right now for you, how about a compromise? Eat it open faced. Toss half the bread, the top half. Really satisfying with fewer carbohydrates, calories and sodium. Substitute fries for a salad or donate half your order of fries to the trash bin if you can't resist them without feeling deprived.

Wendy's - instead of french fries, get a baked potato and top it with a little ketchup and eat it with a spoon. You'll hardly notice the "fried" is missing from the all potato taste.

Remember the drill at any restaurant, fast food or home --grilled, baked or broiled to replace fried.
5. Sweets. Switch sugar intensive desserts for fresh fruit salad or angel food cake topped with fruit. You save on calories and sugar and give your body the natural fiber in fruits. Plain yogurt, cinnamon, raisens and sliced banana works in any combo, or vanilla yogurt over angel food cake with fruit.

The amounts of sugar in foods today is amazing and startling as you will appreciate the more you pay attention to food labels. The equation to remember is 4 sugar grams equals one teaspoon of sugar. For example, a 12 oz. can of soda has 39 grams of sugar or almost 10 teaspoons of sugar in one can. Wild Cherry soda is 42 grams or 10.5 teaspoons of sugar per can. Smoothies start at 30 grams and up and you'd better sit down for this one, all the specialty coffees and drinks in Venti size without whip range from 71 to 82 grams of sugar and Green Tea Frappuccino Venti no whip weighs in at 86 gr. Is that insane? Think about and visualize 23 teaspoons of sugar before you indulge.

6. Flavor enhancements: Request sandwich dressings, special sauces, mayonnaise, barbeque, salad dressings, honey, butter, syrups, gravies, cheese and cream sauces by any name, including the Alfredo on fettucini, benedict sauce on eggs, as a side dish. Do you think restaurants or fast food chains have a clue or even care if they've added hundreds of high fat, high cholesterol, high sugar, high calorie, high sodium amounts to your meal? No.

These sauces, etc. are big on flavor and a little goes a long way. Put it on the food yourself, lightly, and be in control. Try it. The point is to help yourself shave off calories doing little things that really do matter and are easy to implement. It's no big sacrifice doing anything on this list, is it? Small improvements every day accumulate big rewards. Little things matter, because they do affect and change outcomes over time.

These are small steps you can take every day. Add some of your own as you remember you don't have to do without, you just have to do it smarter. Try it. If you want to learn more about smarter not harder diet tips and tricks, go to my website Diet-Bailout and sign up for a free 17 page chapter of my eBook that will change your life and your weight.

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The Green Diet

Some foods can minimize the likelihood of inflammation and help the weight-controlling hormones to do what they do best: control our appetite and balance our blood sugar. These include fruits, vegetables, oily fish, nuts and seeds and their oils, whole grains and herbs and spices. All we can use for one green diet smoothie or start with the green diet.

- Herbs and spices are important because they are rich in antioxidants, substances that protect body cells from the damage created when the inflammatory process is in full swing. Antioxidants are like protective parents that form a shield around our body's cells and absorb free radicals, which lose their destructive energy and are safely excreted from the body.

- If you cut an apple in half and leave one half uncovered for 20 minutes you can see free radical damage occurring. The apple starts to go brown and dries up because it reacts with the oxygen in the air causing free radicals to be formed. If you soak the other half in lemon juice however, it retains its white color and texture. This is because it has been protected by the vitamin C in lemon juice. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant.

- The antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory properties of herbs and spices encourage fat burning while reducing fat storage. They also add flavor and excitement to food, which results in reduced salt consumption. Too much salt prompts fluid retention, another fat-loss adversary.

- It seems that every diet I have ever tried involved way too much shopping. All the nutrients that are important for fat loss appear to be richest in fresh foods, but after the first few days of struggling to find the time to shop fresh, I always returned to ready-made chilled foods. When I spotted a diet on the internet that promised weight loss by eating foods from the freezer, I learned that frozen fruits and vegetables are packed with almost as much nutritional punch as their fresh counterparts (sometimes more). If you have a few bags in the freezer you can create soups and smoothies, super-fast! I now always have at least six bags of frozen fruits and vegetables in the freezer and no longer have a weight problem.

- I drink chilled green tea mixed with fresh fruit juice and sparkling water when hunger strikes. Why it works: We often confuse hunger with thirst. A glass of water can take the edge off our hunger, but water can be unexciting. Caffeine-rich green tea mixed with deliciously sweet, vitamin-rich fresh fruit juice and topped up with fizzy water is a great idea. A filling, fat-burning and more exciting solution when water just isn't enough!

- I always have three apples and a bag of almonds in my handbag. Apples (and pears) are high in pectin, which helps reduce fat absorption; and they're rich in soluble fiber, which slows down the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. Almonds are a great protein/essential fat combination. The two together make for a balanced, fat-burning and filling snack; perfect on the go.

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Cure For Smelly Feet Right At Home

Having smelly feet is unpleasant and embarrassing even though this is not considered a serious condition like diabetes or cancer. While there are many ways to fight foot odor, it is great to know that you can also find a cure for smelly feet at home.

What Causes Smelly Feet?

Before discussing a cure for smelly feet, it is prudent to understand first what causes smelly feet.

While it remains unknown why some people suffer from this embarrassing condition while others do not, foot odor which is scientifically known as bromhidrosis, is believed to be caused by sweaty feet as well as bacteria.

Most of us experience sweaty feet on a daily basis especially after vigorous activity. This sweating usually quickly evaporates. For those with stinky feet, it is believed that they sweat more than average and this excessive sweat does not evaporate as quickly and easily.

This excessive sweat combined with the bacteria on the bottom of the feet as well as some fungus and dead skin cells is believed to contribute to stinky feet.

Cure for Stinky Feet at Home

The first step to being able to find an effective cure for foot odor at home that will work for you is by looking at the shoes and socks that you wear and purchase, as this may make the problem of foot odor worse if you do not choose wisely.

Wear or purchase shoes and socks that are made with breathable materials so that moisture does not collect in the shoes, interact with bacteria and cause stinky feet.

Consider going barefoot or wearing sandals during the summer months to prevent foot odor. If you do wear closed toed shoes, make sure that you air them out frequently for at least a day or two to fully get rid of any moisture or odor. Wash sneakers or canvas shoes frequently and let them air dry.

There are also many home remedies for smelly feet that you can implement at home. Soaking you feet in water combined with Epsom salts, kosher salt, baking soda, black tea, etc, are popular cures for stinky feet at home. They help to control excessive sweating on the bottom of the feet when applied daily for at least a month.

You can also use foot powders that contain moisture absorbing and bacteria killing aluminum chloride hexahydrate. You can also use antiperspirant on the bottom of the feet to prevent excessive sweating and to kill bacteria.

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10 Things to Do at Home When Recovering From an Injury

You are likely used to being up on your feet, but when you have to have surgery on your foot or you experience an unexpected injury, you might find yourself stuck at home for several weeks or more. Since you are not used to being at home and lounging around, you might enjoy the time at first. However, once you have spent a little time alone, you might get bored. There are plenty of things you can accomplish with your time, even if you do not feel up to being out and about. Here are ten things you might want to consider doing to occupy your time and enjoy yourself while you are recovering from your injury or surgery.

1. Work on Photo Albums

You have good intentions. You take a lot of pictures and print them out and you mean to file them in the right albums. However, you are busy and time just slips away. When you are on crutches and it is not easy to get around, catch up on your photo albums. The job is something you can easily do sitting down and you will feel wonderful about getting caught up. You can get out your pictures and make scrapbooks or just get out your computer and make picture books online. Don't forget about that youngest child's baby book either.

2. Play One Person Games

You do not likely have a lot of time to play games on your own. With no one home during the day to entertain you, you might enjoy playing solitaire, Sudoku, or doing crossword puzzles.

3. Update iPod

New songs come out all the time, but you likely never have time to add those songs to your personal collection. Sit with your computer and refill your iPod with inspiring music. The new tunes will help get you from place to place as you try out your crutches around the house.

4. Read Classics

In order to keep your mind active, pick up some of the bestselling books and dig in.

5. Play Video Games

Your kids have plenty of time for games, but you never get a chance. During your recovery, get good at the games your kids love and then beat them when they get home from school.

6. Learn Skills

If you have always wanted to cross stitch, play the guitar, or learn some other skill, while you are on crutches at home alone you have the perfect opportunity.

7. Converse

You may have neglected friends and family members because of your busy lifestyle. When you are nursing an injury and are on crutches, send emails to people you haven't talked to in awhile or call them on the phone.

8. Organize

That filing cabinet, Tupperware drawer, or junk corner of your house has been calling to you for years. With time on your hands, it is a great chance to get it all done.

9. Pamper Yourself

You probably never have time to give yourself attention. Enjoy a manicure, facial, or anything else you can do for yourself.

10. Look at Alternatives to Crutches

If you want to get through your recovery without hampering your mobility, you are going to need an alternative to crutches. Take a look at Goodbye Crutches.com for options like the Hands Free Crutch, the Knee Walker and the Seated Scooter to help you get through the recovery process with ease.

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What Causes Cold Feet?

If you are suffering from icy feet, you probably asked yourself the question why are my feet always cold? Here is some information which will answer your question.

Icy feet may be a serious problem that can affect anyone, but is particularly common in women. It can cause immense discomfort to the sufferer. People that are often exposed to cold environments are at a higher risk for developing some sort of icy feet. It doesn't have to be extreme cold for you to feel the effects of what's known as "cold feet."

The problem may arise not only present during the cold winter months, but also during summer. Being aware of what causes cold feet and knowing what to do if they occur are especially important in avoiding serious problem.

There are many reasons such as health problems and lifestyle habits that could also cause or contribute to icy feet. The real cause of the condition can only be found out after making a proper diagnosis. In this article I will attempt to talk about what causes cold feet.

On the whole icy feet occur as a result of low temperature that causes constriction of the blood vessels in limbs and decreases blood flow to the feet.

As well, it is important to remember that the causes of cold feet can stem from underlying medical conditions.

Some of the main medical reasons, leading to icy feet are the following:

• Poor circulation

• The syndrome of Raynaud

• Thyroid problems a poor functioning thyroid

• Hormonal changes therefore, women generally suffer more from cold feet than men

• Some form of diabetes. This reduces blood flow to the extremities

• Rheumatism

• Peripheral neuropathy nerve damage

• Anemia

Other potential non-medical reasons causes of icy feet include:

• The lack of foot care

• The lack of adequate protection

• Wet feet since a wet foot loses heat much more quickly than a dry one

• Cold weather overexposure to cold

• Smoking -smoking makes arteries harden faster

• Some medications which cause unwanted side effects

• Lack of exercise-exercise helps improve blood flow to the feet

• Stress-different emotions affect the body in many ways

This is not a complete list of the possible reasons of icy feet. You may not be affected by any of the conditions listed here, but it is good to know about them so that you can be prepared. The least you can do is, that cold feet is a condition that can be controlled with proper self-care and treatment.

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Getting Heart-Strong With Stats, Warning Signs, and Health Tips, Too

In case you missed it, red was the color of choice when choosing what to wear last Friday, as the first of February marked the tenth anniversary of the American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day. Its purpose: to help raise awareness of heart disease in women, while at the same time, launching American Heart Month.

Be aware, too, that The Million Hearts™ national initiative sponsored by the American Heart Association and others is also making headlines right now. Introduced by the Department of Health and Human Services in September, 2011, its aim is to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the U.S. over a 5-year period. To that end, this month Walgreens has engaged "its 26,000 health care providers to offer free blood pressure testing in consultation with a Walgreens pharmacist."

Is the need great? You bet. Just take a look at these unsettling facts of life about cardiovascular disease, the umbrella term for all heart and blood vessel diseases, including heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and aortic aneurism:

1. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.
2. About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. every year-or one in four.
3. Every year, some 935,000 Americans have a heart attack; about 610,000 first-timers.
4. Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing more than 385,000 people every year and costing the U.S. $108.9 billion annually in services, medications, and lost productivity.

Meanwhile, recognizing the warning signs is key to survival; experience any of them and call 911 immediately:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Upper body pain or discomfort in arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats.

Know, too, that while the most common sign is chest pain or discomfort, women are somewhat likelier to feel short of breath, nauseous, and/or experience jaw pain.

Meanwhile, be advised that lifestyle is a determining factor, so be forewarned if you don't exercise, enjoy a high fat, sodium, and/or sugary diet, smoke, are overweight/obese, and/or have diabetes. To be in the know, head to your primary care doctor for a physical and make it an annual event. These are the numbers you'll want to hear:

• A blood pressure reading less than 120/80
• A total cholesterol that's less than 200 mg/dl
• An LDL ("bad" cholesterol) that's less than 100 mg/dl
• An HDL ("good"cholesterol) that's more than 50 mg/dl for women and 40 mg/dl or higher for men
• Triglycerides that are less than 150 mg/dl
• Blood glucose levels that are less than 100 mg/dl

To get you there, take time to de-stress every day, allowing yourself some "chill" time to meditate, garden, walk, and so on. You get the idea. And then:

• If you smoke, promise to stop. There's lots of quitting help out there, everything from gums and lozenges to patches and hypnosis. Online assistance is right at your fingertips, too. Need motivation? Quitting before 40 reduces the risk of death by about 90% finds an American Cancer Society study. Plus, smokers die, on average, about 10 years earlier than non-smokers.
• Get moving, aiming for at least 30 minutes a day of low to moderate intensity activity. The upside: lower blood pressure and triglyceride numbers, as well as higher HDL levels. Do it all in one outing or break it up into 10- or 15-minute workouts that can include walking, jogging, dancing, gardening, even playing outside with the kids. Then add just two weight training sessions a week-about 20 minutes or so each-and you're on your way.
• Start every day with a heart-healthy breakfast, as in oatmeal, a smoothie made, for example, with frozen berries, a banana, yogurt, and skim milk, a veggie-filled egg-white omelet, or even peanut butter on whole wheat toast sprinkled with ground flaxseed. Tempted to skip it and go right for the coffee? Keep in mind that eating breakfast cancels out the need for a mid-morning pick-me-up or heavy lunch, thus helping prevent weight gain.
• Eat a heart-healthy lunch and dinner, too, ones that are rich in fruits, veggies, fiber, whole grains, low-fat, calcium-rich dairy, and lean protein. Aim for two servings of fish each week, too. Not sure how much produce you should be consuming every day? The CDC has the answer for you.
• Take an inventory of what's on your pantry shelves when it comes to snacks, soups, salad dressings, etc. and consider tossing a few of them. As you read the nutrition labels, keep in mind that you want to limit your daily sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg and less than 150 mg of cholesterol. Then opt for better-for you alternatives like baked chips, nutrition-dense granola bars, heart-healthy soups and frozen dinners, and so on. While you're at it, put away the salt shaker and replace sugary drinks with plain water or sparkling water with a spritz or two of lemon juice.
• Be heart-savvy when eating out, too. Need some help as you peruse the menus of your favorite restaurant chains? There's actually an app for that, and it's called "Restaurant Nutrition."

In the meantime, need an easy, heart-healthy recipe to get you started? 

You will need:

• 1 cup halved walnuts or pecan (unless allergic)
• 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese (unless allergic)
• 2 cored, thinly sliced apples or pears
• 1 bag of pre-washed spinach (or salad greens)
• 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup of virgin olive oil

Steps to Take:

1. Place spinach or greens in large salad bowl.
2. Add nuts, dried cranberries/cherries, sliced fruit & cheese.
3. Toss.
4. Add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss well.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

As they say in France, à votre santé.

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The Curse of the Mummy: Heart Disease

A recent Lancet study titled "Atherosclerosis across 4000 years of human history: the Horus study of four ancient populations" purports to show that our ancient ancestors suffered from arteriosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries" just as we do. They concluded: "The presence of atherosclerosis in premodern human beings suggests that the disease is an inherent component of human ageing and not characteristic of any specific diet or lifestyle." In other words, go ahead and eat another Big Mac and wash it down with a supersized Coke because your arteries will eventually clog up no matter what you do. Thank you judge Tingling for cancelling Mayor Bloomberg's ridiculous super-sized soda ban, although looking at your picture I suspect that you may want to back off on super-sizing of anything, especially yourself.

Unfortunately this study largely ignores the actual disease process leading to heart attacks and strokes. This study documented calcium deposits in the arteries of mummies from four different variably ancient cultures: Egyptians, Peruvians, ancestral Puebloans and Unangans from the Aleutian Islands. Although it is likely true that as humans grow older they tend to accumulate some calcium deposits in their arteries, by itself this process won't likely lead to heart attacks and strokes. To turn arteriosclerosis into a deadly killer, you also need to add some inflammation.

It's All About the Details

To understand how this process works, we first need to review a little anatomy. Arteries are lined by endothelial cells that form a tight junction to keep blood elements from leaking into the surrounding tissue. These cells are coated with a hair-like protective surface called the glycocalyx. This layer keeps the flowing blood from coming into contact with the endothelial cells. It more or less acts like Teflon, allowing the blood to flow smoothly. Fats are transported in the blood stream as combinations of fat and protein called lipoproteins. Low density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol and fatty acids into cells and high density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol and fatty acids out of cells.

LDL cholesterol comes in two forms-small, dense LDL particles and fluffy, large LDL particles. When you consume a diet high in saturated fat, LDL particles migrate to the intima, the layer beneath the endothelium. Small, dense LDL particles tend to hang around longer and become oxidized, leading to inflammation. Oxidized LDL particles strip away the protective glycocalyx layer and damage the underlying endothelium, leading to endothelial dysfunction. White blood cells are attracted by this inflammation and migrate to the intima where they gobble up the oxidized LDL cholesterol, creating fat-ladened foam cells. This inflammatory mess can eventually lead to dangerous blood clots, so your body responds by walling it off with a layer of calcium and a fibrous cap. With a solid fibrous cap, blood continues to flow freely and everything is good-that is until you add more inflammation to the mix.

Harden My Arteries but Please Don't Give Me Inflammation

Many components of our modern diet can feed this inflammatory process, including trans fatty acids, excessive omega 6 fatty acids relative to omega 3 fatty acids, excessive fructose mainly from sugar and HFCS, and high glycemic carbohydrates mainly form grains. These dietary elements lead to high glucose levels, high insulin levels, high uric acid levels and systemic inflammation. Grains, legumes and dairy products can lead to a leaky gut, further feeding this inflammation. Consuming our Standard American Diet (SAD) is like throwing gas on a fire when it comes to feeding inflammation. All of this inflammation can eventually cause the fibrous cap to rupture, where all the pro-inflammatory foam cells spill into the circulation. This leads to a blood clot, your bodies' last brave attempt to seal off the damage. If the blood clot is large enough, it blocks the artery leading to a heart attack or stroke.

Although arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) may be a normal part of human aging, heart attacks and strokes clearly are not. When the authors of this study examined the mummies with CT scans, they were documenting calcium deposits in their arteries. They could only document arteriosclerosis and as the discussion above describes, hardening of the arteries will never kill you without throwing in a lot of inflammation leading to rupture of the plaques. We really have no idea whether these mummies were prone to such events and this study is not helpful in this regard.

Did Mummy Ever Have to Dial 911?

It is possible that they did sometimes have heart attacks and strokes, because we know that all of these groups consumed some food items found in our modern diet. Three of the groups were already heavily into agriculture by growing and consuming grains. The Unangan's from the Aleutian Islands were presented as a group of hunter-gatherers, yet the mummies from this group died around 1900. Even though their traditional lifestyle involved hunting sea animals, fishing and collecting shellfish, by this time they had already been trading with Russians and other groups for several centuries. They traded animal pelts for subsistence items like food and clothing. Clearly we cannot classify this group as strictly hunter-gatherer.

This study made headlines around the world, implying that our ancient ancestors suffered from the same vascular problems that we do. This is simply poor science. In order to suffer from increased morbidity and mortality, you need to add inflammation to arteriosclerosis and this study doesn't discuss the issue of inflammation. Studying mummies can be exotic and fun, but let's not forget to include a little science and common sense in the discussion.

Headlines, Smeadlines

News articles about this study often concluded that because the mummies had arteriosclerosis, our modern diet likely is not contributing much to this process. In other words, go ahead and eat junk food because your arteries will harden no matter what you eat. Although this may be true, having "hardened" arteries or arteriosclerosis will never by itself kill you. Throw a pro-inflammatory modern diet into the mix and people start falling like flies from heart attacks, strokes and other modern inflammatory diseases.

Mummy, I need help!

So what's a confused, modern non-mummy supposed to do? To keep calcium from building up in your arteries, taking vitamin K2 as a supplement might be helpful. This form of vitamin K moves calcium out of your arteries and into your bones where it belongs. I recommend taking at least 1,000 mcg of vitamin K2 daily. More importantly, you should do everything possible to eat a diet that doesn't promote inflammation. A good starting point is to eliminate sugar and HFCS, two inflammatory bombshells in our modern diet. I also recommend keeping your fructose intake below 25 grams per day as Richard Johnson suggests in his books "The Sugar Fix" and "The Fat Switch". I also recommend reducing your intake of omega 6 fatty acids from vegetable oils and increasing your intake of omega 3 fatty acids. You can also measure your omega 3 index to balance your diet so your ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids is between 1 and 3. For more information about fatty acids, I recommend reading "Toxic Fat" by Barry Sears or "The Omega Diet" by Artemis Simopolos. To learn more about the adverse effects of high glycemic carbohydrates, read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes. Gary really understands the woes of carboholics.

I'm Not Your Mummy-If You Want to be Healthy, You Need to Take the Bull by the Horns

To keep damaging inflammation out of your body, you need to become self-educated and these books are a good place to start. Most physicians and dieticians still follow the government's nutritional recommendations like the disastrous Food Pyramid recently replaced by the incomprehensible Food Plate. These dietary recommendations are highly influenced by our modern food and agricultural industries, the very folks who have been peddling a pro-inflammatory diet for decades. If you are already suffering from inflammatory diseases like obesity, type II diabetes, hypertension, strokes and heart attacks, you might want to consider following a Paleo diet. This type of diet eliminates all pro-inflammatory grains, legumes, dairy and bad fats. For more information about going Paleo, read "The Paleo Answer" by Loren Cordain or "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf. Even if you decide not to go full Paleo, moving in this direction will help to reduce dangerous inflammation in your body.

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