The Amazing Benefits of Drinking Tea

A cup of tea anyone? Drinking this brew has been connected to providing a lot of amazing health advantages for many centuries. But it is only during the recent years that its healing properties have been properly investigated. A lot of health experts recognize the powerful benefits of this drink.

Antioxidants

The amazing benefits are mainly because it is rich in flavonoids. What are flavonoids? Flavonoids are antioxidants and they are compounds that are plant-derived. Green tea, the healthiest type, is a good source of catechins. They are more powerful compared to the famous vitamin C and vitamin E in preventing oxidative damage to healthy cells.

Catechins can also help boost our immune systems, lowering our risk of getting serious diseases. According to studies, drinking this healthy brew can help reduce the risk of many types of cancers like colon, lung, esophageal, bladder, skin, and breast. Green as well as black teas are loaded with polyphenols which are antioxidants that are associated with a lot of powerful health benefits.

Other Benefits

Other benefits include a decreased risk for developing heart ailments. Antioxidants that are found in black, oolong, and green varieties prevent the oxidation of LDL or bad cholesterol in the body. On the other hand, these antioxidants help increase the HDL or good cholesterol.

Antioxidants found also help improve the function of the arteries. According to a study that was recently published, regular green or oolong drinkers showed an amazing 46% to 65% decrease in hypertension risk compared to people who do not consume this drink at all. It also has positive effects on our mental functioning, short-term memory, feelings of well-being, and increase in alertness.

How to Drink Tea

Drink it a few occasions per day to properly absorb the antioxidants as well as other healthy plant compounds. In tea-drinking countries, the customary amount is up to three cups per day. Allow it to steep for about three to five minutes. This will bring out the catechins. To make the most out of the catechins and other antioxidants is to drink it freshly brewed.

Choosing the Best Kind

It is also important to choose the best one to drink. Loose leaf kinds are healthier than those in bags. Bags only contain dusts and therefore they contain lesser catechins, flavonoids. Bottled and ready-to-drink, instant, and decaffeinated varieties have lesser catechins and other compounds. However, this healthy drink could impede iron absorption from vegetables and fruits. But you can add milk or lemon or drink it in between meals to counteract the problem.

[Continue reading...]

Signs of a Heart Attack - Knowing Them Can Help You Save Lives

Heart attacks account for millions of deaths every year. A heart attack (also called myocardial infarction) must be treated promptly after early detection if this danger is to be averted. For this, you should be able to recognize a heart attack when it happens. So let's discuss the signs of a heart attack.

What is an Acute Coronary Syndrome?

An acute coronary syndrome, of which heart attacks are one form, is caused when blood flow in a coronary artery becomes suddenly reduced or occluded completely. Coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle, providing it with energy and oxygen needed to pump blood to the rest of the body. When coronary blood flow drops below a critical level, the heart is unable to perform its regular activity and fails.

Typically the reduction in blood flow is caused by an atherosclerotic plaque which is the deposition of excess fat and cholesterol in the wall of blood vessels. This is the result of inflammation in the vessel wall resulting in blood cells becoming sticky and obstructing the flow of fluid in the narrowed tubes.

When the sticky blood clots and totally blocks the coronary flow, it results in a heart attack - unless immediate corrective action is taken.

Signs of a Heart Attack

The most common presentation of a myocardial infarction is the onset of crushing, severe chest pain located in the middle of the chest or towards the left. The pain often radiates from here to the upper stomach, neck, angle of the jaw or left arm. It is severe in intensity, and quite unlike any other pain the person has experienced in the past. The pain does not relent with time or medication, and may even get worse.

Not all infractions occur with chest pain. In older people, diabetics and some women, a heart attack may be entirely painless and indicated only by other signs. These signs include palpitations, profuse sweating, light headedness or dizziness, extreme fatigue and sudden breathlessness.

Emergency Measures To Take

Whenever you suspect a myocardial infarction, it is best to seek immediate medical assistance. Call an emergency service number to ask for an ambulance to rush the patient to hospital. As an immediate measure, placing a crushed tablet of aspirin in the patient's mouth, or a nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue, can help restore some blood flow in the obstructed artery by making the platelets in the clot less sticky.

As soon as the victim of an attack reaches hospital, emergency measures like nasal oxygen and maybe a pain killer like morphine will be administered. An EKG test will confirm the diagnosis by showing characteristic changes. Blood tests to measure the level of markers of heart muscle damage like Troponin levels can help make the diagnosis more certain.

The key to saving life by rushing a heart attack victim to hospital at the earliest lies in correctly identifying the warning signs and taking prompt action. This list of symptoms can serve as an important indicator of serious injury and when you take note of it and act promptly, you may save a person's life - quite literally.

[Continue reading...]

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.

[Continue reading...]