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shomaila i.

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Cold water bath vs. hot water bath after training

Oct 25, 2014

20316

Do post-exercise pains go away by an ice bath or a hot shower?

This depends on the kind of exercise performed and medical conditions of the individual.

Taking a cold shower after an intense workout is a common practice among many athletes. It helps them to recover faster, and reduce muscle pain and soreness. From elite runners to professional rugby players, a cold bath is a standard practice routine. In addition, many athletes follow the practice of water therapy, which is alternating between hot and cold water baths.

So, how does cold water work for your body?

The theory behind a cold shower after training is the fact that intense exercise causes micro trauma which really means, tears in the muscle fibers after an intense workout session. This muscle damage stimulates muscle cell activity and helps repair the damage and strengthen the muscles. It is also associated with delayed onset of muscle pain and soreness, which occurs to heavy lifters between 24 and 72 hours post- workout.

A good and long Water therapy is beneficial as it….

Helps in constricting blood vessels and flushing waste products, like lactic acid, out of the affected tissues
Decreases metabolism and slows down the physiological processes
Reduces swelling and further breakdown of muscle tissues

�

Then, with re-warming�

The increased blood flow speeds circulation and improves the healing process.

Cold Water Bath = Vasoconstriction (limiting blood flow)

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Cold water bath is believed to be much better for you within minutes after an intense workout session. Some people even go for the extreme and do ice water baths after their workout. This does have a few known benefits such as repairing swollen and inflamed muscles fibers and numbing of pain receptors. A heavy exercise routine stresses your muscles and connective tissue which causes micro tears and inflammation deep within. Cold water can help with reducing inflammation, also reducing the soreness, toxins, and stress. One needs to be careful about a few things when going for a cold water bath as it makes the tissues go stiff. It’s very easy to injure tissue once it is cold, so movement needs to be very careful and limited and slow. The best time to go for a cold water bath is right after the intense workout session, when the body has cooled off and is ready to be repaired.

Hot Water Bath = Vasodilation (increasing blood flow)

If you are going to take a cold water bath, you also need to make sure that you do take a warm or hot water bath later or apply any heat to the muscles that you worked upon during the workout. As it is advised to warm up before any kind of heavy lifting, it is also a wise choice to apply heat after your workout session. Most of us jump into the shower after a heavy training session to relieve muscle and joint aches. No one will argue against the fact that a good hot shower or a nice steamy bath feels great on tired muscles. The best practice is to do so within minutes after your workout and cool down. Several hours later, heat is generally applied. Cold shows are good but only for a few minutes. Heat, later that evening and next day. This post-workout shower also helps to wash away sweat and harmful bacteria off your skin. It promotes the much needed blood flow later to remove waste and toxins, initiates healing, and re-growth of muscles into stronger tissue. As a word of caution: Heat can cause inflammation, so painful swelling and arthritis may not be ideal cases for heat application.

References

https://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/men/hygiene/should-man-take-cold-shower-after-workout.htm

https://health.ninemsn.com.au/fitness/expertadvice/837008/hot-or-cold-shower-after-exercise

Benefits of Papaya

Oct 25, 2014

4314

Benefit of Papaya

Christopher Columbus, an Italian voyager described papayas as the fruit of the angels. This fruit is extremely rich in Vitamin C and has a plethora of health benefits making it a great option to include in your diet. Listed below are some of the top health benefits of papaya:

1.� Lowers cholesterol

Papaya is fantastically rich in fiber, Vitamin C and antioxidants. It prevents cholesterol from building up in your arteries. Too much cholesterol leads to several heart diseases, heart attack and hypertension.

2.� Helps in weight loss

Those who want to lose weight can benefit from the consumption of papaya because it is low in calories. The fiber content in papaya is so high that it leaves you satiated and also clears your bowels to make your weight loss regime easier. Papaya is also an age-old remedy for constipation.

3.� Boosts your immunity

A papaya can single handedly boost your immunity system. Since it is rich in vitamin C, your risk of getting sick is dramatically reduced with the consumption of papaya. A single papaya contains more than 200% of your daily Vitamin C requirement, making it best for your immunity.

4.� Good for diabetics

Papaya is an excellent food option for people who have diabetes as it has a low-sugar content but is still sweet to taste. In addition, people who eat papaya can prevent diabetes. It is also an amazing fruit to lower your sugar cravings.

5.� Great for your eyes

Papaya is a very rich source of Vitamin A which protects your vision from degenerating. Nobody wants to lose their sight due to diseases such as age-related macular degeneration so having more papayas is a must.

6.� Protects against arthritis

Arthritis is a degrading disease and people who suffer from it find their quality of life declining. Eating papayas will prove very good for your bones as they have anti-inflammatory properties which help in keeping various forms of arthritis at bay. A study showed that people who consumed foods that were low in Vitamin C were three times more at risk than those who had a regular intake.

7.� Improves digestion

In today's fast life, it is next to impossible to avoid eating foods that are bad for your digestive system. Eating a papaya daily can make up for such occasional mishaps, as it has a digestive enzyme known as papain and tons of fiber that helps improve your digestive system.

8.� Helps ease menstrual pain

Women who experience menstrual pain should help themselves to several servings of papaya. Papaya, as mentioned before, contains the enzyme papain that helps in regulating and easing flow during menstrual periods.

9.� Prevents signs of ageing

All of us want to stay young forever, but no one in this world is immune to old age. Nonetheless, healthy habits like eating a papaya daily will delay ageing and will further prolong the process with regular consumption and may make you look up to 5 years younger than your actual age. This age defying fruit is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E and is packed with antioxidants like beta-carotene which prevent your skin from free radical damage such as wrinkles and other signs of ageing.

10.� Prevents cancer

Papaya is also a cancer fighting fruit and due to its rich content of antioxidants, phytonutrients and flavonoids, it can prevent your cells from undergoing free radical damage and contracting cancer. Some studies regarding fruit and their benefits have also linked the consumption papaya to a phenomenally reduced risk of not only colon but prostate cancer as well.

11.� Helps reduce stress

After a long day at work, it is natural to crave for something light and refreshing.� Papaya is a good option and the idea to come home to a plate full of it is even better. This wonder fruit is rich in several nutrients which can keep you free from stress. According to a study, 200 mg of Vitamin C can help regulate the flow of stress hormones.

References

https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=47

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275517.php

Why should you stop sun tanning

Oct 24, 2014

4751

SunTan

Summer is here and soon many people will be heading towards their favorite beach destinations to enjoy beautiful beaches and bask in the sun to get a suntan. To most people it will sound like the best holiday idea � sure it is, but there are certain dangers of sun tanning that can catch you unaware.

We all know that getting some sun is needed and is definitely good for us. When our body is exposed to sun rays, vitamin D is produced in our body. But did you know that only half an hour of sun exposure is enough to produce it and that too much sunlight can actually be deadly? You get a tan when you expose yourself to too much sunshine and the fact is that it is not good for you.

The pigment melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes located in the epidermis layer of skin. This pigment is responsible for the browning of the skin. When our skin is exposed to the UV rays, the skin triggers the production of melanin to absorb the harmful rays. The more our skin is exposed to the harmful UV rays the more melanin is produced, thereby causing more tanning. If our skin produces less melanin, the damage to the skin by the UV rays can be irreparable. When such damage accumulates over time, the normal skin cells start mutating into cancer cells. Just like sun burn, suntan is a result of damage done to your DNA by the UV rays and it is the stepping stone for skin cancer.

The tanning of the skin is a response that DNA damage has occurred. Excessive sun tanning can also lead to the occurrence of symptoms of premature skin aging like wrinkles, brown spots, lax skin, etc. It also leads to the breaking down of the collagen in the skin and thus leading to sagging of skin.

Most of us live in a false sense of security and think that if we step out in the sun after applying SPF 50 sunscreen, we will be fine. But, that is not right. The effects of sun damage can take years to show and by the time you know it is already too late. Sun tanning, or for that matter even getting tan in tanning salon is harmful for the skin. Therefore, you have ample reasons to stop sun tanning. However, does that mean you should not enjoy a beach holiday? Definitely notbut here are a few measures that will help you in keeping your skin sun safe and help you be more cautious:

–�� Do not expose yourself to the sun for excessively long hours.

–�� Avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as this the time when the rays are strongest.

–�� Check the sun protection you use. It should have a minimum of SPF 15 and should protect your from both UVA and UVB. Always apply it about 30 minutes before you step into the sun and reapply it every 11/2 hours.

–�� When exposed to sunrays for long hours, make it a point to seek shade in between. Make sure you also wear a wide-brimmed hat to shield yourself.

It doesn't matter how you get your natural tan, whether it is outdoors or at a tanning salon, the damage caused by sun exposure and UV radiation will result in premature skin aging, particularly in the form of wrinkles, skin sag, age spots and more. Perhaps the most detrimental outcome of long-term tanning is skin cancer, which can be otherwise be avoided. Moreover, people who tan themselves indoors via UV radiation are 74% more likely to induce melanoma than those who don't.

Wanting a tan isn't a bad thing, you just need to look for smarter options. If you would like to have a typical tanned appearance, resort to sunless tanners such as tanning lotions or powders for a bronze, beachy glow.

References

https://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=398011

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962206023814

Benefits Of Ginger Tea

Oct 23, 2014

3861

Ginger Tea

Ginger tea is a popular beverage in many countries due to its� medicinal properties. The benefits of ginger tea are backed by scientific and anecdotal evidence, some of which include:

Fights Cancer � Studies indicate that some cancers can only be treated by ginger, such as ovarian cancer. Research has proven that ginger can literally obliterate ovarian cancer cells. Even though more research is required for this health claim, ginger tea can only improve your health so there’s no reason to not include it in your diet.

Helps with Irritable Bowel Syndrome � Those suffering from IBS will be happy to know that their daily dose of tea will now pack a ginger punch to spell relief from the symptoms of this condition. The interesting part of this is that it doesn't seem to matter how you get your fair share of ginger into your system, whether adding more ginger root in your recipes, or ginger supplements, or brewing ginger tea, they all are adept at calming the bowels and digestive system.

Protects Against Alzheimer's Disease � If Alzheimer's disease runs in your family, then it’s time to incorporate more ginger into your diet and daily routine. Researches show that ginger helps to slow down the loss of brain cells — a major cause of cognitive decline. By protecting and preserving the brain cells you prolong the amount of good years that you possibly can have with just a minor adjustment in your diet.

Stimulates Appetite � Many people suffer from weak appetite and experience stomach problems. You probably don’t produce enough stomach acid to stimulate appetite. Ginger is an active appetite stimulant; it gets your digestive juices rocketed so that you feel hungrier and are able to digest your meals. Improper digestion of foods leaves you uneasy and bloated and can further contribute to weight gain.

Helps with Weight Loss � Losing weight is one of the most crucial and yet, significantly positive things you can do to get overall health back on track. Ginger acts as a natural fat burner. It specifically helps you to ensure that the weight that you're losing is from fat. Another reason that shed your pounds is that ginger keeps you feeling full, so you eat much less and feel fuller for longer periods of time thus, reducing your overall caloric intake.

Helps Manage Blood Glucose Levels � Research suggests that ginger tea can help keep blood glucose levels in check. Coffee and ginger make a great� combination for combating high blood sugar levels and are a great way to manage them constantly. It also makes weight loss easier and makes you more energetic throughout the day. If you’re sick of that often occurring midday crash that takes away from your mood and concentration, then it's likely due to your blood sugar levels, and adding ginger �� to your tea might just help you stay focused on the task.

Helps the Body Absorb Nutrients � When you're trying to lose fat and manage weight, getting the right nutrients into your body is the most essential part. But it defeats the purpose if your body is overweight as it is not used to getting the nutrients it needs. More ginger means that you are absorbing all of the nutrients that your body needs to get you better results more quickly with the same amount of effort.

Helps with Morning Sickness � Pregnant women often experience morning sickness, vomiting or nausea. A generous serving of ginger tea can counter these problems and calm your body.

Relieves Tired Muscles � Drinking ginger tea works miracles on the sort of muscle tiredness you get after strength training in the gym or a long hectic swimming session. A cup of ginger tea makes sure that you are more alert and rejuvenated and that your muscles recover better and faster.

References

https://www.newhealthguide.org/Ginger-Tea-Benefits.html

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-961-GINGER.aspx?activeIngredientId=961&activeIngredientName=GINGER

Home Remedies For Sunburns

Oct 22, 2014

3457

SunTan

Constant exposure to UV rays increases melanin in your skin. Moreover, UV light exposure is not only limited to bright summer days as they are also present in winter and monsoon seasons.

The melanin produced in the skin is to protect you sun damage and the amount is determined by genetics. Melanin acts as a natural sun barrier equivalent to an SPF 4.

It is crucial that you minimize sun exposure in order to reduce your risk of premature skin aging and skin cancer.

Symptoms of excessive sun exposure include redness, stinging and peeling of the skin.

Some home treatments for tan and sunburns include:

1. Potatoes

If you suffer from searing hot red skin, dig out a few potatoes from the back yard or the fridge, whichever is nearer and wash and scrub them thoroughly, then either grate them or blend them to make a paste. This paste can act as a pain reliever and a major rescuer from skin ailments such as skin irritations, scratches, bites, and burns. It may as well reduce redness and inflammation in the skin. Some people feel that the juice of a potato works the best, while others feel just slices are adequate. You can try both, the juice (soak cotton balls thoroughly in it) and slices (lying them directly on your burn) depending on the condition of your skin and determine which one is the best remedy for your sunburn.

2. Milk

A cool milk compress might seem a bit odd but it is one of the quickest, simplest and most affordable ways of treating sunburn. The initial coolness of the milk will minimize the heat, while a thin layer of protein gets coated on your skin to protect it so that your can skin, heal and experience less discomfort.

3. Baking soda

Yes, baking soda or some cornstarch can kill your sunburn. The cool, silky texture of cornstarch is probably the best way to naturally soothe your burnt skin and like milk, it is something your have readily available and don’t have to go out hunting for. If you’re out of cornstarch, you can even use baking soda. Both can relieve you of the pain and reduce the blisters of the burn. When mixed with cool water, both should give a paste like consistency which can be easily applied to burnt skin.

4. Stay hydrated

A sunburn is the “burning” of skin and it entails even more if ignored. It sounds like stating the obvious, but we really don’t have a choice when confronting that we actually, truly, seared our skin. As the case with any other thing that burns your skin, a sunburn will also leave it dried out and shrivelled. Thus, to repair it, you will need water. Keep a tall bottle or a glass of cool water close to your reach and keep yourself hydrated to heal as fast as you can.

5. Aloe vera

Aloe Vera gel is as cool as anything can get. This gel-like plant extract can take away all your skin problems from the root. Aloe vera has soothing properties and can easily cool a burn and reduce redness of the skin. Because aloe vera serves a number of uses for the skin and it's handy to have a plant growing in your house, they're much easy to maintain and demand nearly no attention. If you would really prefer a more savvy approach, getting some good quality aloe vera gel from the store is not such a bad idea either.

6. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a traditional remedy for several skin treatments. Taking an oatmeal bath can relax your body from head to toe and soothe your burns. The polysaccharides in your favourite oatmeal will coat and heal your skin. Furthermore, the cool water obviously cools you down and keeps your skin hydrated and moist. Make sure your bath is tepid, or slightly on the cooler side. Cold water will seal off pores and your body will trap more heat.

References

https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/beauty/sun-care/10-home-remedies-for-sunburn.htm

https://www.medicinenet.com/10_home_remedies_for_sunburn_treatment/views.htm

Pediatricians urge flu vaccine for all kids 6 months and older

Oct 19, 2014

4052

There has been an update on the influenza vaccine recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics recently. They have advised that the youngest kids should have two initial doses of vaccine that will help them in building immunity. They have also recommended parents who kids are between the age of 2 to 8 to consider getting their kids administered with nasal spray vaccine instead of getting them the flu shot, if the former is available.

The recommendations were published on the web on September 22 in the journal named Pediatrics.

Dr. Henry Bernstein, lead author and a specialist in pediatrics at North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y added that it is important to get the vaccine as soon as it is available. Last year, more than 100 kids were reported to have diet from flu as per the reports from the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As many as half of them had no underlying medical condition the American Academy of Pediatrics have said. An important observation is that 90% of the children who were treated for influenza in the ICU were not vaccinated for flu. Bernstein said that getting flu is much worse than getting vaccinated. In fact, since this disease can be prevented via vaccines, the more people are vaccinated, they safer and more immune to the disease they will be. Even if kids were vaccinated last year, they need to be vaccinated again this year. It doesn't matter if the flu vaccine this year protects the same type of flu as last year.

Bernstein said that the reason why people should go for vaccination again is because the immunity of people wanes over time. It is seen that antibodies to flu drop 50% in the 6 to 12 months after vaccination. So, getting vaccinated each year ensures better protection.

There are two types of vaccines available for flu. The quadrivalent types protect one from four types of flu while the trivalent vaccine protects from three. Each of this type is not necessarily preferred over the other. People must get the vaccine that is available in the area. Young kids between the ages of 6 months to 8 years may need two doses of the vaccines to be fully protected.

What is new about the recommendation this year is the vaccine in the form of a nasal spray. This vaccine, called the live attenuated�influenza vaccine�(LAIV), is considered healthy for children aged 2 to 8. While both flu shots and nasal spray vaccine work to protect against the flu, nasal spray is supposed to work better in younger children. However, it is recommended that you check out if your kid has a severe allergic reaction to the nasal vaccine, in which case it is definitely not recommended. Kids who have medical condition like as asthma, diabetes, heart or kidney disease or who have taken antiviral medications within two days of getting a vaccination, should not be administered with the nasal vaccine.

Parents should not wait for the nasal spray vaccine to be available in your area. If the flu shots are available, they should go ahead with it. Bernstein also ensured parents who are afraid to get their children vaccinated because they fear the vaccine isn’t safe should not worry. The vaccine is very safe and is designed to keep your child away from flu.

It is also recommended that pregnant women should also get vaccinated to protect themselves as well as their newborns. That is because, in the initial six months of life, the mother’s immunity is what protects the baby. Unless there are medical reasons to be not vaccinated, everyone should get vaccinated.

References

https://www.empr.com/aap-urges-flu-vaccine-for-all-children-6-months-and-older/article/372883/

https://www.hcplive.com/articles/AAP-Urges-Flu-Vaccine-for-All-Children-6-Months-and-Older

We Drink More Alcohol on Gym Days

Oct 18, 2014

3790

�

People typically head for the gym when the weekend hits. You can see more people sweating it off in the gym from Thursdays to Sundays. A new Northwestern Medicine research finds that these are also the days when people drink more alcohol.

It is interesting to note that this is the only study that uses smart phone technology. A daily dairy approach for self-reporting physical activity and alcohol intake has been also used in the study. This study was published on the web in Health Psychology which is an American Psychological Association journal.

People slog hard at work from Monday through Wednesday and their alcohol intake is relatively lower. By the time it is Thursday people need to let loose and unwind, so they resort to exercising and ironically, drinking alcohol too. David E. Conroy, the lead author of the study noted that the increase in physical activity and alcohol consumption goes hand in hand once the social weekend kicks off on Thursdays. Conroy is a professor of preventive medicine and deputy director of the Center for Behavior and Health at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. At the Methodology Center at The Pennsylvania State University, where the research was conducted, he is a faculty affiliate.

Conroy said that we are all aware of the health problems that can be caused due to inadequate physical activity. Excessive drinking can also result is several health problems. He further said that what we need to figure out is how to use physical exercising effectively, without having to suffer from the undesirable adverse effects of consuming excessive alcohol.

For this study data from one hundred and fifty participants were collected. These participants were between the ages of 18 to 89. They recorded their physical activity and alcohol consumption in their smartphones at the end of the day. The data was recorded for 21 days at a time. In a year, such data was collected at 3 different times.

Previous such studies on physical activity and alcohol took into account the data self-reported by participants over past 30 days. Conroy said that the technique of collecting the data in the previous studies is flawed, as people are vulnerable to memory problems and other biases when it comes to reporting past 30 days of behavior. In this study, people need to remember only one day of activity or alcohol consumption. So, it is likely that the data received will be more accurate. The previous studies, which relied on 30-day self-reporting and concluded that physically active people tend to drink more alcohol. However, this study did not arrive at the same conclusion.

Conroy said that they have tried to be as objective as possible. They got a very up-close and personal look at such behaviors on a day-to-day basis and have come to the conclusion that it’s not people who exercise more drink more – it’s that on days when people are more active they tend to drink more than on days they are less active. Another important finding of the study was that the observation was uniform across study participants of all levels of physical activity and ages.

Further research to find out what drives people to drink more on the days they exercise more is needed. Such studies are being carried out at the Center for Behavior and Health at Feinberg. It may be that people reward themselves for working out by having a drink or more. It is also possible that physically active people find themselves in social situations where alcohol is consumed. Conroy remarked that once the connection between the two variables is understood, novel ways of promoting physical exercise while limited the use of alcohol can be promoted.

The National Institute on Aging grant AG035645 and the National Institute on Drug Abuse grant P50 DA010075 funded this study.

References

https://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2014/09/we-drink-more-alcohol-on-gym-days.html

https://time.com/3421965/more-alcohol-on-workout-days/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+timeblogs%2Fwellness+(TIME%3A+Wellness)

Artificial Sweeteners Linked To Abnormal Glucose Metabolism

Oct 18, 2014

4573

A new study published in Nature recently revealed that artificial sweeteners, which have always been promoted as a means for weight loss and diabetes prevention could actually be hastening and encouraging the development of glucose intolerance and metabolic disease. It is done by changing the composition and role of the gut bacteria.

Dr. Eran Elinav of the Weizmann Institute’s Immunology Department, who worked on this together with Prof. Eran Segal of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics Department, said that the rampant use of artificial sweeteners in food and drinks these days may be contributing to the rise in obesity and diabetes across the population.

Researchers have long been of the opinion that artificial sweeteners do not really assist in weight loss. In fact, they might be having an opposite effect. Even though these sweeteners do not have sugar, they do have a direct effect on the body's ability to utilize glucose. Typically, glucose intolerance is known to happen when the body is unable to cope with large amounts of sugar in the diet. It is the first step on the path of the onset of diabetes in adults.

For this study, experiments were carried on mice, which were given water in which three of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners were mixed. It was observed that these mice that drank such water developed glucose intolerance while the mice that drank water and even sugar water were fine. The experiment was repeated with different types of mice and in different doses. The results were the same � these substances induced glucose intolerance.

The researchers then investigated a different aspect of the result. They hypothesized that gut microbiotas might be involved in this phenomenon. It was assumed that the gut bacteria might be reacting this way because of contact with new substances like artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, but when they pass through the gut, they encounter trillions of the bacteria present the gut microbiota

In the next step of the experiment, the researchers treated the mice with antibiotics to kill many of the gut bacteria. This resulted in a full reversal of the artificial sweeteners effect on the glucose metabolism.� The microbiota from the treated mice was then transferred to �germ free' mice and surprisingly it resulted in a complete transmission of the glucose intolerance into the recipient mice. . The research by the Weizmann Institute showed that the artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by changing the composition and function of the gut microbiota.

This proved that the gut bacteria are directly responsible for the harmful effects to their host’s metabolism. When the microbiota in these mice was characterized in details, it was found that profound changes occur in their bacterial population � such as new microbial functions that infers a propensity to obesity, diabetes in both mice and humans.

After these findings the question that remained was � if the human micro biome worked in a similar way? For this Elinav and Segal looked at data collected from their Personalized Nutrition Project, which is the largest human trial to date to look at the connection between nutrition and microbiota. He did found a significant association between artificial sweeteners intake, personal configurations of gut bacteria and the onset for glucose intolerance. In the next step, they asked a group of volunteers who did not generally consume artificially sweetened foods to have them for a week. After a week they were made to undergo tests to find out their glucose levels and also their gut microbiota compositions.

The results revealed that some of them did begin to develop glucose intolerance in just a week. It was discovered that there were two different populations of human gut bacteria � one that was indifferent to artificial sweetener intake and the second that induced glucose intolerance when exposed to such sweeteners. Elinav came to the conclusion that in people who developed glucose intolerance, certain bacteria in their gut reacted to the chemical sweeteners and secreted substances that provoked an inflammatory response akin to sugar overdose and promoted changes in the body’s ability to utilize sugar.

The results of this research call for reassessment of today’s massive, unsupervised consumption of such artificial substances. It is ironical that these substances which were designed to help in glucose intolerance and promoting it.

References

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-09-artificial-sweeteners-linked-abnormal-glucose.html

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/831873

Vitamin D Intake Can Improve Quality of Life in Senior Citizens- A Recent Study Reveals

Oct 17, 2014

3455

Vitamin D

The need of adequate vitamin D intake has been emphasized quite often as it has a big impact on the bone health. Vitamin D is also known to affect several chronic diseases in various ways. A recent study by University of Alberta reveals that people who are 50 years or more can significantly improve the quality of life by getting more sun exposure or by taking vitamin D supplements.

Health Canada and the Institute of Medicine recommend a supplementation of 600 IU per day for adults and for those more than 70 years old; the recommended intake is 800 IU. For people living in countries like Canada making the effort to get enough of Vitamin D is more important as the sun exposure can be very limited at times. Despite the efforts by the health authorities to increase the awareness about getting adequate vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among Canadians.

Experts are of the opinion that Vitamin D is important for the bone health. However, there has been little research about its relationship with the overall quality of life. A recent research published by Paul Veugelers, professor in the School of Public Health reveals that sun rays are more beneficial for our well-being than previously known. Veugelers along with his team of fellow researchers carried an experiment to study the health-quality of life in seniors. The study has been published in a research paper titled Quality of Life. For this study about 1500 people of 50 years or more participated and their blood samples were taken in order to assess the vitamin D levels. They were also asked to fill a questionnaire to provide an assessment of five factors that would help in quantifying health related quality of life. These five factors included � self-care, their personal mobility, everyday activities, pain or discomfort and anxiety or depression.

When the results of this experiment were studied, it revealed that there is a clear relationship between higher vitamin D levels and a better quality of life. Veugelers says “In other words: you don’t feel well? Sit in the sun or take some vitamin D supplements.” Problems related to everyday activities, mobility, feeling of anxiety or depression is very much associated with low vitamin D levels. 8% of the participants in the study had low vitamin D levels. That is a low percentage which Veugelers think could be attributed to the fact that the participants were already health conscious. That is why they look part in a lifestyle counselling program. They could be already vitamin D supplements. So, Veugelers is of the opinion that the rate of vitamin D deficiency is likely to be higher in the general population.

Canadians in general are aware of the effect of climate on their health and vitamin D levels. However, there is a need to create greater awareness about the same. Veugelers and his team are now studying the seniors who reported lower vitamin D. They will observe if by including vitamin D supplements, the health related quality of life in them enhances. He recommends that seniors should ensure that they follow the Health Canada's vitamin D intake for a better quality of life.

In the words of Veugelers – “A health issue like this requires multiple interventions, but has potential impact on many areas of health, from chronic diseases to mental health. A better understanding of vitamin�D benefits Canadians in many ways, so we hope our research will help people lead healthier, happier lives.”

The research carried out by Veugelers and team was funded by Pure North S’Energy Foundation. Its aim was investigate nutrition, chronic disease prevention, vitamin D and population health. The research activities by the team at University of Alberta are overseen by a science advisory committee, which consists of other university researchers who are experts in the field of health, nutrition and chronic disease prevention.

References

https://www.nutritionj.com/content/9/1/65

https://www.liveinthenow.com/article/study-reveals-this-vitamin-may-improve-quality-of-life

Healthy Lifestyle Choices May Dramatically Reduce Risk of Heart Attack in Men

Oct 17, 2014

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Men who make healthy lifestyle choices have significantly lower chances of suffering from heart diseases. The heart is actually more forgiving than you had presumed, in men. Men who embrace a healthy lifestyle �� those who work to maintain ideal body weight through diet and exercise, do not smoke and limit their alcohol intake within acceptable limits, can actually prevent four out of five coronary events in life. A recent study stated the same was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Statistics reveal that mortality from heart diseases have reduced in the recent years. This decline is attributed to the use of medical therapies rather than healthy lifestyle choices. The researchers are of the opinion that prevention of heart problem in men is possible through healthy lifestyle choices and this way the person will also be able to avoid the potential side effects of medication. It is also cost effective and can effective help in reducing coronary heart diseases issues in the population at large.

For this study, researchers observed and examined as many as 20721 healthy participants for over 11 years. These participants were Swedish men between the ages of 45 to 79. Over the course of 11 years of observation, their lifestyle choices were assessed through a questionnaire that had questions related to their diet, alcohol intake, smoking habits, level of physical activity and abdominal adiposity (belly fat). The study revealed that participants who were non- smokers, had minimal alcohol intake, who walked or cycled for at least 30-40 minutes per day, had a waist circumference below 95 centimeters exercised at least one hour per week, and whose diet consisted of a regular consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, reduced-fat dairy products, whole grains and fish, were at the lowest risk.

The researchers came to the conclusion that there was clear reduction in risk for coronary heart problems for each individual lifestyle factor that the participants practiced. For example, people who had a low-risk diet together with limited alcohol consumption had an estimated 35 percent lower risk of heart attack in comparison to the high-risk group, those who practice none of stated low-risk factors. Also, men who embraced a low risk diet, had alcohol in moderation, did not smoke, were physically active and had a low amount of abdominal fat had an 86 % lower risk of suffering from coronary heart diseases. Similar results were found in men with hypertension and high cholesterol levels.

Agneta Akesson, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, and lead author of the study said that we have always known that healthy lifestyle choices would lead to a reduction in heart attacks. But, the surprising finding here is how drastically the risk reduces due to these factors.

The authors also revealed that less than 2% Americans conform to habits that are ideal for cardiovascular health. To help promote good heart health, there should be programs specifically designed for men which help them to promote low-risk lifestyle choices. Such programs could also reduce the risk of heart problems in men who are already under medication.

The earlier one adopts healthy lifestyle in their life, the better it is. However, one needs to understand that such lifestyle behaviors can be changed for the good health of the heart at any time. Choosing low-risk life style choices over high risk habits can have a great impact on the cardiovascular health of a person, especially men.

References

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/videos/news/Healthy_Behaviors_092314-1.html

https://lifestyle.einnews.com/article__detail/225204451?lcode=MXJi02hj7U3p7o_ibymLUg%3D%3D

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