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Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Sunday, September 17, 2017

7 Top Foods for a Healthy Body

Healthy Eating can be Easy. It's All about Balance.

It's time to simplify healthy eating, starting with some basics. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, plant and animal proteins, heart-healthy fats and whole grains is the best foundation to support good health. While personal preferences, food allergies, or medical concerns may vary, use this "starter set" of seven top foods that are not only nutrient rich, but also economical and versatile, as a foundation for your own personal plan.

1. Eggs
Eggs are one of nature's perfect proteins since they contain complete, high quality protein that is easily digested. A nutrient powerhouse, one large egg contains about 75 calories, 8 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, along with a variety of vitamins and minerals, including B-vitamins, selenium, and vitamins A, D, and E.Choline, a nutrient important for brain health — and one most people don't get enough of — is another special benefit of eggs.

While eggs may be high in cholesterol, they are low in saturated fat, a combination that studies have shown does not elevate blood cholesterol. If you're watching your cholesterol levels, opt for egg whites-only. Plus, eggs are economical and have a long fridge life of several weeks. As for what type to buy, brown and white eggs are nutritional equals — they simply come from different kinds of chickens. However, eggs are now available with reduced amounts of cholesterol and higher omega-3-fatty acids. These designer eggs are pricier because the chickens are fed a special diet to produce eggs with a different nutrient profile.

2. Potatoes
Potatoes are one of nature's most nourishing and nutrient rich carbohydrates. One medium potato (that's about the size of your fist) has about 110 calories and nearly half your day's requirement for vitamin C, along with potassium (more than a banana), vitamin B6, magnesium, and a hefty dose of fiber when you eat the skin. While potatoes get a bad rap for being high in calories, it's only because they're often loaded with extras like cheese, salt, sour cream, and bacon, which pack on added fats and oils. Whether baked, boiled, or mashed, potatoes on their own are a satisfying starchy carbohydrate, especially for those watching their weight. Both white and sweet potatoes are nutrient rich, but sweet potatoes have the added benefit of extra vitamin A in a sweet potato. Don't forget, potatoes are also free of gluten.

3. Flank Steak
Red meat can be an important part of a healthy diet when the meat is lean and served in small portions. There are more than 25 cuts of lean red meat available and flank steak is among the most popular for its taste and affordability. As a lean red meat, flank steak is a super source of vitamin B12 and iron — both major nutrients to prevent anemia. A 4-ounce serving is also rich in protein with about 25 to 30 grams of high quality, complete protein. A modest serving, about the size of a computer mouse, can support muscle tissue, brain function, blood cells and the immune system, among other systems. Processed and fatty red meats like sausage are not part of the healthy picture and you shouldn't be eating huge portion sizes (like 12 to 16-ounce serving), as extensive studies have demonstrated. But flank steak, which doesn't contain a lot of fat, is more economical because it's not tender and must be marinated prior to grilling.

4. Low-Fat Yogurt
Yogurt comes from milk and contains the same set of nutrients, plus more. A 6-ounce serving of plain, low-fat yogurt has about 9 grams of complete protein (or double that amount for strained, Greek-style yogurt), calcium, vitamin B-12, potassium, and magnesium. One serving of yogurt has about one third of your calcium needs for the day! Yogurt, like milk, is also fortified with vitamin D.

While these nutrients support strong bones and teeth, yogurt is also a natural source of probiotics — healthy bacteria that support a healthy digestive track. Probiotics are also thought to contribute to a healthy immune system. Buy a large tub of plain yogurt, scoop out a single serving, and add fruits, nuts, or other low-sugar toppings for variety. Yogurt can be eaten at any meal, as a snack, and as a swap for high-fat sour cream in recipes. Stick with low fat or non-fat yogurt to limit artery-clogging saturated fat from any full fat dairy product. Keep in mind that many people who are lactose intolerant who lack the enzyme to digest milk, can digest one serving of yogurt a day. That's because the healthy bacteria in yogurt contains lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose in milk.

5. Carrots
Colorful vegetables are a mainstay of healthy eating. And carrots are plentiful and economical, plus they're available year-round. They are also a powerhouse of beta-carotene (vitamin A), and fiber. Like most vegetables, they are also high in water, which helps support hydration. Carrots are crunchy and sweet, so they're veggie accepted by children and adults alike. It's often one of the first foods for babies, because of its taste and texture.

A versatile veggie, carrots can be eaten raw, cooked, in a smoothie or soup and as the base of side dishes to support other, less popular veggies (like peas). While mini-carrots look like "baby" carrots, these are actually whittled down pieces of very large carrots. You can find true baby carrots, which are picked when small for a tender treat, but they are pricey and a specialty item. Stick with regular carrots in the bag for a sweeter taste and low price point. While organic and conventional carrots both contain the same nutrients, wash both types thoroughly before eating. And peel the carrots if you're concerned about any dirt particles on the skin, even if you lose a bit of fiber.

6. Nuts
Few foods can beat tree nuts for a nutritious punch of protein and heart-healthy fats. Nuts are a good source of omega-3-fats, fiber, vitamin E, and the amino acid arginine. Together, these nutrients support heart health and circulation, as well as both muscle and brain function. A superb plant protein, tree nuts — like almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachio nuts, and Brazil nuts — are very versatile.

A perfect snack, garnish for vegetables, mashed into a "burger," or used as an oil, nuts are economical and available everywhere. It's often hard to control portions, so try pistachio nuts in the shell, where a serving is about 39 nuts, with about 160 calories. Because nuts are so calorie-dense, it's best to limit to one or two servings a day. Keep in mind that adding nuts as a source of heart healthy fat won't do your heart any good if artery-clogging fats (like those found in dairy and meat) are not reduced.

7. Apples
Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? Science seems to think so! Apples are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water. They are rich in antioxidants and flavonoids — the polyphenol compounds also found in grapes and red wine thought to boost heart health. With about 100 calories in a medium apple (about the size of a baseball) apples are a boon to dieters because the crunch provides a lot of eating satisfaction and they're nice and sweet.


For optimal nutrients, don't forget to eat the skin, where many of the nutrients are found. Produced worldwide, fresh apples are available year-round, with many different varieties. Plus, apples are delicious raw or cooked and with so many varieties available, they never get boring.

Healthy eating can be easy. It's all about balance. Remember that the key to food supporting a healthy body is to eat these and other high-nutrient foods regularly — not just once in awhile.

Quoted from MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 10:10 AM
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Saturday, June 10, 2017

How to figure out how much sleep you really need

In theory, sleep takes up about 8 out of every 24 hours, one-third of our lives. But many of us don't actually sleep that much and are tired all the time — more than a third of Americans don't get the seven to nine hours of sleep a night that the CDC recommends.

Yet we spend additional time worrying about our sleep. According to a research by the National Sleep Foundation, more than a third of Americans say their sleep quality is "poor" or "only fair."

But how much sleep do we really need?

First, let's get the bad news out of the way: there isn't going to be a one size fits all answer — sleep needs really do vary from person to person.

You could be one of those incredibly rare people that can actually get by on a few hours of sleep a night (almost definitely not), or you could be on the opposite end of the spectrum, what doctors refer to as a "long sleeper," who might need 11 hours a night.

But there are some things we do know about sleep, and these can help you figure out how much sleep you actually need — and how to better get a night's rest.

Here are five facts that will help you figure out what your personal sleep patterns are and how they compare to the rest of the population.

1. There's a reason that doctors usually recommend seven to nine hours of sleep.

The amount of sleep that people need falls into a bell curve type distribution, with the vast majority of the population needing between seven and nine hours of rest each night to be refreshed.

The chart to the right, from the book "Internal Time: Chronotypes, Social Jet Lag, and Why You're So Tired" by German chronobiologist Till Roenneberg, shows the general distribution of sleep needs. (Chronobiology is the science of our internal clocks.)

2. You have a natural chronotype, or body clock, that determines when you are most comfortable sleeping and being awake.

Most of us think of ourselves as morning or night people, but those divisions aren't scientific — they're just ways of comparing ourselves to one another. 

"Where you define owl or lark is really arbitrary," says Dr. David Welsh, an associate professor studying circadian clocks at UC San Diego. Welsh says that if you look at large surveys of populations, you get a normal distribution of chronotypes — most people have fairly "average" chronotypes, some prefer to get up a bit earlier or later, and small groups naturally rise extremely early or late. There's no line that distinguishes different chronotypes.

But we all do have an internal schedule that makes us feel awake or sleepier at different times of day. Because of factors including hormone levels, genetics, and light exposure, some of us are more alert in the mornings and some of us prefer times later in the day.

If your schedule isn't aligned with your chronotype, you will feel tired and out of sync.

3. The amount of sleep you need changes throughout your life.

The seven to nine hour recommendation is standard for adults, but kids need much more sleep, while some older people need less.

This chart by the National Sleep Foundation shows how these requirements change as kids grow up. In addition to length of sleep needs changing, chronotypes change throughout life as well.

According to Roenneberg's book, young children naturally tend to be more morning oriented. Around puberty, they're more likely to shift into a night owl chronotype, which tends to shift back to an earlier chronotype after age 20.

4. There are some things you can do to adjust your natural chronotype.

While your sleep needs (both chronotype, when you are alert, and length, how much sleep you need) are mostly genetic, there are certain things you can do to adjust your schedule and at least make it a bit easier to get up earlier.

Our bodies respond to light, especially the powerful natural light of the sun. Being exposed to that light in the morning tells our body that it's time to be alert and moving. At night, sitting in the dark stimulates the production of the hormone melatonin, which helps us relax and fall asleep (we mess with this process by looking at bright light from smartphones).

But we can adjust this to a degree by controlling our exposure to light. This process, called entrainment, is what our bodies have to do when we go to a different time zone — this is why we get jet lagged. But we can also use this to train our bodies to get up and go to sleep earlier by exposing ourselves to natural light in the morning and avoiding bright light at night.

This won't turn you into a morning person, but it can make prying the covers loose just a little less painful.

5. Your sleep needs are personal; try to figure out what works for you.

Sometimes new research will come out, and people will claim something like "studies have found that seven hours is the optimal amount of sleep — not eight."

But as interesting as any sleep research is, we do know that people are different and have different needs. The findings of one study don't translate into recommendations for everyone. In the case of sleep, experts recommend figuring out what personally works best for you.

If you can let yourself sleep naturally for a few days to a week, going to bed when you are tired and waking up whenever is natural, preferably while limiting alcohol and caffeine, you'll have a better idea of your individual needs. Get some sun during the day, along with some exercise.

If you do all that but still have trouble sleeping, it might be time to talk to a doctor. You could be one of the large percentage of the population with undiagnosed sleep apnea, especially if you snore. Or you could have some other disorder that can be addressed.

It's worth taking the time to figure out what you can do to sleep better though. Not getting enough raises some serious health concerns.


Sources: MSN

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Published by Gusti Putra at: 10:06 AM
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This Variety Of Onion Contains Highest Amount Of Cancer-Fighting Compound

Eating Onions may Help Us Fighting Cancer

Next time you’re out for lunch, you may want to think twice before asking the waiter to “hold the onions” on your garden salad. New research from the University of Guelph in Canada has found that red onions have impressive cancer-fighting abilities. The study found that the Ontario onion in particular has high concentrations of quercetin, a compound previously noted for its ability to kill certain cancer cells.

The study, published online in Food Research International, found that the Ontario-grown Ruby Ring onion has the highest quercetin levels of all onions. In addition, the red onion has high amounts of anthocyanins, another compound that enhances the cancer-fighting properties of quercetin. 

"We found onions are excellent at killing cancer cells," said lead study author Abdulmonem Murayyan in a recent statement. "Onions activate pathways that encourage cancer cells to undergo cell death. They promote an unfavorable environment for cancer cells and they disrupt communication between cancer cells, which inhibits growth."

For their research, the team looked at five different Ontario-grown onions, measuring the amounts of quercetin in them. According to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, quercetin has been shown to neutralize free radical in the body that can cause cell and DNA damage, the catalyst to cancer. In addition, the site reports that quercetin has anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the release of substances that mediate the inflammatory response, such as histamine.
Fighting cancer by Eating Red Onions

The team placed colon cancer cells in direct contact with quercetin extracted from five different Ontario onion varieties in order to determine the compound's effect on cancerous cells. The compound had strong cancer-fighting abilities, and according to the team, the next step is to test the vegetable compound in human trials.

The team is also working to create a new extraction technique that would allow them to take quercetin from vegetables without using chemicals.

"Developing a chemical-free extraction method is important because it means we can use onion's cancer-fighting properties in nutraceuticals and in pill form,” explained study co-author Suresh Neethirajan in a statement.

The health benefits of onions don’t stop at fighting cancer. The vegetable is also helpful in preventing heart disease. For example, a 2007 study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that quercetin also significantly reduced high blood pressure and hypertension in adults. And because of quercetin's antihistamine and anti-inflammatory effect, researchers believe that it may be effective in managing asthma symptoms.

Other compounds in onions have also been shown to have health benefits. For example, allyl propyl disulphide, an oil found in onions of all kinds, can lower blood sugar levels by increasing the amount of free insulin available in the body. As a result, research suggests that adding more onions to your diet can help improve the health of individuals with diabetes.

Source: Murayyan AI, Manohar CM, Hayward G, Neethirajan S. Antiproliferative activity of Ontario grown onions against colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. Food Research International. 2017
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 9:50 AM
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Thursday, June 01, 2017

The Best Diet for Losing Fat and Building Muscle for Women

Losing Fat and Building Muscle has been a go-to for athletes for years.


If the latest avocado craze has taught us anything, it’s that people are finally accepting that fat is not the enemy. Researchers have known the benefits of fat consumption for years: Eat the good kind, and your body can shed extra pudge since it won’t need to hold onto it for basic bodily functions.

But there’s a diet that takes this concept a step further, revolving around high fat, moderate protein, and minimal carb intake. It’s called ketogenic, or “keto” for short—and though it’s been around for years, the diet has recently spiked in popularity, particularly among women looking to get lean. (Rumor has it Megan Fox and Adriana Lima are fans.)

Here’s how it works: By eating a very high amount of fat—as much as 75 percent of your daily calories—and next to no carbs (under 20 grams per day…that’s less than an apple’s worth), your body enters a phase called ketosis, where it produces little bodies called ketones. Instead of relying on glucose from carbs for energy and brain activity, your body uses the ketones, in turn burning fat.

While you wouldn’t want to go so low-carb if you’re trying to set a personal record for an endurance event, like a half-marathon (you need carbs to sustain energy for longer cardio sessions), recent research shows the keto diet is clutch for those looking to maximize their time in the weight room.

One recent study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine found that after eight weeks of resistance training, low-carb dieters saw equal strength gains to those who took in higher amounts of Cs. That’s because the lack of carbs had no detrimental effects on performance during the workouts—pretty awesome stuff. And several studies have shown that combining resistance training with a ketogenic diet can help dieters keep lean body mass fat while losing fat. Lean body mass is everything except body fat—it’s the kind of fat you want to keep when dropping pounds.

Sound like the perfect diet? Two words of caution: First, it can take two to four weeks of eating this way for your body to adjust and enter ketosis, so patience is key, says certified strength and conditioning specialist Carwyn Sharp, Ph.D., chief science officer for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Second, it’s incredibly important that you actually go to the low-carb extreme. Any carbs should really be coming from your veggies. "You need to be practically empty on carbs for your body to enter ketosis," says certified strength and conditioning specialist Carwyn Sharp, Ph.D., the chief science officer for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. "If you don't enter ketosis and you don't have enough carbs to fuel activity and brain function [that's somewhere around 100 grams per day], you get the worst of both worlds." You won’t lose fat and you’ll be hangry and moody.

So ditch the calorie counting (which can be a bit frightening when your diet consists healthy fats like meats, avocados, olive oil, eggs, cheese, and nuts)—but carb counting is a must.

Sources: MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 6:38 AM
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Wednesday, May 31, 2017

These are The Reason Why Secrets Are Bad For Your Health

Some secrets can be exhilarating — being up for a promotion, dating a colleague — while others can weigh heavy on your shoulders, like having an affair or lying to a loved one. A study from researchers at Columbia Business School studied 13,000 secrets in 10 different studies to look at the effects they have on our health. They found that the most stressful part isn’t in hiding the secret, but in thinking about it, or even obsessing over it. 

In the first three studies, researchers establish the most commonly held secrets and how often people dwell on them or have to conceal them. Unlike previous studies conducted in a lab with undergraduate students, this new undertaking aims to be more representative of the population by enlisting participants of all ages who reported secrets in an anonymous online forum (where they might be more open to sharing).  

Secrets ranged from simple lies to drug addiction and infidelity. Extra relational thoughts (or thinking about someone other than your partner), sexual behaviors, lies and romantic desires were the most common untold secrets. The most common secrets overall, which means they were divulged to at least one person but not everyone, are lies, romantic desires, finances, sexual desire and extra relational thoughts.
Some psychologists believe keeping a secret isn't always bad and is sometimes necessary to prevent causing pain or social exclusion.

The majority of participants were currently hiding about 13 secrets, and over the course of a month, had to conceal them from others about 2.44 times. In comparison, participants spontaneously thought about their secrets without social prompts 4.82 times in a month.

People anticipate that, once in awhile, they will need to hide their secrets; they do so and move on,” Michael Slepian, study co-author and assistant professor of management at Columbia Business School, says in a statement. “However, people don't expect their secrets to spontaneously pop into their heads when irrelevant to the task or current situation at hand. This seems to be the real downside of having secrets from others.”

The authors note that mind wandering isn’t necessarily negative. Thinking about the good aspects of your relationship can create positive feelings and day dreaming while performing a boring task can be a source of entertainment. But revisiting social rejections, unmet goals or transgressions that elicit guilt can cause unhappiness.

Secrets exert a gravitational pull on our attention, and it’s the cyclical revisiting of our mistakes that explains the harmful effects that secrets can have on our well-being and relationship satisfaction,” Malia Mason, paper co-author and professor at Columbia Business School, says in a statement. “Along with a diminished sense of well-being and physical health consequences, keeping secrets can also shift a person’s focus from the task at hand to their secrets, which clearly can have a detrimental effect on task performance.

Obsessive thoughts can be hard to break, but it’s not impossible. Clinical psychologist Seth Meyers, Psy.D, writes in Psychology Today that being mindful is the best way to tackle the problem. When you start to obsess, Meyers advises to stop and think about the exact outside temperature, your current body temperature, the sounds that you hear, hunger level on a scale of 1 to 10, and what food you would like to eat. This technique will distract your mind, bring you to the present and allow you to focus on healthier thoughts.  

Souces: MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 6:02 AM
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Sunday, May 28, 2017

Keep Our Family from The 10 Most Dangerous Bugs in this Summer

The 10 Most Dangerous Bugs to Watch Out for This Summer

BLACK WIDOW SPIDER
Some bugs sting, bite, or even carry disease. Learn to recognize these dangerous insects to protect yourself and your family.
Roughly the size of a paper clip and with venom 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s, this hourglass-shaped black spider can be spotted by the red markings on its back. Black Widow spiders can live for 1-3 years in the wild and are often found alone.

TARANTULA SPIDER

With a lifespan of nearly 30 years Tarantula spiders can grow to nearly the size of a personal pizza. Most Tarantulas are afraid of large predators (like humans) but if provoked – watch out! Though their venom isn’t deadly, it’s not pleasant and can cause rashes and pain at the biting point.




AFRICANIZED BEE

Mostly found in the Southern and Southwestern portions of the United States, Africanized Honeybees often travel in swarms to find a new hive. Most do not randomly attacked people or animals unless they feel that their new hive is in danger. If you see a swarm of bees or are near a hive, it’s important to move away from the area quickly.



MOSQUITOES

Throughout the world, more people are killed by mosquito-borne illness than any other factor. In the United States, mosquitoes can spread different types of encephalitis and can transmit heartworms to domestic animals like dogs and cats.





RED FIRE ANTS

About ½ inch long and brought accidentally by ship from South America, the Red Fire Ant is a robust type of ant that can sting. Found on golf courses, at picnic grounds, and at playgrounds, Red Fire Ants are very common.






WASPS

Wasps usually have a slender, shiny body but they can often look like Honeybees. Unlike Honeybees, when wasps sting their victim they do not lose their stinger, allowing them to sting their victim repeatedly.

BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER

Native to the Midwestern and Southern United States, Brown Recluse Spiders can be deadly to children under the age of 7. Displaying a violin-like shape on their back, these spiders can range in color from brownish-tan to yellow-tan. Most Brown Recluse Spiders only bite when provoked.




SCORPIONS

With a crab-like appearance, scorpions are predatory and often come out at night. Scorpions like warm, dry climates and are often found in deserts. Take precautions when hiking and camping by keeping shoes, blankets, and towels secured indoors. Stings can feel much like a Honeybee sting with mild swelling or a rash, or may be more serious.



TICKS

Ticks can be very tiny and some can also carry Lyme disease. Prevalent throughout North America, ticks can attach themselves to exposed skin. After time spent outdoors, it’s important to do a full body check for ticks and to remove any ticks immediately. Removal of a Lyme disease-carrying Deer Tick within 36 hours can reduce your risk of getting the disease. 



CENTIPEDES AND MILLIPEDES

Though not poisonous, Millipedes carry venom that can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Centipedes also carry venom that is not deadly but can be toxic to people who are allergic to other types of insect venoms. Both centipedes and millipedes are worm-like creatures..



Sources : MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 11:41 AM
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Sunday, May 14, 2017

8 Month-old Baby Weighing 17 KG (38 pounds) Baffles Doctors in India

A doctor checked Chahat Kumar
An 8-month-old baby in India who weighs as much as a healthy 4-year-old has left doctors stumped over what could be causing her rabid appetite. Chahat Kumar, who weighs 38 pounds, was born a healthy baby without any complications, The Sun reported.

When she was around 4 months old, Chahat’s weight began ballooning, and now her parents told Barcroft Media that she cries whenever she is not being fed.

“It’s not our fault,” Suraj, Chahat’s dad, told The Sun. “God gave this condition to her. It’s not in our hands. I feel bad when some people laugh at her for being fat.”

Doctors have been unable to obtain a blood sample from Chahat because her skin is abnormally thick, the news outlet reported. She reportedly is suffering breathing and sleeping problems due to her extreme weight.

Chahat Kumar is seen playing at her house in Punjab, India.
“We don’t have enough money for her treatment, but we do our best to make sure she gets well,” Reena, Chahat’s mother, told The Sun.

Dr. Sharma, her pediatrician, said he recommended the family take Chahat to a pediatric specialist at the Civil Hospital, but they are not able to afford it, The Sun reported.

“Her weight is increasing excessively, and it has to be controlled,” he told the news outlet. “She has to eat less. She eats like a 10-year-old kid.”

Her parents, who lost a son before she was born, said they will keep searching for answers in hopes of Chahat having a normal childhood.

“We don’t want her to have difficulties in the future,” Reena told The Sun. “We want a good future for her.”


Sources: MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 3:30 PM
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Tuesday, May 09, 2017

What Happens if You Smoke Marijuana Every Day?

Again, like every year, people will honor the day by smoking lots and lots of weed. Meanwhile, marijuana still toes the line between recreational drug and medicine, while the federal government deems it illegal without any health benefit.

The truth is, doctors and addiction experts have only had a whiff of evidence on marijuana's effects, positive or negative. Medicinally, marijuana can treat chronic pain, nausea and the effects of multiple sclerosis. However, experts are likely to tell you it's too early to define marijuana's effect without more testing. 

In the meantime, people continue to use the drug recreationally and medicinally. Here's what experts say happens when you smoke weed every day:

Dr. Stuart Gitlow, a professor at the University of Florida and a past president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, said marijuana is much stronger than it was years ago, giving a more psychedelic feel rather than a mild sense of intoxication. 

A small percentage, he said, could have hallucinations and paranoia. However, the vast majority, he said, experience that mild high, which fades after several hours. 

After days of use, the pot becomes stored in the body's fatty tissue and THC is gradually released into the bloodstream, meaning a person can experience the effect of the drug around the clock.

Daily use, he said, promotes a chronic loss of attention, focus and concentration. Daily users perform at a lower level at jobs and at school. Focus and motivation also decrease, he said.

Caron Treatment Center Medical Director Dr. Joseph Garbely said about 15% of cannabis users develop an addiction. Daily users, he said, suffer memory, coordination, and problem-solving issues. For some, it could change the way a brain matures. Smokers who start young, he said, are more susceptible to being a daily user or becoming addicted.

Gitlow and Garbely concede we don't know all we need to know about marijuana. It took decades, Gitlow explained, for researchers to determine the affects of smoking cigarettes. 

Dr. Ryan Vandrey, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Medicine, says you can't generalize marijuana users. Other factors need to be considered such as their dosage and the reason a person is using the drug. However, he said marijuana can have impact on how people perform at their job or at school. Withdrawal can occur after a period of long-term repeated use.

Dr. Gregory L. Taylor II, a primary care physician and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Southern California, said federal limits on research have inhibited thorough research on marijuana and its effects on the body. He said the research isn't "100% clear" on the drug's negative outcomes, adding there's no overwhelming data it contributes to certain cancers. If possible, he said the drug should be used under the direction of a doctor.


Sources MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 11:30 AM
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Knows Your Health Based on Your Eye Color

What Your Eye Color Says About Your Health

Aside from whether or not you actually need those trendy frames, doctors can learn a lot about your overall health just from looking at your eyes. Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and even brain tumors leave their mark on your baby blues — sometimes without even affecting your vision.

In fact, your eye color can actually be a hint about your risk for certain health problems. That certainly doesn't mean your eye color is somehow causing those conditions — or that having a certain color means you're definitely doomed to develop a certain problem — but knowing that color is correlated with those issues can help you be more aware of what you're up against, and how best to stay healthy.

Light Eyes Ilustration
Light eyes: If your eyes are blue, green, or gray, you may be at a higher risk for skin cancer than those with darker eyes, Ruth Williams, MD tells Everyday Health (though those with dark eyes also need to be careful about sunscreen use and getting regular mole checks with a derm). You're also more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of vision loss. But you're at a lower risk for cataracts and vitiligo.




Dark Eyes
Dark eyes: If your eyes are brown or hazel, research suggests that you're more likely to have cataracts later in your life than those with lighter eyes. You're also more likely to develop vitiligo, a condition in which some of your melanin cells stop working properly which leaves you with patches of skin without pigment. On the flip side, you're less likely to develop skin cancer and macular degeneration.

Changing Color Eyes 
Changing colors: In some cases, a sudden change in eye color can be a signal of a serious health issue. If your eyes are suddenly red, for instance, that's a sign of irritation, infection, or allergies. And if the whites of your eyes turn yellow, that's a classic indication of jaundice: meaning you need medical attention ASAP.

Of course, you should check in with your doc any time you're concerned about a potential health issue — whether or not your eyes are your clue.

Sources MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 11:16 AM
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Why Hair Turns Gray and Goes Bald


Scientists have pinpointed the cells that cause hair to turn gray and to go bald in mice, according to a new study published in the journal Genes & Development.

Gray hair
Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center accidentally stumbled upon this explanation for baldness and graying hairs-at least in mouse models-while studying a rare genetic disease that causes tumors to grow on nerves, according to a press release from the center.

They found that a protein called KROX20 switches on skin cells that become a hair shaft, which then causes cells to produce another protein called stem cell factor. In mice, these two proteins turned out to be important for baldness and graying. When researchers deleted the cells that produce KROX20, mice stopped growing hair and eventually went bald; when they deleted the SCF gene, the animals' hair turned white.
Ilustration gray hair

"Although this project was started in an effort to understand how certain kinds of tumors form, we ended up learning why hair turns gray and discovering the identity of the cell that directly gives rise to hair," said lead researcher Dr. Lu Le, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, in a statement.

More research is needed to understand if the process works similarly in humans, and Le and his colleagues plan to start studying it in people. "With this knowledge, we hope in the future to create a topical compound or to safely deliver the necessary gene to hair follicles to correct these cosmetic problems," he said.

Souces MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 10:54 AM
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Keep Your Skins by Wearing Sunscreen in One Picture

While nearly half of American women wear sunscreen regularly, only 18 percent of men follow suit — including your brilliant boyfriend who thinks Coppertone is a Motown cover band. You may have rattled off all the rational reasons why he should slap on some SPF: it prevents skin cancer, wrinkles, age spots, sunburns, and blotchy skin, but he just didn’t listen.

And while you were just thinking about how he is about to look like an old geezer real quick, a gift landed on your timeline. It’s a photo of Stephen Campbell, who is maybe someone’s boyfriend and definitely tragically sunburned.

Sunburn. Intense reddening of the skin on a mans back and upper arm,
resulting from 6 hours exposure to strong sunlight.
The sports commentator played three games of softball last weekend sans sunscreen and has the gnarly sunburn to prove it.

He had to show up to work with a tomato face, which was unfortunate for him because his work requires time in front of the camera. So you showed the viral photo to your boyfriend with a knowing glare. There’s a lesson to be learned here and Campbell said it best: Wear your sunscreen, kids.




Sources MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 10:42 AM
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Most of kids in U.S have Ear Injuries caused by Cotton Swabs

Thousands of kids wind up in U.S. emergency rooms every year for ear injuries caused by cotton swabs, a new study reveals.
Cotton Swabs Warning
The analysis of federal data found that about 263,000 children were treated in emergency departments for ear injuries caused by cotton swabs over the 21-year period from 1990 through 2010.

That works out to about 12,500 such injuries a year, or about 34 injuries a day.

"The two biggest misconceptions I hear as an otolaryngologist are that the ear canals need to be cleaned in the home setting, and that cotton tip applicators should be used to clean them; both of those are incorrect," said senior study author Dr. Kris Jatana. He's with Nationwide Children's Hospital's department of pediatric otolaryngology, in Columbus, Ohio.

"The ears canals are usually self-cleaning. Using cotton tip applicators to clean the ear canal not only pushes wax closer to the ear drum, but there is a significant risk of causing minor to severe injury to the ear," Jatana said in a hospital news release.

Indeed, most of the injuries occurred while using cotton swabs to clean the ears (73 percent), the findings showed. The rest occurred while playing with cotton swabs (10 percent), or with children falling when they had cotton swabs in their ear (9 percent).

The majority of injuries occurred when children were using cotton swabs by themselves (77 percent), followed by when a parent (16 percent) or sibling (6 percent) was using a cotton swab to clean a child's ear.

About two-thirds of patients were younger than 8, and children under 3 accounted for 40 percent of all injuries, according to the report.
Putting cotton swab ilustration

The most common injuries were foreign body sensation (30 percent), perforated ear drum (25 percent) and soft tissue injury (23 percent). Foreign body sensation was the most common injury among children aged 8 to 17, while perforated ear drum was the most common among those younger than 8.

Ninety-nine percent of patients were treated and released. However, damage to the ear drum, hearing bones or inner ear can result in dizziness, balance problems and irreversible hearing loss, the researchers noted.

The study was published online May 8 in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Sources MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 10:19 AM
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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

How Long Should You Be Dating Before You Get Married?

Kim and Kris had a fairy-tale courtship and ceremony. But here’s the big mistake they made—one that dooms other couples’ marriages as well.


Meeting, getting engaged, and tying the knot faster than a season of Gossip Girl sounds so passionate and romantic. But rushing to the altar isn’t such a smart move. In fact, experts agree that you should wait at least a year to make sure you and your guy are really a match—for a few simple, common-sense reasons:

You need more than a few months to see your worst sides.
It can takes a good six months or so to remove the love-colored glasses and begin to really see the other person, flaws and all. That’s because the longer you steadily date, the more you get out of your comfort zones and settle into a routine—and that’s when your true personalities emerge. Is he lazy about doing household chores? Is he disrespectful to your family and friends? Experiencing different scenarios together can help size up whether you two are right for each other, says Linda Miles, PhD, author of The New Marriage. 

You need time for the early-stage dopamine haze to clear.
This is the brain chemical that’s responsible for triggering that head-over-heels feeling when you first get together. Dopamine makes us feel overly positive, which can mask the fact that maybe your union doesn’t have long-term legs, says Miles. That high usually starts to wear off in six months to a year, and those behaviors you thought you could live with or were even cute and quirky—for example, his forgetfulness or penchant for being 10 minutes late for everything—suddenly become super annoying potential deal breakers. 

It takes time to find out if your future plans sync up.
Before you can determine if your love will go the distance, you need enough time to go by to make sure you have similar outlooks on handling money, whether you want kids, where you want to live, and other crucial thoughts about the future. “To sustain a relationship, couples have to share common goals, values, and interests along with sexual attraction and emotional maturity,” says Christine Meinecke, PhD, author of Everybody Marries the Wrong Person.

Adapted from MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 12:02 AM
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Sunday, January 15, 2012

The Crazy Sign Your Sperm Count Is Low

Surprising Body Quirks that May be Early Signs of Health Problems

Men's Hand
Women are naturally drawn to men with deep voices because a macho tone reminds them of all things manly. And while talking like Barry White packs its fair share of benefits, it could also mean bad news for your sperm.
A new study from the University of Western Australia found that guys with a low-pitched voice had reduced concentrations of sperm in ejaculations. The possible connection: “Testosterone, which deepens a man’s voice, also suppresses sperm production when it’s at high levels,” says lead researcher Leigh Simmons, Ph.D., an evolutionary biology professor at Western Australia.

Meanwhile, the pitch of your voice isn’t the only health clue your body is sending you. Here are five other surprising body quirks that may be early signs of health problems.

Finger length

As Men’s Healthpreviously reported, size matters — when it comes to your fingers. A study published in the British Journal of Cancer found that men whose index fingers were longer than their ring fingers were 33 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer. As it turns out, people who have longer index fingers were exposed to less testosterone when they were a baby in their mother’s womb, researchers say. This may help protect against prostate cancer later on.

Nail color

Healthy nails are usually smooth and spotless, but “redness under your fingernails can be a sign of a collagen vascular disease like lupus,” says Neil Sadick, M.D., a clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College. “It gives you inflammation of the blood vessels, and that can present as redness or blood vessels under the nail itself.” Research has also found that white nails are linked with liver issues, and unusual curvatures can even be a sign of lung cancer.

Earlobe wrinkles

Diagonal creases on your earlobes may be a sign of potential cardiovascular problems, according to a study from the University of Chicago. Researchers found participants with a crease (and no prior coronary artery disease) were nearly eight times more likely to experience cardiac events as those without. Earlobes may give a reflective health warning because of the similarities between the blood vessels that supply the earlobes and the heart, researchers speculate. Or creases may just be a result of aging.

Sense of smell

The inability to identify certain orders may be a warning sign of Parkinson’s Disease. A study led by the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders and the University of Pennsylvania found that when given a small test, patients with Parkinson’s could only correctly identify half of the smells presented. An additional study in the Annals of Neurology found that this impaired sense of smell can predate Parkinson’s by about 4 years.

A Man Without Taste

Hair

Although going bald is natural, it could also be a clue to more serious conditions. “Hair loss can be a sign of thyroid disease or thyroid cancer,” Sadick says. “If you have an overactive thyroid, or a thyroid that’s not functioning well, you can get hair loss as a presenting sign of it.” Hypothyroidism may also manifest itself in unusual thinning of the eyebrows. Plus, “sometimes men can have very fine hairs along their temples early in life, and that can be a sign of impending genetic hair loss,” says Sadick.

Adapted from MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 2:15 PM
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Thursday, January 05, 2012

The effects of Sugar Binge on Our Body

Here are 5 effects of a Sugar Binge

1. Your Teeth
The remnants of candy and other sticky-sweet treats cling to molars, where the sugar begins mixing with bacteria in your mouth, creating an acid that can start breaking down protective tooth enamel, explains Kimberly Harms, D.D.S., a spokeswoman for the American Dental Association.


2. Your Stomach and Gut
After about 15 minutes in your stomach, the goody passes to the small intestine, where your body metabolizes sugar into glucose and fructose molecules, says Suzanne Hendrich, Ph.D., professor of food science at Iowa State University. Both are then broken down further, enabling them to pass into the bloodstream.

3. Your Blood

A surge of glucose enters your bloodstream, with levels peaking about 30 minutes after you've eaten, Hendrich says. At this point, your pancreas is working overtime to pump out extra insulin to deal with the glucose influx. Meanwhile, the fructose is heading for your liver.

4. Your Brain

Insulin begins rushing the glucose throughout your body, giving you a surge of energy for the next two hours. "Brain cells run solely on glucose," Hendrich says, "so a binge delivers a huge fuel infusion here, too, and you may feel more alert." Sugar also activates the production of serotonin and dopamine, neurochemicals linked with pleasure and reward—hence, the sugar high. The effects, however, are short-lived.

5. Your Cells

About two hours after eating, your body has burned through all the glucose it could process and stored any extra as fat, and disposed of fructose or turned it into blood fat. With no sugar available, insulin and blood glucose levels dip, leaving you cloudy and lethargic, Hendrich says. Reaching for more sweets will only cause the cycle to repeat. Grab a piece of fruit and get a natural (and longer-lasting) sugar boost instead.

Adapted from MSN

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Published by Gusti Putra at: 4:45 PM
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Monday, December 19, 2011

Hair More Shiny by Sugar.

Learn how easy that your crown more beautiful.

Like skin, scalp requiring treatment. Dead skin cells located on the scalp should be cleaned to your healthier hair growth. Anyway, no need to go to the salon to treat the scalp.
Healthy Hair
Make yourself at home, because it is very easy to do. Take advantage of just sugar, since the formula can create a healthier scalp and hair easier to manage.

"Sugar works like alpha hydroxy acid, which can clean the dead skin cells to penetrate the cortex of hair and stimulate the cellular activity of hair follicles," said Sam Brocato, owner of Sam Brocato, New York, as quoted from Youbeauty.com

Mix in oil almond oil and lime juice can be a herb "miracle" to make you more healthy crown and shiny. Simply create a special sugar ingredients for hair follows.

Materials:

- 2.5 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- 2.5 tablespoons white sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons of almond oil
- 1.5 tsp lime juice

Pour all ingredients in a bowl. Stir until evenly mixed materials, can use a wooden spoon or chopsticks.
To use, first wash your hair with shampoo. In the event of wet hair, apply a mixture of sugar she gave a massage the scalp gently, for five minutes.
Let stand a few minutes to soak into the scalp. Then, rinse hair with warm water.

Adapted from Vivanews
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 1:24 AM
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Saturday, December 03, 2011

How sex affects the way you spend

How sex drives your spending

Marketers know how to appeal to your emotions and hormones -- and can even create 'false memories' -- to make their products seem more desirable.


There's a reason casinos hire attractive women as waitresses, says Gad Saad, a professor of marketing at Concordia University in Montreal. It turns out -- surprise --that men respond in highly predictable ways when influenced by thoughts of sex. Populate a casino with the right servers, and men are likely to act in ways that penalize their wallets and boost the house's profits.

Saad, who studies how evolution has influenced human behavior, says that aroused men "engage in greater discounting." That's psych talk for short-term thinking. Men are also willing to take greater risks and exhibit what Saad calls "peacock behavior."

Our inner peacock
In the avian world, the peacock with the biggest, most colorful tail gets to mate. Flashing a wad of cash or sitting behind a big stack of chips is a way for the male of our species to show off his feathers. So a comely waitress brings out a man's short-term-thinking, risk-taking inner peacock, which plays right into the casino's bottom line as the customer makes big, wanton bets.

Saad, the author of "The Consuming Instinct: What Juicy Burgers, Ferraris, Pornography, and Gift Giving Reveal about Human Nature," specializes in studying about how evolution affects consumption. His goal is to explain how you behave when you buy things, and his insights can make you a better consumer.

Saad says that indulging in boy toys can actually change a man's chemistry. An experiment he conducted showed a rise in testosterone levels among men driving powerful and expensive sports cars. But men driving ordinary sedans showed no hormonal changes. (Factor that in before you buy a Porsche.)

Saad's simple prescription: Don't make financial decisions based on images that are still tugging on your emotions. But, he adds, although certain stimuli can have a powerful influence on behavior, "nothing is predetermined." You can overcome ingrained impulses by thinking rationally and carefully comparing your choices when shopping.

'Mad Men' manipulation
Tapping evolutionary impulses is just one way marketers manipulate our brains. Some recent experiments have shown that the right type of ad can implant memories of a product we've never tried -- or that may not even exist.

Consider an experiment involving Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Fresh microwave popcorn, that buttery, salty staple of home theaters. A group of college students saw vivid images of happy people enjoying the popcorn and heard tempting descriptions of its taste. Another group saw relatively subdued print ads. Some students from both groups got to taste the stuff.

A week later, the students were quizzed about their experiences. Not surprisingly, those who had seen the low-key ads and hadn't tasted the popcorn reported that they'd never tried it. But many of those who hadn't tried the popcorn but had watched the vivid-image ads were certain they had tried it. By the way, the Gourmet Fresh variety doesn't exist. Subjects were given a real Redenbacher's product to sample.

Further, those who hadn't actually tasted the popcorn but were fed the slick ads rated the popcorn as just as delicious as those who had tried it. Says Nicole Montgomery, an assistant professor of marketing at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., and one of the study's co-authors: "We were incredibly surprised by some of these effects. The fact that our memory is so fallible continues to fascinate us."

Other findings: You're more likely to create false memories if you're already familiar with a brand and have a favorable impression of it. Also, the more time that elapses after you see an ad, the more murky the message's source becomes, and so the more likely it is to insinuate itself into your memory.

Montgomery's takeaway: She tries to note how ads affect her. "My hope is, that helps me stave off some of these false-memory effects. I pay a lot more attention to what I'm buying, I'll tell you that.

Adapted from MSN Money


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Published by Gusti Putra at: 3:00 AM
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