Health Tips Weblog

I'm not a doctor, but a healthy body's never killed anyone!

Cancer survivors also battle trauma stress

| Filed under Cancer Stress

hospital_josegoulaoA recent study found out that a person diagnosed with cancer have psychological scars that can be likened to our soldiers who fought violent wars. Four of ten survivors of cancer shared that they are haunted by PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder even after a decade or so of being diagnosed with the dreaded disease.

Some symptoms include disturbing thoughts with regard to cancer treatment, feeling emotionally cold, and jumpy than usual. Some cancer patients also avoided things that have to do with their illness and treatment, and this scenario might lead to more medical problems.

The findings were based on as study involving 566 patients diagnosed with a certain kind of cancer. The study was printed on the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The team of expert looked into the occurrence of PTSD in this population of patients and estimated that 1 of 12 patients had a full-blown PTSD. They looked into symptoms like avoidances, flashbacks, and arousal to diagnose. Some patients though showed more symptoms of post-traumatic stress. The latest study also showed that the problems may persist.

The study showed that about 50% of the subjects had no symptoms pointing to PTSD thirteen years after being diagnosed with cancer. Trauma stress was resolved in about 12% while 37% struggles with a worsened condition.

The proponents of the study point out that you cannot expect people diagnosed with cancer to easily handle their stress and sadness. Depression is also common for people battling cancer.

Experts are more worried for cancer patients in the lower economic bracket as they are more prone to psychological impact of the difficulties of fighting cancer.

How Yoga can help you fight stress

| Filed under Mental Health

Yoga is an excellent regimen for fighting stress and managing anxiety, depression and overall ugly feelings. By concentrating on the yoga exercises, one can be transported to another place and time in order to seek relief from one’s problems even for just a short time. By focusing on the movements in yoga, and not one’s problems, one visualizes and meditates. But, yoga has other benefits, as opposed to alternate types of exercise, consequently, we are going to discuss how Yoga can help you fight stress.

Yoga is a different kind of exercise because it involves the mind, body and soul. Everything should be one-with-another. All parts of the total person are supposed to work in harmony. So, it is not enough to have a fit body alone, but also, the mind must be free of stress and other factors that directly impact one’s total health. Although you can quickly learn a few yoga steps to do on your own, taking a class with a qualified instructor is more advantageous, because you learn about the symbolism of the art, too.

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Four healthy breakfast ideas

| Filed under Food

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is this meal that gets the body moving, the blood circulating, and the brain alert and functioning. Without breakfast, many people become irritable, and do not perform to their maximum abilities. Young children, in particular, have encountered serious challenges trying to learn when they have not eaten the proper meal in the morning. As a result, many schools in the US and Canada, now have breakfast programs, so that children can be assured of the proper nutrients to begin their study days. But, what constitutes a healthy breakfast? Many people just stop by the drive-thru on the way to work picking up a coffee and donut. Organizers of conferences, typically, offer platters of croissants, pastries, and muffins for the morning breaks. Although it is nice to have these as treats once in a while, we suggest the following four healthy breakfast ideas.

Pretty BreakfastAdd fruit to any breakfast. Instead of eating a whole orange or apple, for instance, which is not as appealing to most people, slice the fruit into nice pieces, and arrange them on a plate. Then you can add your other items such as twelve-grain toast, whole wheat scone, or low-sugar bran muffin. If you are eating a bowl of cereal, cut a banana into chunks or thin slices and drop on top of the cereal. Yogurt also works nicely with fruit in the morning for breakfast. For this, you just cut up different types of fruit, combining them in the same bowl as a fruit cocktail or fruit salad, then spoon the yogurt over top. To finish off this lovely, but easy breakfast, sprinkle some homemade granola or crushed bran flakes on top. If you absolutely do not have either fresh fruit or frozen fruit in the house, at the very least, have a glass of fruit juice with your breakfast.

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How much health coverage do I need?

| Filed under Insurance

Health insurance is one area in which many people are forced to scrimp. Unless they receive free benefits from their employers, many cannot afford the premiums on their own. Others, still, do not think it is important, so they never take out a policy. But, heath insurance is important, and sadly, tragedy can strike at any time. For this reason, it is important to have some insurance, if only a small policy. When families and individuals finally decide to purchase insurance, the first question they ask is, “How much health coverage do I need?”.

Unfortunately, most people buy health coverage depending on what they can afford. While that is not a bad thing, as one should stay within a budget, it is sad because most do not really have the opportunity to choose the right plan. In order to get the health coverage that best suits you and your family, you need to calculate your total out-of-pocket expenses if you had to pay for services yourself. Starting with the previous year’s costs might help you to understand your total expenditures made. For example, tally up how much you spent on prescriptions, doctor visits, and routine services such as examinations and blood work. This will be the most basic number that gets you by. In other words, if everything stays the same, costs will not increase.

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How often should I get tested for HIV?

| Filed under STDs

No-one wants to think about HIV, much less talk about it and get tested. In today’s modern society, however, more people than imagined are tested for “human immunodeficiency virus” or HIV, as it is more commonly known. When caught in the early stages, HIV can be controlled, but if left too late, it can progress into full-blown AIDS, “acquired immunodeficiency syndrome”, which does kill its victims. That is the predominant reason for being tested for HIV, to avoid the excruciating stages of AIDS. And, there are many ways to contract the virus, so more people should be asking the question, “How often should I get tested for HIV?”.

Although most people associate AIDS with people who have engaged in various sex practices, or addicts who share dirty needles, the reality is many other people today contract the virus that can lead to AIDS. Anyone who has had a routine blood transfusion as part of an operation or surgical procedure can be affected with tainted blood. Moreover, anyone who is exposed to tainted blood can be infected. Open cuts and sores attract viruses, and people who work in fields that handle blood generally wear gloves to protect themselves. And, pregnant women who have tested positive for HIV can pass it on to their babies. Realistically, everyone is at risk and as a result, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommends “testing as part of your routine medical care”. Some insurance companies have mandated HIV testing as part of their screening process when applying for heath coverage.

Since testing is somewhat mainstream now, it makes you wonder how often you should be tested. Certainly, the frequency of testing will depend upon the reason for testing. For individuals who insist on engaging in unprotected sex, the medical community suggests yearly testing. In addition, it recommends testing for men who have had relations with men, women who have had unprotected relations (either vaginal, anal or oral) with more than one partner since the last time tested, and those individuals who have already been diagnosed with another sexually transmitted disease. Doctors will usually recommend testing if someone has been diagnosed with hepatitis, syphilis or tuberculosis. Likewise, if patients have indicated that they had relations with someone in this category, testing is urged.

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Five ways to lower my cholesterol levels

| Filed under Food

Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the US and Canada for years. In fact, some statistics show that it is the number one killer around the world. One of the primary causes of heat disease is cholesterol, referred to as the “bad” cholesterol, and called LDL (low-density lipoprotein) in medical terms. As a result of sediment from the cholesterol, plaque, a hardened matter, builds up in the arteries, partially blocking the flow of blood, and in many instances, completely blocking the passageway of the artery. When this happens, heart attacks and strokes are certain outcomes.

healthy foodToday, we know a lot more about the causes of heart disease, and we understand the causes and effects of bad cholesterol. Because of this awareness, more people must heed the warnings, and take responsibility for their health. In fact, it is quite easy to do given these five ways to lower my cholesterol levels.

Reduce the intake of all fats, and remove trans fat altogether.

Fats that do not break down just sit in your arteries and continue to build up. But, the real killer in fat is “trans fat”, a type of fat used in baked goods, oils, and fast foods. These fats cannot, and do not break up in the body’s system. Although organizations have demanded a ban on the use of trans fat, many manufacturers have not listened. Some have, though, and now they place stickers on their products indicating that there is no trans fat in the ingredients. These are the products that you should be eating. Read the labels on foods and if trans fat exists, do not buy or eat the items.

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Can eating chocolate really be healthy?

| Filed under Food

People automatically associate chocolate with junk food. Most likely because in many circumstances, it really is something you want to avoid. Feeding children chocolate bars for breakfast does not exactly count for a nutritious and well-balanced meal. Nevertheless, there is increasing evidence that chocolate can help humans, and is healthy under specific conditions. Why not examine some of those conditions in which you might ask, “Can eating chocolate really be healthy?”.

For women who continually search for that perfect skin glow, cocoa (cacao) seed extract has been found to maintain natural elasticity and increase blood flow, both of which keep the skin attractive and supple. In fact, for years, advertisements for skin creams and moisturizers have toutedChocolate Shavings the benefits of cocoa seeds. Cocoa butter is the ingredient that protects the skin and keeps it nice looking.

Further, cacao is very high in a compound called “theobromine”. It is known to energize much like caffeine, but does not have the same adverse effects. Be warned, though, that despite the fact that it may help humans, the compound is definitely toxic to cats and dogs, thus, the reason to avoid feeding chocolate to your pets. Additionally, cacao contains “amino acid tryptophan” which encourages relaxation. It also promotes the release of endorphins, the reason some women crave chocolate when they have a migraine or menstrual pains. Of course, chocolate appears to cause migraines in other people, but, the truth is, the varying ingredients in a chocolate bar or piece of chocolate are really the cause.

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Welcome to the Health Tips Weblog

| Filed under Health

Your health is an important asset that must be protected. Generally, you do not get a second chance. And when you think about it, your world depends on your health. Your physical ability to work and earn a living, your ability to interact with your family and friends, and your enjoyment in life all stem from good health. As challenging as life becomes in terms of pressures and stress, or in maintaining optimum health through balanced eating habits, regular exercise, outdoor activities, and proper sleep, everyone owes themselves the precious gift of good health.

You read so many stories today in which people say that good health is too expensive or too hard to achieve. Produce prices are rising dramatically, and families are finding it harder to make ends meet. Admittedly, this is a sad fact of today’s world, but, your health cannot be taken for granted. You must find ways to balance your budget with the needs of your health. For example, instead of buying fresh fruits and vegetables, why not buy frozen bags of your favorites when they are on sale. You can stock up your freezer, and at the same time, have the food on hand, ready when you want to make a healthy smoothie or add some zing to your breakfast cereal.

Indeed, it does require another train of thought when protecting your health, but once you start to think about what is needed, act upon those needs, and incorporate healthy behavior into your everyday living, you will feel much better, and it will be second nature to you. If you teach your children to look for a piece of fruit instead of candy when they want a snack, you will instill better eating habits in them. They will view those habits as the way things are done. And, they will be much healthier for the effort. Likewise, when cooking, if you omit the salt or reduce the amount you use, children see that spreading salt all over their plates is not an acceptable action.

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by Nitto Dawson | tags : | 1