Long Health

Home Gym Exercise Alternative with Bodylastics

2008-11-19T08:48:00.000-08:00

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The Bodylastics System is being regarded as the fifty dollar alternative to the Bowflex home gym as it provides all the comforts of a home gym system and is portable. It's brilliant design enables any person to have a full body workout. Even a kid can workout with this system. You can use this home gym system while watching TV or in the field or use it when you are holidaying.

Bodylastics uses the same resistance theory that is used by traditional weight lifting systems in the gyms and health clubs. The equipment is the only difference between the two. The Bowflex and other weight lifting systems are bulky and need a lot of space and are not portable.

The Bodylastics System relies on elastic bands to provide resistance. Each elastic band has different thickness and so it provides different resistance. The more the thickness the higher the resistance. These bands offer the same benefits as the free weights in the health clubs or gyms. The resistance offered by the bands is about five to twenty five pounds depending on its thickness. But if combined together they can give even more resistance and act as an alternative to the free weights.

The Bodylastics home gym system has used two new variations of the elastic resistance theory. These are:

The Quick Clip System: This system allows the user to attach multiple bands onto a set of handles or ankle straps. This way you can have a greater resistance. This suits advanced muscle builders who use weights of more than twenty five pounds in the gym. This is an easier way to change weights.All you need to do is just change the bands or attach multiple bands to the ankle straps. The Quick Clip System allows you to attach unlimited number of bands at a given time. This is highly beneficial as anyone even a professional can get the highest resistance.

Door Anchor: The Bodylastics System has introduced the door anchors to their home gym system. The door anchor can be attached to any closing door by just placing the anchor over or under the door. When you close the door, the bands connect the anchor and the ankle straps using the quick clip system. This enables the user to recreate many exercises of the health club. Rather than using multiple equipment in the gym you can use just this system to get the results.

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The best part of this System is its size, portability and cost. You can pack your whole home gym in a traveling bag and carry it anywhere around. A home gym system can cost up to thousand dollars and would come with heavy and bulky equipment. But the Bodylastics System costs only fifty dollars and comes in two packages. The Basic tension set and the Max tension set. The Basic package offers resistance between 5 to 18 lbs where as the Max tension set offers resistance more than 20 lbs.

7 Simple Keys to Weight Loss

2008-10-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

Here are 7 keys you should keep in mind if you want to start losing weight. These keys are simple reminders of what to do and not to do when you're in the process of decrease your weight.

1. Eat a balanced diet, eating each meal in order from healthiest to least healthy foods. That means eat your fruit or vegetables before you eat anything else. Eat as much of them as you want, then eat a couple of servings of your whole grains, nuts and seeds. Next, eat your frozen or canned foods. After that, if you have any hunger left, enjoy a serving of dessert.

2. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. If you're over 130lbs, you should drink even more than that. Avoid carbonated drinks completely. Drink no more than one glass of fruit juice per week. Doing these things will not only help you lose weight, but will make you feel much better.

3. Eat food. This may sound strange, but if you cease eating food, your body will go into conservation mode. You may lose some weight by not eating over time, but as soon as you start eating again your body will pack fat on to ensure that the next time no food is available it'll have adequate energy reserves. If you follow all of the other weight loss tips, you shouldn't need to starve yourself to lose weight, meaning the weight loss will be more permanent.

4. Reduce animal fat and oil consumption. Fat is the most densely packed source of calories. Animal fats and oils are not accompanied by fiber, so they are extremely dense forms of calories.

5. Reduce processed sugar and fructose consumption. Your body very quickly turns these into energy. If your body already has too much energy, it may just convert them straight into fat for storage. Learn to search labels for the sugars row to make comparisons of your meal choices.

6. Exercise regularly. Every fad diet program tries to tell you that there is some way to lose weight that isn't hard work. Well, they don't work long term; you have to work muscles to burn significant calories. If you don't work muscles you not only burn few calories, but your muscles atrophy and become even less capable of burning calories. The truth is that in weight loss you don't exercise to burn calories, you exercise to keep your muscles in good working condition so that your body functions efficiently. When your body is functioning at full efficiency, it will maintain a healthy weight, provided that you are eating a healthy diet in moderate amounts. Exercise is a necessary component to long-term, healthy weight loss no matter what diet program you try.

7. Eat foods as closely as possible to the way they come from nature. Fruits and vegetables that can be plucked from a tree or plant and lightly washed and eaten are generally your healthiest options. Nuts that can be picked, shelled and eaten are another healthy option as long as you don't eat so many as to affect digestion. Grains and seeds are generally healthy, but must in most cases be at least boiled or steamed so they should not be eaten quite as much as fruits and vegetables. Be careful that your grains and seeds are not bleached or over-processed. Be very careful with dairy products that must generally be pasteurized, generally contain antibiotics and other chemicals, and are often heavily processed. Also, you may wish to avoid meats, which contain disease and must be well-cooked to be safe for consumption. The same goes for canned foods, which must have a lot of additives and preservatives added to make them safe for storage.

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Top 5 Fitness Myths

2008-10-15T00:47:00.000-07:00

While some fitness myths make sense on the surface, deeper examination proves these stories are simply made up and have little or no basis in reality. Let's tackle five of the most common myths and check out the real story behind them.

1. No pain, no gain - Perhaps the most common myth out there is this one that says if you don't feel pain when you exercise, you're not doing it right.
The truth is absolutely opposite: exercise done right should never be painful and professional trainers recommend that you stop your workout at the first sign of pain. The logic behind "no pain, no gain" says that you can't expect good results without sacrificing something - twisted at best, downright sadistic at worst.
Exercise should be something you enjoy or else you very quickly become disillusioned and drop it entirely. While an intense workout may create slight discomfort, it should never get to the point where you are in actual pain.
2. Training with weights bulks women up (and they start to look like Schwarzeneggers older sister :-)) - Few women want to look like professional bodybuilders, so this myth scares thousands of female exercisers away from weights every day despite scientific evidence to the contrary.
The physiological differences between male and female bodies decree that men have a higher percentage of muscle throughout the body; thus men tend to increase bulk with weight lifting. On the other hand, female bodies have a higher percentage of fat to assist with childbearing and have less muscle to build and bulk up.
Weight training for women is aimed at producing stronger muscles that can take more stress and bounce back better than ever.
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3. Exercising on an empty stomach burns more calories - This one seems like it should make sense since exercise burns calories and an empty stomach has no calories to burn. It seems like you would be ahead of the game!
Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Your body needs energy to run, so when you exercise on an empty stomach the body has to find fuel somewhere else.
The body tries to provide energy while looking for it at the same time and can get overwhelmed, resulting in the risk of dizziness or even fainting in extreme situations.
The smartest choice is to have a small snack about ten to fifteen minutes before working out. Carbohydrates are the best source of energy, so have a small slice of toast or a banana.
4. Crunches are the best way of firming up the stomach - Too many videos and articles send the message that hundreds of crunches are the best way to correct a jelly belly but fail to take into account that most saggy abs are because of excess fat, not weak muscles.
Simply doing crunches alone strengthens the abdominal muscles but doesn't address the layer of fat over the muscles. You may see your stomach appear to grow larger since the muscles are gaining strength underneath the fat layer.
The best strategy for getting firm abs is simple: burn fat and strengthen abdominal muscles at the same time. By using a two-pronged approach, fat that covers muscles is burned and the muscles are firmed at the same time, accomplishing your goal and giving you strong, sleek abdominal muscles.
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5. Protein will help build muscles - Protein can do great things for your health but it won't help you increase your muscle strength. Too much protein in your diet can lead to unintended health risks such as kidney strain or dehydration.
Extra protein also packs extra calories into your diet that can result in extra pounds - definitely not what you want. The best source of fuel for weight lifting is carbohydrates - easily digestible by the body, carbs provide fast, consistent energy for the body and allow you to continue lifting weights longer.
That alone is what builds strength, not the specific kind of food you eat. Provide your body with the right kind of energy to use and you'll be able to build muscle better.
There are many more myths about health and fitness, but the best defense against false information is education.
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Did you know that October is Breast Cancer Awarness month ?

2008-10-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breast tissue. The primary victims of this type of cancer are females. Statistics show that approximately one out of 11 to 12 women of the Western world are affected by breast cancer. Medical researches have tried aggressively to find a solution to detect the problem earlier or to treat the problem. About 20 percent of the women affected by breast cancer still fall prey to it and eventually die. In fact, breast cancer ranks second in cancer deaths for women.

As more and more people fall ill to breast cancer, the month of October has been deemed as breast cancer month, to commemorate those who passed away from the cancer, the family and friends survived by the deceased. A pink ribbon is the symbol that a person is joining in the commemoration.Breast cancer is not limited to women though; male victims are present as well. The breast of both male and female have identical tissues, so a man is also prone to acquiring the cancer. It is believed that females are more prone to men because the breast of a woman constantly goes through growth changing hormones, thus the cells are more exposed to cancerous change.

What started as National Breast Cancer Awareness Week in October of 1985 has since become a well-known and important tradition in the United States. The impact of breast cancer on our society is evident, with more than 175,000 women diagnosed annually. Estimated new cases and deaths from breast cancer in the United States in 2008 (by www.cancer.gov) is:

New cases: 182,460 (female); 1,990 (male)
Deaths: 40,480 (female); 450 (male)

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Most breast cancer starts in the cells that line up the ducts. There are occasions where the cancer cells originate from the lobules, and then spread to other tissues.

Many breast cancer diagnosis starts in the checking of lumps in the breast. Although most cases of lumps are benign, meaning they are not cancerous, but doctors often ask a patient to undergo biopsy to make sure that cells are not malignant. Most of the lumps are caused by cysts. These lumps may cause pain and swelling of the breast accompanied at times by clear or cloudy discharge in the nipple which happens before the menstrual cycle period is about to begin in a woman. The symptoms may lead to the person to seek a medical check-up.

Since it was first made popular, mammography has helped countless women escape drastic measures, invasive surgeries, and other operations performed on breast cancer patients that have advanced stages of the disease. A mammogram is literally an x-ray of the breast that can show abnormal formations and help diagnose breast cancer before it spreads to other parts of the body or becomes life-threatening.

Women with a history of breast cancer in their families are encouraged to undergo an annual mammogram to offset the risks. Unfortunately, the rate of women diagnosed with breast cancer is still rising, which is why National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a crucial factor in distributing information about the disease itself, prevention and early detection methods, and raising mindfulness and funds to research for a much-needed cure.
Show some care and commemorate this month by joining the fight to save the lives of women everywhere.

For information about breast cancer ask your doctor or contact the National Breast Cancer Institute and various other organizations concerned with the disease.

Drinking Enough Water ? Main Water Health Benefits

2008-10-05T02:37:00.000-07:00

Second only to air, water is essential to all living things. 3/4 of the human body is water, therefore dehydration is the cause of many illnesses. Most of us know that water is essential to our health, but many don't know what happens to the body when it does not receive the water it needs daily to function normally. Every function in the body is regulated by and depends on water. Water is needed to carry vital nutrients, oxygen, hormones, chemical messages to all part of the body and it is important in eliminating wastes and toxins from the body.

Drinking water health benefits are too many to list. When the body is not adequately hydrated with water, it causes pain. Ever have a headache that is gone in a few minutes after drinking a big glass of water? Dry mouth is not the only sign of thirst, so never wait until you are thirsty to drink water. Some unexplainable pain symptoms can be a simple cause of body dehydration. Once we understand how the human body works, that water is largely responsible for our well-being, water becomes the most natural and economical form of treatment to many pains and sickness.

The next time you are in pain that is not a cause of injury or infection, try replenish yourself with plenty of fresh, clean water before making an appointment to the doctor's office. Pains may just be the signs that your body needs water, badly.

Drinking enough water can prevent or even cure the followings:

Migraines headache. Water shortage signals from the brain and eyes.
Colitis pain. Water shortage in the large intestine, a major cause of constipation.
Heartburn. Heartburn is a major thirst signal of water shortage in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. Taking medication for heartburn will not cure the root cause, which is dehydration.
Arthritis or Rheumatoid joint pain. It's a sign of water shortage in the joints.
High blood pressure. When there is not enough water in the body, blood becomes thicker and need more pressure to pump and fill all the blood vessels.
Lower back pain. The water cushions that support the weight of the body in the spinal column and disks that are lack of water supply.
Adult-Onset-Diabetes, a complication of dehydration. Drinking enough water can reverse this condition in the early stage.
High blood cholesterol. High cholesterol level is a sign indicating early drought management by the body, to shield cells from loosing water when there is not enough of it in the body.
Depression, loss of sex drive (libido), chronic fatigues syndrome, lupus, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis. These symptoms are signs of prolong dehydration. Drinking plenty of water along with exercising the muscles will draw excess fluid into the blood circulation and the symptoms will clear up.

Asthma - A condition caused by drought management of the body to obstruct free air passage so that water will not leave the body in the form of vapor. Increase water intake will prevent asthma attack.

But water is good for you only if it's good water. It should be fresh, clean, clear and free of any bacteria, heavy metal, chemicals or toxin. Good water can improve your health whereas water loaded with stuff that the body doesn't want could be harmful.

Quit Smoking - Break The Bad Old Habit

2008-09-30T07:32:00.000-07:00

Are you one of the many smokers who stop smoking? Or are you planning to stop smoking? Quitting is never easy and most often you will have doubts if you want to continue. However, you need to stick with your plan even if you have mixed feelings about this and even if you don't want to quit. You owe it to yourself, the people around you, and the environment. Give yourself and others the chance to live a healthier life.

For so many years I used to think that smoking was merely a bad habit. A habit that I was having a very hard time breaking. I thought that if I were to find different habits to replace my smoking habit then I would be able to stop smoking. Unfortunately it did not work because I was dealing with much more than a bad habit, I was dealing with a very powerful addiction.

Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known to man. When quitting smoking it is important to realize that we are not trying to break a bad habit but in all actuality overcome a powerful addiction that is controlling our lives. We don’t smoke because the voice in our head is telling us we need to be holding a stick in our hand or needing to hang something in our mouth. If that were the case we could find less harmful things to achieve this. The voice in our head is due to the nicotine withdrawals we go through. People who smoke suffer from these withdrawals several times throughout the day. That is why we smoke. That is why we plan our day around when we can have our next cigarette. There is a reason why there are 20 cigarettes in a pack. Typically that is the amount of cigarettes one must smoke to satisfy the daily nicotine withdrawal urges.

Tobacco companies weren’t ignorant when they introduced cigarettes to society, neither is the government. The fact is both are making money off the sale of cigarettes, a lot of money. If the government was so concerned with our well being then why don’t they remove a product from the market that is proven to kill people who use it? This may be a bit extreme but it is true. Cigarettes are designed to get people addicted to them, they serve no benefit to anyone that uses them. The only people that benefit from cigarettes are the ones that make money off them.

There are many programs to follow in order to stop smoking. There are programs which are effective to some but may not be helpful to others. You have to find one plan which suits you best.
According to one authority in habits, Dr. Knight Dunlap, the best way to break a habit is to consciously exaggerate it very considerably.
This technique usually works. You can also use this in breaking your smoking habit. This can be done at least two days before your planned date of quitting. You can do this by doubling the number of cigarettes you consume in a day. Increase the number greatly. For example, if you consume a pack of cigarettes a day, try to consume twice as many packs of cigarettes or more in a day. Light a cigarette even if you don't feel like puffing one. Speed up your smoking. Puff as many cigarettes as you can before lunch time, after lunch, and in the evening with or without the urge. By evening time you will notice that your mouth will taste bad like an old leather shoe. Having done too much smoking in a day, you may feel that the usual pleasant smell of tobacco smoke is turning undesirable and may even smell like a burning hair. By the second day force yourself again to smoke as many cigarettes as possible. You can double the number of sticks you have consumed the previous day. Puff a cigarette even if this is starting to create a revolting taste in your mouth. If you don't feel like lighting another cigarette because the taste and smell is starting to get into your nerves, don't! Light some more until your senses and your mind are fed up. In the morning of the third day or the day you have planned to stop smoking, you will hardly miss another cigarette after being fed up the previous days. If after a few hours you start to reach for a cigarette, try to remember how awful it taste and how your senses previously revolted against it.

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When quitting smoking it is important to understand that smoking is not simply a habit, it is an addiction that is being capitalized on by many. Don’t trade one form of addiction for another. Start with your desire to quit smoking and educate yourself on the effects of nicotine addiction. You don’t have to be a smoker your whole life. You can quit smoking and regain control of your life.

Exercise Daily To Keep Your Mind And Body Fit

2008-09-28T11:21:00.001-07:00

Do you exercise? If not, it is truly important for both your physical health and your mental health. Yes, even your brain benefits from regular exercise. This is only one of many reasons why exercise is so important. Looking to be more fit then you were in 2007? Let Bodybuilding.com provide everything from workout plans to nutritional supplements.

Daily exercise is one of the largest contributors to a trim body. Exercise helps tone muscle and reduces unwanted body fat. By exercising, you burn off the foods you eat. As you increase your calorie intake, excess calories turn to fat. That fat sits on your body putting you at risk for a number of troublesome issues. Exercising helps burn additional calories, so the balance of what you eat and how much energy you expend is closer to a normal level.

Heart disease is the number one killer in today's world. Risk factors for heart disease include family history, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol, and drugs. Exercising can help keep the heart pumping normally and prevent obesity.

High cholesterol is another link to heart disease. Exercising can keep your triglyceride levels down. It also helps lower HDL levels. For this reason, this is additional proof that exercising helps keep you healthy.

Cancer is another deadly ailment. Some cancers are linked to being overweight. Breast cancer, prostate cancer, and uterine cancer have all been proven to be more common in overweight people. By exercising to keep the weight down, you can possibly prevent yourself from developing cancer.

You hear a slew of information about the increase in Type II Diabetes. The majority of cases of Type II Diabetes are linked to obesity. By exercising, you can keep your weight down and prevent this disease.

High blood pressure is linked to both heart disease and strokes. Studies show that daily exercise for at least ten to twenty minutes can cause a sharp decrease in your blood pressure readings.

Stress can lower you immune system. Exercise helps ensure that the brain is producing ample levels of serotonin. By functioning with proper levels of serotonin, your body is able to fight off disease or feelings of danger properly. The same is true of the other endorphins. They can help keep you from slipping into depression or feeling blue. It takes no more than 15 minutes for the endorphin levels to increase.

People who are in shape and exercise regularly find that they have more energy, enjoy sex even more, and become less reserved around their partner. For this reason, exercise can even help revitalize a troubled marriage or relationship.

By feeling better physically, you will also find that emotionally you are much happier. You will no longer worry about your appearance to others. You will enjoy how you look in certain clothes. Overall, exercise is beneficial to both a body and mind!

Avoid Stress - 10 Things You Should Avoid

2008-09-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

Feeling stressed? Join the club. The number of stressors our society faces on a daily basis has increased immensely during the last 10 years, and with the speed that we are leading our lives, chances are they will continue to do so. There are many things you can do to prevent, avoid, and deal with the most common stressors in your life, but, no matter how you deal with them, make sure to avoid the following stressors like the plague. Even though they may require major changes in your habits, you will be happy you did.
Remember, as I already stated, stress is the one of the main health problems generator!
Here is a first list of 10 things you need to avoid at all costs :
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1. TV
It is hard to believe but television is one of the greatest kill joys that have even been invented. Not mentioning the ability to kill social interaction, what you see in television is a great source of stress. Besides some excellent trash that is shown in an infinite number of channels, think commercials. The basic premise of good advertising is that it needs to create a need by instilling pain, fear or other negative emotions. Now, if you must, watch one sitcom that is really funny and turn off the TV after that.
2. News
Read good news only. Have you noticed how many bad news TV and radio bombard us with every day? Studies tell us that over 90% of the news we heard are bad news. You are already stressed. Why piling up on negative stressors? Some people argue that you need to know what is happening in the world; we need to be informed. Granted. But you could also know about things later on, when the buzz has already subsided. You don’t need more stress in your life.
3. Arguments
This one goes to my sweetheart! (Hope she doesn't read this) Don’t even think about starting an argument about who’s taking the trash out, or who did or didn’t do something. Let go. This is hardly the time to pursue fairness. It is even more important when you are in a quarrelling mood, which is obviously provoked by your own stress. Resist. When you are in this mood, the best thing you can do is to retrieve to a quiet place until the mood is gone.
4. Caffeine
This is not the time to stimulate your adrenals. Avoid coffee, chocolate (even the soothing hot cocoa), sodas (even decaf ones) or black tea. Substitute them for herbal tea. Chamomile tea is very good. Anything decaf and natural is good. Sodas are out (Coca Cola is first on my list), especially the ones with sugar substitutes.
5. Annoying Rap or Heavy metal music
There is definitely a time and a place for this type of music and when you don’t feel good or when you are stressed out is NOT one of them. Many provoke anger, despair, and violence. Listen to calming music instead. A good example is the kind of music that doesn’t bring your memory to the past. Memories can be very stressful as well.
6. Shopping
Changes are you will have to drive to store, and that means you need to face traffic. Then you need to find a parking space, then you go in. Perhaps, the place is crowded which means that, after going from one place to the next, and now being ready to pay, you will face a line at the cashier. Then, you need to come back home. This may be way too much for you mood at this point. Go to the store only if it is absolutely necessary. Today, with the Internet being such a place where you can find everything under the sun, do your bulk shopping online. Especially stay away from Malls !
7. Negative people
So here is a co-worker who always comes to you to complain about something. Or perhaps it’s a classmate? Or, a relative, maybe? It matters not. For this person nothing seems good, or positive, or worthy. On the contrary, people like these are the epitome of heavy clouds lingering on just when you planned to spend the day at the beach. Avoid them.
8. Cluttered surroundings
The more cluttered your space is, the more stressful you will get. Make a point of putting things away as you go. If your work space is full of papers, file them; if your dinning table is overflowing with mail and catalogs and newspapers, clean it. If your teenager’s room is overwhelming, close the door. In reality, if you are too stressed out, cleaning may be an aggravation, though, to some, it is very relaxing (to me :))
9. Dealing with finances & budgeting
Don’t even think about doing your budget or checking you credit card balance or anything of the sort. You may be happily surprised with what you see, but chances are, you will not. Don’t add this aggravation to an already exhausted nervous system. Wait until you are feeling better.
10. Excitement in general (except sex :))

Business meetings? PTA meetings? Parties? Avoid them. Dealing with people may be way too much for you, especially if you are an extrovert. Big time socializing acts like caffeine; it is over stimulant and now is not the time for stimulation. You need quiet. Now, if you are meeting one good and supportive friend, then, by all means, go for it.

Remember that not all stressors are bad for you. Learn how to differentiate them. Avoid the bad ones and learn to relax to deal with the good ones. Pay attention that your negative stressor is not consuming your good humor and/or affecting your health. Once you don’t feel good about a certain thing, better stop it immediately. After all, what good is life if we don’t feel good about it?

Allergies from A-Z

2008-09-24T08:32:00.000-07:00

Allergies are relatively common. Both genetics and environmental factors play a role. Allergy is caused by an oversensitive immune system, which leads to a misdirected immune response. The immune system normally protects the body against harmful substances, such as bacteria and viruses. It reacts to substances (allergens) that are generally harmless and in most people do not cause a problem.

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But in a person with allergies, the immune response is oversensitive. When it recognizes an allergen, it releases chemicals, such as histamines. This causes itching, swelling, mucus production, muscle spasms, rashes, hives and other symptoms, which vary from person to person.

What part of the body is contacted by the allergen plays a role in the symptoms you develop. For example, allergens that are breathed in often cause a stuffy nose, itchy nose and throat, mucus production, cough, or wheezing. A food allergen can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, or a severe, life-threatening reaction. Allergies to plants often cause a skin rash. Drug allergies usually involve the whole body and can lead to a variety of symptoms.

Some medical conditions, such as asthma and eczema, are linked to allergies.

Common allergens include pollen, mold, pet dander, and dust. Food and drug allergies are also common. Allergic reactions can also be caused by jewelry, cosmetics and other substances as insect bites.
Allergy symptoms vary, but may include:

Breathing problems
Burning, tearing, or itchy eyes
Conjunctivitis (red, swollen eyes)
Coughing
Diarrhea
Headache
Hives
Itching of the nose, mouth, throat, skin, or any other area
Runny nose
Skin rashes
Stomach cramps
Vomiting
Wheezing

Treatment

The best way to reduce symptoms is to try and avoid what causes your allergies in the first place. This is especially important for food and drug allergies.

The most appropriate medication depends on the type and severity of symptoms. Specific illnesses that are caused by allergies (such as asthma, hay fever, and eczema) may require other treatments. Medications that can be used to treat allergies include:

ANTIHISTAMINES

Short-acting antihistamines are generally available over-the-counter. They help relieve mild to moderate symptoms but may cause drowsiness. In addition, the short-acting antihistamine diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can affect a child's learning abilities. Loratadine (Claritin) does not tend to cause drowsiness or affect learning in children.
Longer-acting antihistamines require a prescription. They usually do not interfere with learning. Examples of longer-acting antihistamines include fexofenadine (Allegra) and cetirizine (Zyrtec). Overall, they cause less drowsiness than other medicines, but cetirizine may cause drowsiness in some people.

NASAL SPRAYS

Nasal corticosteroid sprays are safe and work very well for persons whose symptoms do not go away with antihistamines alone. These prescription medications include fluticasone (Flonase), mometasone (Nasonex), and triamcinolone (Nasacort AQ).
A newer nasal spray called azelastine (Astelin) is approved for those with seasonal or environmental allergies. It is an antihistamine and not a corticosteroid.
Cromolyn sodium is a nasal spray (NasalCrom) used to treat hay fever symptoms. (Eye drop versions are available for itchy, bloodshot eyes.)
Decongestants can help relieve a stuffy nose. However, nasal spray decongestants should not be used for more than several days, because they can cause a "rebound" effect and make the congestion worse. Decongestants in pill form do not cause this problem.

OTHER MEDICINES

Allergy shots ( Immunotherapy) are occasionally recommended if the allergen cannot be avoided and symptoms are hard to control. Allergy shots keep your body from over-reacting to the allergen. Regular injections of the allergen are given, with each dose slightly larger than the previous dose until a maximum dose is reached. They do not work for everybody and require frequent doctor's visits.
Leukotriene inhibitors are medicines that specifically block the substances that trigger allergies. Montelukast (Singulair) is a prescription medicine approved for those with asthma and indoor and outdoor allergies.

Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) require a medicine called epinephrine, which can be life saving when immediately given.

Nothing without a proper and healthy breakfast !

2008-09-23T00:55:00.000-07:00

Breakfast is the gear of the human body just as the gear of the car. No car can run without a gear, so also nobody can be without breakfast. A person must never deny breakfast in a day. The breakfast of an individual should be healthy food and it has to be according to the tastes and lifestyle of the individual.

Morning shows the day is a good saying which holds good for breakfast also. Breakfast which is the first meal of the day has its own advantages. It plays a crucial role in the growth of a human body and brain. A healthy breakfast refreshes the person and he/she will be active for the whole day. A healthy breakfast gives a person vitamins and minerals required by the body.
It also aids in checking the weight of a person. By taking in balanced diet a person can develop the ability to concentrate in his field of work, be it academics or professional. Healthy food in the morning automatically increases the efficiency and productivity of an individual. It helps in reducing the level of cholesterol and this in turn reduces the risk of heart diseases.
A person should never skip breakfast. It will only lead to anemia and will further ruin the immune system of the body. Some people have the wrong notion that skipping breakfast will help in losing weight. But this is foolishness and it will lead only to diseases in the body. Parents should promote the habit of having a healthy breakfast in their children and adolescents.
School going children will be benefited by taking in proper and healthy breakfast. They can concentrate in their academics and other sports activities. A healthy morning meal helps in the formation of blood cells and this helps them in fighting against various diseases and infections. It also helps in developing creativity among the children.

The effects of not eating a healthy breakfast are:

- If you skip breakfast it triggers food cravings during the whole day.
Skipping breakfast actually results in weight gain. The reason is that when we sleep in the night our metabolism is a bit slow. So we have to get our metabolism to its normal state with a healthy breakfast. When we skip breakfast we prevent our body from building lepton a protein which helps in the normal functioning of the body. This includes losing weight also.
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- The risk of other diseases due to not eating a good breakfast is most important.
The busy world in which we live should not begin with skipping breakfast to save time. Rather it should start in spending more time to prepare healthy breakfast. A healthy breakfast should comprise of cereals that contains at least 6 grams of fiber per serving. To the cereals you can add nonfat milk and some fruits. See that your sugar intake is less than 10 grams.

7 Simple Tips to Live a Long and Healthy Life

2008-09-22T06:10:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants to live a long and healthy life, and there are steps you can take to increase your chances of living a long life. Making healthy choices is the key ingredient to living a long and healthy life. After all, we have control over how healthy our bodies remain throughout our lifetime. Here is a list of 7 simple tips to stay healthy and add years to your life.

7 Healthy Tips

Breathe Fresh Air. Of course, this includes being a nonsmoker, but it is also important to get lots of fresh air outdoors. Many people spend their entire lives indoors, going from home to the car to the office, and back again. Getting fresh air outdoors is an important health benefit that is often overlooked. Try to spend at least a few minutes outdoors every day: take a walk or plan outdoor activities. Industrial and Commercial Strength Air Purifiers

Drink More Water. If you say you don’t like drinking plain water, then chances are you spend much of your life in a state of dehydration, and that is unhealthy. Try to drink between 6-8 glasses of water every day, besides coffee, tea, and soft drinks. Chances are that adding more water to your daily regimen will help you feel better and have more energy. UltraPure Water Purifier
Sleep Between 6-7 hours Every Night. Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to good health, but it is also important to get the right amount of sleep. Researchers have found that those who sleep more than 8 hours or less than 5 hours a night are not as healthy as those who sleep 6-7 hours a night.

Exercise Daily. Researchers are finding that exercise plays a huge part in overall health. Those who exercise regularly have been found to be much more likely to lead healthier lives and live longer than those who do not exercise. See the Specials of the Week at Bodybuilding.com!
Eat Fruits, Vegetables and High Fiber Foods Daily. It is common in American society to eat an entire day’s worth of meals and consume very little fruits and vegetables. This bad habit has an adverse effect on your health. Meals eaten at home contain more fruits and vegetables than those consumed in restaurants. So try eating more meals at home, and when on the go try to take some fruit with you. Chefs Diet Delivery - Get Two Weeks FREE!
Restrict Alcohol Consumption. If you drink alcohol, restrict it to one drink per day. Drinking more than 2 drinks daily has been shown to have an adverse effect on health. Some studies have shown that drinking red wine is beneficial, but you still should keep it to no more than one drink per day. I think this one is the hardest for me ;(

Avoid stress. Stress has a negative effect on your mental processes, it can make you moody, anxious and unable to calmly cope with life. Reducing your stress is not difficult, a little time spent planning how to change your life can make a huge difference. A small effort will go a long way to making you feel better about yourself and others.

So these are simple life changes you can start to work on now to make big changes in health as you get older. You don’t have to change everything at once. Try working on one item at a time and then once you have made it a habit, go on to another item.