Health 101

Baby boom in Super Bowl winning town

2011-02-04T12:45:00.001-05:00

Did you know that having your favorite boyfriend team winning increase your chance of having sex after the victory? And even better, it is reported, that in the winning town, there is a baby boom 9 month after the Super bowl. Last year, there was an increase of 25% of birth, in Louisiana, 9 month following the Saints victory.

So, if you want to finish the evening in beauty sunday night, just pray for a victory of your favorite boyfriend team.

Motivations tips for exercise

2011-02-01T16:05:00.000-05:00

Today is february 1st, 1 month after the New Year resolutions, are you still exercising? Here is few tips to help you stay with your program, and obtain the health that you want.

1. Set a realistic goal that you want to achieve, and record it. Putting it in writing, give it more power. Once you reach that goal, you can set a new on.

2. Find a partner. Working out with somebody, will help for the day you don't want to go training.

3. Find an exercise that you like. There is many ways to move your body, from sport, to dance to gym, but you have to find what you like, it has to be fun.

4. There is no excuses. The one I hear the most is: I don't have time. Well how much time do you spend watching tv, or being on internet? When you have an excuses, be authentic with yourself, et see if it is a real reason for not going to the gym, or if it is an excuses.

5. Let your gym clothes in view. It will remind you to go workout.

But the most important thing is to enjoy yourself. Do something that you like, with people that you like in a nice environment either at home or outside. The hardest thing is to start, but you will be proud and feel relax when you hit the shower after your exercise.

Birth control pill does not cause weight gain

2011-02-01T10:20:00.000-05:00

There has been a myth over the years that, taking birth control pill would cause weight gain. According to a new study by the Oregon Health Science and University, there is no link between the birth control pill and weight gain. Over the year, there has been many studies that has come to the same conclusion.

The weight gain, that some women report, when starting the birth control pill, would be cause by the fact that women, gain weight naturally with age. Also, some women suffer from water retention when taking the pills, that could cause a little bit of weight gain.

The conclusion is that women should not worry about gaining weight when taking the pills, but should take in consideration that, there has been contradictive studies result about the link between breast cancer and birth pills. Talk to your MD before taking the pills.

5 Natural easy homemade facial mask for beautiful skin

2011-01-31T23:56:00.000-05:00

There is easy, inexpensive facial mask that you can make from ingredients that are available in your home. The instructions are the same for every mask, you apply a thin layer of the mixture, in your face and neck, and you keep it for 10-20 min. Rinse after and apply a moisturizer. Here is few recipe that you should try.

OATMEAL AND YOGURT FACE MASK: For any type of skin

1 tbsp of ground oatmeal
1 tbsp of yogurt
Few drop of warm honey

AVOCADO AND OLIVE OIL: For dry skin

1/2 avocado
1 tbsp of olive oil

Mash the avocado with the olive oil and apply to the skin.

EGG YOLK, OLIVE OIL, HONEY: For dry skin

1 egg yolk
1 tbsp of olive oil
Few drop of warm honey

EGG WHITE AND LEMON JUICE: For oily skin

1 egg white beaten
5 drops of lemon juice

BANANA, HONEY AND LEMON JUICE: For oily skin

1 ripe banana
1 tbsp of honey
Few drop of lemon juice

Stretching exercise for the neck

2011-01-26T14:04:00.001-05:00

If you suffer from pain and tight muscle of the neck and shoulder, I recommend that you practice that exercise everyday.

In your shower, let the water fall on you neck and soulder. Turn your head to the right, keeping the head level, meaning not bending the head forward or up, and go as far as you can. Hold that position 20-30 sec. and come back to neutral position. It is very important to hold the position to have a proper stretch of the muscle. Then repeat the procedure on the other side. Do it a couple of time on both side. This exercise, should help you with your neck movement, as well as a decreasing your symptoms.

Related article: Easy exericse for the posture of the upper body

How to have a healthy house

2011-01-25T18:21:00.001-05:00

Every year, people get hospitalized from hazard in there house. Your house can literally get you sick. This video produce by the CDC (Center for Disease Control), show you what to look for in your house and what habit to develop, to have a clean, safe and healthy home, for you and your family.

Also,the Surgeon's generals has produce a nice document in the form of a checklist that will help you make your house safer. Here is the link: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/healthyhomes/checklist.pdf

Omega-3 fatty acids benefits

2011-01-25T15:59:00.001-05:00

In an earlier blog, I was talking about the benefit of omega-3 to fight depression, but there is much more known benefit reported from omega-3 fatty acid. The omega-3 is found in fish oil, cold water fish, and flax seed oil, to name a few. Here is a list of benefits from different studies over the years.

HEART DISEASE: Decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke and abnormal heart rythms. It also prevent and treat atherosclerosis(hardening of the arteries). But if you have too much of omega-3, more than 3gr. a day, you increaseyour risk of bleeding.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL: It will decrease the cholesterol, by decreasing triglycerid and increasing HDL ( good fat ).

HYPERTENSION: Studies showed a decrease of the blood pressure.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: Fish oil may reduce the symptom of RA, especially, the morning stiffness and joint pain.

DEPRESSION: Omega-3, nourrish the brain cells, making them more resilient. There is also an increase of good mood neurotransmettor.

OSTEOPOROSIS: Some studies suggest that omega-3, may help increase the level of calcium in the body, and increase bone strenght and density.

Decrease hospitalization for childhood asthma in smoke-free legislation country

2011-01-25T13:20:00.000-05:00

It is well documented, that people who worked in an environment with smoke, like barman for example showed a marked decreased of respiratory problem whith a smoke-free environment. But the question was, do people who do not have occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke would show similar result?

According to a study done in Scotland and that was published in The Journal of New England Medecine, in 2010, they study the rate of admissions for childhood asthma in hospital, after the legislation. The result showed an 18% decrease in the rate of admissions for children , showing a marked reduction of respiratory disease in the population, other than those associated with occupational exposure.

Strong back with pilates

2011-01-24T15:37:00.001-05:00

Pilates is a physical training method, to increase strenght, flexibility and control of the body. It is a mix between dance, yoga and gymnastic, and it can be done on a floor mat or with apparatus. According to Wikipedia, this method seek to develop controlled movement from a strong core and it does this using a range of apparatuses to guide and train the body.

Strong core muscle, is the basis for a strong back, especially the low back. Most of the low back pain will be relief from core exercise, and better posture will be notice. Two excellents methods to reinforce the core muscle are the swiss ball exercise or the pilates classes. There is multiple video and book on the method, but I suggest that you first take a class to learn the good technique, because you can hurt yourself if the methods is not done properly.

Related article: Strong back and good posture with core muscle exercise.

Neti pot to relief chronic and acute sinus conditions

2011-01-24T14:45:00.000-05:00

The neti pot is a small container that look like a small tea pot or a magic lamp. It is use to clean, irrigate and drain the sinus passages, relieving all kind of sinus condition. It was first use by yoga practionner, to clean the sinus before doing pranayama ( intense breathing from the nose), but now it is prescribe by EENT ( nose doctor ), and can easily be found in drugstore. The conditions that can be help by the neti pot are: chronic sinusitis, rhinnorea, and allergy syptoms.

The way it work, you fill the pot with a saline solution, and you put the spout in your nostril, turning your head toward the pot and bending the head slightly forward above the sink, while breathing through your mouth. It may feel akward at the beginning but it is very easy to use, and very effective to clean debris from the nasal airways.

Omega-3 fatty acid to fight depression

2011-01-23T15:42:00.001-05:00

There is multiple cause to depression, from traumatic event in our life, to biological factor as well a a brain chemical imbalance. 2/3 of our brain is made of fatty acids. Those are the major constituants of the membrane of the nervous system cells, cells that are the links in the communication between the nervous system cells, the brain, and the organ related in the body.

So what we eat is what nourrish those cells. If we eat saturated fat, fat that is solid at ambient temperature, like the one in animal fat, or butter, this will cause rigidity in the brain cells. But, is we eat polyinsaturated fat, fat that is fluid at ambient temperature, the brain cells will be more fluid, and the communication between the cells, more stable. One of the best example of plyinsaturated fat is omega-3 fatty acid.

There as been many study that shows the link between omega-3 fatty acid and depression. One of them deprive rat in laboratory of omega-3 fatty acid and the result showed a major behavioral change in mood and anxiety, as well as a decrease in the experience of pleasure. On the other hand, another study showed that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acid showed an increase of the good mood neurotransmettor. Many more study can be found on the subject.

Where to find omega-3 fatty-acids?

-Mackerel
-Anchovy
-Wild salmon
-Herring
-Sardine
-Flax seed
-Colza oil
-Hemp oil

A diet high in fatty acid will help prevent depression, but if you suffer, from depression, it may be better to take fish oil as a supplement, to make sure you have enough omega-3 in your system.

Magnesium: a natural remedy for anxiety

2011-01-21T18:45:00.000-05:00

With the pace of life right now, anxiety is becoming more and more prevalent. Anxiety is define by Wikipedia as a psychological and physiological state charactertized by somatic, behavorial, emotional and cognitive component. The syptoms varies from heart palpitations, muscle weakness, tension, fatigue, nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath, stomach aches and headache. The treatment by MD is anti-anxiety drug, but those drugs have a lot of side effect. Learning breathing and relaxation technique can help, as well as certain herb like passion flower and valerian root, but be careful, those herb can also have side effect.

But magnesium, is an effective, low cost and safe anxiety remedy. Magnesium is a mineral nutriant, that acts as a muscle relaxant and nervous system relaxant. A deficiency in magnesium in our alimentation, is known to increase the symptom of anxiety. The food that contain magnesium are: rice bran, coconut water, buckwheat, kelp, cashew, molasses, pumpkin seed, cocoa powder, and brazil nut.

In the case of anxiety, it is suggested to take it as a supplement. Start with 200 mg per day and increase the dose to the most effective dosage. Most people have a marked decrease of symptoms between 400-800mg per day. Too much magnesium will cause loose stool, in that case decrease the dosage.

What meditation really is

2011-01-17T21:26:00.000-05:00

Meditation is a technic practice by everybody, from buddhist, to student, to athlete, to spiritual practioner and to medical patient. The meditation technic are numerous and the scientific community have studied it and found many benefit to a regular meditation practice. Better attention, better grade for student, increase memory and decrease stress level, are among many of the benefit found in those studies.

But meditation is more than sitting in a lotus position and being aware of our tought. Meditation is a permanent state of consciousness, it is an awarness of every tought, at every moment. It is being in the present moment. In this video, Sogyal Rinpoche, a buddhist monk is explaining, what is really meditation.

Related article: Eat, pray, love and meditation

How to fight dandruff naturally

2011-01-17T14:28:00.001-05:00

If you suffer from dandruff, and have try everyhthing, you might try this easy solution that was shown last week in the tv program The Doctors.

Take 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt in the shower with you, and massage your scalp with it, to remove dandruff. After that, just shampoo your hair and rinse well, to remove the salt. It work like a microdermabrasion treatment of the scalp. Effective, inexpensive and easy to use.

Easy exercise for the posture of the upper body

2011-01-14T17:10:00.000-05:00

Often I see patients, who has a tendency to carry there head in a forward position, or to have round shoulder. Another common problem is to have a hump back. This video shows 5 easy exercises, that you can do at home or at the gym, without any equipment. Those exercises will help your upper body posture, as well as strengthening the spine and flattening your stomach.

Having a good posture of the upper body, will help decrease the pain, in the cervical, and shoulder area. This will also decrease or prevent the symptom of degenerative joint disease of the lower cervical.

Best sleeping position for good back and good rest

2011-01-13T14:41:00.000-05:00

We often don't realize that we spend or wish to spend one third of our day sleeping. People often wake up with sore muscles, often wandering what happen during the night. There is a couple of factor to check for better rest. The pillow, the bed and the position we take while we are sleeping, are the major factor for a good night sleep. This article will focus more on the sleep position. In futur post, I will talk about bed and pillow, since I am often ask those questions in my office.

1. SIDE LYING: Sleeping on your side with your knee slightly bent and a pillow between your knee, is the most beneficial for your body. In that position, your body rest in a neutral position, and all the natural curve of your spine are preserve, and the muscles are in a relax and resting state. I srtongly suggest that you put the pillow between your knee, even if it feels akward at the beginning. Putting that pillow, will prevent you to fall on your stomach while you are sleeping, and keep your leg and pelvis together.

2. ON THE BACK: Sleeping on your back, is not a bad position, if you put a pillow underneath your knee. Not putting any pillow, will decrease your lumbar curve (your low back) and put a strain in the lumbar and pelvis muscle and the sciatic nerve. Also, if you are prone to snooring, it will increase it It could also increase your sleep apnea, if you suffer from that condition.

3. ON THE STOMACH: Lying on your stomach, is not good for you. It put a major strain in your neck, because you have the head turn on your pillow all night, in order to be able to breath. It will also put strain in the low back, hyperextending it. I know it may feel comforting sleeping on your stomach, but the chronic strain that it place on the body, is worth breaking that habit. When you see you go on your stomach, come back to the side or back, and eventually, you will not go to your stomach anymore.

Just remember that, in order to have a good and restfull night, your body has to lie in the most neutral position as possible. Sleeping is a way for our body, to recharge our battery. Don't you think it feels good starting the day well rested, and ready to attack the task ahead. Good Night !!!

The power of the brain or how it feels to have a stroke.

2011-01-12T17:54:00.002-05:00

In this video, Dr. Jill Bolt Taylor, a neuroanatomist, tell the story of her stroke. This facinating story shows, how the different part of the brain work. When you shut down the rational part of the brain, because the stroke was on the left side of the brain , the perception of reality shift completely, you open yourself to a higher consciousness, a new awarness of who you are, and the connection with the infinite. This is very worth watching. Very interesting.

Natural cough syrup

2011-01-12T15:52:00.000-05:00

Regular cough syrup sold in pharmacy, have a lot of side effect and there effectiveness, are not proven. Here is what my pharmacist suggested for congested lung and cough instead of buying the expectorant syrup:

A cup of hot water with honey and lemon.

I would also suggest the hot beverages of rosemary, thym and fresh ginger that I discuss in an earlier post.

Related article: Hot natural drink for cold and flu season

Natural antibiotic dip

2011-01-11T15:02:00.001-05:00

To continue on the natural remedies for the cold and flu season, here is a recipe that is simple, effective and delicious to taste. All those ingredient have antibitic property, with the exception of the avocado, that serve as a base that hold all the ingredient together.

2 avocados
5 fresh garlic cloves chopped
The juice of 1 lemon
Couple of pinches of cayenne pepper
1/4 of a parsley bunch

Just mix all the ingredients together, and eat with your favorite vegetable. You can make it stronger adding more garlic or cayenne pepper.

Related article: Hot natural drink for cold and flu

Enjoy that recipe, and enjoy the benefit of it !!

Hot natural drink for cold and flu season

2011-01-10T19:25:00.001-05:00

Winter and the hollidays usually mark the beginning of cold and flu season. There is natural way to prevent and fight the virus. Here is an easy and tastfull recipe to boost your immune sysytem.

Put some water in a boiling pan
Add 1 teaspoon of thym fresh or dry
Add 1 teaspoon of rosemary fresh or dry
And 1 inch of grated fresh ginger root

Bring the water to boil, and turn the heat down, to low, and let it simmer for 10-15 min. Strain the leave and ginger. You can add honey or maple syrup to overcome the bitter taste. Believe me it is very effective and very good to taste. All those spices have natural antibiotic property, without side effect.

Related article: Natural antibiotic dip

How to shovel and remove snow properly

2011-01-09T16:24:00.000-05:00

With the winter season well underway, it is important to follow some simple advice to be able to enjoy winter and what it has to offer, instead of suffering with low back pain. Every snow storm, bring those beautiful snowflake that we have to unfortunatly, remove from our sidewalk and driveway. Here is some advice to keep in your head before heading outside.

Warm-up before getting outside
Don't let snow accumulate, and go outside more often, during the snowstorm
Make sure to have a well adjusted shovel, and that is made of light material
Bend your knee, and keep your back straight
Take your time
Push the snow instead of lifting it
Drink water, we often don't feel the thirst in winter

How to avoid travelers diarrhea

2010-09-22T16:49:00.001-04:00

Travelers diarrhea, is a very common illness, that affect 20-50% of international traveler, traveling in developing country like, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. It is usually cause by ingesting or drinking contaminated water or food. 80% of the infection, are cause by bacteria, and the most common one, is E.Coli

The syptoms happen suddenly, and consist of frequent watery stool. But can also be associated with, abdominal cramping, nausea, bloating, fever and malaise. The syptoms usually goes by itself in one or two days. If it goes longer, you have to be carefull to drink enough fluid, to avoid dehydratation.

But there is some precaution you can take before and during your vacation.

Take probiotic, one week before, and during all your vacation.
Avoid eating food from street vendors.
Drink water bottle.
Wash your hand frequently.
Avoid eating raw or undercooked meat or seafood.
Avoid eating raw fruits and vegetables, unless you peel them.

Related article: Probiotic: How to avoid antibiotic side effect.
Related article: Advice for food safety

Probiotic: How to avoid antibiotic side effect

2010-09-22T13:50:00.001-04:00

Sometime, you have no choice, and you have to take antibiotics for infection in your body. The antibiotic, will fight the bad bacteria, that cause the infection, but will also fight the good bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract. This is the reason why you get diarrhea after a prescription of antibiotic. If you have a weak patient, it can also cause problem like C.Difficile infection, wich is widespread in hospital in Canada and the US

There was a study that was held in Canada, and was published in the Journal of Gastoenterelogy, that showed a decrease of diarrhea cause by antibiotic, when given the probiotic Bio-K+CL285. This product is available in capsule, or drink. Probiotic, contain beneficial bacteria, that are, an essential part of your immune and digestive sysytem.

So when you finish, taking antibiotic, start right away with probiotic. Bio-K, is a proven effective brand, but there is also,other brand available. You could also eat yogurt, that as lactobacillus bifidus, but it is not as effective. Taking probiotic, will replenish the good bacteria in your GI tract, boost your immune and digestive system, and help avoid post-antibiotic side effect.

Ankle sprain first treatment

2010-09-18T10:24:00.000-04:00

Ankle sprain is a common injury since the ankle is a very mobile joint. An ankle sprain is a stretching of the ankle ligament due to a sudden twisting of the ankle, and most often when the feet turn outward. The sprain often happen while playing sport, but it can also happen just walking regularly, or climbing stair. They are categorized in 3 grade, related with the damage of the ankle. Grade 1 is when the ligament is overstretched but not torn, and the ankle is stable. In grade 2, the ligament is partially torn, and in grade 3 the ligament is completely torn, and instable.

The symptoms of an ankle sprain, is swelling, bruising, stiff ankle joint, pain, unability to bear weight on the joint, and in grade 3 instable ankle. It is important to start rehabilitation of the ankle quickly since a non treated ankle is prone to re-injured, and you could have chronic ankle problem. The treatment depend on the severity of the sprain, going to just a little rest and exercise in grade 1, to wearing brace, in grade 2 and to wearing a cast or even a surgery in grade 3. In more severe sprain, it is important to consult a physician, and take an x-ray, to rule-out fracture.

For treatment, remember the word RICE

R: Rest. Avoid walking on the ankle
I: Ice. 10-15 min, every hour, placing the ice in a wet towel.
C: Compression. In an elastic bandage.
E: Elevation. Elevate the ankle above the level of your heart.

Interval training to get fit fast

2010-09-17T12:20:00.000-04:00

Interval training can be used in any training you do to increase your level of fitness, increase your metabolism and burn more fat. Interval training is increasing the intensity of your exercise with quick burst of exercise, followed with a recovery period. Everybody can do it, and the benifit are great.

There is 4 ways to affect your interval training. In that example sprint is when you go faster and the recovery period is the less intense part.

Intesity of sprint
Duration of sprint
Intensity of recovery
Duration of recovery

Depending on what type of exercise you practice, there is different way you will do your interval training. A sprinter will do short sprint to increase his anaerobic system. The middle distance runner and the soccer or tennis player for example will have a less intense sprint but longer than the sprinter, to develop both his aerobic and anaerobic system. The marathoner, will have the longest sprint but the less intense. And if you are really out of shape, it may mean, if you walk, just to walk faster, but it will help you produce more fat burning enzyme. The interval training should not be used more than once or twice a week, because your body will get use to it and you will not get the benefit from it, the rest of the week you train regularly.

Here is a table of the different type of interval training, from the book Smart Exercise from Covert Bailey.

Sprint training: Intensity of sprint: High 95-100% of maximum heart rate
                      Duration of sprint: 10-20 sec.
                      Intensity of recovery: Rest recovery
                      Duration of recovery: 3 time as long as sprint
                      Sets/Repetitions: 5 sets/10 reps each set

Middle distance/: Intensity of sprint: Moderately high 85-90% of maximum heart rate
Stop and go:       Duration of sprint: 1-2 min.
                          Intensity of recovery: Work recovery
                          Duration of recovery: 2 time as long as sprint
                          Sets/Repetitions: 2-4 sets/ 4 reps each set

Long distance: Intensity of sprint: Moderate 80-85% of maximum heart rate
                       Duration of sprint: 3-5 min.
                       Intensity of recovery: Rest recovery
                       Duration of recovery: 1/2 as long as sprint
                       Sets/Repetitions: 1 sets/3 reps