Wellyourself

Healthy Back? 5 easy steps

2012-02-22T15:11:00.000-05:00

From Harvard HEALTHbeat

1. STAY FIT

Weak back and abdominal muscles — due to deconditioning or age — cause or exacerbate many cases of low back pain.

A stretching and strengthening regimen should target the back, abdominal, and buttock muscles.

Certain aerobic activities are safer for your back than others. For instance, bicycling (either stationary or regular), swimming, and walking lead the list of low-risk, high-benefit activities for most people’s backs.

Sports and activities such as football, tennis, gymnastics, wrestling, weight lifting, rowing (crew), running, aerobic dance, and ballet involve a relatively high risk for back injury because of the extension, lifting, or impacts involved.

2. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT

The heavier you are, the greater the load your spine must carry. To make matters worse, if the bulk of your weight comes in the form of abdominal fat, rather than muscle, your center of gravity can shift forward — a condition that puts added pressure on your back.

3. KICK THE HABIT

Scientists believe that the nicotine in cigarettes contributes to low back pain in two ways. First, nicotine hampers the flow of blood to the vertebrae and disks. This impairs their function and may trigger a bout of back pain. Second, smokers tend to lose bone faster than nonsmokers, putting them at greater risk for osteoporosis, another common cause of back pain.

4. LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD

If you use a backpack, you can take steps to protect yourself. For starters, use both of the pack’s straps instead of slinging one strap over a shoulder. When carrying a heavy load, put the heaviest items as close as possible to the center of the back, and use the hip strap for support. Above all, remember to bend from your knees when picking up your pack.

5. DEVELOP BACK-HEALTHY HABITS

Everyday activities, from vacuuming your house to sitting in front of the computer for hours, can take a toll on your back, particularly if you aren’t schooled in proper body mechanics. But you can take some of the pressure off your back by following these simple tips:

While standing to perform ordinary tasks like ironing or folding laundry, keep one foot on a small step stool.
Don’t remain sitting or standing in the same position for too long. Stretch, shift your position, or take a short walk when you can.
When bending from the waist, always use your hands to support yourself.
When sitting, keep your knees a bit higher than your hips and bend them at a 90-degree angle. Sit with your feet comfortably on the floor. If your feet don’t reach the floor, put a book or a small stool under them.
Because vacuuming can take a toll on your back, tackle rooms in chunks, spending no more than five to 10 minutes at a time doing this task.

Picture from renochiropractic
___________________________

Chocolate... healthier than before

2011-08-29T21:16:00.000-04:00

From University of Cambridge

Regularly eating chocolate could cut the risk of heart disease and stroke by about one-third, says researcher Oscar H. Franco, MD, PhD, of the University of Cambridge in the U.K.

CAUTION:
Chocolate still has sugar, fat and calories; all of which can cause weight gain and heart disease. Seriously.

FINDINGS:
The components in chocolate that might explain chocolate's protective effects were not explored in this most recent research study. Based on previous research though, the researchers credit what are called polyphenols, antioxidants that increase the body’s production of the chemical nitric oxide. An increase in nitric oxide production in turn might lead to improvements in blood pressure and blood flow though arteries.

Still, the study doesn't prove chocolate lowers the rate of heart disease. That's because it's not fully known what other characteristics (besides relatively high chocolate intake) the study's participants hold (regular exercise, plant-based diet, etc) that may account for the decreased rates of heart disease.

The good news is, chocolate (any kind) is not bad for you in appropriate quantities.

Picture from thedecoratedcookieblog. check out their chocolate.
___________________________

Tax your Coke & Coco Puffs?

2011-08-28T11:15:00.000-04:00

From The Lancet

It sounds a bit crazy and even a bit against most peoples idea of freedom, but governmental regulations on junk food and beverage is being seriously considered. Don't kid yourself, it's likely to happen.

Add $1.49 per hole for tax.. you total is...

“By imposing tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and limiting marketing of unhealthy foods to children, governments can lead in making it easier for children to make healthy choices,” said lead author Steven Gortmaker, professor of the practice of health sociology at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).

WHY MIGHT THIS WORK? The authors note that special taxes and marketing restrictions to discourage smoking have been effective in tobacco control.

Thankfully, in addition to taxes and advertising, the authors recommend:

school-based education (nutrition, exercise)
physical activity programs for children
weight loss interventions

Press release
Photo from frankieleon (flickr)
______________________

Get your cardio

2011-08-27T15:06:00.001-04:00

From American Journal of Physiology

In a head-to-head comparison, aerobic exercise beat resistance training and a combination of the two, as the most efficient and most effective way to lose the belly fat that’s most damaging to your health.

Viceral fat (intra-abdominal fat), the focus of this study, has been associated with increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and certain kinds of cancer.

Courtesy colros (flickr)

“Resistance training is great for improving strength and increasing lean body mass,” says Slentz. “But if you are overweight and you want to lose belly fat, aerobic exercise is the better choice because it burns more calories.”

The combination of aerobic with resistance training achieved results similar to aerobic training alone.

Dangers of Visceral Fat - Web MD video
Truth about Fat - Web MD article

Full article
_________________

Allergic?

2011-08-25T23:09:00.000-04:00

People who like to eat out and have food allergies have another ally.

Allergyeats.com is a free, user-friendly website, that provides valuable peer-based feedback about how well (or poorly) restaurants accommodate the needs of food-allergic customers. The peer ratings and feedback allow food-allergic and gluten-intolerant diners to quickly and easily find restaurants that will accommodate their specific dietary requirements – and avoid the ones that won’t.

Benefits:

600,000 restaurants listed nationwide
15,000+ monthly users and 5,000+ food allergic fans regularly sharing ideas
info on restaurants’ menus (including gluten-free)
allergen lists
nutrition information
certifications
Endorsed by the Asthma & Allergy Assoc of America amongst others

Go forth, and avoid them nuts!

_________________

Is Sex Exercise?

2011-06-09T21:45:00.000-04:00

From Harvard Men's Health Watch:

At some time in his life, nearly every man gets exercised about sex. And as many men get older, they wonder if sex is a good form of exercise or if it's too strenuous for the heart. These questions may sound like locker room banter, but they are actually quite important — and they now have solid scientific answers.

Treadmill vs. Mattress - the treadmill won. During sex, the men in the research (avg age 55) raised their heart rate only 72% as high as a treadmill workout. The women in the research basically yawned during the experiment.
Sex as Exercise - A man's heart rate rarely gets above 130 beats per minute with systolic blood pressure rarely exceeding 170. The research suggested that a bout of ping pong in your man cave uses as much oxygen consumption (METS) as sex. Their conclusion: if you can walk up 3 flights of stairs without difficulty, you are safe for sex.
Sex as Sex - Fewer than 1/100 heart attacks and 1/200 fatal arrhythmias is sex-related. Overall, a healthy 50-year old man's risk of a heart attack during sex is 2 in a million.
Sex and Survival - Sorry, sex itself can not be proven to be protective to the heart. However, Harvard suggests that the positive findings in several studies probably has more to do general life satisfaction... which probably leads to better sex.
Viagra? - Apparently, 70% of men with erectile dysfunction respond to ED pills. As the commercials say: men taking nitrates in any form should NOT use ED pills. There are other ways...seriously.
Safe Sex - Avoiding tobacco, exercising regularly, eating healthy, staying lean, and avoiding too much alcohol is the best way to keep sex safe. That and a prophylactic.

Full article
Photo courtesy Andy Freer
____________________

Vegetarians at lower risk for Heart Disease, Diabetes, Stroke?

2011-04-16T13:50:00.002-04:00

From Science Daily:

Vegetarians experience a 36 percent lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome than meat-eaters, suggests new research from Loma Linda University published in the journal Diabetes Care.

Metabolic syndrome is defined as exhibiting at least three out of five total risk factors: high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, high glucose levels, elevated triglycerides, and an unhealthy waist circumference.

What they found:

only 25% of vegetarians had metabolic syndrome
39% of meat eaters had metabolic syndrome
Vegetarians have lower triglycerides, glucose, blood pressure, waist circumference and BMI

"This work again shows that diet improves many of the main cardiovascular risk factors that are part of metabolic syndrome," says Gary Fraser, MD, PhD, principal investigator of Adventist Health Study 2. "Trending toward a plant-based diet is a sensible choice."

Go to Diabetes Care for full article.
Photo credit: labspic
_________________________

Why some Foods = Sleepy

2011-03-10T14:42:00.000-05:00

From Discovery Health News

Hold Your Breath Sucker!

2011-03-08T14:31:00.000-05:00

From Discovery News

THE GIST:

The new record for breath-holding is 19 minutes and 21 seconds.
There are tricks to holding your breath for long periods of time, but the practice can be dangerous.
There may be long-lasting health consequences to extreme breath-holding.

A Swiss freediver held his breath underwater for 19 minutes and 21 seconds, according to news reports this week. The gasp-inducing feat beat the previous world record by 19 seconds, and blew away the record of 17 minutes and four seconds that magician David Blaine set on Oprah Winfrey's talk show in 2008.

Is it really possible to survive without inhaling for that long? And is it healthy?

"It is, as a matter of fact, possible -- with certain tricks," explained Claes Lundgren, a physiologist at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine in New York. It is probably not, however, good for you, and consequences can be deadly.

Full Article

Thanks to Bryan Condra
Photo courtesy: FATHOM
______________

11 Ways to Better Sex

2011-03-06T14:14:00.003-05:00

Harvard Medical School says...

The physical transformations your body undergoes as you age also have a major influence on your sexuality. Declining hormone levels and changes in neurological and circulatory functioning may lead to sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction or vaginal pain.

Dildo, Newfoundland anyone?

Educate yourself. Plenty of good self-help materials are available for every type of sexual issue.
Give yourself time. As you age, your sexual responses slow down. You and your partner can improve your chances of success by finding a quiet, comfortable, interruption-free setting for sex. Also, understand that the physical changes in your body mean that you’ll need more time to get aroused and reach orgasm.
Use lubrication. Often, the vaginal dryness that begins in perimenopause can be easily corrected with lubricating liquids and gels. Use these freely to avoid painful sex — a problem that can snowball into flagging libido and growing relationship tensions.
Maintain physical affection. Even if you’re tired, tense, or upset about the problem, engaging in kissing and cuddling is essential for maintaining an emotional and physical bond.
Practice touching. The sensate focus techniques that sex therapists use can help you re-establish physical intimacy without feeling pressured.
Try different positions. Developing a repertoire of different sexual positions not only adds interest to lovemaking, but can also help overcome problems. For example, the increased stimulation to the G-spot that occurs when a man enters his partner from behind can help the woman reach orgasm.
Write down your fantasies. This exercise can help you explore possible activities you think might be a turn-on for you or your partner. Try thinking of an experience or a movie that aroused you and then share your memory with your partner. This is especially helpful for people with low desire.
Do Kegel exercises. Both men and women can improve their sexual fitness by exercising their pelvic floor muscles.
Try to relax. Do something soothing together before having sex, such as playing a game or going out for a nice dinner.
Use a vibrator. This device can help a woman learn about her own sexual response and allow her to show her partner what she likes.
Don’t give up. If none of your efforts seem to work, don’t give up hope. Your doctor can often determine the cause of your sexual problem and may be able to identify effective treatments. He or she can also put you in touch with a sex therapist who can help you explore issues that may be standing in the way of a fulfilling sex life.

Full article HERE

_____________________

Hospital Visitation: Choice is YOURS

2011-03-06T13:47:00.001-05:00

From ConsumerAffairs.com

New hospital rules go into effect today, permitting patients to designate who may visit them. It's the result of an executive order by President Obama and is intended to address the issue of gay and transgender patients whose partners may be prohibited from visiting them at some hospitals.

The executive order applies to all hospitals that participate in Medicare and Medicaid and expressly forbids denying visitation privileges because of sexual orientation or gender identity. Any hospital that fails to comply risks losing its federal funding.

"There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital.," Obama said when he signed the order last April. "In these hours of need and moments of pain and anxiety, all of us would hope to have a hand to hold, a shoulder on which to lean – a loved one to be there for us, as we would be there for them."

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has previously laid the groundwork for the new rules by reaching out to major hospital associations, urging them to encourage their member hospitals to change their visitation policies in advance of the new rule's taking effect.

"This policy impacts millions of LGBT Americans and their families. The President saw an injustice and felt very strongly about correcting this and has spoken about it often over the years," said Brian Bond, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Bond said the policy change came about in large measure through the efforts of Janice Langbehn and Charlene Strong, who became advocates for open visitation policies after their partners died at hospitals that frustrated their efforts to be with their loved ones during their final days.

The full text of the new rules can be found in the Federal Register.
_________

Hangover Cure? 8 Things to Try

2010-12-24T15:03:00.000-05:00

From US News & World

Nope. Sorry, no sure-fire cure... no matter what grampa says. But everyone is different, and I've listed what some of the experts (Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic) think will help you the day after.

Drink lots of water. Alcohol makes you pee. That, and the alcohol, can lead to dehydration, prompting the hallmark dizziness and lightheadedness of a hangover.
Eat, but don't binge. Crackers and toast can boost blood sugar that may have dipped while drinking. Also consider pretzels and a banana to replace the salt and potassium lost through urinating so much.
Get your body working faster. When alcohol gets into the system it's got to be metabolized. There's no way around it. The fructose in sports drinks, fruit juice and honey may help burn the alcohol more quickly... even exercise.
Retreat under the covers. You may have gotten your usual eight hours, but it was probably interrupted by a few trips to the bathroom and a lot of tossing and turning, decreasing the quality of your snooze. Think about a nap before the 'events.'
Take a pain reliever but sparingly. They'll likely alleviate a headache, but aspirin can upset an already irritated tummy, and acetaminophen could lead to liver damage. Don't go over the recommended dose. In fact, try half a dose and see if it works.
Pace yourself. The body can typically metabolize an alcoholic drink—a glass of beer, a one-shot mixed drink—each hour. Food slows down alcohol absorption and provides a little distraction.
Customize your request. Ask the bartender for a little more orange juice and a little less vodka.
Choose wisely. Darker-colored alcoholic beverages—bourbon, scotch, tequila, brandy, ales—have a greater amount of chemicals called congeners, which are more likely to cause a hangover.

Happy Holidays!!

Click here for Roadkill T-shirts
_____________________

Weight Loss Drugs...what works?

2010-12-24T14:35:00.000-05:00

From Medscape

Intro:
The few drugs that have actually reached the market in recent years promote weight loss either by boosting the body's basal metabolic rate, blocking the absorption of dietary fat, or suppressing appetite. People who take these drugs typically lose weight for the first 6 months until they reach a plateau that can't be surpassed without increasing exercise or caloric restriction. Long-term safety is also a big issue, plus the weight lost over those 6 months is commonly put back on.

Pharmacotherapy is not indicated as a first-line therapy for obesity, and should not be initiated until all nonpharmacologic attempts at weight loss (diet, exercise) have failed.

Drugs Currently on Market
Drugs in the Pipeline and Future

Conclusion:
Obesity is a chronic, relapsing, biologic condition that may well require long-term pharmacotherapy, in the same manner as hypertension and diabetes. To date, however, the average amount of weight lost with most pharmacologic agents has been modest at best, and the typical patient will most likely remain overweight or obese even with ongoing treatment.

Weight-loss drugs are expensive; neither Medicare nor most insurance plans cover them. In addition, most are associated with adverse effects.

_______________

Should I Get a Flu Shot?

2010-12-21T21:04:00.001-05:00

The simple answer: YES.

In 2010, everyone ages 6 months or older should get the flu vaccine. It is especially important if you

are over age 50
have heart disease, diabetes, immune problems, or other chronic conditions
live with or care for someone at high risk of getting the flu
come into contact with many people in a doctor’s office, classroom, or other setting

So says:
Harvard
WebMD
Johns Hopkins Hospital
UCLA

Photo courtesy: uihero
______________

Kick-Ass Prosthetics

2010-12-21T19:45:00.000-05:00

If you're feeling sorry for yourself, try checking out these folks who needed a prosthetic leg. After you're done being grateful, then you can begin feeling jealous.

Bespoke Innovations lives by the definition of it's name (bespoke actually means to customize to suit). They follow their mission by making unique, stylish prosthetics for people by learning about who their patients actually are. Check it out.

For more photo go to: core77

_______________

Calorie-burn at Rest

2010-12-20T22:47:00.001-05:00

From: NY Times

INTRO:
New research suggests that the warmth that you feel in your body for hours after a HARD workout doesn't mean you're burning calories for hours afterwards. It's more likely that the extended warmth is part our body's process of repairing minor tissue damage. Instead, the intensity is what keeps the calories rolling off for some time.

Dr. Joseph LaForgia, an exercise physiologist at the University of South Australia, says people who exercise intensely — doing repeated sprints, for example — can experience a prolonged metabolic effect. Their metabolic rates can go up and remain elevated for seven hours after the session is finished.
Even so, the extra calories burned were about 10 percent of the calories burned during the intense exercise.

As for people who exercised moderately, like most people do, the small increase in metabolism lasted no more than two hours and added up to only about 5 percent of the amount they burned while exercising. And since a modest exercise bout does not burn nearly as many calories as an intense one, people who exercised modestly ended up with very few extra calories burned afterward.

CONCLUSION:
If you workout HARD during exercise and you are in better shape, you will likely get longer (up to 7 hours) calorie-burn compared to those that workout moderately and are in fair or poor shape. Keep up the hard work.

Full story
Photo courtesy: Vovva
_________________

What You Really Touch...

2010-12-20T21:33:00.005-05:00

Wash your hands!!!

Wash your hands, use hand sanitizer... and maybe even use a paper towel to open doors.

Hand Washing Facts and Figures

40 million Americans contract illnesses every year due to the bacteria on the hands and around 80,000 of them die.
Around two to ten million bacteria can be found between our fingertips and elbows.
If the hands are either wet or damp, they can spread germs thousand times more than dry hands.
The germs have the capacity to stay alive on your hands for about three hours.
Millions of germs get accumulated under the bracelets, watches and rings that a person might be wearing.
According to U.S. Centers for disease control and prevention, eighty percent of all infections get transmitted by the hands.

For the Office: Cover Your Cough poster

__________________________

Frozen Dinners = beware

2010-12-18T23:52:00.003-05:00

Beware of all those 'convenient' frozen meals - many contain very high amounts of sodium and even fat (despite what the label says).

Click for nutrition info

Things to look for:

Small portions - stick to under 600 calories; which is between 25-35% of ALL the calories you need in an entire day!
Low Fat - no trans fat and less than 4 grams of saturated fat
Low Sodium - less than 700 mg for ENTIRE MEAL (not per serving)
Some fiber
Tricky labeling - always check the nutrition label
Tasteful and appetizing!

NOTE: If healthy frozen meals aren't keeping you filled, try adding frozen veggies or healthy additions like salsa, nuts, fruit or low-fat dairy (yogurt, cheese).

Conclusion: Frozen dinners should not be an 'every day food.' Ideally, your diet needs to be made up of fresh, whole foods. But when you're running late or are in threat of missing a meal, some frozen meals can fill a must-needed, healthy void if you do a little nutrition label reading.

___________________

5 Exercise Videos for Home

2010-12-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

When done regularly (at least 3 x/week) these 5 exercises will do you right - and you can easily do them at home with just a little bit of time. These have been chosen based on their ease, safety and effectiveness. Enjoy.

Videos courtesy Workoutz
_________________

Quesadillas con Frijoles Refritos

2010-12-15T00:11:00.001-05:00

From: EatingWell Magazine

6 servings

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Nutrition Profile

This food is diabetes appropriate, low calorie, low cholesterol, low saturated fat, low sodium, heart healthy, high in calcium and gluten FREE.

Ingredients

1 cup fat-free refried beans
2 tablespoons hot salsa, plus more for dipping
12 6-inch corn tortillas
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped scallions
3/4 cup finely grated Monterey Jack cheese, (3 ounces)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Combine refried beans and 2 tablespoons salsa in a small bowl.
Place a tortilla directly on a stovetop burner (gas or electric), set at medium, and toast, turning frequently with tongs, until softened, about 30 seconds. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm while you soften the remaining tortillas in the same manner.
Lay 6 of the softened tortillas on the prepared baking sheet. Divide the bean mixture among these tortillas, spreading evenly. Sprinkle each with corn, cilantro and scallions, then cheese. Top with the remaining softened tortillas and press to seal.
Bake until lightly crisped and browned, about 10 minutes. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve hot, with additional salsa for dipping.

Nutrition

Per serving: 237 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 2 g mono); 13 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 10 g protein; 6 g fiber; 287 mg sodium; 186 mg potassium.

2 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1/2 high-fat meat

Photo courtesy: MadameD
_________________

6 Diet Foods to Avoid

2010-12-14T23:54:00.000-05:00

From: Cleveland Clinic

Are you losing energy without losing pounds? Learn why healthy eating habits trump claims by diet food manufacturers.

Have your efforts at dieting sapped your energy without moving the scale at all? That can happen when you follow claims and promises made by diet food manufacturers rather than sound nutrition principles.

If you want to maintain a healthy weight or shed pounds, Cleveland Clinic dietitians recommend avoiding these 6 kinds of “diet” foods and snacks:

Drinks with calories. This includes many vitamin drinks that are loaded with various types of added sugars. Choose drinks that contain zero calories.
Store-bought smoothies. Before you order that smoothie, check the calories; some smoothies contain up to 1,000 calories and use ingredients only a world-class bodybuilder would need!
Trail mix. If the mix contains yogurt-coated ingredients, it probably has partially hydrogenated fat (trans fat). Trans fat has been shown to decrease your good cholesterol and increase your bad cholesterol. You’ll do better making your own trail mix with peanuts, walnuts, raisins and chocolate bits that are at least 70 percent cocoa.
Frozen diet entrees. These are typically loaded with sodium. And while they maybe be low in calories, they’re also typically low in nutrients (for example, refined grains may be used instead of whole grains).
Fiber/protein bars. These bars are about two steps away from a candy bar! Skip the bars and fill up with an apple or another piece of fruit.
Fat-free sweets. Fat-free cookies and cakes are deceiving.

Photo: Elana's Pantry
____________

Best and Worst Snacks

2010-12-14T23:39:00.000-05:00

From: WebMD

A good-for-you snack is one that's high in nutritional value (protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber) but relatively low in calories, total fat, saturated fat (no trans fat), sugar, and sodium.

On the flip side, not-so-healthy snack choices are usually low in nutritional value but high in calories, total fat, saturated fat (and sometimes trans fat), sugars, or sodium.

While fresh veggies and fruits make super-healthy snacks, those items aren't always convenient (or the top choices for your typical family).

8 Not-so-Healthy Snacks

Eat up!

Chocolate-coated donuts, mini donuts, snack cakes
Snack Pies
"Movie Theatre" popcorn
Lunchables
Cheetos & flavored chips
Frozen snacks (Hot Pockets, Toaster Strudel, Fries)
Fun nuggets
Cheese crackers (Ritz, Cheese-Its)

8 Good-for-You Snacks

English muffin w/ peanut butter
Nut mixes
94% Fat Free popcorn
Homemade nachos (baked chips, refried beans, low-fat cheese)
Homemade quesadillas (whole grain tortilla, low-fat cheese)
Snack Bars (LOW Sugar - about 6 grams per bar)
Edemame or Ore-Ida Steak fries
Homemade Smoothie (yogurt, frozen fruit, banana)

Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, is the "Recipe Doctor" for WebMD and the author of numerous books on nutrition and health. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

__________

SEX and Your Sinuses

2010-12-13T22:31:00.000-05:00

From: Cleveland Clinic

“I’ve got a headache.” “I’m too tired.” Now we can add allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) to the list. Two studies by Cleveland Clinic ear, nose and throat specialists find that both conditions significantly impact the desire for sex. Considering that up to 40 percent of the U.S. population has allergic rhinitis and that 30 to 40 million people have CRS, this could be an enormous shock to Cupid.

What is allerergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis?

Not in the mood, and here’s why

Fatigue from poor sleep quality
Don't feel sexy
No smell, no arousal (pheromones)

Restoring desire

The good news is that improving the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and CRS appears to improve sexual activity. Both conditions can be treated with a variety of medications, including:

intranasal steroid sprays
leukotriene modifiers
nasal irrigation
antibiotics
systemic steroids
allergy therapy (in allergic individuals)

Allergic rhinitis is rarely treated surgically. CRS can be, however.

Photo courtesy: Brenda Chenowith
_____________

Best and Worst Beverages for Weight Loss

2010-12-13T21:46:00.002-05:00

Click picture for Best / Worst List

Photo courtesy: Santheo
________

30 Million Americans Admit They Drive Drunk

2010-12-10T23:10:00.001-05:00

From WebMD:

About 30 million Americans a year admit to driving while drunk, and 10 million more say they get behind the wheel when under the influence of illicit drugs, according to new federal research.

On average, 13.2% of all people aged 16 and older drove under the influence of alcohol in the past year, and 4.3% drove while on illicit drugs, says a new survey from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, also known as SAMHSA.

Rates of Drunk and Drugged Drivers Drop Slightly

The rate of drugged driving also dropped, from 4.8% of drivers in 2002-2005 to 4.3% in 2006-2009, according to the SAMHSA report.

Alarming Findings

Gil Kerlikowske, MA, director of National Drug Control Policy, says the survey reveals that “an alarmingly high percentage of Americans” drive with drugs in their systems.

States with the highest levels of drunk driving in the past year were Wisconsin, 23.7%, and North Dakota, 22.4%.
The highest rates of drugged driving in the past year were in Rhode Island, 7.8%, and Vermont, 6.6%.
States with the lowest rates of drunk driving were Utah at 7.4% and Mississippi at 8.7%.
Iowa at 2.9% and New Jersey at 3.2% had the lowest levels of drugged driving in the past year.

Drunken States

Highest drunk driving rates: Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Montana and Wyoming.
Lowest rates of drunk driving: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, West Virginia, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah, New Jersey and New York.

Solution?
Study authors say the prevalence of impaired driving, especially in the 16-25 age group, indicates a need for continued efforts to educate drivers about the dangers. They suggest sobriety checkpoints, training for people who sell alcohol, and treatment for people convicted of impaired driving.

Photo props to: Enggul
_______________