Your body is hard-wired to react to stress in ways meant to protect you against threats from predators and other aggressors. Such threats are rare today, but that doesn't mean that life is free of stress.
On the contrary, you undoubtedly face multiple demands each day, such as shouldering a huge workload, making ends meet and taking care of your family. Your body treats these so-called minor hassles as threats. As a result you may feel as if you're constantly under assault. But you can fight back. You don't have to let stress control your life.
Understanding the natural stress response
When you encounter a perceived threat — a large dog barks at you during your morning walk, for instance — your hypothalamus, a tiny region at the base of your brain, sets off an alarm system in your body. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands, located atop your kidneys, to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.
Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain's use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues.
Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a fight-or-flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes. This complex natural alarm system also communicates with regions of your brain that control mood, motivation and fear.
When the natural stress response goes haywire
The body's stress-response system is usually self-limiting. Once a perceived threat has passed, hormone levels return to normal. As adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, your heart rate and blood pressure return to baseline levels, and other systems resume their regular activities.
But when stressors are always present and you constantly feel under attack, that fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on.
The long-term activation of the stress-response system — and the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones — can disrupt almost all your body's processes. This puts you at increased risk of numerous health problems, including:
Anxiety
Depression
Digestive problems
Heart disease
Sleep problems
Weight gain
Memory and concentration impairment
long term of effects of stress on your body
That's why it's so important to learn healthy ways to cope with the stressors in your life.
Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries
You know that exercise does your body good, but you're too busy and stressed to fit it into your routine. Hold on a second — there's good news when it comes to exercise and stress.
Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. If you're not an athlete or even if you're out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management. Discover the connection between exercise and stress relief — and why exercise should be part of your stress management plan.
Exercise and stress relief
Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits
It pumps up your endorphins
Physical activity helps bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner's high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike also can contribute to this same feeling.
It's meditation in motion
As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do.
After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you'll often find that you've forgotten the day's irritations and concentrated only on your body's movements.
It improves your mood
Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, it can relax you, and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety.
We know it can be difficult to relax when in pain but it is the time when you most need to relax. Pain creates anxiety, anxiety creates tension, tension creates stress, and stress creates pain, pain creates… You can see it is a vicious cycle.
Fortunately, relaxation techniques can help you break this cycle. Learning to relax takes time and practice.
Gas and gas pains can strike at the worst possible moment — during an important meeting or on a crowded elevator. Although passing intestinal gas (flatus) usually isn't serious, it can be embarrassing.
Anything that causes intestinal gas or is associated with constipation or diarrhea can lead to gas pains. These pains generally occur when gas builds up in your intestines, and you're not able to expel it. Most people pass gas at least 10 times a day.
The good news is that although you can't stop gas and gas pains, a few simple measures can help reduce the amount of gas you produce and relieve your discomfort and embarrassment.
Symptoms;
For most people, the signs and symptoms of gas and gas pain are all too obvious. They include:
Voluntary or involuntary passing of gas, either as belches or as flatus
Sharp, jabbing pains or cramps in your abdomen. These pains may occur anywhere in your abdomen and can change locations quickly and get better quickly.
A 'knotted' feeling in your abdomen.
Swelling and tightness in your abdomen (bloating)
.Sometimes, gas pains may be constant or so intense that it feels like something is seriously wrong.
Gas can sometimes be mistaken for;
Heart disease
Gallstones
Appendicitis
Causes;
High-fiber foods that commonly cause gas and gas pains include:Gas forms when bacteria in your colon ferment carbohydrates that aren't digested in your small intestine. Unfortunately, healthy, high-fiber foods are often the worst offenders. Fiber has many health benefits, including keeping your digestive tract in good working order and regulating blood sugar and cholesterol levels. But fiber can also lead to the formation of gas.
Fruits
Vegetables
Whole grains
Beans and peas (legumes)
Fiber supplements containing psyllium, such as Metamucil, may cause such problems, especially if added to your diet too quickly. Carbonated beverages, such as soda and beer, also cause gas.
Other causes of excess gas include:
Swallowed air. You swallow air every time you eat or drink. You may also swallow air when you're nervous, eat too fast, chew gum, suck on candies or drink through a straw. Some of that air finds its way into your lower digestive tract.
Another health condition. Excess gas may be a symptom of a more serious chronic condition. Examples include diverticulitis or an inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. Excess gas and bloating may also be a symptom of bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine from conditions such as diabetes.
Food intolerances. If your gas and bloating occur mainly after eating dairy products, it may be because your body isn't able to break down the sugar (lactose) in dairy foods. Other food intolerances, especially to gluten — a protein found in wheat and some other grains — also can result in excess gas, diarrhea and even weight loss.
Artificial additives. It's also possible that your system can't tolerate artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol, found in some sugar-free foods, gums and candies. Many healthy people develop gas and diarrhea when they consume these sweeteners.
Risk factors:
You're more likely to have problems with gas if you:
Are lactose or gluten intolerant
Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes
Drink carbonated beverages
Have a chronic intestinal condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel dise
Tests and diagnosis:
During the physical exam, your doctor may check your abdomen to see if it's distended and listen for a hollow sound while gently tapping your abdomen. A hollow sound usually indicates the presence of excess gas.
Treatments and drugs: If your gas pains are caused by another health problem, treating the underlying condition may offer relief. Otherwise, bothersome gas is generally treated with dietary measures, lifestyle modifications or over-the-counter medications. Although the solution isn't the same for everyone, with a little trial and error, most people are able to find some relief.
Diet
The following dietary changes may help reduce the amount of gas your body produces or help gas move more quickly through your system:
Try to identify and avoid the foods that affect you the most.
Foods that cause gas problems for many people include beans, onions, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, artichokes, asparagus, pears, apples, peaches, prunes, sugar-free candies and chewing gum, whole-wheat bread, bran cereals or muffins, milk, cream, ice cream, ice milk, and beer, sodas and other carbonated beverages.
Try cutting back on fried and fatty foods.
Often, bloating results from eating fatty foods. Fat delays stomach emptying and can increase the sensation of fullness.
Temporarily cut back on high-fiber food
Add them back gradually over several weeks. For most people, it takes about three weeks for your body to get used to extra fiber. But, some people never adapt.
Go easy on fiber supplements.
Try cutting back on the amount you take and build up your intake gradually. If your symptoms remain, you might try a different type of fiber supplement. Be sure to take fiber supplements with a glass of water and drink plenty of liquids throughout the day.
Reduce your use of dairy products.
Consuming small amounts of milk products at one time or consuming them with other foods also may make them easier to digest. In some cases, however, you may need to eliminate dairy foods completely.
Try using low-lactose dairy foods, such as yogurt, instead of milk. Or try using products that help digest lactose, such as Lactaid or Dairy Ease.
Over-the-counter remedies
Some products may help, but they aren't always effective. Consider trying:
Beano. Add Beano to beans and vegetables to help reduce the amount of gas they produce. For Beano to be effective, you need to take it with your first bite of food. It works best when there's only a little gas in your intestines.
Lactase supplements. Supplements of the enzyme lactase (Lactaid, Dairy-Ease), which helps you digest lactose, may help if you are lactose intolerant. You might also try dairy products that are lactose-free or have reduced lactose.
Simethicone. Over-the-counter products that contain simethicone (Gas-X, Gelusil, Mylanta, Mylicon) help break up the bubbles in gas. Although these products are widely used, they haven't been proved effective for gas and gas pain.
Activated charcoal. Charcoal tablets (CharcoCaps, Charcoal Plus, others) taken before and after a meal also may help. Like simethicone, there's no definitive evidence that charcoal relieves gas. In addition, charcoal may stain the inside of your mouth and your clothing if the tablets get on your clothes.
Lifestyle and home remedies:
Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly and don't gulp. If you have a hard time slowing down, put down your fork between each bite.
Avoid chewing gum, sucking on hard candies and drinking through a straw.These activities can cause you to swallow more air.
Check your dentures. Poorly fitting dentures can cause you to swallow excess air when you eat and drink.
Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking can increase the amount of air you swallow.
Exercise. Physical activity may help move gas through the digestive tract.
Almost everyone will experience back pain at some point in their
lives. Back pain varies from one person to the next. It can range from
mild to severe, and can be short-lived or long-lasting.
Preventing all back pain may not be possible. We cannot avoid the
normal wear and tear on our spines that goes along with aging. But there
are things we can do to lessen the impact of low back problems.
Guidelines for Protecting Your Back
Having a healthy lifestyle is a good start to preventing back pain.
Exercise
Combine exercise, like
walking or swimming, with specific exercises to keep the muscles in your
back and abdomen strong and flexible.
Weight Loss
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight puts added pressure on your spine and lower back.
Avoid Smoking
Both the smoke and the nicotine cause your spine to age faster than normal.
Proper Posture
Good posture is important to
avoiding low back problems. How you stand, sit, and lift things has an
increasing effect on your spine health.
proper sitting;
proper standing;
proper walking;
proper running;
proper sleeping;
Back safety[proper lifting technics]
Guidelines for Proper Lifting
Plan ahead what you want to do and do not be in a hurry.
Position yourself close to the object you want to lift.
Separate your feet shoulder-width apart to give yourself a solid
base of support.
Bend at the knees.
Tighten your stomach muscles.
Lift with your leg muscles as you stand up.
If an object is too heavy or is an awkward shape, do not try to lift it by yourself. Get help.
Picking Up a Light Object
To lift a very light object from the floor, such as a piece
of paper, lean over the object, slightly bend one knee and extend the
other leg behind you. Hold on to a nearby chair or table for support
as you reach down to the object.
Picking Up a Heavy Object
Whether you are lifting a heavy laundry basket or a heavy
box in your garage, remember to get close to the object, bend at the
knees, and lift with your leg muscles. Do not bend at your waist.
When lifting luggage, stand alongside of the luggage, bend
at your knees, grasp the handle and straighten up.
Holding An Object
While you are holding the object, keep your knees slightly
bent to maintain your balance. If you have to move the object to one
side, avoid twisting your body. Point your toes in the direction you
want to move and pivot in that direction. Keep the object close to
you when moving.
Placing an Object on a Shelf
If you must place an object on a shelf, move as close as
possible to the shelf. Spread your feet in a wide stance, positioning
one foot in front of the other to give you a solid base of support. Do not lean forward and do not fully extend your arms while holding
the object in your hands.
If the shelf is chest high, move close to the shelf and place
your feet apart and one foot forward. Lift the object chest high, keep
your elbows at your side and position your hands so you can push the
object up and on to the shelf. Remember to tighten your stomach muscles
before lifting.
Supporting Your Back While Sitting
When sitting, keep your back in a normal, slightly arched
position. Make sure your chair supports your lower back. Keep your
head and shoulders erect. Make sure your working surface is at the
proper height so you don't have to lean forward. Once an hour, if possible,
stand, and stretch. Place your hands on your lower back and gently
arch backward.
Snoring is the hoarse or harsh sound that occurs when your breathing
is partially obstructed in some way while you're sleeping. Sometimes
snoring may indicate a serious health condition.
As many as half of adults snore sometimes. Snoring occurs when air
flows past relaxed tissues in your throat, causing the tissues to
vibrate as you breathe, which creates those irritating sounds.
Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol close to bedtime or sleeping on your side, can help stop snoring.
In addition, medical devices and surgery are available that may
reduce disruptive snoring. However, these aren't suitable or necessary
for everyone who snores.
Symptoms:
Depending on the cause of your snoring, your symptoms may include:
Noise during sleep
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Difficulty concentrating
Sore throat
Restless sleep
Gasping or choking at night
High blood pressure
Chest pain at night
Causes;
Many factors, such as the anatomy of your mouth and sinuses, alcohol
consumption, allergies, a cold, and your weight, can lead to snoring.
When you doze off and progress from a light sleep to a deep sleep,
the muscles in the roof of your mouth (soft palate), tongue and throat
relax. The tissues in your throat can relax enough that they partially
block your airway and vibrate. And, the more narrowed your airway, the
more forceful the airflow becomes. This causes tissue vibration to
increase, which causes your snoring to grow louder.
The following conditions can affect the airway and cause snoring:
Your mouth anatomy.
Having a low, thick soft
palate can narrow your airway. People who are overweight may have extra
tissues in the back of their throat that may narrow their airways.
Likewise, if the triangular piece of tissue hanging from the soft palate
(uvula) is elongated, airflow can be obstructed and vibration
increased.
Alcohol consumption.
Snoring also can be
brought on by consuming too much alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol relaxes
throat muscles and decreases your natural defenses against airway
obstruction.
Nasal problems.
Chronic nasal congestion or a crooked partition between your nostrils (deviated nasal septum) may contribute to your snoring.
Sleep apnea.
Snoring also may be associated
with obstructive sleep apnea. In this serious condition, your throat
tissues partially or completely block your airway, preventing you from
breathing.
Sleep apnea often is characterized by loud snoring followed by
periods of silence when breathing stops or nearly stops. Eventually,
this reduction or pause in breathing may signal you to wake up, and you
may awaken with a loud snort or gasping sound. You may sleep lightly due
to disrupted sleep. This pattern of breathing pauses may be repeated
many times during the night.
People with sleep apnea usually experience periods when breathing
slows or stops at least five times during every hour of sleep.
Risk factors;
Risk factors that may contribute to snoring include:
Being a man. Men are more likely to snore or have sleep apnea than are women.
Being overweight. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to snore or have obstructive sleep apnea.
Having a narrow airway. Some people may have a long soft palate, or large tonsils or adenoids, which can narrow the airway and cause snoring.
Drinking alcohol. Alcohol relaxes your throat muscles, increasing the risk of snoring.
Having nasal problems. If you have a structural
defect in your airway, such as a deviated septum, or your nose is
chronically congested, your risk of snoring is greater.
Having a family history of snoring or obstructive sleep apnea.
Complications;
Habitual snoring may be more than just a nuisance. Depending on the cause of your snoring, it may result in:
Daytime sleepiness
Frequent frustration or anger
Difficulty concentrating
A greater risk of high blood pressure, heart conditions and stroke
An increased risk of behavior problems, such as aggression or learning problems, in children with obstructive sleep apnea
An increased risk of motor vehicle accidents due to lack of sleep
To diagnose your condition,
your doctor will review your signs and
symptoms, and your medical history. Your doctor will also perform a
physical examination.
Your doctor may ask your partner some questions about when and how
you snore to help assess the severity of the problem. If your child
snores, you'll be asked about the severity of your child's snoring.
Imaging
Your doctor may request an imaging test, such as an X-ray, a
computerized tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging, to check the
structure of your airway for problems, such as a deviated septum.
Sleep study
Depending on the severity of your snoring and other symptoms, your
doctor may want to conduct a sleep study. Often, sleep studies may be
done at home. However, depending upon your other medical problems and
other sleep symptoms, you may need to stay overnight at a sleep center
to undergo an in-depth analysis of your sleep habits by a team of
specialists during a sleep study, called polysomnography.
In polysomnography, you're connected to many devices and observed
overnight. During the sleep study, your brain waves, blood oxygen level,
heart rate and breathing rate, sleep stages, and eye and leg movements
will be recorded during your sleep.
When a home sleep study doesn't provide the needed information, polysomnography may be needed.
Lifestyle and home remedies
To prevent or quiet snoring, try these tips:
If you're overweight, lose weight. People who
are overweight may have extra tissues in the throat that contribute to
snoring. Losing weight can help reduce snoring.
Sleep on your side. Lying on your back allows
your tongue to fall backward into your throat, narrowing your airway and
partially obstructing airflow. Try sleeping on your side.
Raise the head of your bed. Raising the head of your bed by about four inches may help.
Nasal strips. Adhesive strips applied to your
nose help many people increase the area of their nasal passage,
enhancing their breathing. These strips aren't effective for people with
sleep apnea, however.
Treat nasal congestion or obstruction. Having
allergies or a deviated septum can limit airflow through your nose. This
forces you to breathe through your mouth, increasing the likelihood of
snoring.Don't use an oral or spray decongestant for more than three days
in a row for acute congestion unless directed to do so by your doctor. Long-term use of these medications can have a rebound effect and make
your congestion worse. Ask your doctor about a prescription steroid
spray if you have chronic congestion.
To correct a structural defect in your airway, such as a deviated septum, you may need surgery.
Limit or avoid alcohol and sedatives. Avoid
drinking alcoholic beverages at least two hours before bedtime, and let
your doctor know about your snoring before taking sedatives. Sedatives and alcohol depress your central nervous system,
causing excessive relaxation of muscles, including the tissues in your
throat
Treatments and drugs;
To treat your condition, your doctor likely will first recommend
lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, avoiding alcohol close to
bedtime and changing sleeping positions.
If lifestyle changes don't
eliminate snoring, your doctor may suggest:
Oral appliances.
Oral appliances are
form-fitting dental mouthpieces that help advance the position of your
tongue and soft palate to keep your air passage open.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
This
approach involves wearing a pressurized mask over your nose while you
sleep. The mask is attached to a small pump that forces air through your
airway, which keeps it open. CPAP (SEE-pap) eliminates snoring and
treats sleep apnea.
Although CPAP is the most reliable method of treating obstructive
sleep apnea, and it's effective, some people find it uncomfortable or
have trouble adjusting to the noise or feel of the machine. Your doctor
may be able to make adjustments to the device if you're having trouble
adjusting to the machine, such as adding a heated humidifier or nasal
pillows, that might help make you more comfortable.
Palatal implants;In this procedure, known as
the pillar procedure, doctors inject braided strands of polyester
filament into your soft palate, which stiffens it and reduces snoring.
Palatal implants don't have any known serious side effects; however, the
benefits and safety of the procedure are still being studied.
Traditional surgery. In a procedure called
uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), you're given general anesthetics and
your surgeon tightens and trims excess tissues from your throat — a type
of face-lift for your throat. The risks of this procedure include
bleeding, infection, pain and nasal congestion.
Laser surgery. In laser-assisted
uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (LAUPPP), an outpatient surgery for snoring,
your doctor uses a small hand-held laser beam to shorten the soft palate
and remove your uvula. Removing excess tissue enlarges your airway and
reduces vibration. You may need more than one session to get your
snoring under control.
Laser surgery and palatal implants aren't generally recommended
as treatment for sleep apnea, because they haven't been proved effective
for sleep apnea. Possible risks from these procedures include pain,
infection, bleeding and nasal congestion.
Radiofrequency tissue ablation (somnoplasty).
In this outpatient procedure, you'll be given local anesthetic. Doctors
use a low-intensity radiofrequency signal to shrink tissue in the soft
palate to help reduce snoring. The effectiveness of this newer procedure
needs further study. Generally, this procedure is less painful than
other types of snoring surgery.
You can prevent heart disease by following a heart-healthy lifestyle. Here are strategies to help you protect your heart......
Heart disease may be a leading cause of death, but that doesn't mean
you have to accept it as your fate. Although you lack the power to
change some risk factors — such as family history, sex or age — there
are some key heart disease prevention steps you can take.
You can avoid heart problems in the future by adopting a healthy
lifestyle today. Here are six heart disease prevention tips to get you
started.
1. Don't smoke or use tobacco
Smoking or using tobacco of any kind is one of the most significant
risk factors for developing heart disease. Chemicals in tobacco can
damage your heart and blood vessels, leading to narrowing of the
arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a
heart attack.
Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke replaces some of the oxygen in
your blood. This increases your blood pressure and heart rate by forcing
your heart to work harder to supply enough oxygen. Women who smoke and
take birth control pills are at greater risk of having a heart attack or
stroke than are those who don't do either because both smoking and
taking birth control pills increase the risk of blood clots.
When it comes to heart disease prevention, no amount of smoking is
safe. But, the more you smoke, the greater your risk. Smokeless tobacco
and low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes also are risky, as is exposure
to secondhand smoke. Even so-called "social smoking" — smoking only
while at a bar or restaurant with friends — is dangerous and increases
the risk of heart disease.
The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of
heart disease drops almost to that of a nonsmoker in about five years.
And no matter how long or how much you smoked, you'll start reaping
rewards as soon as you quit.
2. Exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week
Getting some regular, daily exercise can reduce your risk of fatal
heart disease. And when you combine physical activity with other
lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is
even greater.
Physical activity helps you control your weight and can reduce your
chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your
heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Try getting at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical
activity most days of the week. However, even shorter amounts of
exercise offer heart benefits, so if you can't meet those guidelines,
don't give up. You can even get the same health benefits if you break up
your workout time into three 10-minute sessions most days of the week.
And remember that activities, such as gardening, housekeeping, taking
the stairs and walking the dog all count toward your total. You don't
have to exercise strenuously to achieve benefits, but you can see bigger
benefits by increasing the intensity, duration and frequency of your
workouts.
3. Eat a heart-healthy diet
Eating a healthy diet can reduce your risk of heart disease. Two
examples of heart-healthy food plans include the Dietary Approaches to
Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan and the Mediterranean diet.
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains can help protect
your heart. Beans, other low-fat sources of protein and certain types of
fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Limiting certain fats you eat also is important. Of the types of fat —
saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat — saturated
fat and trans fat are the ones to try to limit or avoid. Try to keep
saturated fat to no more than 10 percent of your daily calories. And,
try to keep trans fat out of your diet altogether.
Major sources of saturated fat include:
Red meat
Dairy products
Coconut and palm oils
Sources of trans fat include:
Deep-fried fast foods
Bakery products
Packaged snack foods
Margarines
Crackers
If the nutrition label has the term "partially hydrogenated," it means that product contains trans fat.
Heart-healthy eating isn't all about cutting back, though. Healthy
fats from plant-based sources, such as avocado, nuts, olives and olive
oil, help your heart by lowering the bad type of cholesterol.
Most people need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet —
with a goal of five to 10 servings a day. Eating that many fruits and
vegetables can not only help prevent heart disease but also may help
prevent cancer and improve diabetes.
Eating several servings a week of certain fish, such as salmon and mackerel, may decrease your risk of heart attack.
Following a heart-healthy diet also means keeping an eye on how much
alcohol you drink. If you choose to drink alcohol, it's better for your
heart to do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one
drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to
two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger. At that moderate level,
alcohol can have a protective effect on your heart. More than that
becomes a health hazard.
4. Maintain a healthy weight
Being overweight, especially if you carry excess weight around your
middle, ups your risk of heart disease. Excess weight can lead to
conditions that increase your chances of heart disease — high blood
pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
One way to see if your weight is healthy is to calculate your body
mass index (BMI), which considers your height and weight in determining
whether you have a healthy or unhealthy percentage of body fat. BMI
numbers 25 and higher are associated with higher blood fats, higher
blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
The BMI is a good, but imperfect guide. Muscle weighs more than fat,
for instance, and women and men who are very muscular and physically fit
can have high BMIs without added health risks. Because of that, waist
circumference also is a useful tool to measure how much abdominal fat
you have:
Men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (101.6 centimeters, or cm).
Women are overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88.9 cm).
Even a small weight loss can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by
just 5 to 10 percent can help decrease your blood pressure, lower your
blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.
5. Get enough quality sleep
Sleep deprivation can do more than leave you yawning throughout the
day; it can harm your health. People who don't get enough sleep have a
higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and
depression.
Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you wake
up without your alarm clock and you feel refreshed, you're getting
enough sleep. But, if you're constantly reaching for the snooze button
and it's a struggle to get out of bed, you need more sleep each night.
Make sleep a priority in your life. Set a sleep schedule and stick to
it by going to bed and waking up at the same times each day. Keep your
bedroom dark and quiet, so it's easier to sleep.
If you feel like you've been getting enough sleep, but you're still
tired throughout the day, ask your doctor if you need to be evaluated
for sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea blocks the airflow through your
windpipe and causes you to stop breathing temporarily. Signs and
symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring loudly; gasping for air during
sleep; waking up several times during the night; waking up with a
headache, sore throat or dry mouth; and memory or learning problems.
Treatments for obstructive sleep apnea include losing weight or using
a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device that keeps your
airway open while you sleep. CPAP treatment appears to lower the risk of
heart disease from sleep apnea.
6. Get regular health screenings
High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your heart and
blood vessels. But without testing for them, you probably won't know
whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what
your numbers are and whether you need to take action.
Blood pressure;
Regular blood pressure
screenings usually start in childhood. Adults should have their blood
pressure checked at least every two years. You may need more-frequent
checks if your numbers aren't ideal or if you have other risk factors
for heart disease.
Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80
millimeters of mercury.
Cholesterol levels;
Adults should have their
cholesterol measured at least once every five years starting at age 20
if they have risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity or high
blood pressure.
If you're healthy, you can start having your cholesterol
screened at age 35 for men and 45 for women. Some children may need
their blood cholesterol tested if they have a strong family history of
heart disease.
Diabetes screening;
Since diabetes is a risk
factor for developing heart disease, you may want to consider being
screened for diabetes. Talk to your doctor about when you should have a
fasting blood sugar test to check for diabetes.
Depending on your risk
factors, such as being overweight or having a family history of
diabetes, your doctor may recommend early screening for diabetes. If
your weight is normal and you don't have other risk factors for type 2
diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends starting
screening at age 45, and then retesting every three years.
Acidity and heartburn are due
to presence of too much acid in the stomach that causes exasperation of the gastrointestinal casing. This causes a blazing pain. When this excessive acid
leaks back into the throat this inflames and the reaction of heartburn is
produced.
Causes of Acidity and Heartburn
The following circumstances can create excessive acid in stomach causing
acidity and heartburn.
Consumption of rich and spicy foods
Eating speedily, very fast devoid of proper chewing
Eating hurriedly while beneath stress
Inappropriate sleep
Alcohol utilization
Pregnant women may undergo because when the baby grows, the uterus exerts
force on the digestive area
Overweight people may bear because of unnecessary pressure on their digestive
tract.
Stomach ailments like peptic ulcers, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, stomach tumors, etc.
Medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Symptoms
Acidity can be extremely unpleasant and be accompanied with the following symptoms.
Burning in the stomach
Burning in the throat
Restlessness
Belching
Nausea
Sour taste
Indigestion
Constipation
Treatment
Usually, acidity is treated with the help of antacids whichcontain
either magnesium or calcium or aluminium containing compounds. These
antacids neutralise the excess acid in the stomach thus providing relief
from the symptoms.
Sometimes, Histamine blocking
agents (H2 receptor blockers) such as cimetidine, ranitidine,
famotidine or nizatidine or proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole
and lansoprazole can also be prescribed by your physician. In rare
cases, surgery (vagotomy) is performed to reduce the acid sensation.
Before you decide to pop that antacid, try using natural remedies.......
Natural treatment of Acidity & Heartburn
Bananas have defensive action against the acidity and heart burn. Eating a
banana every day will stop such conditions
Obtain a mixture of 2 tsp of normal apple cider vinegar and 2 tsp raw honey
in a glass of water earlier than meals. One of the well liked home remedy for
acidity.
Stay away from fried foods, pickles, hot spicy foods, vinegar, and chocolate
Stay away from raw salad of vegetables like onion, cabbage, radish, and peppers
Keep away from unripe high pectin fruits, such as unripe apple. But ripe
apple such as delicious apple or fuji apple may help out
Grind up the food properly. Do not consume in hurry
Do not bounce meals. Do not keep great gap between meals. This produces gas /
current of air.
Drink lots of water, at least 8 glasses each day
Do not eat just previous to going to bed
End smoking and cut down on alcohol
Home Remedy for Acidity
A good Home Remedy for Acidity is to chew few basil (tulsi) leaves to obtain
relief from blazing, nausea and gas
Stay a small part of jaggery (gur) in your jaws and slowly suck it. Repeat it
each hour till acidity subsides.
Some of the best home remedies for acidity are
Eat watermelon, banana or cucumber each hour.
Eat a few almonds when your experience heartburn symptoms. This is good Home
Remedy for Acidity
Gulp coconut water 4-5 periods a day
Drink a glass of cold milk for quick relief of heartburn and acidity
Drink fresh mint juice gradually after meals. This remedy is best Home
Remedies for Acidity
