Weight Loss Can Control Hypertension

An Italian study has identified overweight as a direct cause of high blood pressure. And it also showed that up to half of overweight people can bring down blood pressure to healthy levels by weight reduction.

It's important that the study linked overweight to high blood pressure, which usually is described as "essential," a medical term meaning that the cause is unknown.

The study suggests that, in many cases, hypertension [high blood pressure] is not essential. It is secondary to overweight. So, in the first stages of overweight, if we can induce people to reduce overweight, they can also avoid being treated for hypertension.

A 6-month diet restored normal blood pressure, study finds.

Wash Fruits and Vegetables

While it's important to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, it's also crucial to wash them before eating.

Here are some guidelines, courtesy of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension:

<> Wash any raw fruit or vegetable before peeling, cutting, eating or cooking.
<> Try a fruit and vegetable wash that is designed to remove bacteria and pesticides.
<> Soak and wash produce in distilled water for one to two minutes.
<> Use a vegetable brush to scrub any produce with a thick skin.
<> Wash any produce that you grew yourself, or that was grown by someone else.
<> Thoroughly wash your hands and any cutting or preparation surfaces before preparing fresh produce.

Research Finds Yoga Beneficial In Reducing Hypertension

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, remains the most common reason for office visits to physicians for non-pregnant adults in the United States. Some 50 million Americans are believed to have hypertension. Despite its prevalence and the complications associated with it, control of the disease is far from adequate. As a result, hypertension will likely remain the most common risk factor for stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease for years to come.

At the same time, some 42 percent of Americans have used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches to meet their health care needs, spending more out-of-pocket for CAM than the amount projected for expenditures in 1997 for all U.S. physician services. Nearly three million people are estimated to have tried mind-body techniques to treat their hypertension; approximately eight percent of the hypertensive population.

Mind-Body medicine, one of five major branches of CAM therapeutics, uses behavioral techniques to augment the mind's capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms, utilizing varied approaches such as meditation, prayer, mental healing, and therapies that use creative outlets such as art, music, or dance. The 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) found nearly 30 million users of relaxation techniques including meditation and yoga, and 10 million users of yoga therapies. One-fourth of those who used mind-body therapies rated them “very helpful.”

source:http://www.healthnews247.com/

Why Men Hate Doctors

by Jennifer C. Alinio

It is a fact that most men dislike going to the doctor. Getting a medical examination is seen as a "weakness" or a very unmanly thing to do, at least for the traditional, macho-types. Some men actually need to be dragged by the girlfriend or the wife to the doctor's office just to get a check-up. But why do they literally hate going to the doctor? Well, most men are very private and do not want to be touched especially by another man. An appointment with the doctor is also very time-consuming, and men hate that. Another reason is that men have a "primal survival instinct" that makes them avoid any situation that will possibly subject their body to any invasive procedure such as being injected with a needle. Lastly, men are great at denial --- even for health matters. Most men tend to put-off visiting a doctor until they reach their mid-40s to 50s.

But whether they like it or not, men must accept the fact that they are mortal. Health problems are inevitable in the same way that death is inescapable. Men can no longer deny or put-off the need to have regular medical check-ups.

Many serious health cases among men could have been treated had they received medical attention in the early stages of the disease. Preventive care is as important as taking a bath and brushing our teeth. Routine examinations are undeniably essential to identify symptoms and detect disease. When doctors perform a check-up, they need to be fully aware of the patient's medical history, age, body weight, and dietary habits. These information will help the doctor determine the risk factors and predisposition of the patient to certain illnesses.

Most men only visit the doctor when they feel terribly bad or once they see very alarming signs or symptoms of illness. Shown below are some of the most common ailments experienced by men:

1. Heart attack - Many victims of heart attack die before they reach the hospital. Many die not even knowing that they had a heart problem. victims died before ever reaching the hospital. It is never too early to get a heart check-up since even young people are now prone to heart disease.

2. Hypertension - It is a medical condition where a person's blood pressure is chronically elevated. Common symptoms of hypertension include headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and facial flushing.

3. High cholesterol - Cholesterol is a fat-like, waxy substance that is found in human cells. It is also found in the fatty food that we eat. Cholesterol is important for the production of hormones and other substances that aid in food digestion. However, too much "bad" cholesterol or the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries leading to the heart makes a person more prone to heart attack.

4. Cancers - The Big "C" is actually made up of various types of cancers. Men are prone to colon and prostate cancer --- both of which can be treated if these diseases are detected early.

5. Anxiety Disorder - A growing number of men are being diagnosed with anxiety disorder, an emotional and psychological condition that is characterized by fear, apprehension, phobia, and other nervous conditions that are considered to be baseless or irrational.

The Best Line of Defense

Regular doctor's check-ups, including sessions with a psychologist, should be strongly considered by men if they want to maintain their health. These examinations may entail the conduct of a blood pressure reading, weight and height measurements, EENT (Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat) examination, complete blood count, urinalysis, chest-ray, and ECG (electrocardiograph). Other important medical examinations no man above 40 should miss include:

· Routine examination of prostrate glands · Annual stool examination · Digital Rectal Examination (DRE)

Staying alive and healthy could entail some expenses but becoming ill is more expensive in terms of time and money. These are some of the simple ways that men can improve or maintain their health without spending a fortune:

1. Smoking - The World Health Organization has consistently campaigned against smoking due to its close links to lung cancer and other deadly pulmonary diseases. 2. Alcohol - Habitual and excessive intake of alcohol increases the risk of cardiovascular, liver and stomach problems among men.

3. Eating unhealthy food - Wrong food choices contribute to illness in a major way. Foods high in bad cholesterol should be totally avoided.

4. Risky Sexual Behavior - Promiscuity is a health risk since a man can expose himself to sexually transmitted disease. 5. Stress - Too much work pressure and too little sleep? Stress and anxiety can trigger problems like heart attacks and psycho-emotional disorders. As the saying goes health is wealth. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure. Indeed, men should start paying more attention to their health and not postpone appointments with their doctor. Staying healthy and strong is the real macho thing to do --- even if entails going to the doctor once in a while.

About the Author
DrugstoreTM.com is a reputable online drug store. From sexual health to a woman's health, sleeping aids to weight loss pills, our online pharmacy offers convenient customer access to various health medicines, including an array of health product and medicare prescription drug.

Men are smarter than women - but they're more stupid too

Men have always believed that they are smarter than women. Now, a study has found that while this is certainly true, men also have to deal with the fact that they are also more stupid than the fairer sex

In the study, scientists measured the IQ of 2500 brothers and sisters and they found an uneven number of men not only in the top two pct, but also in the bottom two pct.

The study's participants were tested on science, maths, English and mechanical abilities.

Though there were twice as many men as women in the smartest group, there were also twice as many men among the dolts.

The aggregate scores of men and women were similar.

One of the study's authors, psychology professor Timothy Bates, said that the phenomenon may be because men have always been expected to be high achievers and women have been restricted to spend time taking care of their home.

"The female developmental programme may be tilted more towards ensuring survival and the safety of the middle ground.," the Daily Mail quoted Professor Bates, of Edinburgh University, as saying.

The research tallies with past results that men were more likely than women to receive first class University degrees or thirds and women secured the seconds. It has been said that men are more ready to take risk when it comes to academics.

Women have always found to be more steady in their learning

A past study has shown that women are securing more firsts and seconds, while men are continuing to receive more thirds.

The argument for the change is that the increase of coursework at the cost of exams favours women's steady approach.

Persons without disease symptoms carry dangerous diarrhoeal bacterium

A new study has shown that the bacterium that causes a highly contagious and sometimes deadly form of diarrhoea is often carried by persons who do not have any of the disease symptoms.

The new findings, published online in Clinical Infectious Diseases, have dramatic implications for health care workers who treat and isolate only those patients who exhibit symptoms.

Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) is the most common health care-associated diarrhoeal disease in developed countries, with most infections occurring in hospitals, nursing homes, or other institutions.

Infection control measures-such as placing patients with suspected or documented CDAD under contact precautions until the diarrhoea resolved and disinfecting their rooms-have been effective in reducing, but not eliminating, CDAD outbreaks.

The new study offers understanding as to why the infection efforts have not been more successful. It suggests that the bacteria may be thriving on asymptomatic patients and items in their immediate vicinity such as call buttons, bed rails, bedside tables, and telephones.

The researchers found that spores were easily transferred from the patient's skin to their hands.

Secondhand smoke exposure at home may weaken teens' academic performance

According to a new study, teens who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home are at a very high risk of failing in a test at school.

Astonishingly, the study found that when the effects of prenatal tobacco exposure and secondhand smoke together were examined, prenatal exposure did not influence test performance anywhere.

However, the study did not reveal the reason for secondhand smoke influencing failure.

The study is published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Stem cell transplant for cancer patients linked to decreased sexual function

A long-term study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has revealed that that recipients receiving a type of stem cell transplant used for patients with life-threatening diseases, such as lymphoma and leukaemia, have many difficulties related to sexual function and activity.

The research team found that sexual dysfunction in transplant patients is likely induced by systemic therapies, such as chemotherapy drugs and total body irradiation known, which are known to permanently hurt endocrine glands that have a significant role in the development and regulation of the reproductive system.

The study also concluded that males are likely to recover from these changes over time, while the sexuality of female patients remains compromised. In addition, neither male nor female long-term cancer survivors regained levels of sexual activity and function equal to those of their peers who have not had cancer.

read about erectile dysfunction

The study is published in the Sept 19 issue of Blood.

Vitamin D slashes risk of cancers

Exciting new research conducted at the Creighton University School of Medicine in Nebraska has revealed that supplementing with vitamin D and calcium slashes risk of cancers by 77 percent; cancer industry refuses to support cancer prevention.

This research provides strong new evidence that vitamin D is the single most effective medicine against cancer, far outpacing the benefits of any cancer drug known to modern science

High fat diet and exercise stimulate the breakdown of fats

A research team reports in the October issue of the Journal of Lipid Research that when either lean or obese individuals exercise after eating a high fat meal, their fats are going down and oxidized in skeletal muscle, making them healthier.

These conclusions show for the first time how a high fat diet and exercise stimulate the breakdown of fats and may help create ways to reduce excessive fat in the body.

Fat is broken down inside fat cells to generate energy by a process called lipolysis. The resulting fatty acids are released into the bloodstream and carried to tissues that require energy. In obese individuals, too much fat accumulates, compromising lipolysis, but the details of how this happens are not well understood. Also, obese individuals can show altered responsiveness to the stress hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine in their subcutaneous fat.

FDA licenses 15 new blood typing tests

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has licensed 15 new blood typing tests that were previously unavailable in the United States.

These tests, known as blood grouping reagents, are used to determine the blood type of blood donors, an essential step in ensuring safe blood transfusion for patients. If mismatched blood is administered to a patient, it may cause a serious and potentially fatal reaction.

To prevent such problems, people must receive compatible blood based on the results of blood typing tests

Smoking linked to erectile dysfunction

A study at Tulane University, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, said that smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction.

Researchers examined the link between cigarette smoking and erectile dysfunction in a previous Chinese study involving 7,684 men ages of 35-74 who did not have vascular disease. The conclusion was the more cigarettes smoked, the greater the risk. According to another conclusion of study, the association between smoking and erectile dysfunction was even stronger in participants with diabetes. (more about smoke)

Honey may help prevent ageing

A recent study at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand has found that honey could be used to fight the effects of ageing, including anxiety and memory decline.

The researchers concluded that honey may improve memory due to its antioxidant properties, which help the free radicals damaging in the body cells.

"Diets sweetened with honey may be beneficial in decreasing anxiety and improving memory during ageing," NewScientist.com quoted the team leader, as saying.

The findings were presented at the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour meeting at Newcastle University.

Vitamin D Supplements Appear To Be Associated With Lower Risk Of Death

Individuals who take vitamin D supplements appear to have a lower risk of death from any cause over an average follow-up time of six-years, according to a meta-analysis of 18 previously published studies in the September 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Past studies have suggested that deficiencies in vitamin D might be associated with a higher risk of death from cancer, heart disease and diabetes--illnesses that account for 60 percent to 70 percent of deaths in high-income nations, according to background information in the article.

"If the associations made between vitamin D and these conditions were consistent, then interventions effectively strengthening vitamin D status should result in reduced total mortality," the authors write.

Protein that may offer clue to immune infertility in men identified

Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System have discovered a human protein, radical radial spoke protein 44 (RSP44), which can offer insight into immune infertility - a disorder in which immune systems wage war on sperm in both men and women.

Immune infertility, that prevents many prospective parents from conceiving, is one of 80 autoimmune disorders, a group that includes better-known diseases like Multiple Sclerosis and Type 1 Diabetes.

The discovery may help pinpoint what molecules help the immune system in attacking sperm.

150 million men are impotent

by Jill Stewart

There are over 150 million impotent men worldwide and possibly many more who are undiagnosed since they are ashamed to talk about their condition or seek treatment.

"Because, in the past, men have generally been unwilling to talk about their problem or seek treatment, erectile dysfunction has been underreported. Many physicians are not aware of the treatment options, so patients have been either under treated or not treated at all," said the Minnesota Men's Health Center (MMHC).

In America alone, 30 million people or 1 in 10 men are impotent, according to the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK said over 617, 715 new cases are diagnosed each year or 51,476 per month, 11,879 per week, 1,692 per day, 70 per hour, and 1 per minute.

Impotence - also known as erectile dysfunction or erection difficulty (ED) - is the inability to have an erection and sustain it long enough for sexual intercourse to take place. It is the most common sexual disorder in men that affects all ages.

Experts say it's normal to experience impotence one in a while. Many factors influence our enjoyment of sex and sexual desires can fluctuate from time to time depending on one's mood, the time of the day, and one's needs. However, if the problem persists, it can greatly affect you and your partner. Untreated, ED can prevent you from having a satisfying sex life. Worse, it can ruin relationships and lead to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and lack of self-confidence.

"Both partners in a relationship can experience problems when impotence goes untreated. Often failure to communicate and denial of the problem lead to depression, anxiety, and lack of self-esteem for both partners. A tendency to avoid sexual contact can often leave the partner feeling unloved, unattractive and unwanted," said eMaxHealth.com.

There are three degrees of ED. Mild cases are characterized by a successful erection in 7 - 8 out of 10 attempts. In moderate cases, an erection occurs in 4 - 6 out of 10 attempts. In severe cases, there are less than 3 successful erections out of 10 attempts.

In 80 percent of cases, ED is caused by a physical problem or disorder. It may be the result of serious diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease. ED may also follow surgery, especially prostate removal for prostate cancer or pelvic surgery for colon cancer. Low testosterone levels, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis can likewise lead to ED. Impotence can also be a side effect of blood pressure medications, narcotics, alcohol, and sedatives.

"Smokers have a higher likelihood of erectile dysfunction. Men who smoke more than one pack per day have a 50 percent higher chance of impotency than nonsmokers the same age," the MMHC said.

If you have ED, don't suffer in silence. Get the facts about the disease and seek a doctor's advice for the right treatment. The more you know about the disease, the better your chances of recovery. Treatment options for ED include oral medications, vacuum pumps, injection therapy, and surgical implants.

A safer and less invasive alternative that's easy to use without side effects is Erectasil. This topical lotion contains powerful ingredients that work directly at the source of the problem to give users an "instant lift" when they need it. Check out http://erectasil.com today.

About the Author
Jill Stewart is a health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online health news magazine http://www.healthnfitnesszone.com.

Study confirms that the more you work, the less you sleep

The time you spend working is the single most important factor that has an impact on your sleep, reveals a new study.

The study, by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, was carried out on nearly 50,000 US participants.

The participants were questioned on three different occasions - in 2003, 2004 and 2005 - and asked how they spent their time between 4am the previous day and 4am that day.

The researchers found that the more hours people work, the less sleep they get.

The research team found that people who get less than four-and-a-half hours sleep a night worked an average of 93 minutes longer on weekdays and 118 minutes more at the weekend.

People who slept 11-and-a-half hours or more were found to work an average of 143 minutes less on weekdays and 71 minutes less on weekends.

The researchers also noted that short sleepers also spent more time socialising, studying and doing housework, reports the BBC.