Posts filed under 'Health and Fitness'
August 24th, 2007
While most of the people find overweight problems and struggle to keep the kilos off, others find it just as challenging to put weight on. It is due to improper diet and unhealthy practices that make many people lose their weight.
Risks associated with being too skinny include complications in surgery and slow recovery after illnesses. However it can be recovered by having proper diet that puts on weight. The energy density of foods is important factor to gain weight. Energy density refers to the amount of energy or calories compared to the weight of the food.
Some people are just naturally thin no matter how much they eat and the envy of those who gain weight easily. If you are thin and want to get bigger and gain weight, here’s some “how to gain weight” information that I think you may be able to use.
Following are some of the guide lines for gaining weight
Good habits:
To gain weight, eat food with extremely high caloric value. Try to increase your food intake without consuming too much fat and sugar. Regular meals, especially breakfast, are important if you find it difficult to gain weight. Taking your time with meals and making sure you are relaxed is also important to ensure that your digestive system functions properly. Having some fixed timings and avoid eating in between so as to increase the hunger for food.
Eat more
Eat five or more meals a day. Drink plenty of fluids that supply calories like juice, milk, milkshakes, and sports beverages. Eat starchy grains and vegetables, such as rice, oats, pasta, potatoes, kumara, carrots and pumpkin. Add condiments such as yoghurt, sour cream, sauces and dressings to plain foods and salads. Eat bread with fatty spreads such as avocado, peanut butter and olive or canola oil margarines. Eating an extra 1000kJ over and above your daily needs can produce a weight increase of around 1kg per week.
Protein
Protein is essential to the body, for repair, to enable the immune system to function and for recovery from illness. If you are recovering from illness, it is important to include adequate protein in your diet. Good vegetarian sources of protein include: cereals, nuts & seeds, Soya products (Soya milk, tofu, tempeh etc) and pulses. Milk, yoghurt, cheese, and free-range eggs are also excellent protein sources for the non-vegan.
You must ensure that you include a protein source at each meal. Try to choose the energy dense sources of protein that are relatively soft and which do not contain to much fiber, for example, the Soya or dairy sources of protein. Eat dry fruits daily. Small size cashew nuts, almond and raisins have bundle of energy.
What Should You Eat To Gain Weight?
The following diet for gaining weight can supply those extra calories. Eat at least these group food items.
a) Milk Group: milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream.
b) Meat Group: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dried beans and peas, nuts.
c) Vegetable Group: fresh, frozen, canned, juiced vegetables.
d) Fruit Group: Fresh, frozen, canned, dried, juiced fruits.
e) Grain Group: Cereals, breads, rolls, pasta, muffins, pancakes, grits, rice.
Alcohol can also be taken in small sips, perhaps before meals, as it may help improve your appetite. Alcohol must be taken after your doctor’s permission only. If you like oily food then try adding some vegetable oil or vegetable margarine to your food, particularly to mashed pulses, salads and potatoes. Go for fried foods if you love eating it.
Avoid Caffeine and Nicotine
Caffeine and nicotine are good stimulants and help to increase the metabolism of our body. Avoid having these stimulants in excess quantity to help your body retain maximum nutritional value from what you eat.
Eat Late
Having snacks at bedtime may help to gain weight, as long as it does not interfere with sleep. To gain optimal nutritional value from the food you have eaten you must relax after having meal.
Eat Frequently
If you have food just for one or two times than it slows down the weight gain since it makes you feel that your stomach is full. Go for smaller meals and snacks throughout the day since it increases the food intake of our body.
Exercise
While doing exercise it should be done such that muscles are stretched out. You don’t have to do it excessively; rather you must subject your body to out of the ordinary stress each workout to grow muscle and to gain weight.
Inborn factors can play a large role in physique. If our parents are thin means we have less chance to put on weight. Many non-nutritional factors can also contribute to low body weight, such as stress or nervous tension. Good nutrition, rest, relaxation and regular exercise help in increasing body mass. So be happy and eat healthy food after all “Health is wealth”.
June 10th, 2007
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. The onset of symptoms is gradual, and a person often experiences symptoms for four to six months before the diagnosis is made. You should see a health-care provider if you have any of the following symptoms: Difficulty in breathing (dyspnea) is the most common complaint, Chest discomfort, Chest pain, Cough, easy fatigability, Fever, Weight loss etc.
The above listed symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious diseases. Only a health-care provider can make a diagnosis with the help of various exams and tests.
In people with mesothelioma, chest x-ray may show signs of mesothelioma. However, chest x-ray has limited usefulness because the findings of mesothelioma on chest x-ray are nonspecific and observed in other diseases as well. The findings of CT scan are similar to those of chest x-ray but are seen better and in more detail. CT is preferred for staging the tumor.
In some people, MRI complements the findings on CT scan. MRI provides better delineation of soft tissues (better soft-tissue contrast) and may provide additional information not obtained from other studies. PET is a procedure in which a radiolabeled substance is used to measure the metabolic activity of the cells. Cancerous cells demonstrate increased metabolic activity. This procedure is being increasingly used to determine the size of the tumor and whether the tumor has spread. Radiologic findings on x-ray, CT scan, and MRI cannot provide a clear diagnosis of mesothelioma.
A history of asbestos exposure and radiologic findings may indicate the presence of mesothelioma, but it is important to stress that a diagnosis of mesothelioma cannot be made exclusively with imaging. Other diseases can look identical to mesothelioma radiographically. Tissue biopsy (a sample of cells is removed for examination under a microscope) is required for a definitive diagnosis. Thoracoscopy: In this procedure, a small cut is made in the chest wall and a thoracoscope (flexible, lighted tube) is inserted between the two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the health-care professional to look inside the chest and take tissue samples. A pathologist examines these samples for cancer cells. It provides a confirmatory diagnosis in 98% of people with mesothelioma.
January 19th, 2007
WeightLoss Secrets : Did you know that :
People who exercise regularly are generally more successful at losing weight and keeping it off than those who don’t?
Increasing physical activity is good for you? (It generally lowers high blood pressure, helps control diabetes, lowers cholesterol and improves cardiorespiratory function).
People who exercise report that they enjoy an improved mood, enhanced self-esteem and self-concept, plus reduced stress, anxiety and depression?
If all of this sounds good to you, perhaps you should consider adding physical activity to your daily life. And no, we’re not saying that you should run out and join a health club. But a little physical activity every day can have huge benefits.
In fact, according to a 1996 Surgeon General report, just moderate amounts of nonstrenuous physical activity can produce big improvements in people’s health and quality of life.
December 14th, 2006
Depression is a serious illness that can render a person disabled in their work, family, and social life. But, it doesn’t have to.
1. Is depression a mental illness?
Yes, depression is a serious, but treatable, mental problem. It is a medical problem not a personal weakness. It is also very common, affecting 10% of the U.S. population at any given time. Everybody at one point or another will feel sadness as a reaction to loss, grief, or injured self-esteem, but clinical depression, called “major depressive disorder” or “major depression” by doctors, is a serious medical illness that needs professional diagnosis and treatment.
2. Do children get depression?
Yes. Children are subject to the same factors that cause depression in adults. These include: Change in physical health, life events, heredity, or inheritance, environment, and chemical disturbance in the brain. It is estimated that 2.5% of children in the U.S. suffer from depression
Depression in children is different from the “normal” blues and everyday emotions that are typical in children of various ages. Children who are depressed experience changes in their behavior that are persistent and disruptive to their normal lifestyle, usually interfering with relationships with friends, schoolwork, special interests, and family life. It may also occur at the same time as (or be hidden by)attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or conduct disorder (CD).
3. Can a lack of sleep cause depression?
No. Lack of sleep alone cannot cause depression, but it does play a role. Lack of sleep resulting from another medical illness or the presence of personal problems can intensify depression. Chronic inability to sleep is also an important clue that someone may be depressed.
Common triggers of depression include:
Family history of depression.
Grief over the loss of a loved one through death, divorce, or separation.
Interpersonal disputes.
Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
Major life events such as moving, graduating or retiring, etc.
Serious illness. Major, chronic, and terminal illnesses often contribute to depression. These include cancer, heart disease, stroke, HIV, Parkinson’s disease, and others.
Substance abuse. Many people with substance abuse problems also have major depression.
Being socially isolated or excluded from family, friends, or other social groups.
4. Are there any alternatives to the traditional treatments for depression that I can try?
Alternative therapy describes any treatment or technique that has not been scientifically documented or identified as safe or effective for a specific condition. Alternative therapy involves a variety of disciplines that include everything from diet and exercise to mental conditioning and lifestyle changes. Some of these have been found to be effective for treating depression. Examples of alternative therapies include acupuncture, guided imagery, chiropractic care, yoga, hypnosis, biofeedback, aromatherapy, relaxation, herbal remedies, massage, and many others. If you are interested in trying any of these options, talk to your doctor.
5. How can you determine if an illness is causing depression or depression is causing an illness?
Illnesses that can lead to depression are usually major, chronic, and/or terminal. When an illness is causing depression, there is often long-term pain present or there is a sudden change in lifestyle.
Depression causes illness in a different way. Like psychological stress, it can weaken the immune system (cells involved in fighting disease and keeping you healthy) allowing a person to get more colds or the flu. There is often a notable presence of “aches and pains” with no particular cause. Having depression may also cause an illness to last longer and intensify its symptoms, but the true relationship of depression-induced illness, in terms of major disease, has not been thoroughly defined.
It is important to seek the advice of your doctor if you think you or someone you know may have depression.
6. I’ve heard lots of warnings about drug interactions with certain depression medicines. What are they?
MAOIs, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors, are effective antidepressant medicines that have been used for years. Typically prescribed for people with severe depression, MAOIs improve mood by increasing the number of chemicals in the brain that pass messages between brain cells. They have proven to work just as well as other antidepressant drugs, but they have more possible food and drug interactions.
Medicines to avoid when taking MAOIs include all SSRIs (a group of antidepressants that includes Prozac and Paxil) and certain pain medicines including Demerol. There are also some cough medicines and blood pressure medicines that must not be taken with MAOIs. Foods to avoid when taking MAOIs include aged cheeses and meats, avocado, pickled or smoked foods like sauerkraut or meat, and foods that include yeast extracts like beer and wine. It is important to tell your doctor about any medicines you are currently taking. Be sure to discuss the limitations, interactions,] and possible side effects of MAOIs.
7. Why are women more likely to get depression?
Women develop depression twice as often as men. One reason may be the various changes in hormone levels that women experience. For example, depression is common during pregnancy and menopause, as well as after giving birth, suffering a miscarriage, or having a hysterectomy — these are all times when women experience huge fluctuations in hormones. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), an extreme form of PMS, may also cause depression.
8. Do most people with depression commit suicide?
No. Most people who suffer from depression do not attempt suicide, but according to the National Mental Health Association, 30-70% of suicide victims have suffered from some form of depression. This figure demonstrates the importance of seeking professional treatment for yourself or someone you love if you suspect depression.
9. Will someone who has had depression get it again?
Having experienced an episode of depression does put a person at greater risk for future episodes, but not everyone who has recovered from depression will experience it again. Sometimes depression is triggered by a major life event, illness, or a combination of factors particular to a certain place and time. Getting the proper treatment for the correct amount of time is crucial to recovery and in helping prevent or identify any future depression.
10. How long does depression last?
If left untreated, various types of depressive disorders can last for years. A major depressive episode is characterized by a set of symptoms that last for more than two weeks and may last for months. Seasonal depression, or SAD, usually extends throughout the winter months and continues to improve during spring and summer. Bipolar disorder is characterized as “ups” (periods of mania) and “downs” (periods of extreme depression). Though these phases may change rapidly or slowly, bipolar depression may last until an effective treatment is found. Dysthymia is mild and more difficult to identify and may last for years if left untreated.
Treating Depression with Medication
antidepressants Depression Medications
There are a variety of medications that can be used to treat depression. These antidepressants all work to take away or reduce the symptoms of depression.
However, questions remain on the safety of antidepressant medications in children and adolescents. In October 2004, the FDA directed the manufacturers of all antidepressant drugs to revise the labeling of their products to include a boxed warning alerting consumers to an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children and adolescents being treated with these drugs. Learn more.
How Does Your Doctor Select Which Antidepressant to Administer?
Your mental health professional chooses which antidepressant medicine to give you based depend on your symptoms, the presence of other medical conditions, what other medicines you are taking, cost of the prescribed treatments, and potential side effects. If you have had depression before, your doctor will usually prescribe the same medicine you responded to in the past. If you have a family history of depression, medicines that have been effective in treating your family member(s) will be considered.
Usually you will start taking the medicine at a low dose. The dose will be gradually increased until you start to see an improvement (unless side effects emerge).
How Long Will I Have to Take Antidepressants?
In order to be effective and prevent depression from recurring, antidepressant medicines are generally prescribed for 6-12 months for people who are being treated for first-time depression. Usually, these drugs must be taken regularly for at least 4-8 weeks before their full benefit takes effect. You are usually monitored closely during this time to detect the development of side effects and to determine the effectiveness of treatment.
When you and your doctor determine that you are better, your doctor may gradually taper you off your medicines. Once you and your doctor have determined it is safe for you to stop taking your medicine altogether, you should continue to be monitored during periodic follow-up appointments (about every three months) to detect any signs of depression recurrence.
You should never discontinue any medication without talking to your doctor about it first.
Long-term treatment with depression medicine may be recommended to prevent further episodes of depression in people who have already suffered from two or more episodes of major depression.
Will I Become Addicted If I Take Antidepressants?
Antidepressant medicines are not addictive; they do not make you “high,” have a tranquilizing effect, or produce a craving for more.
November 19th, 2006
Cholesterol, lower cholesterol, the latest on cholesterol
What is it ?
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found in all parts of the body i.e nervous system, skin, muscle, liver, intestines, and heart. It is generated by the body. It is also obtained from animal products in the diet.
Cholesterol : of what use?
Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver for normal body functions, including the production of hormones, bile acid, and vitamin D. It is transported in the blood to be used by all parts of the body.
Food that sources cholesterol
Cholesterol is found in eggs, dairy products, meat, and poultry. Egg yolks and organ meats (liver, kidney, sweetbread, and brain) are high in cholesterol.Fish generally contains less cholesterol than other meats, but some shellfish is high in cholesterol.Foods of plant origin (vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, nuts, and seeds) contain no cholesterol.
Fat content is not a good measure of cholesterol content. Liver and other organ meats are low in fat, but very high in cholesterol.
Risk factors : You are supposed to have a greater risk of developing heart disease or atherosclerosis as your level of blood cholesterol increases.
Cholesterol level :
High cholesterol levels often begin in childhood. Some children may be at higher risk due to a family history of high cholesterol. Generally it is good to have total cholesterol to be less than 200 mg/dl, because that level carries the least risk of heart disease. When the level is above 200 mg/dl, the risk for heart disease increases.
You should also know your levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL, also known as the “good cholesterol”) and low density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad cholesterol”).
How to lower cholesterol levels :
Limit total fat intake to 25% to 35% of total daily calories.
Less than 7% of daily calories should be from saturated fat, not more than 10% should be from polyunsaturated fat, and not more than 20% from monounsaturated fat.
Eat less than 200 milligrams (mg) of dietary cholesterol per day.
Get more fiber in your diet.
Lose weight.
Increase physical activity.
The recommendations for children’s diets are similar to those of adults.
It is very important that children get enough calories to support their growth and activity level, and that the child achieve and maintain a desirable body weight.
The following two sample menus provide examples of an average American diet and a low-fat diet.
Normal diet (For Americans):
breakfast
1 egg scrambled in 1 teaspoon of butter
2 slices of white toast
1 teaspoon of butter
1/2 cup of apple juice
snack
1 cake donut
lunch
1 ham and cheese sandwich (2 ounces of meat, 1 ounce of cheese)
white bread
1 teaspoon of mayonnaise
1-ounce bag potato chips
12-ounce soft drink
2 chocolate chip cookies
snack
8 wheat thins
dinner
3 ounces of broiled sirloin
1 medium baked potato
1 tablespoon of sour cream
1 teaspoon of butter
1/2 cup of peas, 1/2 teaspoon of butter
Totals: 2,000 Calories, 84 grams fat, 34 grams saturated fat, 425 milligrams cholesterol. The diet is 38% total fat, 15% saturated fat.
Low FAT cholesterol Diet :
breakfast
1 cup of toasted oat ring cereal
1 cup of skim milk
1 slice of whole-wheat bread
1 teaspoon of margarine
1 banana
snack
1 cinnamon raisin bagel, 1/2 ounce light cream cheese
lunch
turkey sandwich (3 ounces of turkey)
rye bread
lettuce
1 orange
3 fig newtons
1 cup skim milk
snack
non fat yogurt with fruit
dinner
3 ounces of broiled chicken breast
1 medium baked potato
1 tablespoon of nonfat yogurt
1 teaspoon of margarine
1/2 cup of broccoli
1 dinner roll
1 cup skim milk
Totals: 2,000 Calories, 38 grams fat, 9.5 grams saturated fat, 91 milligrams cholesterol. The diet is 17% fat, 4% saturated fat.
Comparison
For the same number of calories, a low-fat diet provides 190 mg of cholesterol, compared to 510 mg of cholesterol for an average American diet.
Because fat is high in calories, the low-fat diet actually has more food than the typical American diet.
Diet for children :
Children should have a diet that is closer to 30% of calories from fat. Lower-fat diets may be appropriate in some children, but require careful follow-up from a physician and dietitian.
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