Health and Lifestyles

health and Lifestyles Articles, guide and tips

  1. Start your day,with a healthy breakfast to kick start your metabolism.

  2. Eat regular meals- at least three per day.

  3. Use low fat substitutes for dairy products wherever possible, for example, skimmed milk, low fat cheese, cottage cheese and yoghurt.

  4. Make sure your diet is made up mainly from fruit, vegetables and fibre rich foods like bread and pasta.

  5. Replace desserts with fruit to satisfy the craving for something sweet.

  6. Don't eat large, heavy meals last thing at night or your body won't have chance to burn off those calories.

  7. Drink plenty of water and low calorie drinks to help you feel full.

  8. Make yourself more active, climb stairs and walk all short journeys.

  9. Allow yourself treats occasionally or you may end up binging.

  10. Don't be too hard on yourself, aim to lose weight slowly and it will stay off for good.

by indika72000

If you’re a parent then you know just how important nutrition can be to your growing child. You’ll also know just how difficult it is to get that nutrition into your child. It’s an almost impossible task these days to get your child to eat properly, and it’s probably a good bet that you don’t get too many nutrition rich foods into you either. However, you do need to be aware of what a proper diet can do for you, and for this a guide to some food nutrition facts might just be what you need.

These days it’s just so difficult to get anything into your kids mouths unless it’s first been run through a vigorous treatment of processing. Anything where all the goodness has been leached out, or alternately where all the nutrition has been overwhelmed by other substances, is the type of food that you’ll find is what your kids want to eat. And when you’re in a hurry, this is the food that you’ll resort to eating as well.

Almost all processed foods are at the root of all your bad eating habits, and you should become of aware of this so as to be able to at least put a halt on it. You won’t be able to do it cold turkey, and you might not even be able to do it at all, but if you know your food nutrition facts it’ll be that much easier for you to make an informed decision.

Food nutrition facts can help you decide what foods are not good for you and what foods are. You’ll even come across some food nutrition facts that target fast foods alone. From this you should be able to decide which type of fast foods you really should stay away from, and which types are alright to eat.

When you start learning about food nutrition facts there’s even a good chance that you might become so horrified to learn what you’re eating that you might even try a complete change in your diet. Even if this only lasts for a little while, it’s okay, since you’ve tried a better healthy living plan. You might lack the commitment to it now, but when you’re ready you’ll come back to it and start looking into all those food nutrition facts again.

There’s really only one thing that you need to remember right now though, and that is that processed foods are bad for you. Along with artificially sweetened beverages these can become an unhealthy living style for you and your kids. So look into some food nutrition facts and find a better way of living and eating that will be healthier all around. You’ll not only be healthier for it, but ultimately you’ll be happier for it too.

About the Author

Krishan Bakhru is the editor of Natural Home Remedies , Natural Home Remedies for Heartburn and Acid Reflux and Anxiety and Panic Attack Treatment Information

by mikepiterson

Inflammatory breast cancer is a harmful disease that is hard to detect. Get 12 signs and 6 frequently asked questions answered that could save your life.

Nearly 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and over 40,000 will die from it. There are seven different types of breast cancer, some more severe and with a lower survival rate than others.

One breast cancer type called inflammatory breast cancer, or IBC, is a unique and aggressive kind that is rare, accounts for 1 - 5% of all cases, but deadly. It is one of the only breast cancer types that have no lumps, which makes it one of the most undetectable and scariest.

There are four breast cancer signs that could mean you have inflammatory breast cancer:

o Skin around the breast is hot to the touch
o Breasts are asymmetrical and were not before
o The skin becomes red or pink
o There is discharge from the nipples

Below are six frequently asked questions about inflammatory breast cancer.

What should you do if you if you have these symptoms?
If any of these signs persist for more than a week, speak to a physician.

What is the median age affected?
Women 45 – 55 are more susceptible to this specific type of breast cancer.

How do you identify inflammatory breast cancer?
Through surgical biopsy; IBC cannot be identified through Mammogram, Ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), or Core biopsy.

What is the survival rate?
IBC has a 40% survival rate over a five year period. Many times the surgeon may remove the breast too early and cause a reoccurrence.

How is Inflammatory Breast Cancer Treated?
Chemotherapy before surgery, as well as drugs such as trastuzumab and lapatinib.

About the Author

If you know of anyone or you yourself are being faced with the signs of inflammatory breast cancer, see a physician as soon as possible. If you have already been diagnosed seek out support through the MyNBCF breast cancer message boards.

In the past several decades, the world has become very health-conscious. We all want to look great, feel terrific, and lead a long and healthy life. Dieting is one trend that seems like it will never go out of style. Everyday, you hear about new diets: the Atkins diet, the Zone, the South Beach diet, and more can confuse and befuddle you. Which diet is the best diet for you? Above all, which diets are healthy?

New You TV provides you with the latest diet news and tips. By visiting this website, you are able to get valuable information regarding healthy ways to get in shape and stay that way. Also, you’ll pick up unique tips to help you balance your diet. For example, New You TV advises that if you binge drink, you should eat more fish. By eating more fish, those who enjoy drinking can be sure that they are getting the right amount of n-3 fatty acids. Also, New You TV has articles on various diet plans. For example, one article featured the right diet to follow if you are trying to get pregnant. The specialized diet can help to increase fertility. Other diet videos and articles range from bacon possibly being bad for your lungs to fad diets and how to eat well.
If you’re trying to stay healthy and fit and are interested in following a diet, you should check out New You TV. New You TV provides you with dietary information and tips straight from licensed professionals. Don’t continue buying into all the fad diets that are out there. Go to New You TV and get the facts on which diets are healthy and which are not.

About the Author

New You TV is a well-liked source for finding information regarding healthy diets.

Generally, a healthy diet is said to include:

  1. Sufficient calories to maintain a person's metabolic and activity needs, but not so excessive as to result in fat storage greater than roughly 30% of body mass. For most people the recommended daily allowance of energy is 2,000 calories, but it depends on age, sex, height, and weight. (see Body fat percentage)
  2. Sufficient quantities of fat, including monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and saturated fat, with a balance of omega-6 and long-chain omega-3 lipids. The recommended daily allowance of fat is 65-80 grams.
  3. Maintenance of a good ratio between carbohydrates and lipids (4:1): four grams of the first for one gram of the second.
  4. Avoidance of excessive saturated fat (20grams recommended limit)(although the "evidence" for this claim is forever in debate after the testimony of results provided by the Framingham Heart Study of 1948-1998)
  5. Avoidance of trans fat.
  6. Sufficient essential amino acids ("complete protein") to provide cellular replenishment and transport proteins. (All essential amino acids are present in animals. Some plants together give all the essential acids except rice and beans which have limitations.)
  7. Essential micronutrients such as vitamins and certain minerals.
  8. Avoiding directly poisonous (e.g. heavy metals) and carcinogenic (e.g. benzene) substances;
  9. Avoiding foods contaminated by human pathogens (e.g. e.coli, tapeworm eggs);
  10. Avoiding chronic high doses of certain foods that are benign or beneficial in small or occasional doses, such as
    • foods or substances with directly toxic properties at high chronic doses (e.g. ethyl alcohol);
    • foods that may interfere at high doses with other body processes (e.g. refined table salt);
    • foods that may burden or exhaust normal functions (e.g. refined carbohydrates without adequate dietary fiber)

1. Timing. Try to eat every 3-4 hours so that you never get so hungry that you’re tempted to overeat at mealtime. Have breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as a mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and post-dinner snack. Don’t skip breakfast or any meal for that matter. You’ll make yourself too hungry and you’ll overeat at the next meal. If you try to starve yourself you’re body will go into starvation mode where your metabolism will slow down drastically, keeping you from losing weight and actually making you more likely to hold onto calories the next time you do eat.

2. Portions. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. An easy guideline for each meal is to have the plate be roughly be 1/4 carbs, 1/4 lean protein, and 1/2 fruits or vegetables at each meal. No second helpings, but if you are really hungry then take more vegetables.

3. Eat slowly. This one is one of the hardest and easiest things to do. It’s hard because the pace of our eating reflects the pace of everything around us, which is fast, fast, fast! So you must make a conscious effort at each meal to do this. Once you do this for a while you will establish a habit and from then on it will be easy. Perhaps before each meal you might want to close your eyes for 15 seconds, take a deep breathe to slow down, and then say to yourself something like “Take it slow. Taste this food. Enjoy it slowly. Release thoughts of work and other worries for now.” Then, when you do eat, take small bites and really taste and enjoy the food. This will give your body time to send your brain the “All Full” signal. If you only do one of these tips, do this one.

4. Snacks. For snacks have fruit, low calorie popcorn, or nuts (1 handful). Prepare these ahead of time so they are easy to grab. Keep junk food out of the house and you’ll be less likely to eat it.

5. Long Life Cocktail. This idea comes from the book “Fat Flush” by Louise Gittleman, a well respected dietitian. The recipe is 7 ounces water, 1 ounce pure cranberry juice, and 1 Tablespoon of ground flax seed. Have this once or twice a day for increasing your fiber, digestive regularity, and all the benefits which come from flax seeds. Those benefits are: lower cholesterol, antioxidant power, fiber, inhibiting the onset of estrogen-stimulated breast cancer, healing of inflamed intestines from Colitis and Crohn’s Disease. The pure cranberry juice will help to cleanse your liver and kidneys.

6. Dairy and Wheat products. If you find that these foods make you bloated, you might want to cut back on them. How to tell? Cut them from your diet for a week and see if you notice a difference. Just as good substitute: sprouted grain breads such as “Alvarado Street” or “Ezekial 4:9″. And there are many non-dairy substitutes such as rice milk which taste much better than you might imagine.

7. Sugar. For the most part, refined sugar is not good for you. Try to cut back or eliminate altogether. Blackstrap molasses or honey are better choices. Stevia root is a natural calorie free sweetener you might want to try. You can find it in healthstores. A good one is “Stevia Plus.” When having a sugar craving, have fruit instead.

8. Fiber. Try to get 25-30 grams of fiber per day. Fiber fills you up. It blocks the absorption of sugar and fat helping with weight loss and weight management. Having enough fiber in your diet will keep constipation away and will help lower your chances of cancer, such as colon cancer.

9. “100% Whole Grains.”
Look for this exact phrase on cereals, crackers, bread, etc., but also check the nutrition labels. Anything else is not going to have as much fiber. Check the fiber count to be sure. Use whole grain pastas and breads. They will fill you up and they are healthier for you.

10. Vegetables. Learn to love them! Find a great book on how to cook vegetables that taste delicious. (Suggestion: “Vegetable Love” by Barbara Kafka) Have salad often. Be sure to measure out your salad dressing to keep from adding too many calories.

11. Chicken or Vegetable Broth and Soup. Use a cup of soup or broth as a snack. Have a cup before meals to feel full. And you can use broth to sautee vegetables instead of oil.

12. Oil. Only use olive oil or canola oil if you need it for cooking. Better yet, use flax oil on foods sauteed in broth to add flavor and health benefits. Don’t use flax oil for cooking and you must keep it refrigerated. Heat makes flax oil and flax seeds loose their healthful properties.

13. Cheese. Keep this to a minimum in your diet. The harder the cheese the better and keep in mind that a little can go a long way to add some flavor.

14. Hunger. If you are trying to lose weight, it’s ok to feel a little hungry, such as if you stay up late at night. If you’re feeling very hungry have some fruit and/or nuts. Or you could try a Long Life Cocktail or a Green Drink such as Green Vibrance. These drinks will fill you up and take the edge off your hunger so you can either go to sleep or make it until the next meal. The beneficial thing about Green Vibrance is that it contains the same kind of active cultures found in yogurt. These live cultures rid your body of yeast and help foster the healthy bacteria in your intestines for better digestive health.

15. Eliminate Toxins. Stay clear of all forms of tobacco. If you’ve tried to quit before and failed, don’t stop trying. If you keep trying you will eventually succeed! Keep alcohol to a minimum. Wash all fruits and vegetables with soap, water and a sponge.

16. Chewing Gum. This is a good distraction between meals.

17. Calories. This totally free diet website has everything you need to know about how many calories you should eat, metabolic calculators, diet calculators,weight loss guides and more!

18. Eating Out. Think about what you will have before you go into the restaurant. Ask for extra vegetables instead of fries. Have salad or clear broth soup to fill up. Stay away from bread and butter.

19. Cheats
. Allow yourself one cheat meal per week and do so in moderation.

20. Read labels. Stay away from anything with hydrogenated oils (trans fats). Beware that products are allowed to say “0 Trans Fats per serving” if they are below a certain percentage. But if the ingredients say “hydgrogenated” then know that you are getting trans fats. Stay away from too much saturated fats. And look for items that are high in fiber.

21. Green Tea. Scientific studies have shown many benefits from green tea consumption such as lower cancer rates and lowered cholesterol. Some studies show it can help with weight management. It certainly can’t hurt. If caffeine bothers you then try naturally decaffeinated or you can decaffeinate it yourself by brewing the tea bag twice. Drink the second cup and it will have very little caffeine, but most of the taste. A key point: don’t drink with cow’s milk “as proteins called caseins in milk decrease the amount of compounds in tea known as catechins” which aid in protecting against heart disease. Try rice milk instead if you want to add milk.

22. Get Enough Sleep. If you are very tired during the day, your body is going to crave more food to get energy. So, rest up!

Prevention

To reduce your risk of malignant mesothelioma, you should avoid exposure to asbestos. Because there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, any asbestos exposure is too much. In your home, especially if it is an older home, have an expert check for areas of exposed asbestos-containing insulation or other areas of deteriorating asbestos. These areas must be removed or safely sealed off professionally. Workers who routinely deal with asbestos-containing materials should use approved measures to limit their exposure and to keep from bringing asbestos dust home on their clothing.

Treatment

Malignant mesothelioma is difficult to treat. The cancer can spread easily to nearby organs. If the tumor has spread, it is nearly impossible to remove the entire tumor surgically. In addition, it has been difficult to test the effectiveness of different treatments because there are relatively few cases of malignant mesothelioma.

The primary treatment options for malignant mesothelioma are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Surgery
Before any surgery is considered for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, your overall health has to be evaluated. Tests are done to make sure the cancer has not spread to distant sites and to evaluate how well your lungs and heart are functioning. Lung tests look for any signs of lung damage from tobacco or from other diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These tests determine how risky surgery would be, especially if a lung needs to be removed.

Surgery for malignant mesothelioma can be aimed at long-term control of the cancer (aggressive surgery) or relief of symptoms (palliative procedures).

  • Aggressive surgery — A procedure called extrapleural pneumonectomy involves removal of the pleura, the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium. The intent of this very aggressive, complicated surgery is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Not all centers will do this procedure because it is so complex and because it carries a high risk of death within 30 days after surgery. This procedure typically is done only in younger patients who are in good overall health with stage I disease. Patients are evaluated carefully to determine their ability to tolerate the surgery.


  • Palliative procedures — When malignant mesothelioma is advanced, palliative procedures can be done to relieve or control symptoms such as breathlessness, which are caused by fluid or by the tumor pressing on the lung or other organs. These procedures do not cure the disease.

    • A procedure called thoracentesis can be used to treat fluid collection (effusion) in pleural mesothelioma. A needle is inserted into the chest to drain the fluid, relieving breathlessness and pain. Talc may be injected into the pleural space to try to stop fluid from accumulating there. This procedure is called talc pleurodesis. Similar procedures are used to relieve fluid collection (ascites) in peritoneal mesothelioma (paracentesis).


    • A procedure called pleurectomy and decortication is the surgical removal of the pleura. This procedure can be done to reduce pain caused by the tumor or to prevent the fluid from accumulating. For peritoneal mesothelioma, surgery generally is aimed at relieving symptoms.

Radiation Therapy
Because of the location of malignant mesothelioma, it is extremely difficult to deliver high enough doses of radiation to kill the tumor without damaging the surrounding organs. Lower doses of radiation can help to shrink the tumor, but it is unclear whether this helps people to survive longer than if they were not treated.

Using radiation therapy after surgery has not been shown to improve survival. However, because surgery is very unlikely to remove the entire tumor, radiation commonly is done after surgery in the hopes of killing remaining tumor cells. In addition, radiation therapy can be used to relieve the symptoms of mesothelioma, including chest pain.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of medications to treat cancer. Chemotherapy cannot cure mesothelioma. Some chemotherapy drugs have a partial effect in some patients. Combination chemotherapy (using more than one drug at the same time) may be given in an attempt to improve the patient's response to the medications. Some combinations have shown promise, and some new medications are being tried.

Like radiation therapy, chemotherapy may be administered after surgery in an attempt to kill cancer cells that could not be removed.

Treatment by Stage
Stage I (localized) mesothelioma — If you want aggressive treatment and are fit enough to have surgery, some centers may do an extrapleural pneumonectomy. Another surgical option is pleurectomy and decortication, which is sometimes done to relieve some of the symptoms of mesothelioma. Both of these procedures may be followed by radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Less than 5% of people with malignant mesothelioma are candidates for aggressive surgery.

Stages II, III and IV (advanced) mesothelioma — Pleurectomy and decortication may be done to relieve symptoms in pleural mesothelioma. Other procedures such as thoracentesis may be done to drain fluid (pleural effusions) and prevent them from recurring. Radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy also may be administered for symptom relief.

Recurrent malignant mesothelioma — There is no standard treatment for recurrent mesothelioma. Generally, treatments are considered that were not used the first time the disease was treated.

Clinical Trials and Future Treatments
New treatments for malignant mesothelioma and possible preventive measures, such as a vaccine, are being evaluated in clinical trials, and the future holds some promise. Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate new treatments for safety and effectiveness. There are no guarantees that a new treatment will work, and there are some risks. However, a clinical trial is not started unless the researchers believe the treatment may have some value.

Here are some of the treatments for malignant mesothelioma that are being evaluated:

  • Combination chemotherapy — Different combinations of chemotherapy drugs have been tried with mixed results.
  • Intracavitary chemotherapy — Researchers are looking at putting chemotherapy drugs directly into the pleural or peritoneal space because of a possible advantage over traditional chemotherapy. Because the drug is placed directly into the cavity, much greater doses can be given to patients without causing severe side effects. Some studies have shown this therapy to control effusions and reduce tumor size.
  • Brachytherapy (intracavitary radiation therapy) — In this treatment, a radioactive substance is placed directly into the pleural or peritoneal space.
  • Multimodality therapy — Multimodality therapy is any combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
  • Gene therapy — In this approach, a virus that has been genetically altered is introduced into the tumor. The virus infects the cancerous cells and makes them vulnerable to anticancer drugs.
  • Immunotherapy — Treatments that stimulate the body's immune system to fight cancer cells are called immunotherapy.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity). Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.

Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:

  • chest wall pain
  • pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
  • shortness of breath
  • fatigue or anemia
  • wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
  • blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)

In severe cases, the person may have many tumor masses. The individual may develop a pneumothorax, or collapse of the lung. The disease may metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.

Tumors that affect the abdominal cavity often do not cause symptoms until they are at a late stage. Symptoms include:

  • abdominal pain
  • ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
  • a mass in the abdomen
  • problems with bowel function
  • weight loss

In severe cases of the disease, the following signs and symptoms may be present:

A mesothelioma does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands. Pleural tumors are usually found only on one side of the lungs.

Article from: http://www.freewebs.com/mesothelioma/

Asbestosis is a chronic inflammation of the lungs. The inflammation is a direct result of exposure to asbestos. Asbestosis is a progressive disease with no cure. The inflammation causes shortness of breath, which will get progressively worse as the disease progresses. Physicians can treat some of the symptoms of asbestosis with auxiliary oxygen, but it will not cure the disease. Death due to asbestosis occurs by respiratory failure.

Your Long Term Health

Asbestos related diseases, including asbestos cancer, do not show up until decades after exposure. Because of the long latency period between exposure and illness it can be hard to determine if you will suffer from asbestosis or mesothelioma. While asbestos exposure is the only way to develop these health problems, you may reduce or delay their development by taking care of your lungs today.

To protect your breathing:

  • If you do smoke, stop. In addition to mesothelioma and asbestosis, there is research that indicates that those who suffer from asbestos exposure and smoke are at a greatly increased risk of developing lung cancer.

  • Stay physically fit. Everyone’s definition of physical fitness is different, but up to thirty minutes of activity most days of the week will provide the most benefit. Physical fitness is important for healthy lungs.

  • Eat well. While there is no direct correlation proven between diet and mesothelioma or asbestosis, filling your meals with leafy and fibrous vegetables as well as whole grains has been proven to reduce the risk of other types of cancer.

What to do if you Think You May be at Risk?

If you think that you may have been exposed to asbestos at any time, it is important to share your concern with a physician. While asbestosis has no cure, early intervention can slow the progression of the disease. Mesothelioma is a very aggressive form of cancer, and one of the reasons that it has such a low survival rate is because it is not typically diagnosed until the disease is fairly advanced.

If you worked in an industry that has a high rate of asbestos exposure, you should consider yourself at risk of developing an asbestos related disease. Some occupations that had high rates of exposure include ship builders, petroleum plant workers, power plant workers and construction workers.

If you are concerned about asbestos in your home you should research the best remediation methods or hire an experienced contractor to do it for you. Although the remediation is not difficult, you must be careful and follow specific guidelines to reduce the risk of suffering from accidental exposure.

Asbestosis and mesothelioma are both serious conditions that can be a death sentence. While you may not be able to undue previous exposure to asbestos, you can commit to reducing your risk of exposure in the future, and take care of your body so that it will have the best chance of battling any disease that you may develop.

Originally posted at http://www.premierdoctors.com/go/mesothelioma-article.html

This rare cancer affects over 3,000 people each year, it is highly aggressive and fatal. People that have been exposed to asbestos over long periods are most at risk. Asbestos is a known toxin that irresponsible companies continued to market for decades in the face of scientific evidence proving its danger. Victims should seek legal help to make sure they are compensated. Attorneys have made these negligent companies pay millions of dollars to asbestos victims. This page informs victims of their treatment options, legal rights to damages and helps individuals locate experienced attorneys with proven track records of success.

Mesothelioma - Cancer of the Lung Lining

Mesothelioma is a very rare form of lung cancer that arises in the mesothelium. The mesothelium is made up of parietal and visceral membranes, thin layers of tissue, which surround organs and body cavities, such as the lungs or abdomen. The visceral membrane immediately surrounds the organ, and the parietal membrane is a sac covering the visceral membrane. The visceral and parietal membranes that make up the mesothelium. This fluid helps organs move easily among surrounding structures. In the case of the lung, it helps reduce friction between the lung and chest wall during normal breathing as the lung expands.

The mesothelioma is referred to by different names, depending on what part of the body it is found in. In the abdomen, it is called the peritoneum, in the lungs, the pleura, and in the heart, the pericardium. These correspond to peritoneum mesothelioma (cancer of the abdomen/stomach), pleural mesothelioma (cancer of the lung lining) and pericardium mesothelioma

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