Victor Kuri

Archive for February, 2011

INTRODUCTION:

All of you are very much familiar with the saying that “health is wealth”. This is implemented to all individual irrespective to their age, gender, social status and etc. Health is a very important issue for all the individuals. And when it comes to women health, there are lots of questions to be asked.

There are many issues when we talk about women health, out of them the important issues that most commonly experience by all women are discussed here.

MENOPAUSE:

OVERVIEW:
Every woman experiences the natural phenomena of menopause. Menopause is a natural process in which there is permanent stoppage of the normal menstrual cycle and reproductive functions. Most women experience this stage after 40 years of life but normal age range is between 45-55 years.

CAUSES OF MENOPAUSE:

NATURAL MENOPAUSE:
It is the permanent ending of the menstrual cycle due to normal changing in the reproductive and hormonal systems of the body. Natural menopause in women described in three stages;

Perimenopause starts several years before menopause due to reduce secretion of female sex hormone from the reproductive organ. The second stage is actual menopause, in which reproductive organ completely stopped the release of female gamete and secretion of female hormone. It is diagnosed when there is no menses for about 12 months. And the last stage is post menopause that are the years after menopause in which signs of menopause go away but there is greatest risk of health problems.

SURGICAL MENOPAUSE:

In this there is surgical removal of reproductive organs and the women practice the signs and symptoms of menopause.

CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY and RADITION THERAPY:

When the women taking treatment of cancer that is located near the reproductive organs may also result in the menopause. In this, symptoms of menopause begins during treatment or following treatment.

SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE:

Most of the symptoms of menopause are due to he deficiency of female sex hormones, these symptoms includes hot flashes, increase pulse rate, depression, anxiety, mood swing, sleep disturbances, bone breaking, joint and back pain, skin wrinkles and thinning.

OSTEOPOROSIS:

OVERVIEW:
Osteoporosis is the bone disorder in which there is weakening of bones so high risk of breaking. These broken bones are called as fractures and most commonly occur in hips, wrist and backbone. (6) It normally appears after the menopause in which there is severely reduction in the female sex hormone that is involved in the bone formation.

RISK FACTORS:

There is no single cause for osteoporosis but risk factors can play an important role in the breaking of bones. These include;

AGING: risk of fracture increasing with age. FAMILY HISTORY OF BONE PROBLEMS: especially if mother had hip fracture. LOW CALCIUM INTAKE: since calcium plays an important role in bone formation deficiency of calcium can be overcome by taking supplements. EXCESSIVE INTAKE OF ALCOHOL and CAFFEINE: that is 2 drinks per day and more than 4 cups of coffee, tea and soft drink. EARLY MENOPAUSE: that is before age 40. REDUCED BODY WEIGHT: that is less than 125 pounds.

SYMPTOMS:
Normally female do not know that she has osteoporosis until fracture occurs but some of the symptoms are backache, a gradual reduction in height accompanied by bent posture and fractures of wrists, hips and and backbone.

COMPLICATIONS:
Fractures due to osteoporosis are very painful and take month for improving. In many conditions, pain goes away when healing is completed. If the pain remains after healing it is called as chronic pain and is due the back bone fracture. What ever the causes of this pain but the feelings of disturbance, anger and fear make it more intense.

HEART PROBLEMS:

OVERVIEW:
Heart problems are uncommon in woman before menopause that do not have high blood pressure, diabetes and excessive fats in blood when compare with man.As the menopause occurs the risk of heart problems become similar to men.

CAUSES OF HEART PROBLEMS:
It has been proven that deficiency of female sex hormone can enhanced the risk of heart problems. Due to the absence of this hormone, normal balancing of good and bad cholesterol levels and blood flow is disturbed that results in the heart problems in post menopausal women.

SYMPTOMS:
Most commonly there are increase chances of chest pain and heart attack due to thickening of vessels walls because of deposition of fats and formation of blood clots as well as narrowing of blood vessels and reduction in the blood flows to heart.

TREATMENT:
To reduce the symptoms of menopause Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an effective treatment. Besides this, certain herbs and dietary supplements like alfalfa, soybeans, flaxseed oils and olive oils helpful in improving the symptoms of menopause.

Rosemary Verbenone is recommended by many authorities for its cell regenerating powers.

Its supreme skin regenerative and wound healing properties make Rosemary verbenone especially useful for treating chronic skin conditions, dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.

Acne prone skin may respond favorably to the renewing effects of Rosemary verbenone, as well as to its action to fight infection and promote glandular balance and function.

Its skin nourishing action makes it ideal for dry and mature skin.

Rosemary’s pronounced stimulating effect on the circulatory systems (lymph, nerve and blood) makes is especially helpful for lowering blood pressure, as well as for promoting cellular respiration and detoxification.

Blend Rosemary with Fennel in a hot compress, or bath for stimulating and promoting flow of Chi (life force energy).

CELLULITE TREATMENT: Blend Rosemary verbenone with Pink Grapefruit, Cypress or Juniper to promote the break down of cellulite.

CAUTION: Due to its stimulating properties please do not use Rosemary during pregnancy, if you have high blood pressure, or have a diagnosed seizure disorder.

PLEASE NOTE: There are many cheap, synthetic copies of aromatic oils, but these are not recommended for therapeutic use. For best results purchase the highest quality oils you can possibly find. Use certified organic essential oils, or oils that have been tested and are pesticide free.

Aromatherapy is a gentle and noninvasive complementary health care system used for balancing and synchronizing your body, mind, spirit and emotions to enhance your health. Properly administered essential oils are a natural, safe and effective way to enhance your health and well-being and can produce satisfying results where other methods have failed. Please consult with your physician regarding serious health concerns and do not attempt to self diagnose.

Not many men will go for a day at the spa getting pampered, but most men do realize the importance of taking care of their skin.

Everyone wants to look younger longer these days – men included.

The key to younger looking skin is maintaining good tone, color and texture. This is best accomplished by adopting a skin care regime that includes cleaning, toning, moisturizing and exfoliating. Yes, guys, even we need to get rid of those old dead skin cells! But that’s not all. Male skin care also requires following a few simple rules:

1. Breathing Deeply. Oxygen promotes better skin tone, so making sure to take in plenty of it is a good way to begin any proper skin regiment.

2. Eating Well. Skin needs just the right amount of vitamins and minerals to rejuvenate itself, making it very important to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

3. Drink Plenty of Water. When the skin gets dry it makes creases, lines and wrinkles look deeper, so be sure to drink at least 48-60 oz. of clear water every day.

4. Keep Busy. When you exercise your cells can heal and grow faster, so be sure to stay active, no matter what your age.

5. Keep Your Skin Moisturized. The best time to moisturize is right after a bath or shower. Moisturizer put on the skin while it is still damp can help seal in that moisture before it is lost for good.

6. Eat a mixture of fats. Skin can prematurely age if it is deficient in the right mixture of essential fats. To give your skin the healthy fats it needs, be sure to eat plenty of oily fish, nuts, olive oil, avocadoes and seeds.

7. Reduce Stress. Stress can cause all kinds of problems with your skin, including acne and even deep-set wrinkles. To avoid watching those lines creep across your face, find simple ways to keep stress low including yoga, engaging in a sport you love, reading, swimming, gardening, or some other relaxing activity.

8. Quit Smoking. Cigarettes are horrible for your skin and can make you look years older than you are. Stop now to avoid further skin damage.

9. Get Some Sleep. When you sleep, your skin has the time it needs to heal and rejuvenate itself. Sleep too little and your skin cells never have the opportunity to produce the collagen and elastin it needs to stay healthy and firm.

10. Choose an Age-Appropriate Skin Care Regime. The skin changes as you grow older, and thus needs a different approach in its care. Men especially may find it necessary to implement a different strategy, especially if they’ve spent decades working and playing outdoors. Be sure to look for male skin care products that are best suited to your skin type as well as your age for best results.

Caring for the male skin isn’t hard, but it is a bit different than caring for a female’s skin. The key is understanding what products are out there directed toward men and their specific skin care needs.

Smart buyers need to know how to buy health insurance. Because the task involves your future needs, you must find a stable insurer to provide the protection. For a novice in the market, it can be quite difficult to get an individual insurance. However, with the right knowledge, you can get the best policy to fit your needs and your budget. Here are some of the tips to guide you with the task.

Know the Local State Policies

Before buying your insurance, it is important to know the existing insurance laws in your area. Some states make you uninsurable if you have pre-existing medical conditions. To know about the policies in your state, contact the authorities. When you know the laws, you will never go wrong with your choices.

Understand all your Options

When you are out looking for your protection, you need to understand the options that you have. Sales agents from the different companies offer you with varied policies. It is important to know the details of each before making your final decision. You can ask your brokers about the benefits, but do your own research as well. One helpful tip on how to buy health insurance is never to purchase a policy when there are provisions unclear to you. Satisfy all your questions and do not leave any rock unturned.

Find the Best Plan Providers

With the different companies providing health insurance, finding the best one can be challenging. To help you with the task, get a list of the accredited agencies in your area or search the Internet for your options. Compare the prices of each and determine their stability in the market. Part of knowing how to buy health insurance is to make a background check about the companies you are considering. Do not invest your money with a provider with questionable assets. You might lose your investments when they declare bankruptcy.

Determine the Extent of Coverage and Benefits

Different policies have varying extents of coverage and benefits. Determine the allowable number of visits to your physician, their affiliations to health facilities, the amount covering your expenses, and inclusion of your family in the coverage. Since the degree of protection usually comes with the premium you are willing to pay, set your budget first and determine your needs to avoid overspending.

When you know how to buy health insurance, the daunting task can be easier, even for those new in the field.

Women over 50 can easily enjoy weight loss by combining healthy diets and exercises. You don’t have to visit any gym or eat any fat burner to shed those extra pounds from your body. Women over 50 usually gains weight due to menopause, hormonal imbalances and stress. In order to lose a decent amount of weight and look beautiful, one should take up diet plans such as acai berry and colon cleansing.

There are various products for weight loss available in the market, which can easily puzzle you. In order to avoid these confusions you should take up the safest and the most reliable fat loss diet. It is always advisable to drink lots of water throughout the diet plan for maintaining the metabolism in your body. You should drink at least 10-12 glasses of water daily. Water not only maintains the temperature but also keeps your digestive tract clean and stimulates digestion. Your overall health gets benefited by its consumption.

Women Over 50 should consume Acai berries for two reasons:

* It helps your body to enhance the rate of metabolism, which consequently leads to fat burning and weight loss. This diet plan also suppresses your hunger.

* The unique mood enhancing quality of this diet plan makes it unique. It is most suitable for women over 50 because they are found more stressed out and depressed than younger women.

Colon Cleansing:

. The process of keeping your colon safe and clean is the best way to shed those harmful toxins from your body. Colon cleansing takes care of your entire health by discarding toxic substances and those stubborn abdominal fats from your stomach. This process further revitalizes your body and soul completely. It is always advisable to carry out this process once in a year.

. In order to enjoy a decent amount of weight loss, you should combine acai berry diet and colon cleansing.

The blood type nutrition is still a controversy for people in the medical field and according to experts it hasn’t proven medical research. The theory is that blood type affects how your body breaks down and deals with the various foods. By following blood type nutrition it is claimed that you’ll feel healthier, lower your risk of certain diseases and lose weight. Until this day, you’ll be surprised that some people don’t even know there own blood type or the possible relationship it may have to nutrition, exercise, our personality, and vulnerability to diseases. There is still skepticism among the medical field of experts stating that there is no correlation between blood type and nutrition or how it can prevent illnesses such as heart disease. My purpose of this article is to bring awareness and information to the readers. Observe and see what type of changes or affects it may benefit you if you plan to try it out.

In 1950, William C. Boyd published a book called “Genetics and the races of man: An introduction to modern physical anthropology”. His background is an immunochemist and blood type anthropologist. He explained how the genetic analysis of blood groups and divided the population into 13 geographically distinct races. Peter D’Adamo who is a naturopathic doctor in Stanford, CT. grouped those thirteen races together by blood group. Peter continued the work from his father James D’Adamo, who began the scientific research on this. People became more interested after the release of Peter D’Adamo’s “Eat Right 4 Your Type” years ago in which it was a best seller.

Over the millennium our blood types have evolved swaying in many directions with the various diets out there and our nutrition should be adjusted more carefully. We can virtually learn a lot from our ancestors or animals. Instinctively they knew what was good for them and survived in the demographics they lived. For example, felines such as lions, tigers, cheetahs, and leopards are meat eaters and you wouldn’t see them feeding on carbohydrates. Other animals are vegetarian and instinctively they will not eat meat. I agree with this and this is no coincidence. Animals have a sixth sense or protective mechanism, as well humans have this ability if we were to listen to our senses. We have evolved and become domesticated that we’ve lost touch with our instincts towards our eating habits. We can learn a lot from animals and they instinctively eat what is good for them. Most animals of any particular species live around the same age because they know what foods they should eat instinctively that is good for their nutrition maximizing their life span. Animals also have a very low risk of heart disease and they don’t die by their predators but from natural causes such as old age.

The blood type nutrition asserts that lectins, from the foods we eat, can cause disruptions in our blood stream and be the source of diseases. A few experts have suggested if we eat foods which are “good” for our blood type, we can avoid ill health. So what are lectins and what does it do? A lectin is a protein substance found in the foods binding glycoproteins and glycolipds forming agglutination. This means tiny molecules found in foods that cause blood and other body tissues to stick to one another. So if eating a food that has protein lectins and it isn’t compatible with your blood type antigen will result in a counter attack on your organ and system. It will then begin to agglutinate cells in those areas. When food is not compatible, the cells in that targeted area will clump and be destroyed. But there is protection from lectins, and our immune system will fight off 95% of the lectins in our food. However, the remaining 5% may cause problems if the blood type is reactive. Next, let me give a brief introduction of the various blood types out there and the foods suitable for that particular blood type.

TYPE O

The Type O is the oldest blood type in which people hunted for their food to survive focusing a predominant meat diet. Type O’s are encouraged to eat lean red meats and poultry but limited in dairy products, grains (wheat is high on the list to avoid) and legumes. Although this nutrition is high in animal protein, the type O requires intense physical exercise to help burn off the meat. Type Os are prone to digestive disorders, more susceptible to arthritis, and thyroid disease due to an overactive immune system. Foods such as wheat and dairy also promote inflammation for this blood type that can trigger an imbalance in immunity.

TYPE A

The type A is a more of a vegetarian diet. It is the second blood type to evolve as populations settled into agrarian lifestyles. People living in those areas have adapted and evolved due to the demographics. Type A’s are advised to consume legumes, beans, cereals, fruits, vegetables, and small amounts of dairy products but eliminating all meats. The type A individual hardly produces much hydrochloric acid and does poorly on meat and dairy as a result. So, Type A’s are recommended to not eat red meat, he/she should also refrain from intense exercising and focus more on yoga, meditation and stretch classes. The reason is that type As consume fewer calories in general when they are not eating meat. There is gene for alcoholism found in Type A’s. They are also generally more vulnerable to cancer, diabetes and heart disease if they do monitor their health more carefully.

TYPE B

Next came the type B who were nomads having a wider selection of foods. The type B encourages meat (but not chicken), dairy products, all fruits, most vegetables, and some beans. They are to avoid nuts, seeds and wheat. Type Bs also function better on a moderate exercise program. They suffer from the highest incidence of bladder and urinary tract infections. Type B’s are also prone to viral diseases when their immune system is compromised. Viral diseases such as pneumonia, Multiple Sclerosis, and Lou Gehrig’s disease are a few examples. I’ve personally had similar experiences with the few I’ve mentioned since I fall into this blood type category. However, with the continued persistence of having a healthy mind, body, and spirit has helped me persevere through.

TYPE AB

The final blood type is the AB and referred as enigmas because it combines a Type A and Type B diet requiring meat but in fewer portions. This is the rarest and newest blood type to evolve and it is best adapted to a moderate diet. Type AB people benefit from a combination of A and B type nutrition. They are allowed to eat some meat and dairy products. Type AB’s can have a limited portion of wheat products, most fruits and vegetables. Meat is not as well digested compared to fresh fish, dairy, soy and wheat-free grains. Exercising for the type AB is predominately qi gong, yoga, meditation and mentally quieting exercises calming and invigorate the body. Aerobic type exercise is fine as long as it is not done to the extreme. AB types are prone to either diseases encountered by the type A or the type B individuals.

About 2 years after the release of “Eat Right 4 Your Type” I spoke to a few friends who were dieticians about the blood type diet and they were suspicious in the beginning. But after following the blood type nutrition for a few months of experimenting it was quite positive for a few of them. What I noticed was that most people I’ve spoke to about the blood type nutrition sounded a lot like the criticisms towards an Atkins diet. Experts stated that theories weren’t backed up by scientific research. Until this day, there are more research done and it has been fine tuned on previous findings. This is ongoing research, something you just don’t see in everyday “fad” diets. I have a few close friends who have high blood pressure, diabetic, chrons disease, lupus, and most of them have improved their personal health by following the blood type nutrition. I made a note to myself that there was a possibility that some of these people that had medical problems charted almost exactly with the risk factors for blood type. There are studies on the correlation between blood type and diseases reviewed in medical journals for a long time even though it hasn’t been mentioned. We are all different from one another and our blood isn’t the only factor that determines our diet or disease. But it plays a main factor and people who are concerned with maximizing their quality of life or should be aware of the effects of blood type. Losing weight on a diet that is correct for a person’s blood type is easier than if the diet is more appropriate for another blood type. They still have to eat the right number of calories and exercise, but the correct diet will provide more nutrition and more energy to support the exercise.

I constantly use myself as a ginny pig and I personally have tried the diet after the book came out from Peter D’Adamo for about a month. At that time, I did lose about 12 pounds and my digestive problems were much improved since I began having ongoing issues with that. I also felt more energetic. It does take at least 7-10 days for things to take affect and especially if one has intestinal issues. From a personal basis the results were positive and profound. I am not a blood type anthropologist, medical expert, or scientist. There is constant research on this topic along with updates on any new findings on food compatibility. In my opinion I think this diet could definitely be used in conjunction with others appropriate blood type. Whether that person is using partial recommendations or full advice on foods you can eat or avoid for your blood type. This type of diet isn’t likely to harm anyone at all. This is a great resource and it’s interesting to really getting to know your body which this blood type nutrition teaches you on your own self journey. Experiment and get to know your body on certain foods that may give you a different reaction good or bad.

For example, type O’s are meat-eaters but there are also many type O people who are vegetarians. A type O person who chooses to avoid meat must work and be creative, than a type A to get their nutrition from plants by combining rice and beans for instance. A type O should avoid dairy, but they may find that life without ice cream isn’t worth living so they might experiment with how much ice cream can they tolerate and still feel good afterwards. A person can sense whether a certain food is good for them if they eat just that one food while their stomach is empty. It takes a little experimentation to determine which foods energize them and which make them react differently or ill. Keep a log book and re-learn and monitor what foods your body reacts positively or negatively. I’m sure readers who are more skeptical like to see detailed scientific justification before jumping into a health plan will find this very interesting nonetheless. Although experts don’t have many positive things to say about the blood type nutrition, it will get you thinking about what you are currently eating. Eventually the result you may start to make changes to your diet.

A blood type nutrition does consist of fresh, natural foods and it can help de-junk your diet by cutting out processed foods, booze, chocolate and loads of coffee. I hope what I’ve explained has opened the mind of some people or motivated some readers of the ideas I’ve addressed. For more information, discuss this topic with a health practitioner or a dietician that is experienced for a deeper insight on this topic. Decide for yourself if you would like to integrate a few or a majority of the blood type nutrition into your lifestyle. It certainly doesn’t hurt to try as a few people I know have been successful with their own health after experimenting with the blood type nutrition.