Glioblastoma Multiforme

Ever heard of gliomas? These primary brain tumors arise within the brain, but we don't know the cell of origin. There are multiple grades of gliomas -- grade II, III and IV, with grade IV being the most malignant.

Glioblastoma multiforme is a fast-growing brain or spinal cord tumor. It affects the brain more often than the spinal cord. These tumors grow from glial cells which form the (supportive) tissue of the brain and spinal cord.

As it grows, a brain tumor can press against or damage nerves or other structures. This can interfere with the brain's normal functioning. For example, a brain tumor can disrupt:

• Thought
• Memory
• Emotion
• Movement
• Vision
• Hearing
• Touch

Scientists do not know what causes most brain tumors. However, they are working to better understand the biology of glioblastoma multiforme and identify possible environmental, occupational, family, and genetic risk factors.

Glioblastoma Symptoms

As brain tumors grow, they press against or damage nerves or other part of the brain and interfere with thought, memory, emotion, movement, vision, hearing, touch, and other brain functions. Swelling and fluid buildup can also affect brain function.

The most common glioblastoma symptoms are:

• Frequent headaches (usually worse in the morning)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Memory loss
• Seizures
• Changes in personality, mood, and ability to concentrate
• Changes in speech, vision, or hearing

Many other conditions can cause these symptoms, but call your doctor promptly if you experience any of these problems.



Glioblastoma Death Cases

Estimated new cases and deaths from brain and other nervous system tumors in the United States in 2014:

New cases : 23,380.
Deaths       : 14,320.

Brain tumors account for 85% to 90% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Available registry data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for 2007 indicate that the combined incidence of primary invasive CNS tumors in the United States is 6.36 per 100,000 persons per year with an estimated mortality of 4.22 per 100,000 persons per year. Worldwide, approximately 238,000 new cases of brain and other CNS tumors were diagnosed in the year 2008, with an estimated 175,000 deaths.[4] In general, the incidence of primary brain tumors is higher in whites than in blacks, and mortality is higher in males than in females.

Post about Glioblastoma Multiforme from many source.

Cancer Prevention from WHO

What is cancer?

Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body. Other terms used are malignant tumours and neoplasms.

One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs. This process is referred to as metastasis. Metastases are the major cause of death from cancer.

At least one-third of all cancer cases are preventable. Prevention offers the most cost-effective long-term strategy for the control of cancer.

Tobacco

Tobacco use is the single greatest avoidable risk factor for cancer mortality worldwide, causing an estimated 22% of cancer deaths per year. In 2004, 1.6 million of the 7.4 million cancer deaths were due to tobacco use.

Tobacco smoking causes many types of cancer, including cancers of the lung, oesophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach and cervix. About 70% of the lung cancer burden can be attributed to smoking alone. Second-hand smoke (SHS), also known as environmental tobacco smoke, has been proven to cause lung cancer in nonsmoking adults. Smokeless tobacco (also called oral tobacco, chewing tobacco or snuff) causes oral, oesophageal and pancreatic cancer.

Physical inactivity, dietary factors, obesity and being overweight

Dietary modification is another important approach to cancer control. There is a link between overweight and obesity to many types of cancer such as oesophagus, colorectum, breast, endometrium and kidney. Diets high in fruits and vegetables may have a protective effect against many cancers. Conversely, excess consumption of red and preserved meat may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. In addition, healthy eating habits that prevent the development of diet-associated cancers will also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Regular physical activity and the maintenance of a healthy body weight, along with a healthy diet, will considerably reduce cancer risk. National policies and programmes should be implemented to raise awareness and reduce exposure to cancer risk factors, and to ensure that people are provided with the information and support they need to adopt healthy lifestyles.

Alcohol use

Alcohol use is a risk factor for many cancer types including cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colorectum and breast. Risk of cancer increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. The risk from heavy drinking for several cancer types (e.g. oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and oesophagus) substantially increases if the person is also a heavy smoker.

Attributable fractions vary between men and women for certain types of alcohol-related cancer, mainly because of differences in average levels of consumption. For example, 22% of mouth and oropharynx cancers in men are attributable to alcohol whereas in women the attributable burden drops to 9%. A similar sex difference exists for oesophageal and liver cancers (Rehm et al., 2004).

Infections

Infectious agents are responsible for almost 22% of cancer deaths in the developing world and 6% in industrialized countries. Viral hepatitis B and C cause cancer of the liver; human papilloma virus infection causes cervical cancer; the bacterium Helicobacter pylori increases the risk of stomach cancer. In some countries the parasitic infection schistosomiasis increases the risk of bladder cancer and in other countries the liver fluke increases the risk of cholangiocarcinoma of the bile ducts. Preventive measures include vaccination and prevention of infection and infestation.

Environmental pollution

Environmental pollution of air, water and soil with carcinogenic chemicals accounts for 1–4% of all cancers (IARC/WHO, 2003). Exposure to carcinogenic chemicals in the environment can occur through drinking water or pollution of indoor and ambient air.

In Bangladesh, 5–10% of all cancer deaths in an arsenic-contaminated region were attributable to arsenic exposure (Smith, Lingas & Rahman, 2000). Exposure to carcinogens also occurs via the contamination of food by chemicals, such as aflatoxins or dioxins. Indoor air pollution from coal fires doubles the risk of lung cancer, particularly among non-smoking women (Smith, Mehta & Feuz, 2004). Worldwide, indoor air pollution from domestic coal fires is responsible for approximately 1.5% of all lung cancer deaths. Coal use in households is particularly widespread in Asia.

Occupational carcinogens

More than 40 agents, mixtures and exposure circumstances in the working environment are carcinogenic to humans and are classified as occupational carcinogens (Siemiatycki et al., 2004). That occupational carcinogens are causally related to cancer of the lung, bladder, larynx and skin, leukaemia and nasopharyngeal cancer is well documented. Mesothelioma (cancer of the outer lining of the lung or chest cavity) is to a large extent caused by work-related exposure to asbestos.

Occupational cancers are concentrated among specific groups of the working population, for whom the risk of developing a particular form of cancer may be much higher than for the general population. About 20–30% of the male and 5–20% of the female working-age population (people aged 15–64 years) may have been exposed to lung carcinogens during their working lives, accounting for about 10% of lung cancers worldwide. About 2% of leukaemia cases worldwide are attributable to occupational exposures.

Radiation

Ionizing radiation is carcinogenic to humans. Knowledge on radiation risk has been mainly acquired from epidemiological studies of the Japanese A-bomb survivors as well as from studies of medical and occupational radiation exposure cohorts. Ionizing radiation can induce leukaemia and a number of solid tumours, with higher risks at young age at exposure.

Residential exposure to radon gas from soil and building materials is estimated to cause between 3% and 14% of all lung cancers, making it the second cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke. Radon levels in homes can be reduced by improving the ventilation and sealing floors and walls. Ionizing radiation is an essential diagnostic and therapeutic tool. To guarantee that benefits exceed potential radiation risks radiological medical procedures should be appropriately prescribed and properly performed, to reduce unnecessary radiation doses, particularly in children.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and in particular solar radiation, is carcinogenic to humans, causing all major types of skin cancer, such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma. Globally in 2000, over 200 000 cases of melanoma were diagnosed and there were 65 000 melanoma-associated deaths. Avoiding excessive exposure, use of sunscreen and protective clothing are effective preventive measures. UV-emitting tanning devices are now also classified as carcinogenic to humans based on their association with skin and ocular melanoma cancers. 

This Cancer Prevention from WHO article originally source from WHO's website.

The Ebola Virus in 2014

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March 2014, and has rapidly become the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976. In fact, the current epidemic sweeping across the region has now killed more than all other known Ebola outbreaks combined. In fact, the current epidemic sweeping across the region has now killed more than all other known Ebola outbreaks combined.

Up to 9 November, 5,160 people had been reported as having died from the disease in six countries; Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the United States and Mali. The total number of reported cases is in excess of 14,000.

The World Health Organization (WHO) admits the figures are underestimates given the difficulty collecting the data and warns there could be as many as 20,000 cases by the end of November if efforts to tackle the outbreak are not stepped up. 

The Ebola virus causes an acute, serious illness which is often fatal if untreated. Ebola virus disease (EVD) first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, one in Nzara, Sudan, and the other in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter occurred in a village near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.

The current outbreak in west Africa, (first cases notified in March 2014), is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976. There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined. It has also spread between countries starting in Guinea then spreading across land borders to Sierra Leone and Liberia, by air (1 traveller only) to Nigeria, and by land (1 traveller) to Senegal.

The most severely affected countries, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have very weak health systems, lacking human and infrastructural resources, having only recently emerged from long periods of conflict and instability. On August 8, the WHO Director-General declared this outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. 

The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms is 2 to 21 days. Humans are not infectious until they develop symptoms. First symptoms are the sudden onset of fever fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding (e.g. oozing from the gums, blood in the stools). Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes. 

Diagnosis

• antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
• antigen-capture detection tests
• serum neutralization test
• reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
• electron microscopy
• virus isolation by cell culture

Prevention and control

• Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission
• Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission
• Outbreak containment measures 

Source :

Wikipedia

WHO

BBC News

Thus my blog posting about  The Ebola Virus in 2014, for more detail please visit these source. Thank you..

Health Benefits of Love

Ain't love grand? It's fulfilling, exciting and, as it turns out, good for you, too. We spoke to experts and found out that romance can bring you more than just giddiness—it can also positively affect your health and well-being. So whether you've been married for years or are single and looking, the following evidence will remind you why it's important to make room for love in your life.

It may bolster your immune system.
Research suggests that happy couples who engage in positive conflict resolution have higher functioning immune systems than those who don't, says Gian Gonzaga, MD, senior director of research & development at eHarmony Labs. He points to a study by Ronald Glazer and Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, in which couples were observed during disputes. The couples who displayed the most negative behavior during the fights also showed the largest decline in immediate immune system functioning. Those who argued in a more loving, positive way had higher immediate immune function. Looking to fight in a healthier way? According to Dr. Gonzaga, the key to positive conflict resolution is productively engaging in the conversation without retreating or "stonewalling" each other.

It can make you physically fit.
No, you don't get to bid your gym membership goodbye. But, it turns out that couples who exercise together have more success than people who sweat solo. According to certified fitness trainer and nutritionist Jay Cardiello, "nearly half of people who exercise alone quit their programs after one year, but two-thirds of those who work out with a loved one stick to it." Even better: Both men and women work between 12 and 15 percent harder when training with a romantic partner. Whether it's the excitement of being together or the extra push to keep up with your partner, sweating à deux clearly has its benefits. To reap the rewards, try scheduling in gym sessions with your honey during a time when you'll both be able to commit, like in the morning or during lunch.

It might help you live longer.
"There's a long history of research that has looked at the health benefits of marriage," says Joseph Hullett, MD, psychiatrist and senior medical director for OptumHealth, Behavioral Solutions. "According to a 2004 study by the CDC, mortality rates were found to be the lowest in married couples." Dr. Hullett attributes these findings to the fact that, generally speaking, people experience less stress when they're in committed, healthy relationships—and less stress means better health. Plus, it has been shown that when men marry they give up some of their risky behavior—like heavy drinking and smoking—which leads to longevity. Good news for your hubby!

It may clear up your skin.
That healthy glow of being in love? It's not just a myth! "When our love life is in order, our stress levels are lower," says Genaise Gerstner, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist. "There is less free-floating cortisol—high cortisol levels cause stress-induced acne––and thus less skin breakouts and pimples."

It can improve your heart heath.
"Human beings are social animals who have biological drives that make them want to find relationships," says Dr. Hullett. "When they can't find those unions, they're punished with stress." People in happy relationships experience less stress, which in turn improves their cardiovascular health. Furthermore, Dr. Hullett says people who aren't in stable, committed relationships have an increased rate of heart attacks, particularly those who have been widowed, giving a graver meaning to the term "heartbroken."

It can reduce feelings of pain.
The comfort of holding your husband's hand can actually minimize your feelings of pain, according to a recent study. "Researchers studied people that experienced electrical shocks and found that holding someone's hand ameliorated the pain and perception of pain," says Dr. Hullett. The most fascinating part? These feelings of pain decreased even more when the female subjects—who were in happy marriages––held their husband's hands. "Yes, friends helped reduce the pain that these subjects were feeling, but their husband did a better job at it."

It can regulate your menstrual cycle.
That is, love––as in making love––can. If you're struggling with irregular periods, try hitting the sheets. Eric Braverman, MD, author of Younger (Sexier) You, points to a study from Planned Parenthood demonstrating that women who have sex at least once a week have higher levels of estrogen and are more likely to have regular menstrual cycles than women who have sex less frequently.

It can improve your mental well-being.
We all know that being in love makes us feel elated, but it's not just in our heads. There actually is scientific evidence of romance's blissful effects on the brain. Dr. Braverman references a study from Rutgers University that found participants, when they looked at photos of people they deeply love, had an increase of dopamine brain activity, which is associated with optimism, energy and a sense of well-being. Talk about being high on love! Helen Fisher, PhD, a biological anthropologist and author of Why Him? Why Her? supports this notion: "The bottom line is, the dopamine rush that comes from being in love gives you tremendous energy and optimism."

How to Take Antiviral Flu Medicines

Oseltamivir comes as capsules or a syrup. You will need to take one capsule twice a day for five days to treat flu. Doctors prescribe lower doses for children, depending on how much they weigh. To prevent flu, you will need to take a capsule once a day for 10 days after exposure to the virus or for up to six weeks during an epidemic.

Zanamivir comes as an inhaler (puffer), similar to the type used to treat asthma. Each puff contains a small amount of the medicine. To treat flu (once you have symptoms), you need to use the puffer twice a day for five days. To prevent flu after you’ve been exposed to someone with the illness, you will need to use it once a day for 10 days. If there is a flu epidemic, you may be prescribed zanamivir for up to 28 days.

For oseltamivir and zanamivir to be effective, you need to start taking them within 48 hours of your symptoms first appearing. In children, zanamivir needs to be taken within 36 hours.

Special care

If you’re a woman and are pregnant or breastfeeding, your doctor may advise you to take either oseltamivir or zanamivir during a flu pandemic. Oseltamivir is the preferred medicine for women who are breastfeeding.

If you have advanced kidney disease, you may not be able to take oseltamivir. Always ask your GP for advice and read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine.

Side-effects of antiviral flu medicines

• feeling sick
• vomiting
• abdominal (tummy) pain
• diarrhoea
• headache
• conjunctivitis

These side-effects usually happen after you have taken the first dose of your medicine and will usually stop as you continue the course.

Side-effects of zanamivir are uncommon, but include:

• rashes
• difficulty breathing
• swelling of your face, mouth or throat

Because zanamivir can cause breathing difficulties, it isn't usually recommended if you have an underlying medical condition that affects your breathing system. Examples of such conditions include asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Ask your GP for more advice.

Fighting The Flue

The flu, it seems, is an ever-present fixture on the seasonal list of things to expect. And, with the norovirus causing havoc this year and the flu sweeping the nation and other countries, it’s really important to do what you can to stop the spread of infections.

The flu is mostly spread by coming into contact with others who have the virus; and, as many of us have recently returned to work and school, you may be worried that your risk of flu may have increased.

While there is no cure, there are things you can do to give yourself the best fighting chance against catching the flu virus.

Get the jab

Having the flu can leave you feeling pretty rough, but for some it can develop into a serious health condition. People who are at risk for developing more serious flu-related complications include women who are pregnant, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions such asthma, diabetes or a weakened immune system.

If you’re at risk, you should get the flu jab to safeguard yourself against catching the flu. Call your doctor for more information and to arrange your vaccination.

Keep it clean

The flu virus is highly contagious, and can spread easily through the air you breathe or direct contact with someone who has it. Making sure that you wash your hands regularly to kill the germs is a great line of defence against getting the flu. In fact, after getting the flu vaccination, your hygiene is the only way to help avoid contracting or spreading the flu.

Coughing and sneezing into tissues – rather than your hands – is also a good way of minimising the spread of flu germs. Don’t forget to put your used tissues in the bin!

Take care

It may seem obvious, but making sure to take good care of your health can help keep you well.

Eating a balanced diet – including plenty of fruit and vegetables – can ensure that your body gets all the vitamins and nutrients it needs to support your immune system. It’s also important to get enough rest as this helps your body to replenish energy stores and restore itself.

12 Most Common Effects of Heart Disease

1. Blood pressure can rise and fall quite often. Neither high blood pressure nor low blood pressure is a good condition. You want your blood pressure to be normal always. Fluctuations are not good for your heart.
2. Can lead to a fatal heart attack. When an artery becomes so narrowed that the blood flow to the heart is completely blocked, a heart attack is what happens.
3. Can lead to a stroke. When an artery that's liked to the brain is so clogged up with fatty deposits that blood flow to the brain is severely impeded to the extent that blood cannot flow through, what results is a stroke.
4. Dizziness. A person can experience dizziness because the heart is no longer functioning properly and blood flow to and from the heart and brain is impaired. The person suffering from heart disease will experience light-headedness.
5. Shortness of breath. Irregular breathing is another common effect when managing heart disease. It can result from irregular palpitations. This is actually also a heart disease symptom.
6. Chest pain. Chest pain occurs when oxygen to the heart is limited or blocked due to artery blockages. Also known as angina, chest pain is also a one of the heart disease symptoms.
7. Fatigue. The person who suffers from a heart disease will usually be constantly tired, exhausted and feeling drained.
8. Stress, worry and depression. The constant feeling of stress, anxiety, worry or depression is also a possible of effect of heart disease.
9. Persistent coughing or wheezing. This can be one of the possible effects of heart disease that can result from water in the lungs through cardiac failure or heart failure.
10. Ineffective functioning of the liver and kidney. If the heart, which is the most important organ in the body, is not functioning properly or is under distress, there’s no telling how the other organs linked might function. They could get affected too.
11. Another effect of heart disease can manifest in swelling in the ankles and feet.
12. Can result in death. If blood supply is completely cut off from the heart due to artery blockage, the person in question could die from not being able to breathe.

To avoid the possible effects of heart disease, you simply should just take measures to prevent heart disease. Diet, exercise and lifestyle changes such as stopping to smoke will put you in a great position to prevent heart disease.

The 3 Best Foods to Boost Sex Drive

1. Watermelon

This juicy red fruit could be the new sexual star. While watermelon is 92 percent water, the remaining eight percent contains the phytonutrient citrulline, which converts to arginine, an amino acid that relaxes blood vessels, according to 2008 research from Texas A&M University’s department of horticultural sciences. Although not as organ-specific as drugs that treat men’s erectile dysfunction, watermelon may help improve blood flow to erectile tissue (present in the female clit¬oral area as well as the male penis), increasing arousal. Scientists at the university’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center are now working on increasing the fruit’s citrulline content.

But if you are trying to conceive, don’t overdo it! Watermelon, like tomatoes, contains the antioxidant lycopene, which is in the same family as carotene and therefore has the same beneficial antioxidant effects. On the one hand, that’s great since carotene, found in many brightly coloured foods, has been shown to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. But it is also anti-estrogenic, says Dr. Sony Sierra, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at Toronto’s LifeQuest Centre for Reproductive Medicine, “so a very high volume may block estrogen and prevent the lining of the uterus from growing and the fertilized egg from implanting.” Some of Sierra’s patients have disordered eating habits and eat massive amounts of high-carotene foods such as carrots or kale. She advises clients to follow Canada’s Food Guide, which recommends a wide variety of vegetables and fruit, in seven or eight half-cup servings daily for women (up to 10 servings for men).


2. Saffron

Massimo Marcone, an associate professor of food science at the University of Guelph, used to dismiss aphrodisiacs as mere folklore. In 2011, in fact, he conducted a thorough scientific review of more than 200 international studies on consumable aphrodisiacs, and rejected almost all as invalid. But Marcone was shocked to find that a few studies on one particular spice—saffron—held up to close scrutiny.

“Not only does saffron appear to have aphrodisiac properties for both men and women,” Marcone says, “but it helps with anxiety, insomnia, PMS and insulin resistance.”

The seductive spice, whose red-gold threads come from a type of crocus that is native to Mediterranean Europe and Southwest Asia (not the same variety that pokes its pretty head through Canadian snows in early spring), contains antioxidants including crocin, crocetin and safranal. These are believed to be responsible for increasing sexual desire and arousal, according to studies Marcone reviewed that measured blood flow to sexual organs and frequency of sexual encounters after consuming the spice.

The ancients knew saffron’s power: It’s said that Alexander the Great added it to his rice and tea, Cleopatra bathed in it before meeting her lovers, and Romans were known to sprinkle saffron on newlyweds’ beds.

Available in supermarket spice aisles and used in Spanish paella, Moroccan tajine, Italian risotto and many Persian/Iranian dishes, saffron is pricey, running from $50 to $300 an ounce. But a little—a tiny pinch—goes a very long way, says post-doctoral fellow Sanan Wang, who worked with Marcone on the review. ’

What about other spices in your kitchen? Nutmeg, cloves, garlic and ginger also look promising for sexual potency, Marcone says, but more research is needed. Don’t hold your breath, though; none of these natural products can be patented, so drug companies aren’t racing to sponsor such a study.


3. Oysters

Skeptics have dismissed the purported aphrodisiac benefits of eating oysters as purely psychological, based on their suggestive shape and slippery texture. But Gloria Tsang, a Vancouver registered dietitian and the founder of nutrition network HealthCastle.com, says there may be something to the belief. “A lot of shellfish—including oysters, clams, crabs, lobsters and mussels—are high in zinc, which can trigger a surge in the production of sex hormones.”

Tsang adds that these bivalve mollusks also contain two rare amino acids: D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate. Joint American-Italian research in 2005 at Barry University in Miami and the Laboratory of Neurobiology in Naples, Italy, found that giving these amino acids to rats increased testosterone in the males and progesterone in the females—both are hormones associated with greater sexual activity.


Love your Life

How to Boost Your Self-Esteem

1. Stop comparing your body to other people’s, as most of us have been doing since childhood. There’s nobody with a sharper perception than a person in their midlife—not only about what they look like, but what everyone else looks like compared to them, says Dr. Jean Marmoreo, a Toronto physician and the author of The New Middle Ages: Women in Midlife.

If you work out regularly, you’ll discover a more affirming comparison. What can you do today that wasn’t possible a few months ago?

2. Combine fitness with friendship. Whether you’re power walking in the park or slogging on an elliptical machine, conversation elevates your workout from a necessary chore to a highlight of your day. As you grow stronger together, you’ll empower each other.

3. Learn to love the locker room. You’ll see people of all ages who feel comfortable with their nakedness despite varicose veins and surgery scars. I’ll never forget a 70-something locker mate who said proudly as she powdered her ample belly, “Everyone here looks so good.” She and her friends had been coming to the Y for decades. What a role model!

4. Cultivate mindfulness. Marmoreo recommends yoga for the peace and acceptance that it fosters on days when “you haven’t the capacity to bust out and burn up calories.” Through yoga, you can learn to let your body guide you instead of pushing it to make the grade.

What is Heart Disease?

The basic mechanism of heart disease is a buildup of cholesterol-laden plaque (a fatty deposit) inside the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Plaque narrows the inner channel of the vessels and makes them less flexible. This process is called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. As normal blood flow to your heart is restricted, you may experience angina (chest pain). If a clot forms or lodges inside a narrowed artery, it can completely cut off blood flow and cause a heart attack. Heart disease is often “silent”—producing no symptoms—until it causes a heart attack.

Who is at risk for heart disease?

Both your genes and your lifestyle habits contribute to heart disease. To calculate your risk, give yourself 1 point for each of the following risk factors:

What you can't control

• Age. Over age 55 for women.
• Gender. Men are more vulnerable to heart disease than women.
• Postmenopausal status. Women’s risk increases sharply after menopause.
• Family history of heart disease.
• Personal history of a heart attack.
• Ethnicity – people of African, Latin American, or Asian descent.

What you can control

• Smoking or regular exposure to second-hand smoke.
• Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL (“bad” cholesterol), above 4.2 mmol/L.
• High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, below 0.9 mmol/L.
• High blood pressure (over 140/90 mmHg).
• High triglyceride level (over 5.2 mmol/L).
• Diabetes.
• Chronic stress or depression.
• Physical inactivity.
• Obesity.
• High intake of saturated fat.
• Low intake of heart-smart foods.

Subtract 1 point if you have high levels of HDL cholesterol (over 0.9 mmol/L). Then add up your total score. A score of 0 to 2 points puts you at low to moderate risk of heart disease. A score of 3 or more points means you’re at high risk. See your doctor now for an evaluation. And start making some lifestyle changes. 

Love your Life

source : besthealthmag

Reasons Why Chocolate is Healthy

1. It’s loaded with antioxidants

Dark chocolate contains hefty amounts of disease-fighting flavenoids, antioxidants also found in red wine and many fruits and vegetables. In fact, it appears to have more flavenoids than any other food.

2. It helps you through PMS

“There’s a reason we crave certain foods, such as chocolate, at that time of the month,” says Toronto-based raw foods coach Nathalie Lussier. “Chocolate releases calming endorphins that reduce anxiety. Plus, it’s high in magnesium,” which lifts moods and reduces water retention. But overindulging in sugar, salt and caffeine can backfire, causing bloating and fluid retention (not to mention weight gain). Try one of these recipes to get your chocolate fix the healthy way:

• Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger

• Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Bites

• Spicy Chocolate Energy Bars

3. It may lower cholesterol

A small study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that daily consumption of cocoa flavanol-containing dark chocolate lowered cholesterol and improved blood pressure. While the reasearch was funded by chocolate manufacturer Mars, Inc., the study was double-blinded and peer reviewed.

4. It may prevent pregnancy complications

A new study reports that a chemical (theobromine) found in chocolate may reduce preeclampsia, a major pregnancy complication. The darker the chocolate, the better. Preeclampsia is primarily noted for raising blood pressure in pregnant women, and eating chocolate helps to lower this risk by up to 69 percent. The study of nearly 2,300 women established greater benefits to those who ate five or more servings per week, especially in their third trimester. Despite the results from this study, researchers have said that further studies are needed to prove the direct link between chocolate and preeclampsia.

5. It helps prevent heart disease

A recent study shows that people who regularly consume 70% dark chocolate (about 20 g per day) show a marked improvement in blood flow, while no improvement is observed in those who eat “processed” chocolate, which contains very little cocoa paste. It seems that the positive effect of dark chocolate is linked to a property in its polyphenols that releases a chemical messenger, nitric oxide, which increases arterial dilatation, at the same time improving blood flow and reducing platelet aggregation.

However, it is important to note that previous studies have shown that milk prevents the absorption of dark chocolate’s polyphenols, thereby neutralizing its beneficial effects. Milk contains large amounts of casein, a protein that interacts with polyphenols and prevents them from being efficiently absorbed by the intestine. It is therefore always preferable to consume dark chocolate unaccompanied by milk.

6. It may improve your skin

Researchers at Germany’s Heinrich Heine University exposed chocolate eaters to ultraviolet light and found that after six weeks, they had 15 percent less skin reddening than those who didn’t eat it. “We believe the compounds in chocolate act as UV filters,” says study leader Wilhelm Stahl. After 12 weeks, the chocolate eaters’ skin was 16 percent denser and 42 percent less scaly. Concerned about it causing acne? Researchers at Australia’s University of Newcastle reviewed the evidence and found nothing to suggest that chocolate triggers blemishes.

7. It may reduce pain

A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that rats don’t respond as quickly to pain while they’re eating chocolate. While this might explain why nothing in the world could drag you away from your Hershy’s Kisses, the study’s researchers say this pain-killing effect could be detrimental to humans as it could contribute to obesity. So remember to enjoy chocolate’s soothing properties in moderation. Also interesting to note: The study also found that drinking water also reduced pain.

Love your Life

Source : googling

Struggling with stress?

Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure. Pressure turns into stress when you feel unable to cope. People have different ways of reacting to stress, so a situation that feels stressful to one person may be motivating to someone else.

Many of life’s demands can cause stress, particularly work, relationships and money problems. And, when you feel stressed, it can get in the way of sorting out these demands, or can even affect everything you do. Stress can affect how you feel, think, behave and how your body works. In fact, common signs of stress include sleeping problems, sweating, loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating.

You may feel anxious, irritable or low in self esteem, and you may have racing thoughts, worry constantly or go over things in your head. You may notice that you lose your temper more easily, drink more or act unreasonably.

Stress causes a surge of hormones in your body. These stress hormones are released to enable you to deal with pressures or threats – the so-called "fight or flight" response. Once the pressure or threat has passed, your stress hormone levels will usually return to normal. However, if you're constantly under stress, these hormones will remain in your body, leading to the symptoms of stress.

Managing stress in daily life
Stress is not an illness itself, but it can cause serious illness if it isn't addressed. It's important to recognise the symptoms of stress early. Recognising the signs and symptoms of stress will help you figure out ways of coping and save you from adopting unhealthy coping methods, such as drinking or smoking. Spotting the early signs of stress will also help prevent it getting worse and potentially causing serious complications, such as high blood pressure.

There is little you can do to prevent stress, but there are many things you can do to manage stress more effectively, such as learning how to relax, taking regular exercise and adopting good time-management techniques.

Recognising your stress triggers
If you're not sure what's causing your stress, keep a diary and make a note of stressful episodes for two-to-four weeks. Then review it to spot the triggers.

Things you might want to write down include:

• the date, time and place of a stressful episode
• what you were doing
• who you were with
• how you felt emotionally
• what you were thinking
• what you started doing
• how you felt physically
• a stress rating (0-10 where 10 is the most stressed you could ever feel)

You can use the diary to:

• work out what triggers your stress
• work out how you operate under pressure
• develop better coping mechanisms

Doctors sometimes recommend keeping a stress diary to help them diagnose stress.

Take action to tackle stress
There's no quick-fix cure for stress, and no single method will work for everyone. However, there are simple things you can do to change the common life problems that can cause stress or make stress a problem. These include relaxation techniques, exercise and talking the issues through.

Get stress support
Because talking through the issues is one of the key ways to tackle stress, you may find it useful to attend a stress management groups or class. These are sometimes run in doctors’ surgeries or community centres. The classes help people identify the cause of their stress and develop effective coping techniques.

Ask your GP for more information if you're interested in attending a stress support group. You can also use the search directory to find emotional support services in your area.

Love your Life

source : googling

Small Things to Make Your Life Happier

You can add more happiness and light to your life, by doing some small, simple acts everyday. Though small and simple, these acts will improve your feeling and make your day more enjoyable. Even if you are under pressure and strain, or if you have problems and difficulties, there are many little, and sometimes not so significant actions that can make you feel happy. This happiness might not be strong and deep, and often is of short duration, but it certainly can improve the way you feel.

Below you will find a few suggestions for bringing small moments of happiness into your daily life. With some creative thinking you can find more ideas, which might be more suitable to your life and circumstances.

1. Wake up 10 minutes earlier in the morning, and go stand by the window or go out to the yard or garden, if you have one. Look around you, and enjoy the quietness and splendor of the morning.
2. Get up 10 minutes earlier, and make yourself a cup of coffee. Even if you drink coffee each morning, by getting up earlier you will be able to sip it leisurely.
3. Eat something you enjoy eating.
4. Call up a friend you like, which you haven’t talked with for a long time.
5. Buy yourself flowers.
6. Buy yourself a book.
7. Buy yourself a magazine.
8. Have a nap in the afternoon
9. Do something you like doing, but which you usually don’t have the time to do.
10. Take some time out when busy and read a few pages of a book.
11. Close your eyes and rest your body and mind, just for a few moments, even when you are very busy.
12. Take a break and go out to walk, even if it is only for ten minutes.

Do you have more suggestions? What do you do to bring happiness into your life? You are welcome to comment.

Positive Thinking

Positive thinking brings inner peace, success, improved relationships, better health, happiness and satisfaction. It also helps the daily affairs of life move more smoothly, and makes life look bright and promising.

Positive thinking is contagious. People around you pick your mental moods and are affected accordingly. Think about happiness, good health and success, and you will cause people to like you and desire to help you, because they enjoy the vibrations that a positive mind emits.

In order to make positive thinking yield results, you need to develop a positive attitude toward life, expect a successful outcome of whatever you do, but also take any necessary actions to ensure your success.

Effective positive thinking that brings results is much more than just repeating a few positive words, or telling yourself that everything is going to be all right. It has to be your predominant mental attitude. It is not enough to think positively for a few moments, and then letting fears and lack of belief enter your mind. Some effort and inner work are necessary.

Are you willing to make a real inner change?
Are you willing to change the way you think?
Are you willing to develop a mental power that can positively affect you, your environment and the people around you?

Here are a few actions and tips to help you develop the power of positive thinking:

• Always use only positive words while thinking and while talking. Use words such as, 'I can', 'I am able', 'it is possible', 'it can be done', etc.
• Allow into your awareness only feelings of happiness, strength and success.
• Try to disregard and ignore negative thoughts. Refuse to think such thoughts, and substitute them with constructive happy thoughts.
• In your conversation use words that evoke feelings and mental images of strength, happiness and success.
• Before starting with any plan or action, visualize clearly in your mind its successful outcome. If you visualize with concentration and faith, you will be amazed at the results.
• Read at least one page of inspiring book every day.
• Watch movies that make you feel happy.
• Minimize the time you listen to the news and read the papers.
• Associate yourself with people who think positively.
• Always sit and walk with your back straight. This will strengthen your confidence and inner strength.
• Walk, swim or engage in some other physical activity. This helps to develop a more positive attitude.

Think positive and expect only favorable results and situations, even if your current circumstances are not as you wish them to be. In time, your mental attitude will affect your life and circumstances and change them accordingly.

Love your Life

source : googling

No Joke: Laughing Could Be Good for Your Health

Whenever I took a tumble or scraped my knee as a child, my mother typically assessed the situation and then promptly tickled me, counseling, “Laughter is the best medicine.” This trick remains remarkably effective with my own boys and, to this day, YouTube videos of laughing babies or cats playing with printers still have the power to make me feel a bit better when I’m under the weather.

But while giggling is certainly a great distraction when you’re hurt or feeling low, I can’t help but wonder whether the old adage is true: Can laughter really have a positive impact on health?

There is a growing body of research indicating that a good guffaw may improve immune function, help lower blood pressure, boost mood and reduce stress and depression. And despite a dearth of more rigorous, long-term studies, the sum of these findings is compelling, said cardiologist Michael Miller, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who has researched the topic.

“We don’t have any clinical outcome evidence to show that laughter will reduce heart attacks or improve overall survival. However, we do have a number of studies that have shown that there is a potential upside, in terms of vascular benefits and also overall health,” he explains. “These findings certainly support laughter as a reasonable prescription for heart health and health in general, especially since there’s really no downside.”

A new study from Oxford University supports a long-held theory that laughter triggers an increase in endorphins, the brain chemicals that can help you feel good, distract you from pain and maybe deliver other health benefits.

The study reports on six experiments in which people watched television sitcoms or a live comedy performance, either alone or with others. The participants were then subjected to various measures that prompt discomfort, including wearing an ice-cold sleeve or a tight blood-pressure cuff and squatting against a wall for long periods. In all cases, laughing with buddies for just 15 minutes resulted in an average 10 percent increase in pain threshold. A change in affect alone — in other words, getting happy but not laughing out loud — did not have a significant impact on pain sensations.

According to lead author Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary anthropologist, these results back up prior research suggesting that people who laugh need less pain medication after surgery.

She explains that if laughing “triggers endorphin activation, then it may have direct [health] benefits, because there is a possibility that endorphins help to ‘tune’ the immune system.”

Still, we’re not just talking about a snicker here and there. The key is that real, true, unforced laughter is “an energetic, stressful activity that stirs up all of our physiological systems … involving strong vocalization, an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and muscle contractions all over the body,” says Robert R. Provine, a neuroscientist at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the author of “Laughter: A Scientific Investigation.”

He explained that modern laughter of the “ha ha” variety evolved from the “pant pant” of primates and early humans, which he says is “really the sound of rough-and-tumble play.” Indeed, the new Oxford study found that endorphins are released only when “we ‘laugh till it hurts,’?” meaning we end up running out of breath or physically exhausted, Dunbar says. “It is only full belly laughs that do this, not polite titters.”

But before you work up a new stand-up routine, Provine points out that laughter often has little to do with jokes. “Real laughter is unconscious — you don’t decide to laugh, it just happens — and if you look at what people are doing before or during a laugh, it’s usually not associated with jokes,” he said.

Dunbar said the most important benefit of laughter may be that it brings people together, which is clearly good for emotional health. “When you laugh, you’re almost always in the presence of another person, whether they’re physically present or imagined on radio or TV,” agrees Provine, who has shown that laughter in social settings is 30 times as common as when a person is alone.

He said that those studying the effects of laughter need to tease out “to what extent any health benefits of laughter are associated with the social context of laughter.” People are far more likely to giggle when others do (which explains laugh tracks on television sitcoms), he said. “It could be that it’s the playful interaction with friends, family and lovers that makes the difference [in health measures], and not the physical act of laughter itself.”

For now, I intend to keep using the tickle cure on my kids — and I no longer feel guilty about watching those YouTube videos of babies guffawing. In fact, I will no longer feel guilty about inflicting them on others, either. Because who can’t use a few more laughs in her life, regardless of how or why or even if they make you healthier? 


Love Your Life
source : googling

10 Steps to Keep Your Brain

1. The Alliance for Aging Research, a nonprofit organization, recommends following these 10 steps to keep your brain and your body in shape.
2. Eat a Brain-Healthy Diet. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids (commonly found in fish), protein, antioxidants, fruits and vegetables, and vitamin B; low in trans fats; and with the recommended levels of carbohydrates optimize brain health.
3. Stay Mentally Active. Learning new skills or languages, working on crossword puzzles, taking classes and learning how to dance all challenge and maintain cognitive function.
4. Exercise and Keep Fit. Exercising increases circulation, improves coordination and helps prevent conditions such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes, which increase the risk of developing dementia.
5. Stay Social. Socializing with friends, volunteering, traveling and doing favorite leisure activities with others keeps the mind active and reduces stress, which can harm brain health.
6. Get Plenty of Sleep. Lack of sleep undermines brain health.
7. Manage Stress. Stress hormones may actually damage—or even kill—brain cells, resulting in loss of the ability to remember and to learn. Relieve daily stress by doing a practice such as yoga or by spending time with friends and family.
8. Protect Your Head. Studies show that the more severe the head injury, the higher the risk of developing dementia. Wear protective headgear and seat belts to prevent head injury.
9. Control Other Health Conditions. Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, eating a well- balanced and nutritious diet and controlling stress can reduce the risk of diseases that affect the brain (e.g., diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure).
10. Avoid Unhealthy Habits. Smoking, heavy drinking and recreational drug use may increase the risk of dementia and cognitive decline.
11. Consider Your Genes. If your family history indicates a higher risk of loss of mental functions, it’s even more important to be proactive about maintaining your brain health. 

Love Your Life
source : googling

The Benefits of Love

It doesn't just put a sparkle in your eye—love can fight disease, boost immunity, and lower stress

Who doesn't love being in love? A true Valentine listens to you vent about work, lets you have that last slice of pizza, and (usually) remembers to take out the trash. He doesn't expect you to watch the Super Bowl. And he always thinks you're sexy, even in thermal underwear and bunny slippers.

Scientists have long been keen to prove that love gives us health benefits, too—beyond the obvious advantage of always having a date for New Year's Eve. Researchers can't say for sure that romance trumps an affectionate family or warm friendships when it comes to wellness. But they are homing in on how sex, kinship, and caring all seem to make us stronger, with health gains that range from faster healing to living longer.

The benefits of love are explicit and measurable:

• Protects your heart A University of Pittsburgh study found that women in good marriages have a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those in high-stress relationships.

• Leads to a longer life The National Longitudinal Mortality Study, which has been tracking more than a million subjects since 1979, shows that married people live longer. Plus, they have fewer heart attacks and lower cancer rates, and even get pneumonia less frequently than singles.

• Helps beat cancer University of Iowa researchers found that ovarian cancer patients with a strong sense of connection to others and satisfying relationships had more vigorous "natural killer" cell activity at the site of the tumor than those who didn't have those social ties. (These desirable white blood cells kill cancerous cells as part of the body's immune system.)  

Some experts think it won't be long before doctors prescribe steamy sex, romantic getaways, and caring communication in addition to low-cholesterol diets and plenty of rest. If that sounds like a happy Rx, here are ways to make the emerging evidence translate into real-life advice.


Love Your Life
source : googling