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Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Infrared Saunas

Monday, December 17th, 2007 by Louise

What do you know about infrared saunas? Far Infrared Saunas is an extremely informative site on the benefits of the use of infrared saunas.Infrared Saunas

You can’t possibly deny that infrared saunas have some extreme benefits. Most people know that saunas can be relaxing. The heat can decrease muscle cramps and pulls. Utilizing infrared saunas has even been shown to remove cardiovascular problems with hypertension. The effect from the heat can increase the blood flow and activity of your heart.

Infrared saunas can be a great solution to weight loss! In just a 30 minute session infrared saunas can burn 400-600 calories. (Thirty minute of jogging might only burn half as much.) In fact, the use of these saunas commonly results in weight loss. These types of saunas systems have temperatures around 100-120 degrees Fahrenheit, not 170-200 like traditional saunas. You can lose the sweat without feeling like a turkey roasting in an oven. Infrared saunas can even break down that annoying cellulite.

If you’re curious about the technology that goes into Far Infrared Saunas, the site conveniently provides a page titled “Overview of Infrared Saunas Technology“. This page, among the dozens provided by the site, is extremely enlightening. Everything you could possibly need to know about infrared saunas is easily found at Far Infrared Saunas.

Portal4Health

Sunday, November 11th, 2007 by Bea

Dealing with health problems can be stressful, but using the help that Portal4Health supplies on portal4.jpgtheir website can reduce some of that pressure. Portal4Health is a family health portal that provides quality information about health related topics such as Mental Health, Exercise & Fitness, Health Insurance, Weight loss, and more. The site features websites related to health issues, a health and fitness blog that also comments on the latest health news, information about medical discoveries, and will soon be offering a forum so you can share your experiences on health related issues. Also, if you wanted to see your site on Portal4Health, you could submit your website to the company and they would review it.

Portal4Health is a website that will allow you to find out anything that you wanted to know about health. Each category has its own set off links associated with it and its own group of articles as well. Everything is informative and useful. Besides the main categories on the site, the Health and Fitness blog is a very useful tool. The blog is where authors write about the newest updates in health, people sponsor or recommend certain companies or treatments, and more. The blogs are constantly being updated, so everything is up to date–the articles on the site are as well. The articles featured on the site are about anything health related; from health insurance overviews to why some researchers believe that Vitamin C could reduce some of the complications associated with diabetes.

Not only can you learn about health topics at Portal4Health, but they even have an online health store in which you can find great deals on a wide range of useful products.

Body Active Online

Thursday, July 26th, 2007 by Michele

With summer and beach weather here, are you ready to be seen in your bathing suit? Perhaps your pecs or abs need a little help. Body Active Online has just what you need. Body Active Online

If you are looking to increase your muscle mass, you need to do more than work out. An excellent option is to use whey protein supplements. At this Website, there are a variety of brands, flavors, and packaging sizes from which you can choose.

Maybe you want to gain some weight to improve your physique. Body Active Online has a variety of weight gain supplements that you can purchase. These supplements can be used as a meal replacement or an after workout shake.

Body Active Online is your source for all in one muscle building supplements. Used by many for weight gain or during the speed and strength phase of training, these supplements have what you need for your body building regimen.

When you are ready to have the best physique possible, check out Body Active Online.

Portal 4 Health

Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 by Michele

When you have a medical concern you want a Website that you can turn to for information. Portal 4 Health is the place to go. portal4health

This Website has a tremendous amount of resources available. First, it is a directory of health Websites. You can find sites on nutrition, women’s health, and exercise, among many others. All of the listings in this health directory have a health basis, so it makes searching for the exact site easy.

Portal 4 Health also has a blog of medical issues. Topics covered in this blog range from medical discoveries to health news to exercise tips. Find recent news of medical importance here.

Looking for a topic that isn’t in the blog or for advice from others? A forum for visitors is to be added soon. In this forum you will be able to post questions about health concerns or share ideas with other visitors.

Let Portal 4 Health be your one stop for all of your health information.

Breast Cancer Prevention

Sunday, June 3rd, 2007 by Della Davis

Some of the risk factors correlated to breast cancer have been well defined and are within our control to minimize. The basis for protecting yourself from breast cancer is to keep estrogen at a normal level in the body. One way to do this is to maintain a normal weight, or lose weight if you are overweight. Fatty tissue produces estrogen even after menopause.

Decrease dietary fats, sugars and processed food. Decrease or eliminate alcohol from your diet. Try to eat a high fiber diet, consisting of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetable and bean or organic soy protein. Again, these are to keep the estrogen level low.

Exercise also decreases estrogen. Women who have a regular workout routine not only feel better, but lower their risk factor for malignant breast tumors.

Avoid chemicals that are potential carcinogens. Most petroleum-based chemicals used today are estrogen analogs, which are suspected to cause breast cancer. Do not use pesticides, herbicides, and bug sprays or flea bombs. If possible buy organic produce because it is more nutritious, and organic foods will not have pesticides on them. The pesticides do not wash off with water, and again are suspected to play a role in raising the estrogen level.

Breast Cancer New Treatments

Saturday, May 12th, 2007 by Bill Tusan

Breast cancer chemotherapy is known as a therapy of brutalizing proportions. Highly toxic drugs are still given in high doses through chemotherapy but there is a difference. Fat coated droplets are released. These droplets must be heated to 102 degrees before the toxins can be released. The breast is gently warmed until the cell killing compounds are released only in the breast. This brutalizing treatment actually becomes relatively pleasant.

Each year there are 215,000 cases and 40,000 deaths, but slowly, incrementally, new approaches for combating this cancer in a more humane way are being developed. One of the most important advances is gene profiling. Gene profiling determines what treatments will be effective based on the particular female patient’s genetic profile.

Genomic Health Inc. of Redwood City can assess 21 key genes in a tumor-tissue sample. A score is then developed from zero to 100. To determine the effectiveness of the drug taxmoxifen a score is given to that particular woman with a high score being a determent that taxmoxifen will not do the job alone. The cost is $3,400 which is high but not as high as the costs of chemotherapy.

Taxmoxifen has been the most successful drug to combat breast cancer but is not effective after five years of treatment. Disease free survival can now be extended by three aromatise inhibitors named Femara, Aromasin and Armidex. These are only effective in post menopausal women.

The one weapon with the most promise is one that will literally vaporize the tumor without surgery. Pilot studies are being done at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and Victoria General Hospital in British Columbia. Instead of surgically removing the cancerous breast tumors they are shot with radio frequency waves. This is useful for only small tumors in older women. Inserted in the breast is a radio probe that is guided to the tumor site by ultrasound. The power radio frequency waves are turned on and it literally shrivels and kills these small tumors.

Anti-Aging Foods

Saturday, March 18th, 2006 by Bill Tusan

Foods that stop oxidation and preserve brain function are anti-aging foods that one needs.

Heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, fatigue, and cataracts can be prevented or lessened with certain foods.

The antioxidant anthocyanin which is thought to be important for preserving brain function is found in blueberries, pomegranates ,and cranberries.

Consumption of vitamin E makes one less likely to develop Alzheimer’s . Wheat germ can be used as a topping and is loaded with vitamin E.

A diet rich in assorted fruits and vegetables also helps prevent the development of Alzheimer’s.

Fatigue and headaches may be attributed to iron deficiency. Meat, fish, and poultry contain the form of iron that’s the most easily absorbed in the body.

One can ward off stress and increase the amount of iron absorbed in a meal by eating kiwi fruits, strawberries, oranges, and tangerines. Tangerines and other citrus fruits are also an important protector against cataracts.

Heart disease risk can be cut almost in half with folate and B6. which is currently found in fortified cereals.

Several large studies have shown a 30 to 50% lower risk of sudden cardiac death and cardiovascular disease associated with eating nuts several times a week.

Erratic heart rhythms and prevention of blood clots can be accomplished by eating salmon.

A high intake of monosaturated fats such as found in avocados lowers heart disease risk.

It’s true that carrots to protect ones night vision with its high amount of vitamin A.

There is also a great deal of study about acne treatments with B5 vitamins.

Macular degeneration may be delayed in those that consume a glass of red wine every day.

In conclusion vegetables, fruits and nuts have properties that stop oxidation and preserve brain function

Wrinkles

Saturday, March 18th, 2006 by Bill Tusan

As we grow older, we start to lose calcium and bone and under the skin are fat pads which lessen. Two protein strands elastin and collagen are produced at lesser quantity. Those wrinkles come about because without enough of these two proteins the skin is not as smooth and elastic as it once was and therefore sags.

A product named AHA causes stimulation of mucin, which is a substance that fills in between collagen fibers. Over the counter creams with AHA help remove the outer layer of skin which has become dried and has damaged cells.

Botox when injected prevents the muscles from moving and therefore wrinkles are stopped. Wrinkles disappear for about four months. Not enough studies have been done to determine the long term effects of this treatment.

90% of all skin changes associated with ageing are really the result of sun exposure. Smokers are five times more likely to have wrinkles. Smoking reduces the blood supply and oxygen to the skin and it may affect collagen and elastin. Fast weight loss will be very noticeable as sagging skin in the face. Exercise works because it relieves stress and increases blood supply. Moisturizers will keep the skin from dehydrating although they will not lessen wrinkles.

Food Portions

Friday, February 17th, 2006 by Bill Tusan

It is an obvious principle that any successful weight loss (a good natural weight loss blog) requires less calories in than one is taking in now. However, portions have exploded since the 70’s. Supersized servings of french fries and sodas are often two to five times larger than when they were introduced.

In order to downsize your portions one must know the portion sizes of today and realize the difference in portion sizes when they were introduced.

The Burger King hamburger in 1954 went from 2.8 oz and 202 calories to 4.3 oz. and 310 calories today. Macdonald’s french fries went from 2.4 oz and 210 calories to a current size of 7 oz and 610 calories. Hersheys milk chocolate bar went from 2 oz and 297 calories in 1900 to 7 oz and 1,000 calories today. At 2,000 calories a day as an average of what one should consume only two Hershey chocolate bars will make one fulfill his 2,000 calorie requirement. Coca Cola went from 6.5 fluid oz and 79 calories in 1916 to 16 fluid oz and 194 calories today. That movie popcorn in the 1950’s was 3 cups and 174 calories and is now seven times as much at 21 cups (buttered) 1,700 calories.

Typically if one ate ½ of the current portions they would be near the calories of the products in the above paragraph when those products were first introduced.

At our home meals we also do not adhere to proper portions. The portions sizes that follows are based on recommendations from the American Dietetic Association and Weight Watchers International.

Fruit should be the size of a deep champagne glass. Cheese should be the size of a domino. How many of us have steak the size of a deck of playing cards or a burrito the size of Dove or pasta the size of a computer mouse or a potato the size of a light bulb and butter the size of one of a pair of dice?

Quite simply by keeping portion sizes in mind when eating fast food and at home in meals is the simple and successful way to bring in less calories than one presently takes in. It may not sell a new diet book but quite simply less calories in than the overweight person takes in means lower weight.

Pilates

Monday, November 28th, 2005 by Paula Fernandez

Often compared to yoga due to its use of unusual body positions, Pilates is an innovative non-impact conditioning program, promoting a sense of physical and mental well-being. The method was originally developed during World War I by Joseph Pilates to help disabled patients regain strength and movement. Pilates is known to build strength without bulk, creating a sleek, toned body. Although originally popular in the United States amongst dancers, Pilates classes, videos, and books have grown exponentially since the 1990s, with stars such as Jennifer Anniston and Jennifer Lopez championing the technique.

Pilates is known especially for toning the abdomen, sides, and back, but it is a full-body conditioning program, with approximately 500 exercises in the collection. The emphasis is on controlled breathing, concentration, muscle tension, flexibility, and proper pelvic and spinal alignment. The original exercises, called “mat work,” are designed to be performed on a mat or on the floor. Joseph Pilates also developed various exercise equipment to complement the mat work, and the original style of this equipment is still used today. This machinery aims to challenge and support the body by incorporating spring tension, straps to hold the feet or hands, and supports for the back, neck, and shoulders. The most popular Pilates apparatus today is known as the Universal Reformer. The Reformer resembles a bed frame and contains a sliding carriage and adjustable springs used to regulate tension and resistance. Cables, bars, straps, and pulleys allow for a wide variety of exercises.

Pilates can be performed by someone at any level of fitness. Exercises are done slowly and carefully so that the movements are smooth and flowing, thus requiring deep concentration and muscle control, which leads to muscle building. It is recommended that individuals wishing to embark upon a Pilates training program begin with a certified instructor. During the initial meeting, an instructor will analyze the client’s movement, posture, and overall fitness and then design an individualized training program. The training programs usually begin with mat work and stretching. These exercises warm up the muscles in preparation for the machine work. Once the basics are mastered, from either one-on-one lessons or in a class, it is possible to train at home using videos.

Benefits of Pilates include:

# Increased flexibility
# Improved posture, breathing and circulation
# Solid balance
# Graceful movement
# Slimmer body
# Alleviated back and muscle pain