How does human body eliminate dead cells?

The human body is a complicated system which operates much like a self-contained city. Some organs produce new cells, others use cells to perform their jobs, and eventually certain scavenger cells arrive to remove dead cells from the system. In the case of the human body, these scavengers are specialized white blood cells called macrophages. Macrophages remove dead cells essentially by eating them, which helps to explain why the word macrophage means "big eater" in Greek.

When external skin cells die, there are a number of mechanical and chemical methods used to slough them off. Exfoliants and scrub brushes are often employed to remove dead cells and encourage new cell turnover. But dead cells within the human body are not so easily removed. They go through a much more complicated elimination process, which is not always as efficient or thorough as one might hope.

Living cells become dead cells through two different processes. Many body cells are programmed to die at a prescribed time, through a process called apoptosis. Red blood cells, for example, are programmed to die after 120 days of service. Other cells, such as white blood cells, may be programmed to die an apoptotic death after only a few days. These dead cells may continue to flow through the body's bloodstream or collect in various organs, but they are clearly no longer contributing to the system.

The other process for creating dead cells is called necrosis. Necrotic cell death usually occurs after a trauma or infection or other shock to the system. When cells become necrotic, they may be removed through surgery or other medical intervention, but often they enter the bloodstream in the same way as apoptic cells. The body cannot function well with an overabundance of dead cells, so macrophages take on the mission of breaking down the excess.

A macrophage cell can literally detect dead cells through smell, much like a scavenger bird detects dead animals. Whenever dead cells reach the part of the bloodstream patrolled by a macrophage, the macrophages surround them and convert them into easily removed components. At the same time, the macrophage covers the dead cells with a substance known as an antigen. This action tags the cells for further attack from other types of cells in the body's immune system. Ideally, the macrophages and killer T-cells should render both dead cells and foreign invaders harmless enough to re-enter the bloodstream for elimination.

When macrophages become overwhelmed, however, they may allow some dead cells to pass through unprocessed. The DNA from those cells may trigger an inflammatory reaction as the dead cells combine with other substances. This process is the basis for many autoimmune diseases such as Crohn's disease or lupus. Bolstering the body's macrophages is often a course of treatment recommended for autoimmune diseases and even some forms of cancer.

Once the macrophages and other immune system components have essentially digested the body's dead cells, the cells make their way through the bloodstream and eventually into the digestive system for final disposition. This means that the solid waste we call fecal matter is largely composed of dead cells sloughed off by the various organs and processed for elimination by macrophages.

Importance of Saying "NO" - Time Management!!

Whether it's in the workplace or the more intimate (close) setting of family relationships, perhaps one of the greatest challenges today is developing the ability to say 'NO' for the right reason, at the right moment and in the right way. There are many reasons why we tend to say 'YES' when we know we should say 'NO'. These include the fear of annoying someone (loss of approval), looking incapable (loss of face), avoiding an argument or confrontation (loss of temper) or even feeling guilty at not being there for someone (loss of relationship).

When it comes to saying NO, time is not the real issue, it is self-esteem / self-respect. If they are intact they will govern both what you say so and how you say it. Saying NO reactively out of fear or resentment will only generate the same reaction in return. However an assertive and affirmative NO once made is never defended, explained or justified.

Don't Panic!!

The right aid in a medical emergency can save precious minutes and speed up recovery.

Health emergencies don't give warnings before they strike. While calling in for the ambulance and consulting your doctor are the obvious things to do, every moment before the treatment begins counts. The right aid can lessen the damage and increase chances of a speedy recovery. Here are the most common health emergencies and how you can deal with them.

Heart attack

Warning signs

• Most heart attacks are characterised by pain at the centre of the chest. The pain can be increasingly excruciating.
• There can also be pain in the neck, shoulders, back and surrounding area.
• Perspiration.
• Sudden weakness.
• Shortness of breath.
• Dryness of mouth due to fall in blood pressure.

First Aid

• Do not allow the person to stand up or walk.
• Loosen the clothing and get them to lie down. Reassure the patient as you call medical help. Reassurance goes a long way.
• Don’t ignore the symptoms thinking they will go away.
• Even if the pain is mild, do not to run, climb stairs or indulge in any such strenuous activity as it will cause further damage.
• If the person has suffered heart attack before, he/she is likely to have medication (nitrates) handy. These are to be administered by keeping them under the tongue. Nitrates cause dilation of arteries and help relieve pain.
• Do not feed the person anything except the medication.

High Blood Pressure

Warning signs

• Severe headache
• Giddiness
• Restlessness
• Sweating
• Stiffening of body
• Sudden weakness
• Nose bleeds

First Aid

• Take deep breaths and practice meditation.
• Generally, high blood pressure is triggered from a stressful situation. Move away from it as soon as possible.
• Nose bleeds are the body’s way of relieving in-built pressure. Put ice cold water in the nose and on the person’s head to stop it.
• Give the victim fruit juices (with no salt). These are high in potassium which will help bring the pressure down, albeit to a small extent.

Low Blood Pressure

Warning signs

• Sudden weakness
• Giddiness
• Blurred vision
• Unconsciousness
• Feeling faint
• Dryness of mouth and tongue.

First Aid

• Make the person lie down. Unconsciousness is the body’s way of combating the situation. When you lie on the ground, the gravity acting on your body is comparatively less.
• Do not make the person get up suddenly; the BP will plummet further.
• Give the patient plain electrolyte solution or a nimbu-pani with salt.

Asthma

Warning signs

• Rapid breathing
• Difficulty in exhaling
• Audible sound from the lungs when breathing
• Difficulty in talking
• A sweaty face

First Aid

• Ensure the person is immediately removed from the trigger. It can be pollens, perfume, dust etc.
• Calm the person and make him/her sit comfortably.
• Make them inhale steam. This moistens the wind pipe and provides relief. Do not add any menthol or balm to the waterl; it will worsen the condition.
• If an inhaler is handy, assist him/her to use the same.

Hypoglycaemia (Low sugar)

Warning signs

• Weakness
• Feeling overly exhausted
• Feeling irritable and angry
• Sweating and palpitation (especially in case of diabetics. In non-diabetics, the symptoms often construed as mere mood swings).

First Aid

• Eat raw sugar, rasgullas, chocolates, or even glucose biscuits.
• Refrain from alcohol and soft drinks until you get your glucose level tested as these dehydrate the body and might worsen the condition.
• Follow a diet rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Fits

There are as many as 10 different types of fits known. The classic fits, as understood, have the following signs:

• Body spasms
• Jerking limbs
• Rolling up of eyes
• Bladder and bowel incontinence

First Aid

• It is important to protect the person from injury. Make him/her lie down on the flat surface, away from sharp objects.
• Loosen the clothing.
• Do not try to restrain the person thinking the fits will stop. The spasms will stop eventually.
• Do not feed them anything — not even water — until the fits have completely subsided. The food/drink might slip into the windpipe and cause him/her to choke.
• After the fits subside, feed the person glucose syrup or any high-energy liquid, as fits drain out energy

Cancer Prevention Update!!

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (TRY THE KEY WORD) AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNHOPKINS HOSPITAL (IN USA ) IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body.These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON :

a. Sugar , is a cancer-feeder.

By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like Nutrasweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. ( THE WEST MADE US 2 CHANGE FROM SEA 2 WHITE IODISED SALT )

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus ..

By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment .

A meat-based diet is acidic Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful,especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment .

About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day.. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine .

Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties . Water- best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor ssence,Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins,minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.

Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind,body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.

Anger, un forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment . Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

PLEASE READ ON

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkinshas recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at WalterReedArmyMedic alCenter as well. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer.

Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at CastleHospitalwas on a TV program to explain this health hazard.

He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat.

He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as CorningWare, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.

You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, CorningWare, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

Rocket Fuel for your Brain!!

Do you find yourself forgetting where you left your car keys… or just feel like your brain is in a fog sometimes?

Contrary to popular belief, forgetfulness is not just a normal part of growing older. As you age, your brain loses critical nutrients that it needs to fire on all cylinders.

If your mental spark plugs aren’t firing like they used to, don’t worry. I’ll show you how to get your brain’s engine back to running as smooth as a Rolls Royce. You just need to know what’s missing and how to get it.

Your brain uses chemicals called neurotransmitters to transmit messages in the brain. There are millions of these messages happening every second. Neurotransmitters are conductors of these messages, allowing them to fire from one part of your brain to another.

One important neurotransmitter is acetylcholine (ACh). Your body uses ACh to help regulate your heart, breathing, and sleep. Your body even uses it to control your muscles and keep you fired up for the bedroom.

Here’s the thing… your brain needs you to supply certain nutrients to make neurotransmitters.
But there’s a key nutrient it uses to make ACh that is probably missing from your diet. It’s called choline, and if you don’t get enough, you’re headed for trouble.

Choline is a necessary nutrient for overall brain health and functioning and it is important to avoid nutritional deficiencies to keep your brain sharp and healthy.1

When you don’t give the body enough choline, the brain is forced to get it from other parts of your brain. It starts eating itself alive to get what it needs for vital functions like heart and lung regulation.

I’ll show you ways to get the choline your brain needs in a second, but first let me introduce you to choline’s partner – DMAE.

DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol) works with choline to create ACh. In fact, it does such a good job, the FDA almost approved it as a drug. The only reason it didn’t happen is that the manufacturer didn’t want to pay the expenses to get it classified as one.

But it is the main ingredient in a commonly prescribed drug in Europe. Called Centrophenoxine, it has been shown to boost cognitive functions.2

Unlike Ritalin® and other brain substances, proper doses of DMAE are a safe and side-effect-free solution to support brain health and reduce age-related mental decline and mood/behavioral problems.3

To get the nutrition your brain needs to stay sharp and clear, you may need to combine food and supplementation. Here’s how to get your ACh cranking:

Choline – You need at least 425 mg a day as a woman, 550 mg if you’re a man. The richest food sources of choline are (in mg per 100 g of food):

Whole cooked eggs – 272. Make sure you get free-range eggs without antibiotics or hormones. They’ll help fuel your muscles as well as give you much-needed choline.

Raw egg yolks – 682. Go ahead and crack open a couple eggs into your protein shake. It’s only an urban legend that there’s danger in eating them raw.

Chicken liver – 290. Though some people get turned off by organ meats, they’re a potent source of high-powered nutrition. And it’s an old wives tale that they store toxins – they don’t.

Turkey liver – 220. Another great source of nutrition. Just like any liver, it also provides vitamin A, CoQ10 and iron.

Pork – 130. Just like beef, you want to eat organic, grass-fed animals only for the proper balance of fats and zero hormones and antibiotics.

If you’re older, you may need more – as much as 1500 mg a day. That may require supplementation. If you take a supplement, be sure it’s in the form of choline citrate. To try my brain-boosting formula that combines choline and DMAE, go here now.

DMAE – You need at least 35 mg of DMAE a day. Fish is a good food source, especially sardines and anchovies.

So stop starving your brain of these critical nutrients. They’re easy to replace and will help to promote a healthy mind into your golden years.

Grapefruits and Blood Clots!!

Eating too much grapefruit can increase the risk of blood clots from the contraceptive pill, it has been revealed.

Doctors described the unusual case of a woman who nearly lost a leg after undertaking.

Doctors writing in The Lancet medical journal described the unusual case of a woman who nearly lost a leg after trying a grapefruit diet.

The 42-year-old woman - who arrived at hospital complaining of shortness of breath, difficulty walking and light-headedness - underwent an ultrasound scan which revealed a deep vein thrombosis, or blood clot, extending from hip to calf.

The previous day she felt pain shooting down her left leg, which later turned purple. Three days earlier the woman, who was slightly overweight, had embarked on an aggressive diet which involved a 225 gram helping of grapefruit every morning.

Previously, she had only rarely eaten grapefruit.

Her condition was so bad she was in danger of losing her leg, said four doctors from Providence St Peter Hospital in Washington, US.

In the end she was successfully treated with a clot-dissolving drug and by widening a large vein in her hip.

The woman had a number of unlucky factors that increased her chances of suffering a blood clot, said the doctors. She had a narrowed vein with damaged inner walls, a genetic clotting mutation called Factor V Leiden, and in addition was taking the contraceptive Pill.

Oestrogen in the Pill slightly raises the risk of clotting - and it was this, combined with the effect of grapefruit, which appeared to have tipped the balance. The fruit's juice blocked a key enzyme that normally breaks down ethinylestradiol, the form of oestrogen in the contraceptive.

Regular grapefruit consumption would also have had an accumulative effect, making the hazard worse, said the doctors.

They wrote: "Our patient had a constellation of potential risk factors for venous thrombosis; a heightened hypercoagulable (clotting) state from increased ehtinylestradiol serum concentration due to her three days of grapefruit for breakfast may well have tipped the balance."

6 Medical Symptoms One Shouldn't ignore!!

That new symptom is troubling: the inexplicable swelling in your calf or the blood in your urine. Could it be serious or even life-threatening?

"Your body flashes signals -- symptoms and signs -- that warn you of potential problems," say Neil Shulman, MD, Jack Birge, MD, and Joon Ahn, MD. The three Georgia-based doctors are the authors of the recently revised book Your Body's Red Light Warning Signals.

Fortunately, many symptoms turn out not to be serious. For example, the majority of headaches stem from stress, eyestrain, lack of sleep, dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, and other mundane causes.

But a sudden, agonizing "thunderclap" headache -- the worst of your life -- could mean bleeding in the brain. Being able to recognize this serious symptom and calling 911 may save your life.

Here are six important flashing signals:

1. Paralysis of the arms or legs, tingling, numbness, confusion, dizziness, double vision, slurred speech, trouble finding words, or weakness, especially on one side of the face or body.

These are signs of stroke -- or a "brain attack" -- in which arteries that supply oxygen to the brain become blocked or rupture, causing brain tissue to die.

Symptoms depend on which area of the brain is involved. If a large blood vessel is blocked, a wide area may be affected, so a person may have paralysis on one side of the body and lose other functions, such as speech and understanding. If a smaller vessel is blocked, paralysis may remain limited to an arm or leg.

If you have symptoms, call hospital right away and get to an emergency room that offers clot-busting therapy for strokes due to blocked vessels. Such treatment, which dissolves clots in blocked vessels, needs to be given within the first three hours after symptoms begin, but newer treatments may work within a longer time frame, says Birge, who is medical director at the Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Ga.

Timing is urgent; fast treatment can potentially stop brain tissue death before permanent brain injury happens. "There is a time clock ticking as to when you might totally recover," Birge tells WebMD.

2. Chest pain or discomfort; pain in the arm, jaw, or neck; breaking out in a cold sweat; extreme weakness; nausea; vomiting; feeling faint; or being short of breath.

These are signs of heart attack. If you get some of these symptoms, nearest hospital immediately and go to the emergency room by ambulance. Shulman and Birge also recommend that patients chew one regular, full-strength aspirin (unless they're allergic to aspirin) to help prevent damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack.

Not everyone who has a heart attack feels chest pain or pressure or a sense of indigestion. Some people, especially women, the elderly, and people with diabetes, get "painless" heart attacks, the doctors say. Being aware of "painless" heart attack signs is crucial: a very weak feeling, sudden dizziness, a pounding heart, shortness of breath, heavy sweating, a feeling of impending doom, nausea, and vomiting.

Both doctors say that it's important to learn heart attack signs and understand them in context. "Everybody has jaw pain. You don't immediately run and say, 'I've got a heart attack,'" Shulman tells WebMD. He is an associate professor of internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. "But if you're also sweating and you have some of these other symptoms -- shortness of breath and so forth -- then that's going to tip you off that there's something much more serious happening."

3. Tenderness and pain in the back of your lower leg, chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood.

These are symptoms of a potentially dangerous blood clot in your leg, especially if they come after you've been sitting for a long time, such as on an airplane or during a long car trip. These signs can also surface if you've been bedridden after surgery.

"Anybody is susceptible, " Birge says. He adds that such blood clots are more common than most people and doctors realize.

Blood is more likely to pool in your legs when you're sitting or lying down for long periods of time, as opposed to standing and walking. If a blood clot forms in your leg as a result, your calf can feel swollen, painful, and tender to the touch; you should be evaluated. If you get sudden chest pain or shortness of breath, a piece of the blood clot may have broken off and traveled through the bloodstream to your lungs. This condition can be life-threatening, so get to an emergency room without delay.

4. Blood in the urine without accompanying pain.

Anytime you see blood in your urine, call your doctor promptly, even if you have no pain.

Kidney stones or a bladder or prostate infection are common causes of blood in the urine. But these problems are usually painful or uncomfortable, which sends people to the doctor promptly.
In contrast, when people see blood in their urine but feel no pain, some take a "wait and see" approach, especially if they just have one episode. "But you can't have this attitude," Shulman says. Lack of pain doesn't necessarily mean lack of seriousness.

Cancer of the kidney, ureter, bladder, or prostate can cause bleeding into the urinary tract; when these cancers are small enough to be curable, they may not cause pain. So don't dismiss this important sign because, according to Shulman and Birge, "blood in the urine may be the only clue for an early diagnosis."

5. Asthma symptoms that don't improve or get worse.

Asthma attacks are marked by wheezing or difficulty breathing. When an attack doesn't improve or worsens, a patient should get emergency care.

If an asthma attack is left untreated, it can lead to severe chest muscle fatigue and death, say Shulman and Birge. Some people with persistent asthma hesitate to go to the emergency room because they've gone so many times before, or they need someone to drive them because they're too short of breath. So instead of seeking care, "They try to hang in there," Birge says, even if they need higher doses of inhalants or have decreasing lung function measurements when using a device to measure how well they move air out of their lungs.

Because asthma makes breathing difficult, the muscles for breathing may tire and the volume of air exchanged by the lungs will decrease. As a result, a person's oxygen level drops while blood levels of carbon dioxide rise. As Birge and Shulman explain in their book, "A carbon dioxide buildup in the blood has a sedating effect on the brain, which may cause you to feel even drowsier. You may lose the motivation or energy to breathe."

"A person with asthma who seems to be relaxing more, who seems to not be struggling for breath anymore -- even though they've been at it for six or eight hours -- may actually be worse. It could be a sign of respiratory fatigue," Birge says. Eventually, the person could stop breathing.

"They're really in a big danger zone," Shulman adds. Patients believe they're getting better when they're actually getting worse, he says. "They become sedated and seem to be peaceful when actually, they're dying."

One of the most important considerations is how long an attack lasts, according to both doctors. "If you've been having labored respirations with the asthma not relenting after a period of several hours, even though you may be apparently doing OK, don't let it go any longer," Birge says. "Get on to the emergency room."

6. Depression and suicidal thoughts.
Few people would put up with crushing chest pain or extreme shortness of breath, but many endure depression, even though at its extreme it can be life-threatening.

"Depression can be a very, very serious problem because people can commit suicide," Shulman says. "Some people will not seek care when they are depressed because they think that they'll be perceived as being crazy or not strong or not manly, and they have to understand that there is a chemical imbalance going on in their brain. It is a disease just like any other disease."

Symptoms of depression include sadness, fatigue, apathy, anxiety, changes in sleep habits, and loss of appetite. Depression can be treated with medications and psychotherapy.

Speak Up When You Think Something Is Wrong
Doctors are human: They can miss important diagnoses, including heart attacks. A patient's awareness and vigilance can make a difference, Shulman says.
"My feeling is, as a doctor, I want a patient who's informed. I'd rather have a patient who's informed, who's helping me so I won't make a mistake," Shulman says. "And I can be honest and say, 'I'm human. Don't be intimated by me because I have a white coat on. Don't be intimidated by me because I'm using big words.'"
If patients can recognize potentially serious symptoms, they'll have more power when they go to the doctor or the emergency room, he adds. "You have enough to say, 'Well, have you ruled out this problem?'"

Courtsey: www.Webmd.com

Drink Water on Empty Stomach!!

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have provena its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningtitis, kidney and urine disea ses, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhoea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water

2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes

3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.

4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours

5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.

6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure main deseases:

1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days

2. Gastric - 10 days

3. Diabetes - 30 days

4. Constipation - 10 days

5. Cancer - 180 days

6. TB - 90 days

Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment for only 3 days. In the 1st week to be followed by daily treatment. This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

Secrets for a Flat Stomach!!

Developing a lean, flat stomach takes time and patience, especially when it comes to those last few kilograms in those hard to lose places. There is only one way to lose fat in the so-called 'stubborn areas,' and that is with the correct combination strength training (with a extra focus on mid-section), cardiovascular exercise (short, hard workouts), and stable blood sugar (keeps you from adding additional fat and makes it easier for the body to use body fat for fuel).

Spot Reduction is a Myth - The first thing you need to realize is that it is impossible to 'spot reduce' fat from one specific part of the body. Fat loss occurs systemically, meaning that you can't control where the fat comes from. When you burn fat for energy, you will draw it from all areas of the body, and the first place you tend to put it on will be the last place it comes off.

Cardio, cardio, cardio - Doing all the abs exercises in the world will do nothing if you have a layer of fat covering it. Doing strength training, or lifting weights, would help, but not as much as aerobic exercise. If you want to add some ab exercises in after the cardio, that's great, but be sure to work your whole torso, not just the upper abs — that includes the lower abs, lower back and the muscles that wrap around your sides.

For example, Walking, jogging, bicycling, elliptical exercise and stair climbing are all great fat burners. Most give up early in the workout. During the first 10 minutes of aerobic activity, glycogen (stored carbohydrates) is the primary fuel source. Because you don't burn significant amounts of fat until glycogen stores are depleted, the key to maximum fat loss is to work out aerobically for 30-60 minutes continuously per session.

Diet - Its best to stay away from fried food and too many sugary desserts. Abdominal fat loss is a 50% exercise, 50% nutrition combination. Regardless of how much you workout, if the number of calories you take in is greater than the amount you burn, you'll still put on abdominal fat.
Eat Small Meals Regularly - You should try and spread your calories out into five small meals a day instead of 2 or 3 big ones so that you don't overeat in one feeding.

Eat Small Meals Regularly - You should try and spread your calories out into five small meals a day instead of 2 or 3 big ones so that you don't overeat in one feeding.

Give it Time - If you want to have a flat stomach in 3 weeks, forget it. Losing fat takes time, and it's unhealthy to lose too much weight too fast. Gradual weight loss is healthier, and more likely to be sustained over time. Go for a lifestyle change, something you can live with for the rest of your life, or you will just yo-yo. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

10 Health Tips for Night Shifters!!

1.Drink tender coconut in the morning without fail.
2.Follow a healthy diet by adding more vegetables to your food
3.Never skip your lunch; but eat less
4.Never munch snacks at night to keep yourself awake.
5.Restrict yourself to minimum cups of tea or coffee
6.Never drink aerated drinks during breaks at night shift
7.Don't eat stomach full as it can make you feel sleepy
8.Get up from your chair and walk around every one or two hours.
9.Sleep at least for five hours a day.
10.Have regular health checkups to avoid problems due to hormonal changes

Typical Health Mistakes!!

Typal Health Mistakes

All of us make little health mistakes that cause damage to our bodies in the long run - simply because we are unaware we are doing something wrong. Here are some of the most common mistakes made by many of us.

Crossing our legs
Do you cross your legs at your knees when sitting? Although we may believe that this is the lady-like elegant way to sit, sitting this way cuts down circulation to your legs. If you don"t want varicose veins to mar the beauty of your legs and compromise your health, uncross your legs every time you realise you have one knee on top of the other. The best way to sit is to simply place both legs together on the floor, balancing your weight equally. If you feel like changing position, instead of crossing your legs, simply move both legs together to one side. As an alternative, you could also consider crossing your legs loosely at the ankles. This is a classically elegant way to sit, and is far better for your legs and your health than sitting with your legs crossed at your knees.

Not changing our toothbrush
How often do you change your toothbrush? Most of us wait until most of the bristles have either fallen off, or are in such bad shape that we"d be embarrassed to pull out our brush in public. However, since not many of us need to pull out our brush in public, we carry on with our frayed one until we lose it. Replace your toothbrush often. Damaged bristles can harm the enamel, and don"t massage your gums well. If you find brushing your teeth a pain like I do, but know you must do it, you might as well be doing it right. Imagine going through the annoyance of brushing your teeth twice a day only to find out that you"re damaging your enamel every time you clean your teeth. Also, use a brush with soft bristles unless your dentist has advised otherwise.

Eating out often
There are oils that are high in cholesterol, and oils that cause little harm and are better for your heart. However, no matter how light the oil is, it is never a good idea to eat too much of it. Avoid fried foods.Remember that in all probability your favourite Indian food restaurant throws a huge, HUGE chunk of butter in a tiny bowl of dal. Rita, who worked in the kitchen of a 5 star hotel, was shocked when she saw the cook chop a 500gm butter slab in half, and throw half into a Paneer Makhani dish. No wonder the customers left licking their fingers. And no wonder they felt so stuffed and heavy afterwards. Limit outdoor eating unless you know that you"re getting served light and healthy food.

Skipping breakfast
Never, ever skip breakfast. Remember, when you wake up in the morning it"s been around 10-12 hours since your last meal. Your body needs food now, more than at any other time. Eat a heavy breakfast. You will then be busy through the day, and the calories will get expended quickly. If you are trying to diet, eat a light dinner. Here are some more common health mistakes we make. Being informed and making a few changes can help make us feel a whole lot better.

High heels
High heels sure look great, but they're murder for your back. This however doesn't mean you should steer clear of stilettos. Wear them, but not when you know you will be walking around a lot. Wear them when going out for lunch or dinner - when the only walking you will be doing is to your car, to the table, and back. Avoid high heels when you are going somewhere on foot. If you are constantly tempted to wear your heels, take a good look at your flats. Is there something about them you dislike? Invest in a new pair of beautiful flats or shoes with a low heel. Buy something you love, that you will enjoy wearing. If possible, get a matching bag. You will then enjoy your flats as much as you do your heels.

Sleeping on a soft bed
You don't have to sleep on the floor be kind to your back, but do make sure you have a firm mattress. Although a mattress on springs is soft and lovely to sink into, it's bad for your back. If you already have an old bed with springs, you don't need to invest in a new one - simply get a thick wooden plank put over the springs, and place the mattress on the plank. Similarly, if your mattress is old and lumpy, throw it out and get a new one. Your neck and your back will thank you. The same rule applies to sofas. If you will be spending hours on a sofa, get a firm yet comfortable one. Sofas you completely sink into are not the best idea.

Pillows
No matter how comfortable sleeping with ten cushions is, have pity on your neck and resist. Sleep with one pillow, and make sure it is not too thick. If your pillow gets lumpy, discard it and go for a new one. Get a thin pillow if you sleep on your stomach, and something a little thicker if you sleep on your back, to give your neck adequate support

Not exercising
So all of us know we should exercise more, but many of us don't. This is a health mistake we consciously make! And why is that? Simply because we refuse to admit the damage we are causing to our bodies by not working out. A number of people only start working out once they've experienced a warning signal. Don't wait for a heart attack to strike before you decide to opt for a lifestyle change. Make the change now. You don't need to train for the marathon to be in top shape. Half an hour of brisk walking three to four times a week will make a world of difference to your health. You could then increase this to forty minutes, four times a week - and you're all set. If you haven't exercised for a week, you're making a mistake.

Healthy Habits!!

Habit 1: Drink more water.
Sure, I know about all the news reports that say it's possible to drink too much water.

Surprisingly, this same story is told just about every 4 years when news stations have no other "news" going on, and it always seems to stir up all sorts of awareness on the topic. The truth is, in all my years of guiding individuals on proper nutrition, I have yet to run into one person who had an H2O disorder.

A well-hydrated body has a much easier time at shedding unwanted body fat and preserving lean muscle mass. A healthy, active individual should be consuming .6 - .7ounces of water per pound of body weight.

Habit 2: Eat more fiber.
I'll say it again. People do not get nearly enough fiber in their diets. Work on trying to get anywhere from 25 - 30 grams of fiber per day into your eating plan. Fiber provides a plethora of benefits from increasing the thermic effect (calories burned from digestion) of a meal, to trapping and evacuating excess fats.

Habit 3: Eat every 3 hours.
Start splitting your larger meals up into smaller, more frequent bouts of eating. Spreading your calories throughout the day allows for an increase in metabolism and insures that none of the nutrients you are consuming go to waste.

This can be difficult for many people who maintain busy lifestyles, which is why I suggest picking one or two days a week to do all of your cooking. At that point, Tupperware containers become your new best friend.

Habit 4: Eat more fruits and vegetables.
And eat a large variety as well. The more colors you consume the better. They're packed with fat-burning fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

We all know that vegetables are gold, but when it comes to fruit, it sometimes gets a bad rep. I often get the question "but doesn't fruit have a lot of sugar in it?" Again, I have yet to meet the person who has a well-balanced diet who has found that fruit was the main reason they couldn't let go of the extra body fat.

Get over it. If you're obese fruit isn't the culprit. Take a long look at everything else you're eating, and I'm positive you'll find something a little more worthy to drop.

Habit 6: Choose organic and local foods when possible.
There is no doubt in my mind that we will start to see more and more studies come out showing the adverse effects of consuming over-processed food. It's only a matter of time.

Digestion is a delicate process, a process our bodies have spent hundreds of thousands of years perfecting. In just the past few decades we have started introducing extra hormones, antibiotics, and other impurities into our foods. Our bodies have filters that take care of these things, but let's not put them to the test.

Habit 7: Reduce the amount of sugars consumed.
At this point it should be a no-brainer. If anything good has come from the hundreds of diet books written this past decade, it's the awareness that controlling your blood sugar is crucial to achieving optimal health. The sweets do not have to be eliminated from your diet completely, but you should have them well under control.

Habit 8: Stop going to the super market hungry.
Real simple. If you're hungry, you'll buy what you want, not what you need.

Our bodies are still hard-wired for survival. Unfortunately when you stroll down the aisle at your local food supply your brain will target just about anything in your field of vision and deem it an acceptable choice of nourishment, regardless of its nutritional value.

Habit 9: Take regular stand up breaks at work.
Do it for your posture, do it for circulation, and do it for your own sanity. Our bodies were not designed to be in a seated position all day long.

You could prevent much of life's chronic pains if you would just take a moment to stand up and stretch your legs every 30 or 40 minutes. Set a timer on your desktop if you have to; just get it done.

Habit 10: Start using the stairs instead of the elevator.
Even park farther away from your destination so you have to walk a few extra steps in the day. Adding a tiny bit of extra footwork can add up at the end of the year. I know it's not exciting or drastic, but the difference can be a few extra pounds that you don't need hanging around your waist.

Habit 11: Balance your physical and sedentary activities.
I'm talking about what you do with your free time. Have you ever spent a couple of hours on the weekend watching TV, playing video games, or browsing the Internet looking at cat pictures?

Try to create some balance by doing an equal amount of leisure activities on your feet. Take a walk, shoot some hoops, and maybe take up a new physically active hobby. Who knows, you might find something new you really like.

Habit 12: Keep a health journal.
One of the most powerful ways to be successful with your health is to write it all down.

Keep track of your workouts and your nutrition. It can be very hard to figure out where you're going if you don't remember where you've been. You'll be giving yourself a point of reference so you can truly see if any of the changes you make are creating a difference. If they're not, then at least you know that and can change your plan of action and recalibrate.

A lot of times we get a little too ambitious when it comes to our New Year's resolutions and try to take on more than we can handle. This inevitably leads to failure. Start with the small habits and work your way up the fitness ladder for a more subtle and long-term experience.

Handling Depression!!

However, there are lots of people who have to face disappointments while handling certain things. These disappointments can easily lead to depression which is a tough thing to deal with. But, if you will keep few things in mind, you will become able to come out of the depression without much ado.

First of all, you must understand that depression is not just a feeling as it can hurt you mentally and physically. When you feel depressed, you body starts to release certain hormones. For instance, the level of cortisol gets increased in times of depression which can eventually affect neurotransmitter serotonin. This is something that can lead to clinical depression. So, you must never take things lightly as this can create a lot of problem if you will show carelessness.

In order to handle depression, you must try to go through the causes of depression. Although, it is difficult to find exact causes, but, there will surely be few things which will be triggering your depression. If you will become able to find those, it will become relatively easier for you to handle depression.

However, when someone will be under depression, he will never be able to think about the causes and that’s what complicates the whole situation. Here, it is the job of the friends and family members to heal a depressed person. One thing that can be done to help someone getting out of depression is to talk with him.

If you are having a friend suffering with depression, then you must get in touch with him. Try to talk with him over certain things. Here, you can always talk about his favorite topics as this will entice him to take part in conversation. But, you must keep in mind that you may have to face a harsh response from a depressed friend which should be understandable. You must always tell yourself that your help can really work wonders for your friend.

After getting out of this first phase, things will be a bit easier to handle. You must try to take him along with you for an outing. Once the other person will start to feel that the life is beautiful, then your job will be over. This will be the time when a person can take control over his emotions by changing his routines. Exercising, running and walking can really help in order to get back on track.

However, taking a sufficient amount of sleep is of utmost importance and that’s where all types of stimulants should be avoided.

As a whole, it can easily be deduced that if you want to get out of depression, then you will have to keep yourself busy. You can talk with other people, join a gym or take part in certain house chores. All these activities will keep you away from negative thoughts and you will become able to beat depression.

Spotting Medical Problems!!

Some medical symptoms are warnings that you need immediate care. Health, Body and Mind shows you how to recognise them

Courtsey:Jeanie Lerche Davis

Like red-light warnings on the dashboard, the human body sends out a flare when something's awry. Chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness - those are some familiar medical symptoms. But other problems can creep up on you, too - aches and pains, lumps and bumps. It's necessary to know when they are important and when they are not.

Neil Shulman, MD and a professor of internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, calls it a serious and likens to "terrorists inside our bodies." The symptoms are "killing way too many people. There's tremendous suffering and horrible death which could be avoided, but people don't know that something's wrong."

In fact, it happens all the time, a symptom is missed and it leads to a tragic ending. Or it's caught just in time, and a life is saved. Quite literally, it's that dramatic, Shulman tells.
Here are "five flags" - five medical symptoms - you should keep in mind:

1. If you have unexplained weight loss and/or loss of appetite , you may have a serious underlying medical illness.

"If you're on a diet, you're expecting this to happen. But if you're eating the same way - and now have to adjust your belt a few notches tighter - you could have a serious problem, so you should see a doctor." Shulman says.

2. Slurred speech, paralysis, weakness, tingling, burning pains, numbness, and confusion are signs of a stroke, and you should get to an appropriate emergency centre immediately. Early treatment may prevent permanent damage to the brain or even save your life.

3. Black, tarry stools may indicate a haemorrhage from an ulcer of the stomach or the small intestine. It is important to stop the bleeding and to rule out cancer as a cause.What you eat changes the colour of stools. But black, tarry stools mean there may be bleeding higher in the digestive tract, says Shulman. It could be a sign of a bleeding ulcer or cancer.

4. A headache accompanied by a stiff neck and fever is an indicator of a serious infection called meningitis. In fact, if you can't put your chin on your chest, that's a sign you may have bacterial meningitis, says Shulman. With bacterial meningitis, you need antibiotics immediately to kill the bacteria before it infects and scars the brain.

5. A sudden, agonizing headache, more severe than any you have felt before, could mean you are bleeding in the brain. Go to an emergency room immediately. A brain aneurysm is rare, but it can happen - even in people under 40. If you have a severe, crushing headache, you may have an aneurysm, which is a blood-filled pouch bulging out from a weak spot in the wall of a brain artery. If treated before it bursts, it could save your life.

Brain's Communication Infrastructure!!

Brain signal never switches off and also supports many cognitive functions. Researcher's look at one of the human brain's most fundamental "foundations" is an important step forward in understanding the functional architecture of the brain …

Courtsey: Kate Melville

Washington University School of Medicine researchers are taking the first direct look at one of the human brain's most fundamental "foundations": a brain signal that never switches off and may support many cognitive functions. Their findings, appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are an important step forward in understanding the functional architecture of the brain.

Washington University School of Medicine researchers are taking the first direct look at one of the human brain's most fundamental "foundations": a brain signal that never switches off and may support many cognitive functions. Their findings, appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are an important step forward in understanding the functional architecture of the brain.

In the past decade, however, scientists have realised that deeper structures underlie goal-oriented mental processes. These underlying brain processes continue to occur even when subjects aren't consciously using their brain to do anything, and the energies that the brain puts into them seem to be much greater than those used for goal-oriented tasks.

"The brain consumes a tremendous amount of the body's energy resources -- it's only two percent of body weight, but it uses about 20 percent of the energy we take in," says Raichle. "When we started to ask where all those resources were being spent, we found that the goal-oriented tasks we had studied previously only accounted for a tiny portion of that energy budget. The rest appears to go into activities and processes that maintain a state of readiness in the brain."

To explore this deeper level of the brain's functional architecture, Raichle and others have been using fMRI to conduct detailed analyses of brain activity in subjects asked to do nothing. However, a nagging question has dogged those and other fMRI studies: Scientists assumed that increased blood flow to a part of the brain indicates that part has contributed to a mental task, but they wanted more direct evidence linking increased blood flow to stepped-up activity in brain cells.

In the new study, the researchers took fMRI scans of five patients with intractable epilepsy. The scans, during which the subjects did nothing, were taken prior to the temporary installation of grids of electrodes on the surfaces of the patients' brains. The level of detail provided by the grids is essential clinically for pinpointing the source of the seizures for possible surgical removal, a last resort employed only when other treatments failed.

The results confirmed that the fMRI data she had gathered earlier reflected changes in brain cell activity exhibited in the gamma frequency signal. But she also noticed the persistent low-frequency signal, which also corresponded to the fMRI data. "When we looked back in the literature, we found that a similar signal had been the subject of a great deal of animal research using implanted electrodes in the 1960s through the 1980s," she says. "There were suggestions, for example, that when this low-frequency signal, which fluctuates persistently, is in a low trough, the brain may handle mental tasks more effectively."

"What we've shown provides a bridge between the fMRI work many scientists are doing now and the earlier work involving electrical recordings from the brain that emphasised slow activity," says he. "Bringing those two fields together may give us some very interesting insights into the brain's organisation and function."

22 Reasons Why You Should be a Vegeterian!!

Stacks of studies confirm that a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and grains is your best bet for living a longer, healthier and more enjoyable life. There are literally hundreds of great reasons to switch to a plant-based diet; here are 22 of the best:

1.You'll live a lot longer.
Vegetarians live about seven years longer, and vegans (who eat no animal products) about 15 years longer than meat eaters, according to a study from Loma Linda University. These findings are backed up by the China Health Project (the largest population study on diet and health to date), which found that Chinese people who eat the least amount of fat and animal products have the lowest risks of cancer, heart attack and other chronic degenerative diseases.

2.You'll save your heart.
Cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer in the United States, and the standard American diet (SAD) that's laden with saturated fat and cholesterol from meat and dairy is largely to blame. Plus, produce contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. Incidentally, cholesterol levels for vegetarians are 14 percent lower than meat eaters.

3.You can put more money in your mutual fund.
Replacing meat, chicken and fish with vegetables and fruits is estimated to cut food bills.

4.You'll reduce your risk of cancer.
Studies done at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg suggest that this is because vegetarians' immune systems are more effective in killing off tumour cells than meat eaters'. Studies have also found a plant based diet helps protect against prostate, colon and skin cancers.

5.You'll add color to your plate.
Meat, chicken and fish tend to come in boring shades of brown and beige, but fruits and vegetables come in all colours of the rainbow. Disease fighting phytochemicals are responsible for giving produce their rich, varied hues. So cooking by colour is a good way to ensure you re eating a variety of naturally occurring substances that boost immunity and prevent a range of illnesses.

6.You'll fit into your old jeans.
On average, vegetarians are slimmer than meat eaters, and when we diet, we keep the weight off up to seven years longer. That's because diets that are higher in vegetable proteins are much lower in fat and calories than the SAD. Vegetarians are also less likely to fall victim to weight-related disorders like heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

7.You'll give your body a spring cleaning.
Giving up meat helps purge the body of toxins (pesticides, environmental pollutants, preservatives) that overload our systems and cause illness. When people begin formal detoxification programs, their first step is to replace meats and dairy products with fruits and vegetables and juices.

8.You'll make a strong political statement.
It's a wonderful thing to be able to finish a delicious meal, knowing that no beings have suffered to make it..

9.Your meals will taste delicious.
Vegetables are endlessly interesting to cook and a joy to eat. It's an ever-changing parade of flavours and colors and textures and tastes.

10.You'll help reduce waste and air pollution.
Livestock farms creates phenomenal amounts of waste. The tons of manure, a substance that's rated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a top pollutants. And that's not even counting the methane gas released by goats, pigs and poultry (which contributes to the greenhouse effect); the ammonia gases from urine; poison gases that emanate from manure lagoons; toxic chemicals from pesticides; and exhaust from farm equipment used to raise feed for animals.

11.Your bones will last longer.
The average bone loss for a vegetarian woman at age 65 is 18 percent; for non-vegetarian women, it's double that. Researchers attribute this to the consumption of excess protein. Excess protein interferes with the absorption and retention of calcium and actually prompts the body to excrete calcium, laying the ground for the brittle bone disease osteoporosis. Animal proteins, including milk, make the blood acidic, and to balance that condition, the body pulls calcium from bones. So rather than rely on milk for calcium, vegetarians turn to dark green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and legumes, which, calorie for calorie, are superior sources.

12.You'll help reduce famine.
It takes 15 pounds of feed to get one pound of meat. But if the grain were given directly to people, there'd be enough food to feed the entire planet. In addition, using land for animal agriculture is inefficient in terms of maximizing food production. According to the journal Soil and Water, one acre of land could produce 50,000 pounds of tomatoes, 40,000 pounds of potatoes, 30,000 pounds of carrots or just 250 pounds of beef.

13.You'll avoid toxic chemicals.
The EPA estimates that nearly 95 per cent of pesticide residue in our diet comes from meat, fish and dairy products. Fish, in particular, contain carcinogens (PCBs, DDT) and heavy metals (mercury, arsenic; lead, cadmium) that cannot be removed through cooking or freezing. Meat and dairy products are also laced with steroids and hormones.

14.You'll protect yourself from foodborne illnesses.
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest in the US, which has stringent food standards, 25 per cent of all chicken sold in the United States carries salmonella bacteria and, the CDC estimates, 70 percent to 90 percent of chickens contain the bacteria campy-lobacter (some strains of which are antibiotic-resistant t), approximately 5 percent of cows carry the lethal strain of E. coli O157:H7 (which causes virulent diseases and death), and 30 percent of pigs slaughtered each year for food are infected with toxoplasmosis (caused by parasites).

15.You may get rid of your back problems.
Back pain appears to begin, not in the back, but in the arteries. The degeneration of discs, for instance, which leads to nerves being pinched, starts with the arteries leading to the back. Eating a plant-based diet keeps these arteries clear of cholesterol- causing blockages to help maintain a healthy back.

16.You'll be more 'regular.'
Eating a lot of vegetables necessarily means consuming fiber, which pushes waste out of the body. Meat contains no fibre. Studies done at Harvard and Brigham Women's Hospital found that people who ate a high-fiber diet had a 42 percent lower risk of diverticulitis. People who eat lower on the food chain also tend to have fewer incidences of constipation, hemorrhoids and spastic colon.

17.You'll cool those hot flashes.
Plants, grains and legumes contain phytoestrogens that are believed to balance fluctuating hormones, so vegetarian women tend to go through menopause with fewer complaints of sleep problems, hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, weight gain, depression and a diminished sex drive.

18.You'll help to bring down the national debt.
We spend large amounts annually to treat the heart disease, cancer, obesity, and food poisoning that are byproducts of a diet heavy on animal products.

19.You'll preserve our fish population.
Because of our voracious appetite for fish, 39 per cent of the oceans' fish species are overharvested, and the Food & Agriculture Organization reports that 11 of 15 of the world's major fishing grounds have become depleted.

20.You'll help protect the purity of water.
It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of mutton, but just 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat. Not only is this wasteful, but it contributes to rampant water pollution.

21.You'll provide a great role model for your kids.
If you set a good example and feed your children good food, chances are they'll live a longer and healthier life. You're also providing a market for vegetarian products and making it more likely that they'll be available for the children.

22.Going vegetarian is easy!
Vegetarian cooking has never been so simple. We live in a country that has been vegetarian by default. Our traditional dishes are loaded with the goodness of vegetarian food. Switching over it very simple indeed.