Obesity Can Double The Risk of Cancers!!

According to a recent report published in the Lancet medical journal, obesity can cause the risk of several cancers like those of the bowel, kidney, and breast to almost double up. Risk of numerous blood cancers such as adult leukemia, multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma also increases with increase in body fat.

Andrew Renehan, a cancer specialist at the University of Manchester led the study. Renehan made his analysis after looking into the results of about 282,000 men and women, of what happened to people whose body mass index (BMI) increased from the normal range (18 to 25) to overweight ( more than 25) or from overweight to obese (above 30).

The study also showed that gender too plays a very important role between obesity and certain cancers. For eg, for men, the risk of thyroid cancer rose by a third, while colon and kidney cancers rose by almost 24 percent. When women gained more than necessary weight, their risk gall of bladder cancer rose by almost 59 percent, while 34 percent was the increase in the kidney cancer rate.

Obesity has become a world-wide phenomenon now days; the reasons are multiple some of them include more fast food, less exercise and unhealthy eating habits.

The mantra for staying lean and cancer-free is really simple, all you need to do is to eat sensibly and exercise regularly. Follow it, for not only will you look good, you will stay disease-free too.

Smoking kills almost a million in India per year!!

“Smoking is harmful to Health” - This is a statutory warning printed on all cigarette packets. Yet the question arises as to how many people pay heed to this warning. Statistics will reveal a very small number. Majority knowingly jump in the fire or continue to smoke, risking even the lives of those around them, due to passive smoking.

A recent research has revealed that smoking kills almost a million people in India per year. More so the high smoking risk among Indians was a surprise when actually Indians start smoking at a later age and even smoke less than their European and American counterparts.

Also smoking results in most Indians dying from Tuberculosis rather than cancer as Indians prefer Beedis, that are traditionally leaf wrapped and hand rolled rather than manufactured brand filters. And since most of them never quit till death, the risk just doubles.

The study also revealed that almost 120 million people smoke in India, majority being men. Due to smoking most men in India get infected with asymptomatic tuberculosis - that is, smoking damages the lungs to such an extent that the latent infection cannot be sustained, eventually leading to death.

Illiteracy is one of the evil causes of smoking, for half of the Indian smokers are illiterate and barely 2% quit smoking in their lives. For the other half literate people who continue to smoke in spite of being aware of the dangers involved, the Indian health authorities are rooting for tobacco companies to print images of diseases that are tobacco related. But politicians want to save their vote banks in the name of protecting jobs of tobacco workers.

The research which was recently published was based on a study of the smoking history of 74,000 Indian who had recently died and 78,000 Indians living.

Well research or no research, smoking is injurious to health - is a known fact. And yet people continue to...smoke!

Courtsey:Rueters

Fatty Liver!!

Fatty liver is the accumulation of fat in the cells of the liver. About one in 10 Australians are affected by this condition.

....Fatty liver disease is often caused by an excessive alcohol intake, but it is increasingly being found in people who do not drink to excess but who are obese or have diabetes.
....Fatty liver disease can also occur, although far less commonly, with malnutrition, certain medicines and occasionally as a complication of pregnancy.

The major factor in the development of non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease is insulin resistance, a condition usually associated with obesity.

Normally, the hormone insulin tells the body's cells to take up glucose (a type of sugar) from the bloodstream to use as fuel. In insulin resistance, however, the cells don't respond properly to insulin. They cannot take up sufficient glucose and are therefore deprived of fuel. The blood does not have much glucose removed from it by the cells, so blood glucose levels rise.

Doctors have not yet discovered exactly how insulin resistance causes fat to be deposited within liver cells. However, it is clear that fatty liver disease is not necessarily caused by eating too much fat.

Diagnosis
Fatty liver disease usually does not cause any symptoms. Occasionally, people with the condition will complain of feeling tired or generally unwell, but this varies between individuals, and the degree of symptoms does not usually equate to the severity of the disease.

Often fatty liver disease is diagnosed after finding an abnormality incidentally on blood tests or an abdominal ultrasound. Alternatively, your doctor may detect an enlarged liver while examining your abdomen.

A biopsy of your liver is the only test that can definitively diagnose fatty liver disease, but this is not always necessary, as other tests can be sufficiently suggestive to warrant treatment.

Outlook
Originally, fatty liver disease was thought to be a harmless condition, but it is now known that it has the potential to progress to more serious liver conditions, such as cirrhosis.

Treatment
There is no proven cure for fatty liver disease, but active lifestyle changes can significantly improve the condition and perhaps even reverse it. These changes include:

....Avoiding alcohol and medicines that may affect your liver, such as steroids.
....Losing weight. This is not easy for many people with fatty liver disease, so having a well-designed management plan designed by a doctor or dietitian can be beneficial. Gradual weight loss is the key, as sudden, severe weight loss can actually make the condition worse.
....Exercising. Even if this does not result in weight loss, it is worthwhile as it can reduce the amount of fat around your abdominal organs.
....Controlling your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes.

Treating high cholesterol.

There are a number of medicines that have been suggested for the treatment of fatty liver disease, although research into these is continuing. These are sometimes prescribed by doctors in particular cases.

By focusing on reversible factors associated with fatty liver disease, it may be possible to prevent progression of the disease.

Courtsey:http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=4132

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Cramps-Home Remedies!!

Cramps can be defined as an unpleasant and painful sensation of the muscles. They are normally caused by overexertion of the muscles, causing them to contract and shorten painfully.

Cramps can also be triggered by the cold weather. Other causes of cramps could be food poisoning or illness.

If you suffer from cramps all of a sudden, there are the home remedies that can give you relief readily available from your kitchen counter.

Home Remedies For Cramps

Home Remedies for Cramps with Hot beverage:
If you get the cramps, try to sit and relax for a while.
Then drink some hot water with ginger in it. You can also take a hot cup of tea or coffee if you find water with ginger not pleasant to your taste buds.

Treat Cramps with Pickle Juice:
Cramps can be very painful. To counter the pain, ask somebody to get you the pickle jar from the fridge. Drain its juice and drink it. You should drink at least a cup of pickle juice for the cramps to disappear fast.

Natural Treatments for Cramps with Hot compress:
If these juices and beverages are nowhere in sight for some reason, just get the heating pad and put it on the affected part.
You can also use a hot compress or any water bottle filled with very hot water. Place it exactly on the painful area and just leave it there until the pain subsides.

Natural Remedies for Cramps with Peppermint candies or lollipops:
You might look like a child asking for some treats with these home remedies for cramps. But they really work so give it a try. Find yourself some lollipops and peppermint from the candy jar. Finish it up and your cramps should go right after.

Remedies for Cramps with Massage:

• No other remedy would be best for cramps other than a good massage.
• However, you have to remember this rule of thumb when massaging muscles to relieve cramps: rub the muscles that are the exact opposite of the affected area. For example, if the cramped muscle is the lower thigh, massage the upper thigh muscle to achieve the desired results.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

The 6 Big Sleep Busters!!

At some point or another, it happens to everyone: You can't sleep. When you finally drop off, the alarm buzzes a microsecond later. Then you can't get up. And then it gets worse: When you finally drag yourself out of bed, you look like youknowhat.

Can't imagine why the sleep gods had it in for you? Think about what you ate the night before, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of The Food & Mood Cookbook. Any of the following--much less a combo platter--can leave your body on uneasy street for hours.

1. Spicy Foods Garlic, chilies, cayenne, and other intense spices are yummy going down but can keep you up with heartburn or indigestion. Avoid MSG too, as it can trigger dreams that are a bit too vivid.

2. A Big Dinner An overtaxed digestive system takes hours to settle down and there's nothing restful about that. When sleep's critical, make lunch your largest meal and enjoy a light 500-calorie dinner early in the evening.

3. Raucous Veggies Eat those good-for-you-but-gassy foods--beans, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts--in the middle of the day. A tankful of gas can keep anyone up at night.

4. Speed Eating Relax and enjoy meals to avoid swallowing air, another common cause of midnight tummy trouble.

5. Nightcaps Alcohol may make you drowsy at first but later on it disturbs sleep patterns and leads to awakenings and restlessness. A 4-ounce glass of wine with dinner won't hurt, as long as it's not within two hours of bedtime.

6. Coffee after breakfast Caffeine can linger in your body for as long as 12 hours. So if you're often wide-eyed at bedtime, make sure you're caffeine-clean for at least 12 hours. (Skip tea, chocolate, cola, or other caffeine culprits too.) Still watching the clock at 2 a.m.? Wean yourself off even morning java, then stay caffeine-free for two weeks. If you definitely sleep better, you have your answer: Caffeine is not your friend. If the results are mixed, "Try adding back a cup or two of coffee or tea in the morning and watch what happens," says Somer. "But if sleeplessness comes back, cut it out."

Getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night doesn't just make your eyes bright, your skin happy, and your mind sharp, it can also make your RealAge as much as 3 years younger.

Diabetics, say no caffeine!!

Diabetics who drink tea and coffee every day are increasing their blood sugar levels and undermining efforts to bring their condition under control, scicentists have discovered.

Researchers in the US say that although there are no gudielines warning patients with diabtetes against consuming caffeine, that may have to change.

The study, conducted by Dr.James Lane from Duke Univesity Medical Center, in Durham, North Caroina, is the first to track the impact of caffeine consumption as patients go about their normal lives.

Researchers monitored 10 regular coffee drinkers with established type 2 diabetes who were managing their disease through diet and exercise but with no extra insulin.

The patients were fitted with a tiny monitor which continously tracked their glucose levels over a 72-hour period. Each took capsules equal to four cups of coffee on one day, and identical capsules containing a placecbo on another.

All were free to eat whatevevr they liked. Researchers found that when the participants cconsumed caffeine, their average daily sugar levels went up eight percent.

Caffeine also exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals, increasing by nine percent after breakfast, 15 percent after lunch and 26 percent after dinner.

The findings, which appear in the February issue of Diabetes care, add more weight to a growing body of research which suggests eliminating caffeine from the diet might be a good way to manage blood sugar levels.

Dr.Lane said: "Coffee is such a common drink in our society that we forget that it contains a very powerful drug - Caffeine. Our study suggests that one way to lower blood sugar is to simply quit drinking coffee, or any other caffeinated beverages."

It futher studies corrborate the results, Dr.Lane says there would be a case for doctors to instruct patients with diabetes to banish caffeine from their diets altogether.

Black-berry (Kalajam)

Botanically it is known as Polianthes tuberosa. It is a large tree 20 to 60 ft. high or sometimes more. The leaves are elliptical, usually 6 to 12 inches long. The fruits are black containing juicy, fleshy rind and are delicious and nutritious too. It is one-seeded fruit and the seed is usually a large one. The tree is extensively cultivated all over India for its fruits.

Black-berries are available only during summer months. The fruit juice is valuable in summer time as it subsides bile (pitta). It presents sun-stroke, heat­stroke and keeps the body cool. It has special qualities to stop vomiting and travel sickness.

Medicinal uses of black-berry :
The bark, fruits and seeds of the tree are medicinal. The bark is very astringent and is given in sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, ulcers and dysentery; it is also used for purifying blood. The fresh juice of the bark with goat's milk is given in diarrhoea. The seeds are very useful diabetes. The fruit juice cures burning sensation of hands and feet. It subsides excessive heat in the body.

Benefit and uses of Black-berry.
Black raspberries' ability to slow the growth of certain cancers. Extracts of raspberries and blackberries may slow or reverse the growth of breast, cervical, colon, oral and esophageal cancers.
60–80 % reduction in colon tumors in rats fed a diet with black raspberries added.
Phenolic compounds such as ellagic acid, gallic acid and rutin contribute to the health benefits of black raspberries.
A cordial from the juice of the blackberry has been used in the past as a stimulate for the body and heart, and is helpful in overcoming an illness.
Blackberries have been used through the ages for a variety of medicina purposes, from diarrhea to a general restorative.