Tag Archive | "Health"

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The Art Of Yoga And It’s Amazing Health Benefits


Yoga does not seem to command the same form of respect from modern day society as it once did in the past. Globalization seems to have a devastating impact on this ancient concept. To make it easy for the common man to understand, the whole philosophy has been reduced to a simple concept.

Western civilization may find its contents to be mystical and complex, thus finds it hard to understand. To be on the safe side, it is good to gain a thorough understanding of a particular subject before you begin to speak of it from an expert’s viewpoint. Yoga is mainly perceived as a physical activity in the western part of the world. The rich philosophies behind yoga practice have been reduced into a simple form of art that focuses merely on achieving inner balance and peace.

It has its origins in the Hindu religion and is a physical manifestation representing one of the six schools of Hindu thought. In India, yoga is considered a very spiritual experience that has a physical aspect to it. Viewing yoga as a physical activity is definitely a mistake. Most westerners are aware of the strange symbols associated with yoga practice, but often they are misunderstood.

Operating from the wrong paradigm, yoga became a form of sports in the western world. Nevertheless many have been attracted to yoga as a form of practice to achieve inner peace and balance. The allure of yoga as an effective way to gain inner peace and balance has beckoned many to embrace this activity as well.

Almost all who proclaim themselves as yoga masters perpetrate these claims and the masses are undoubtedly fascinated. Fatal errors have been detected in the practice of yoga outside of India, showing the level of misunderstanding among the western practitioners. Closer observation reveals that the unique culture of each race has dramatically influenced the way yoga is practiced.

The busy western lifestyles certainly do not provide much space to contemplate on this philosophy. While meditation is an integral part of the practice, the westerners with their ever busy lifestyles certainly do not posses time for such luxuries. The Hindus have a different set of value system that is very different from the west, and places low importance in the mere accumulation of physical wealth. Unless these values are changed, it is impossible for westerners to achieve the true wisdom and enlightenment as defined by the parameters of the Hindu religion.

It takes patience and time to experience a successful meditative session. This is what the westerners lack. The west seems cursed with the obsession to pursue the goal of building better lives in the form of lavish lifestyles and not in the philosophical way.

Yoga has been accepted as a fashion It is easy to practice yoga anywhere you want. There are plenty of materials for you to select from that are promoting this activity as a form of sports. Even fake gurus have support from their adoring disciples. These followers have become the pillars supporting the growth of this false and wrong philosophy.

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Type I Diabetes: No U Turn


20.8 million people suffer from diabetes in the United States. There are three kinds of diabetes, Type I, Type II and Gestational diabetes. Of the three, Type I affects 175.600 people, that’s .22%, according to the American Diabetes Association. What exactly causes the disease is still unclear. We do know that there are certain factors that can influence whether a person develops the disease.

Two 24 hour insulin types which are long acting are- ultralente insulin which prolongs the entry of insulin into the blood for four to six hours and remains active for 28 hours and ultra-long-acting glargine which is injected once a day. Its activity begins in just over an hour and is sustained at a relatively constant rate for 24 hours, without any peaks.

Unlike Type II, Type I diabetes is irreversible. Once diagnosed, Type I carries severe consequences if not cared for properly. Type I diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin anymore. Whether it’s because the pancreas is damaged or the cells that produce insulin have been destroyed, the metabolic processes that occur in healthy individuals aren’t working anymore. It is at this point that the pancreas needs outside help to function. Insulin is the only alternative. Warning signs that you may be in pre-diabetic stages include excessive thirst, excessive hunger, rapid Weight Loss, fatigue, irritability and mood swings. If you think you may be at risk, your doctor can perform tests to determine your blood sugar level and pancreas function.

When the sugar level in your blood is too high, you have diabetes. In Type I diabetes, the level of sugar is not only high, it is out of control. The reason being the body has stopped production of the required quantity of insulin. As a result, type I diabetes patient needs two to five insulin shots per day, to keep the blood sugar levels under control.

Rapid Weight Loss

There are more than 20 different kinds of insulin. They are either manufactured in a lab or derived from animals.

Irritability and mood changes

But, what were those warnings? You suddenly lost weight and then you thought that you were evolving into a fit personality. You used bathroom a lot, your hunger almost seized you and you were happy about it. When you became very thirsty, you thought that drinking lots of water is good for health. A nature cure fad had advised you about it. You had blurred vision, you got your eyes tested and you bought a glass and sunglass too. You felt tired but you thought that all hard and sincere workers get tired-not once a thought streaked into your mind, that you must have a check up! And you now have a life-long companion, Diabetes Type I.

Once acquired, Type I is life altering. There are many complications that can accompany diabetes if not cared for properly. These can include kidney disease, heart disease, skin and eye complications. Difficulty healing can occur.

In extreme cases, kidney, pancreas or islet cell transplants are needed.

Prevention is the best line of defense against developing diabetes. Education helps an individual learn the warning signs, before permanent damage to the pancreas takes place. Unfortunately, many people have the tendency to overlook symptoms. They contribute them to some other minor problem. For example, fatigue is brushed off as a result of working too late. It should be known, however, that life with Type I diabetes is manageable. Advances in medicine paired with information about living healthy gives diabetics a huge advantage over this disease. Ultimately it is left to the person to make healthy choices for his or her future.

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Pre-Teen Obesity: An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth 100 Pound Cure


Whether you live on the west coast or the east coast, the silent killer called obesity is aggressively moving through our communities. More than likely, if you are not directly affected, the chances are that you have friends or family members who are loosing control of their weight.

For some people, this is tied to genetics - there are several genetic triggers that, when we lived hand to mouth as a species, were survival traits. Being able to store fat in prosperous times was an insurance of survival in the winter. Also in that calculus lies the fact that we have, as a population, become more sedentary as technology has progressed.

This becomes even clearer when we witness the growing problem of children with obesity. Nutrition counselors agree that for every 3 to 5 pounds a child is over their normal weight level before they reach puberty, that child will become on average 15 to 30 pounds before they reach the age of thirty. To add to this, Type II diabetes is now become one of the fastest growing diseases among teens.

At the ages of 12 - 16 is when most young girls and boys are self conscious about their bodies. Even “normal looking” kids get teased. If we allow our children to continue down a slippery slope toward obesity, we are setting them up for a very difficult childhood. Parents must be told that healthy eating habits and not Slimfast diet shakes or Medifast meals are the key to Weight Loss and a nutritious lifestyle.

Fortunately, this can be prevented. And it can be prevented easily and early on, and the solution is surprisingly retro:

Remember when you were a kid? You know, before video games like the Nintendo Wii. You actually had friends who played outside with you. You had energy and used it.

After a long day of playing, you were met with a cool glass of milk, water or juice. A sugary cake or pie were a nice end to a full day of activity and not what’s now become the new breakfast of champions.

Contrary to the popular belief, it is possible to Training children to eat healthy foods. Caffeine laced drinks are a prime example. Researchers have uncovered an alarming link between drinking diet sodas and consuming high fat luncheon meets with cases of certain brain cancers. If you gain nothing else from this article, at least follow this one tip, please, do not allow your kids to drink soft drinks. Remember, water first before any juices or milks.

As for snacks, limit their intake of high sugar and high fattening foods and increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables. This may not be as hard as you think. Consider this, if you kids are not of driving age and do not have a job, the only reason they are eating the way they are is because you as the parent purchase the unhealthy food in your kitchen. Trust me, if you don’t buy it, they will immediately decrease their over consumption. Oh yeah, they’ll complain however it is up to you to be the parent.

Staying physically active is an absolute necessity. Children are usually mirror images of their parents. If you as a parent live a sedentary life, the chances of your child duplicating your example are very high. If you have little league teams in your town, encourage your children to participate. Not all kids are athletic but all kids need to be active. In addition, set aside at least one day in the week where the entire family is physically active together. It could be a walk in the park or playing tag in the backyard.

Start early with your children. Sit down with them and honestly and directly explain why living a healthy lifestyle is important. If you are reading this today, you are the future of your family. An always remember, nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels.

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Benefits of Alternative Health Treatments


More and more people are turning to alternate therapies today. Whereas, integrated therapies combine mainstream medical treatments with complementary or alternative therapies, for which some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and efficacy now exists. The alternative therapies are known to provide certain types of services that aren’t available within conventional medicine. Alternative therapies that you could try would be naturopathy, massages, homeopathy, diets, faith healing, music therapy, folk medicine and the like. It is the belief that these therapies will have some curative effect on the disease that leads to the use of therapies over conventional medicine.

Alternative health therapies can help you feel better and improve your quality of life and improve your general health to give you a sense of control. Reducing and eliminating tension, stress, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness, causes the person to feel a sense of well-being and relaxation. The intensity of some of the side effects of traditional cancer treatment can be made more bearable, other symptoms like breathlessness, diarrhea, lack of appetite, constipation, pain and feeling sick that are greatly reduced.

A combination of alternative health therapies and conventional medicine has been noticed to be very effective in alleviating pain, even when there is a serious condition. Some cancer support groups for example, offer these therapies for free or make a small charge and some hospitals and hospices provide as part of cancer care, alongside conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Many cancer patients currently use alternate therapy to manage and sustain themselves through the difficult cancer treatments. These therapies are very valuable in that they identify and support spiritual and emotional characteristics and physical features, but they should not be used as the only alternative line of treatment.

Annually it has been seen that Americans spend about billion on health products for alternative therapy like herbs and vitamins. Recent research in the year 2005 have revealed that on an average seventy two million Americans have switched over to alternative therapies. According to another study in 2005, it is observed that more than billion has been spent on therapies annually.

It is very essential to find out which alternative treatment is required by your particular type of problem, how comfortable are you with it and how effective will it be. Individual therapies have been proven to improve the quality of life for many people with Motor Neuron Disease (MND), these can include: acupuncture, aromatherapy, homeopathy, hypnotherapy, massage, meditation, reiki and reflexology. It is always a good idea to consult your physician before considering any of the alternative therapies available, and it is important to double check that any additional treatment undertaken will not adversely affect any current treatment program you are on.

In the event, that you make the decision to integrate some of the alternative health therapies into your specific treatment plan, you are going to need to discuss all of your choices very openly, regularly and honestly with your physician and others that are part of your health care team. Find out where the treatment is available, at your clinic or hospital or then though the doctors own practice. Today doctors are more and more convinced that alternative therapy does have a place in the overall healing of a patient. This gives them the ability to maybe recommend alternative therapy practitioners. Most find that this type of therapy gives them back some control of their lives and lessens the anxiety and it also helps them cope with side effects of conventional treatment.

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