Mood changes reflect 'growing pains' of changing your life

One topic that I think is important to cover when talking about stopping tobacco use is mood. Most people find mood changes occur frequently when first quitting and sometimes even severely enough to cause problems.

In fact, many remark that when they quit they "just don't feel like themselves." Some people believe that they become a "mean person" when they quit, or that their whole personality is altered. In many cases, this is symptomatic of the change process itself.

Before you ever started using tobacco, it felt "normal" not to smoke. Once you started to smoke on a regular basis, you began to identify with being a smoker. Over time, you got used to the behaviors and attitudes that surround it — both your own and those of the world around you.

After using tobacco for an extended period of time, it may now feel like it is a part of who you are. So it is not uncommon when quitting to not "feel like yourself" for a while. But with time you will gradually begin to feel "normal" again as a non-smoker.

Changes in mood can be a symptom of withdrawal. These symptoms may include irritability, anxiousness, frustration, nervousness, anger and depression. Some of these symptoms can be offset by proper use of medications to help you quit.

However, there is still the emotional attachment to the cigarette that needs to be acknowledged and addressed. You may experience feelings of fear, resentment, anger, and even grief from the loss. These are normal responses to making a change of this magnitude, to giving up that "old friend."

I want to emphasize that these mood fluctuations are temporary and are a result of your changing life. They are not personality characteristics or in any way a permanent condition. It is important to be aware of the potential for these ups and downs and realize that they are transitional — this is just a part of the "growing pains" of change.

It is also important to prepare ways to manage this emotional ebb and flow when interacting with others. One approach is to let people know in advance that you are quitting and how they can support you. It can also help to structure time alone during the first phase of quitting or plan to be away from typical stressors that could exacerbate a bad mood. Getting a few days or weeks of quitting "under your belt" before taking on tasks or situations you know could negatively impact your temper can be effective in avoiding relapse.

What are some of the feelings you have when quitting or even just thinking about giving up tobacco? When you've gone through other challenging periods in your life, how have you managed the mood changes? How do you get "re-centered" and put yourself into a better frame of mind when you are riding an emotional roller coaster? If this is something you haven't developed yet, consider seeking help in finding effective strategies to manage your mood during tough times. Think about ways that you can apply new strategies or helpful skills from the past to quitting smoking now.

Here is some tips to help you stop smoking [click here]

I'm Stuck in a Yo-Yo Nightmare! What Can I Do?

I'm sick of struggling to lose weight – and then gaining it right back and starting all over again. How do I lose weight permanently?

First of all, learn to find JOY in the process of becoming and staying healthy. While nothing in this life is truly perfect or permanent, there is a way to manage and maintain your weight. That’s what you want to aim for, a stable and healthy weight.

How? BALANCE! Aim to eat only as many calories as you use up in living. Learn to eat just the right amount of food (moderation is the key), from all six food groups every day. Learn and practice being physically active every day. In other words: eat for nourishment, mainly, and get your pleasure from life in all of its vast variety.

This is all accomplished slowly, over time, with HELP! Help from others who have done it, who care about you and will cheer you on, and most importantly, divine help from God (or whatever you call your Higher Power).

Blood test can gauge prostate cancer risk

Thanks to Genomic research, a simple blood test can be used to determine a man's relative risk of developing prostate cancer. That's because blood work can detect five genetic variants that, according to an international study, are independently associated with the disease, but that, when combined, have a strong cumulative effect of risk.

Compared to having none of these genetic variants, researchers write in the New England Journal of Medicine, having four increases the risk of developing prostate cancer by 400 to 500 percent. Family history is added to the equation to make six risk factors. Having at least five of six factors increases the baseline risk by more than 900 percent.

"Our finding provides an opportunity to supplement the well-established risk factors (age, race, and family history) by looking at inherited variants," says seniors researcher Dr. Jianfeng Xu of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, in North Carolina. And being aware of the cumulative effect of these genetic variants, say Xu, "could substantially improve physicians' ability to assess risk and determine the need for more aggressive screening."

KNOW YOUR BODY:
The prostate is walnut-sized gland located just below the bladder in men. The prostate keeps urine and semen flowing in the proper direction, and produces a component of semen called prostatic fluid.

Avoid these calcium robbers

Aerated drinks have high phosphate content. Phosphate binds calcium in the bowel and reduces its absorption.

Salt may adverse effect on calcium metabolism in the body. This can lead to bone loss. When the amount of sodium in the body goes up, more calcium is excreted from body to maintain a sodium-calcium balance.

Cereals and pulses contain phytates, phosphorus compounds, which bind calcium and reduce its bioavailability. Though generally safe, if you think that your intake of cereals may lead to loss of bone health, ask your nutritionist or orthopedic to guide you.

Caffiene

Many people assume that decaffeinated coffee and tea is somehow healthier- and there have been suggested links between caffeine and heart palpitations and pancreatic cancer. But there's growing list of ways that it might actually be good for you.

Several studies have flagged coffee as combating or delaying the development of Parkinson's disease in men.

It's most likely the caffeine that's doing it, says Dr. Kieran Breen, director of research for the Parkinson's Disease Society in the UK; perhaps it stimulates nerve cells' production of dopamine to counteract the disease's symptoms, or it may actually be protecting the nerve cells.

Some studies have suggested the caffeine can help prevent gallstones, though there's no consensus yet. A Japanese study found that middle-aged and older people drinking cofee daily had half rate of common liver cancer.

Also, as a pick-me-up, caffeine doesn't just affect mood - there's evidence it can enhance the performance of athletes.

BUT WATCH OUT!
It has been suggested that caffeine is harmful to those with diabetes or hypertension, though doctors simply advice sufferers to drink it in moderation and the Blood Pressure Association in the UK says cutting out caffeine does not have a major impact on blood pressure.

Detox

What is a detoxification?
A cleansing and detoxification program is a series of steps taken in order to actively enchance the elimination of toxic wastes from your body that creating, or have the potential to create bothersome symptoms and disease. An exceptional cleansing and detoxification program that greatly improve your health, requires the ingestion of higher quality nutrient. These nutrients include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, protein, carbohydrates, fats and water. Quiet activities such as prayer, meditation or slow diaphragmatic breathing are equally as important a successful detoxification program.

Types of detox.
Skin Brushing:
It facilitates the skin cleansing by stimulating the lymphatic system which eliminate toxins through the skin. Lymphatic system is the part of the body responsible for cleansing soft tissue found just under the skin.

-Instructions:
*Use a long handled natural bristle brush, or a loofah sponge.
*Begin at the base of your teeth and brush in small circles from the legs towards the chest, palms of the hands towards to chest and then back forward the abdomen. Use light pressure. End with the scalp.
*Avoid the face, breast and other sensitive areas.
*Skin brushing can be done either in the morning or evening shower. It takes only 5-10 minutes.

-Benefits:
*The circular brushing promotes a clearer lymphatic pathway. It rejuvenates dull, lifeless skin and gives a healthy glow.

Aromatherapy:
*Combine in a bath with one cup of Epsom salts and 1 to 2 tablespoons of an essential oil, such as lemon, jojoba, rosemary or olive. These stimulating properties naturally draw toxins through the pores of the skin efficiently.
*Or, combine 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 tablespoon cornmeal and several drop almond oil with enough milk to form a paste. Then apply by hand to the entire body (not the face) with gentle and circular motions. Rinse and brush the skin using loofah or sponge. This help exfoliate the skin which indirectly increase respiration and removes toxins.

Balneotherapy:
This therapeutic bathing uses normal tap water, natural thermal or mineral water. A special built baths contain more than 200 individual jets aimed at various parts of the body. Aromatic essential oils, mineral salts or dried seaweed are added to the water enhance a more therapeutic affect.

-Benefits:
*Soothe sore muscles and calm mind
*Ease dry or oily, inflamed or itchy
*Help patients suffering from rheumatic condition or arthritis.
*Increase lymphatic drainage.
*Improved blood circulation
*Lowered blood pressure.
*Improved muscle tone
*Increase flexibility.
*Relief from emotional stresses and mental fatigue.
*Stimulate activity in the liver and kidneys.

Juices:
For your body's regenerative system to work, toxin must be flushed out and drinking eight glasses of a water a day won't do it alone. To purify your system, try fruit in the morning and vegetables juices in the afternoon along with your normal diet, And remember to stay away from salty food, sugar, alcohol and caffeine.

Go green:
Say no to snacks and head for food which are high in water content such as cucumber, celery, lettuce and kale. Avoid alcohol, excessive caffeine, red meat and dairy product and always remember to keep up your water intake. No more instant noodles or hamburgers, but it's best to stick to foods low in fat and high in nutrients.

-Try these:
*Grapefruits (increase metabolic stimulants)
*Grape (high in potassium-essential maintaining normal kidney function)
*Cantaloupes (High in digestive enzymes)
*Bananas and avocados (maintain blood sugar)

How it works : Sunburn

It's a little more complicated than a simple heat-and-char process. Immediately after sun exposure, you'll see some pink skin: that comes from dilation of the capillaries in reaction to ultraviolent B rays. "The actual burn you see later comes from series of chemical reactions," say Dr Mehmet C. Ox. Mast cell in the skin release chemicals like histamine and serotonin, triggering more chemical production and inflammation. Whitin 12 hours, skin cells begin to die, and inflammation turn the skin a darker red. UV radiation damages your DNA, setting you up for possible skin cancer and suppressing immunity. But your skin does try to fight back. As soon as you're exposed to UV radiation, cells called melanoctyes release melanin pigments that block UV ray- in the form of a tan that can reflect UV light. You;re heard it before, but it bears repeating. To prevent burns, use a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB ray, and reapply often

Know your back pain.

Ooouuucchhh!!! Back pain is like a bad dream: the longer it persist, the worse it get. So, first goal in pain management is to determine where you are on the pain cycle. And then to 'wake up' and stop the cycle as soon as possible.

1. Inactivity and stress
Being unfit and under stress sets the stage for back pain. Weak, stiff muscles can't bounce back when they're hit with stress: Instead they go into a spasm. Constant, unrelieved stress will take its toll somewhere in the body-usually your back

2. Muscle spasm
One day, 'for no reason at all', you feel a jabbing pain in the back-this is a muscles spasm. Your bcak muscles contract suddenly - and painfully- like a Charley horse. A spasm is your body's natural splinting reaction to prevent more damage to your back.

3. Muscle can't breathe
A spasm chokes off circulation to your knotted muscles and cuts off the supply of oxygen-rich blood. Pain increases because the muscle can't take in oxygen to work smoothly, and because lactic acid and other waste products build up in the muscle.

4. Stiff muscle
Weeks of pain and inactivity lead to stiff, shortened muscles. Your spine is locked in place and can no longer move freely- and neither can you. When your back muscles can no longer protect the joints in your spine, the joints may degenerate quickly.

5.Bone and disk disease
Ignoring pain and stiffness set the stage for permanent back damage. If you have a degenerative disease of the vertebrae (the bones of your spine) and disks (the cushions between the bones), your doctor may recommend surgery. Always consult a doctor if you have back pain.

6. Bed rest and worry
Inactivity only prongs the pain cycle, whether you're resting in bed after back surgery or relying on pain medications for relief. If you're flat on your back, your muscles get weaker and stiffer, worry and stress increase, and the cycle repeats itself.

So you are 70s?

Who said when you are 70s you can have sex? But most of people have choose to not having sex when they are getting older. A five-year study, published in the American Journal of Medicine, of 989 men aged 55-75 in Pirkanmaa, Finland, showed that having sexual intercourse less than once per week doubled the risk of erectile dysfunction, compared to having sex once per week.

Although there are plenty of studies about sexual problem associated with old age, there is relatively little research about normal sexual behaviour later in life. More couples over 70 are having sex and finding it satisfying than in previous generations, a British Medical Journal survey suggests.

Swedish researchers asked 1500 older people across a 30-year period about their sex lives. The number of people saying they had sex increased - as did the number of women reporting having orgasms.

The scientist from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden interviewed 70-year-olds in 1971-2, 1976-7, 1992-3 and 2000-2001. They found that the number of 70-year-olds reporting sexual intercourse rose in men and women married and unmarried say:


More than two-third- 68%- of married men in the most recent survey said they had sex, an increase from 52%, while the percentage of married women having sex rose from 38% to 56%. The number of men reporting physical problems, such as erectile dysfunction or ejaculation dysfunction increased. The number of women who said they were highly satisfied with their sex lives rose too.

When sexual intercourse stopped, both men and women tended to blame men, in line with the finding from earlier surveys. Professor Peggy Kleinplatz, from the University of Ottawa, said that doctors should now trained to ask all patients-regardless of their age- about any sexual concerns.She said: "Sex is an important and positive part of the lives of their 70-year-olds participants, and more so for the current cohort of men and women than for their predecessors in 1971."

So, for those who are 70s and think that sex is not suit for you, think about it again. If you have doubt about it, i suggest you to see your doctor. :-). Have a meaningful life.

She said: "Sex is an important and positive part of the lives of their 70-year-old participants, and more so for the current cohort of men and women than for their predecessors in 1971."

Beauties sleep

You know how important good nutrition and exercise are for your health and beauty, but sleep is also crucial too. Here are some tips from the Sleep Disorder Institute at New York's St. Luke's Roosevelt hospital to help you get the sleep you need:

*Exercise every day. Even 20 minutes of walking can help keep stress hormones from interfering with your sleep

*Avoid large meals just before bedtime. An inactive digestive system can disrupt sleep.

*Minimize light, noise and temperature extremes. Your bedroom should be comfortably cool, about 69 degrees.

*Don't read, watch television or work in bed. Use the bed only to sleep. This helps you prevent from developing sleep disorders.

*Avoid caffeine, nicotine or other stimulants within four hour of bedtime.

Eating While At Work?

Eating at your desk encourages mindless eating, and overeating. But if you have to, these are some of the tips that may help you eat healthier :

*Watch what you eat.
For lunch, you want to pick a meal that's moderate in size but doesn't fill you up.

*Bring your lunch.
Avoid takeout lunches, which tend to be expensive, oversize, heavy in fat and calories and lacking in nutrients.

*Walk when you can.
Walk to the water cooler, from the farthest spot in the parking lot, to the copy machine -anyhting you can do to move your muscles.

*Don't make it a habit.
If you can, try as much to keep yourself away from your desk during lunch hours.

A killer migraine

Basilar-Type Migraine (BTM) is an uncommon type of complicated migraine with symptoms that result from dysfunction of the lower part of the brain. In serious cases, it can lead to stroke, coma, or even death.

Who's at risk?
Early research suggested that BTM was most common in adolescent females. More recent statistical analysis has shown that BTM affects all age groups and both male and female. However, BTM, like other forms of migraine, is more common in females. The are approximately three times as many female sufferers as male.

Symptoms
The symptoms of BTM is usually occur suddenly and can be associated with inability to speak properly, ringing in he ears, and vomiting. This called the aura phase, where sufferers experience perceptual disturbances. This phase usually last for an hour and can be frightening due to the dizziness and loss of control.

Other symptoms:
-Double vision
-Loss of balance
-Vomiting
-Diarrhea
-Loss of consciousness
-Intense headache pain
-Slurred speech
-Temporary loss of vision.

What cause and triggers BTM?
Previously, it was thought that BTM started in the basilar artery (one of the arteries supplying the brain with blood). Now, researchers are looking more at neural cases (the chemicals sending messages throughout the brain) but like other migraines, the specifics of what is taking place are still somewhat of a mystery.

Cheese and wine are common food triggers, as well as food additives such as nitrites (mainly found in processed meats). It can be helpful to keep a food dairy and note the foods you eat to identity triggers.

Treatment option
Unfortunately, rare disease do not always receive much interest and research and BTM is a rare disease. Treatment is similar treatment to other migranes.

Medications include beta-blockers , anti-epileptics, calciums channels blockers, anti-depressants, pr over-the counter drugs such as acetaminophen (paracetamol)

Advice for sufferers
1-Lie down in a dark, quiet room during the aura phase. You can also try placing a cold damp cloth over your forehead to soothe the throbbing head pain.
2-Avoid or limit your alcohol intake as BTM can be worsened by consumption of alcohol.
3-Cigarette use or oral contraception alongside BTM can put you at an increased risk for stroke so it's good idea to stop both if you are a sufferer.

How can you be treated?
1-Biofeedback is one of the alternative treatments suggested for BTM. It measures internal processes in the body to allow you to actively heal yourself. Evidence is still largely sketchy but it may be worth trying if you're looking for help.
2-Always seek medical advice. Doctors are concerned about BTM because symptoms are the same as serious conditions. There is also concern that those with BTM may be at increased risk of stroke. Frequent and intense basilar migraines may require consultation with a neurologist.
However, BTM is rare, and even if you get the symptoms, don't panic. But make sure you see a doctor immediately to make sure you're keeping you risk as low as possible.

Wake up muscles

Stretching in the morning is a great way to "waken" up your muscles, and get them ready for the day. Stretching loosens up your body while increasing blood flow to your muscles. Incorporating morning stretches into your daily routine is a positive way to begin each day. A side body stretch helps to evelate your heart rate by expanding your lungs in order to help you breathe more efficiently throughout the day.

Alzheimer's Disease

What is Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative and terminal disease that destroys brain cells and is the leading cause of dementia (affecting an estimated 24 million people worldwide.) It affects approximately one in eight people over the age of 65. The term 'dementia' describes a group of symptoms that are caused by changes in brain function. Dementia symptoms may include asking the same questions repeatedly, becoming lost in familiar places, being unable to follow directions, getting disoriented about time, people and places and neglecting personal safety, hygiene and nutrition.

Who always affected by this disease?

In most common form, Alzheimer's affects mostly people over the age of 60.

What is the effect of this disease?

The disease last between 5 to 20 years, during which the number and severity of memory loss is usually the first symptom. This is often followed by mood swings, general confusion and anger, and more long-term memory loss. The patient will gradually lose minor and major bodily function, and this will result in their eventual death.

Progress of Alzheimer:
-Predementia
-Early dementia
-Moderate dementia
-Advanced

10 warning signs of Alzheimer's:

1.) Memory loss. Forgetting recent events or information one of the most common early sign of dementia.
2.) Difficulty performing familiar tasks. AD patients may forget the steps to task that they perform every day.
3.) Problems with language. People with AD will often forget or confuse simple words. For example, they may want to ask for a hairbrush, and say "Where's that thing for my hair?"
4.) Disorientation regarding time and place. People with AD can become lost in their own neighborhoods, forget where they are and how they got there, and not know how to get home.
5.) Poor judgment. AD patients may sometimes dress inappropriately, wearing a sweater on warm day or very little clothing in the cold.
6.) Problems with abstract thinking. An Alzheimer's patient may have unusual difficulty performing complex mental tasks, like addition and subtraction.
7.) Misplacing things. AD patients may out things in unusual places: an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.
8.) Mood swings. Someone with Alzheimer's disease may show change in mood or behavior - from calm to tears to anger - for no apparent reason.
9.) Drastic changes in personality. The personalities of people with dementia can change dramatically. They may become extremely confused, suspicious, fearful or dependent on a family member.
10.) Apathy. A person with AD may become extremely passive, sitting in front of TV for hours, sleeping more than usual or not wanting to do usual activities.

Taking care of AD patients.

This task usually fall to immediate family and or spouses. This can take a great toll on the physical and emotional health of the caregiver themselves.

How much you spend?

You don't have to blow your budget to live healthily. Just concentrate your diet on most whole, fresh vegetables, fruits, buts and seeds. Avoid processed foods. You get healthier by giving your body the natural nutrients it craves and avoid clogging your system up with processed foods. Also purchase your organic food from your fresh market or night market instead of from the supermarket. Because locally grown produce is much cheaper. The primary saving is the transportation costs, as fuel prices are soaring high these day. :-)