by: Megan Hazel
These days, it seems women have more health concerns than ever. Perhaps they are greater in number than ever before or perhaps we are just more aware of women's issues as women are more comfortable having them brought to the forefront.
One issue that continually does get the attention it deserves is breast cancer. The breast cancer statistics are alarming, and almost everyone you know has a sister or mother who has suffered from this deadly disease. If caught early enough, it does not have to be deadly. In fact, there are things you can do so that you don't get it at all. Every woman (young and old) should be checking their breasts monthly to detect for any strange lumps or any unusual signs. This can be done in the shower, with one arm raised and the other performing the checking task. Any doctor can show you the specifics on how to do this. If you do sense something suspicious, make an appointment with your doctor right away to have it looked at. The other thing you can do is be a conscious consumer; every day the FDA is coming out with new information as to what may be potential carcinogens (cancer-causing agents), from food additives to plastics to environmental hazards. Becoming aware and taking the time to be educated can make all the difference in the world.
Another major health concern for women is heart disease. This continues to be the number one killer of women, actually, and it doesn't just happen to those you would suspect. When people think of heart disease, most people think of the severely obese. However, women can suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, and clogged arteries from poor food choices, lack of exercise, and stress. Believe it or not, if you eat fast food on a regular basis and skip the gym in favor of drinks after a very stressful work day that ends at 7:00 p.m. instead of 5:00 p.m., you may be in a higher risk category than your friend who remains calm, eats a lot of healthy food choices, and practices yoga a couple times a week. If you know you are in the first group, the best thing you can do for yourself is to start making small changes. If you can't get away from a stressful job or career, make sure to step away each hour and do deep breathing exercises, and stretch your body while at work. Go to the ladies room to do it if necessary! Try to make smarter food choices, even if it means just eliminating one of your ‘junk food meals' a week. If you're not big on exercise, start with a simple walk a couple times a week and go from there. The sooner you make these changes, the healthier you will be and the less at risk for heart disease.
A third issue for women and one that has been on the rise for quite some time is obesity. The "average" American woman has increased in size to a size 12 or even a size 14, with many women reaching far beyond that size. This can be unhealthy depending on your body fat percentage. While women can take some of the same steps as with heart disease discussed above, people who suffer from obesity may need to take more drastic measures in order to get their weight down. If you are obese, it is definitely time to get your diet in check so that you don't later develop heart disease, or adult diabetes, or a host of other problems from being overweight. Eating a lot of processed, artificially sweetened, or sugar and fat-laden foods is likely a habit, and one that needs to be nipped in the bud. Hand in hand with poor eating habits is exercise habits, and if you don't have any it's time to get some! It will be difficult at first, and you are likely to be winded and tired after a very short time of exertion. However, if you keep pushing through the challenging times you will soon see and feel the difference. You will notice you have more energy, as your workout time may go from ten minutes on the treadmill to fifteen to twenty. As you benefit from this greater energy, it will not only help power you through your workout sessions, but it will put a brighter spin on the rest of your life. You will find you have more energy throughout the day, and chances are you will continue to burn calories because of this. You will probably find an easier time making healthy food choices if you incorporate exercise into your fight against obesity as well.
Women's issues can be the same as men's issues or they can be different. The good news is, women's health concerns get discussed more than they used to, and this gives us greater power in awareness.
About The Author
Megan Hazel is a freelance writer who writes about health and fitness topics, similar to what consumers read in http://www.magazines.com/ncom/mag?mid=7765 Women's Health
Friday, July 24, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Effects of Music on the Mind and Brain
How does music influence the working of the human mind and brain? What are the effects of music on the mind and brain? Read on to find out...
The study of the effects of music on the mind and brain has been a subject of interest for many. The interconnection between music and the physical and mental health of human beings has been researched since long. The research has concluded that music does have positive effects on the mind and brain of human beings. Music has the power of healing certain ailments. Indian classical music has been found to have the strongest healing powers. Be it about fighting anxiety, be it about speeding the healing process, music is the answer to all the queries. Find information about classical music.
Effects of Music on the Mind
There are times when one feels depressed. Feelings of gloom and inadequacy fill one’s mind and carrying out even the daily activities becomes difficult. Depression reduces brain activity and hampers the mind’s ability to plan and execute tasks. Lack of the neurotransmitter, Serotonin, leads to a depressed state of mind. Soothing musical notes help increase the Serotonin levels of the brain, thus alleviating mental depression.
Anxiety is associated with an upcoming event that may have an unknown outcome. It may lead to sleeplessness and other anxiety disorders. Music plays a vital role in calming the nerves and soothing one’s mind. Flat musical notes induce sleep, while natural notes provide the mind with alertness.
Music is found to affect the process of learning and thinking. If work is accompanied by quiet and soothing music, it helps the listener think, analyze and work faster in a more efficient manner. Music develops a positive attitude in the listeners and provides them with motivation. Surveys have shown that music brings about remarkable improvements in the academic skills of students, who are made to listen to certain kinds of music while studying or working in the lab. Listening to pleasant music, while doing a difficult task, can make it seem easier.
Music has a positive effect on the interpersonal skills of an individual. Failures that we face in life are often the result of lack of confidence and lack of desire to learn. Students obtaining poor school grades do not necessarily lack intelligence. Their poor academic results are often an outcome of their lack of motivation and their disinterest. Music lessons during school can help the students fight their mental block. Music proves helpful in encouraging young children to venture new fields. It helps them develop the confidence needed to achieve success in life.
Effects of Music on the Brain
Music has a positive effect on the concentration level of the listeners. It is also found to improve one’s memory. Research has found that the silence between two musical notes triggers the brain cells and neurons, which are responsible for the development of sharp memory. Flute music, and instruments like santoor and sarod are recommended for the enhancement of concentration and memory. Strong beats cause the brain waves to resonate in synch with the beat bringing about higher levels of concentration and alertness.
Music plays a vital role in enhancing creativity. Music has a positive impact on the right side of the brain. Music triggers the brain center, which deal with the development of creativity. Certain ragas are known to activate all the chakras of the listener’s body, thus benefiting him/her in the performance of other creative tasks.
Music is found to give students the capacity to trust themselves. It provides them with an internal discipline. Rhythm is known to help the students learn math. Music stimulates the brain centers that deal with thinking, analyzing and planning, thus enhancing one’s organizational skills.
Music helps secrete endorphins that help in speeding the process of healing. It acts as an effective distraction from pain and suffering. While diverting one's mind away from pain, it also helps bring about certain chemical processes in the brain that aid healing. After undergoing surgery, patients may be advised to undergo a music therapy. Listening to melodious, comforting music is sure to have a positive effect on the physical and mental well-being of patients.
How does Music affect your Mood?
Some look at music as a hobby; for some music is their passion, while some pursue music as their career. Music has a direct influence on your mood. Book stores, restaurants and shopping malls often keep some music playing in the background. The kind of music they choose to play depends on the kind of audiences they target. Music is found to enhance customer experience. Music being played in malls and restaurants peps up the mood of customers. People tend to spend more time in malls or hotels that play pleasant music. Music brightens up the atmosphere around you and is definite to cheer you up. Sad tunes often bring tears to the eyes. Cheerful songs brighten up your mood. Different types of tunes are seen to create different kinds of moods and arouse different kinds of emotions.
Listening to music gives me an experience of divine pleasure. What about you? Find information on music.
By Manali Oak
Published: 11/3/2008
The study of the effects of music on the mind and brain has been a subject of interest for many. The interconnection between music and the physical and mental health of human beings has been researched since long. The research has concluded that music does have positive effects on the mind and brain of human beings. Music has the power of healing certain ailments. Indian classical music has been found to have the strongest healing powers. Be it about fighting anxiety, be it about speeding the healing process, music is the answer to all the queries. Find information about classical music.
Effects of Music on the Mind
There are times when one feels depressed. Feelings of gloom and inadequacy fill one’s mind and carrying out even the daily activities becomes difficult. Depression reduces brain activity and hampers the mind’s ability to plan and execute tasks. Lack of the neurotransmitter, Serotonin, leads to a depressed state of mind. Soothing musical notes help increase the Serotonin levels of the brain, thus alleviating mental depression.
Anxiety is associated with an upcoming event that may have an unknown outcome. It may lead to sleeplessness and other anxiety disorders. Music plays a vital role in calming the nerves and soothing one’s mind. Flat musical notes induce sleep, while natural notes provide the mind with alertness.
Music is found to affect the process of learning and thinking. If work is accompanied by quiet and soothing music, it helps the listener think, analyze and work faster in a more efficient manner. Music develops a positive attitude in the listeners and provides them with motivation. Surveys have shown that music brings about remarkable improvements in the academic skills of students, who are made to listen to certain kinds of music while studying or working in the lab. Listening to pleasant music, while doing a difficult task, can make it seem easier.
Music has a positive effect on the interpersonal skills of an individual. Failures that we face in life are often the result of lack of confidence and lack of desire to learn. Students obtaining poor school grades do not necessarily lack intelligence. Their poor academic results are often an outcome of their lack of motivation and their disinterest. Music lessons during school can help the students fight their mental block. Music proves helpful in encouraging young children to venture new fields. It helps them develop the confidence needed to achieve success in life.
Effects of Music on the Brain
Music has a positive effect on the concentration level of the listeners. It is also found to improve one’s memory. Research has found that the silence between two musical notes triggers the brain cells and neurons, which are responsible for the development of sharp memory. Flute music, and instruments like santoor and sarod are recommended for the enhancement of concentration and memory. Strong beats cause the brain waves to resonate in synch with the beat bringing about higher levels of concentration and alertness.
Music plays a vital role in enhancing creativity. Music has a positive impact on the right side of the brain. Music triggers the brain center, which deal with the development of creativity. Certain ragas are known to activate all the chakras of the listener’s body, thus benefiting him/her in the performance of other creative tasks.
Music is found to give students the capacity to trust themselves. It provides them with an internal discipline. Rhythm is known to help the students learn math. Music stimulates the brain centers that deal with thinking, analyzing and planning, thus enhancing one’s organizational skills.
Music helps secrete endorphins that help in speeding the process of healing. It acts as an effective distraction from pain and suffering. While diverting one's mind away from pain, it also helps bring about certain chemical processes in the brain that aid healing. After undergoing surgery, patients may be advised to undergo a music therapy. Listening to melodious, comforting music is sure to have a positive effect on the physical and mental well-being of patients.
How does Music affect your Mood?
Some look at music as a hobby; for some music is their passion, while some pursue music as their career. Music has a direct influence on your mood. Book stores, restaurants and shopping malls often keep some music playing in the background. The kind of music they choose to play depends on the kind of audiences they target. Music is found to enhance customer experience. Music being played in malls and restaurants peps up the mood of customers. People tend to spend more time in malls or hotels that play pleasant music. Music brightens up the atmosphere around you and is definite to cheer you up. Sad tunes often bring tears to the eyes. Cheerful songs brighten up your mood. Different types of tunes are seen to create different kinds of moods and arouse different kinds of emotions.
Listening to music gives me an experience of divine pleasure. What about you? Find information on music.
By Manali Oak
Published: 11/3/2008
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Eating Correctly To Drop Your Cholesterol
By Expert Author: Jan Richards
We are raising an obese society. With big-sizing everything that we eat especially in fast food chains, we are slowly clogging our arteries with unnecessary fats and cholesterol that our bodies do not actually need and cannot use.
The result is of course a society that is pestered with different kinds of cholesterol complications such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and overweight problems. In fact, one of the problems that the country is facing is the rising prevalence of people with hypertension, which can lead to a possible heart attack when not taken cared of.
So what can you do lower your cholesterol levels? The first line, perhaps the only one that is truly effective is a combination of regular exercise and proper diet. These two activities go hand in hand. Without one factor, you cannot succeed. Dieting without exercising the body will only lead to weak muscles, which will eventually weaken the body's resistance.
It may also lead to fatigue and sore muscles because there is not enough nutrients in the body. Exercising, on the other hand, without the proper diet is useless because you will only be maintaining your usual weight.You will not be gaining of course, because you are burning whatever you need; but you will not be losing any pound either.
Besides, exercising too much will strain the muscles and might even lead to a possible heart attack because of too much strain to the heart.
So what do you have to eat in order to lower those cholesterol levels in the body and ultimately prevent the occurrence of hypertension?
Eat less oil
One of the first things that a person dieting should avoid is to eat foods that are deep-fried or those that are cooked using oil. These include potato chips, fries, fried meat, fried seafood, fried veggies and a whole lot more.
Oil, when taken into the body translates to cholesterol. What you should be eating are foods that are boiled, steamed, baked and braised. Grilled foods may also be eaten but not so much.
Eat less meat
The fats from meat contain a lot of cholesterol. If you can avoid eating meat all the frequently, better; but if you can't stop munching those meat, just remove the fats that hang on the side. Chicken and Turkey meat is a lot healthier so if you can have a choice, opt for these kinds of meat products. Don't forget to remove the skin though as cholesterol concentrate in white meats can be found on the skin.
Eat vegetables
Vegetables do not only contain zero cholesterol, it is also a great source of fibers that help the body in digesting the food that we take in.
As much as possible, steam the vegetables that you eat to maintain the nutrients in it and of course avoid fatty and cholesterol additives like oils.
Eat less period
Try to curb that appetite slowly by taking in less food that you normally take in. If you can lessen the number of times that you eat or of you do want snacks, eat healthy snacks like fruits.
Try to also lessen the carbohydrates that you take in, which can be found in rice, cereals and bread. If you must eat these staple opt for the healthier kind like brown rice and wheat bread.
Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Eating-Correctly-To-Drop-Your-Cholesterol/155010
We are raising an obese society. With big-sizing everything that we eat especially in fast food chains, we are slowly clogging our arteries with unnecessary fats and cholesterol that our bodies do not actually need and cannot use.
The result is of course a society that is pestered with different kinds of cholesterol complications such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and overweight problems. In fact, one of the problems that the country is facing is the rising prevalence of people with hypertension, which can lead to a possible heart attack when not taken cared of.
So what can you do lower your cholesterol levels? The first line, perhaps the only one that is truly effective is a combination of regular exercise and proper diet. These two activities go hand in hand. Without one factor, you cannot succeed. Dieting without exercising the body will only lead to weak muscles, which will eventually weaken the body's resistance.
It may also lead to fatigue and sore muscles because there is not enough nutrients in the body. Exercising, on the other hand, without the proper diet is useless because you will only be maintaining your usual weight.You will not be gaining of course, because you are burning whatever you need; but you will not be losing any pound either.
Besides, exercising too much will strain the muscles and might even lead to a possible heart attack because of too much strain to the heart.
So what do you have to eat in order to lower those cholesterol levels in the body and ultimately prevent the occurrence of hypertension?
Eat less oil
One of the first things that a person dieting should avoid is to eat foods that are deep-fried or those that are cooked using oil. These include potato chips, fries, fried meat, fried seafood, fried veggies and a whole lot more.
Oil, when taken into the body translates to cholesterol. What you should be eating are foods that are boiled, steamed, baked and braised. Grilled foods may also be eaten but not so much.
Eat less meat
The fats from meat contain a lot of cholesterol. If you can avoid eating meat all the frequently, better; but if you can't stop munching those meat, just remove the fats that hang on the side. Chicken and Turkey meat is a lot healthier so if you can have a choice, opt for these kinds of meat products. Don't forget to remove the skin though as cholesterol concentrate in white meats can be found on the skin.
Eat vegetables
Vegetables do not only contain zero cholesterol, it is also a great source of fibers that help the body in digesting the food that we take in.
As much as possible, steam the vegetables that you eat to maintain the nutrients in it and of course avoid fatty and cholesterol additives like oils.
Eat less period
Try to curb that appetite slowly by taking in less food that you normally take in. If you can lessen the number of times that you eat or of you do want snacks, eat healthy snacks like fruits.
Try to also lessen the carbohydrates that you take in, which can be found in rice, cereals and bread. If you must eat these staple opt for the healthier kind like brown rice and wheat bread.
Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Eating-Correctly-To-Drop-Your-Cholesterol/155010
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Weight Loss Tips That Help You Create A Thin, Yet Healthy Body
Added by Patricia Zelkovsky
In order to avoid any problem on health, it is best to maintain a healthy, well balanced diet. In this way, you gain control in developing your body into something that is desirable and in good physical shape.
On the other hand, if you are one of those many people who are currently suffering from obesity and other weight-related problems, it is best that you learn the secret to effective weight loss now or suffer the consequences more.
To get you started, here are some practical weight loss tips that will let you get the body shape that you want and stay at the peak of health.
Keep your eye on your metabolism
Sugar, you see, set off specific "metabolic processes" that are both madness for your waistline and damaging to your health. Sugar is considered as a metabolic toxic.
The American diet mainly consists of sugar. No wonder why nearly one-third of the American adult population is considered as obese.
And even if you do not take sugar straight, you will find it already inserted into a thousand different foods and beverages before they come to your table, put, for the most part, into stuff that, if it had not been made so sweet, you would wrinkle your nose up at.
Consequently, the problem continues to prevail if information had been disseminated regarding the harmful effects of excessive sugar content in the body.
The point here is that common sense will dictate that when a lot of people try the same answer to the same problem and they all fail, there is something wrong with their solution. And avoiding sugar may not be the simple solution after all.
You may have tried a low-calorie diet and you may have seen other people tried it. After a promising start, they end up as failures.
So the question now lies on whether sugar is really bad for the body or is it because it triggers certain metabolic processes that the body does not need.
Be wary on your insulin
Insulin is produced in the islets of Langerhans, a fraction of your pancreas. By the time your blood sugar increases, insulin dashes forward and change a fraction of "glucose" to "glycogen." Glycogen is a stored starch in the liver and the muscles. It is readily made available for energy consumption.
If all the glycogen supply areas are loaded, considering that there is too much glucose in the blood in spite of everything, which is, in essence outside the required amount of the body to function normally, insulin will alter the surplus to "fatty tissue" known as "triglyceride," which humans have in their bodies as the main substance of "adipose tissue."
No wonder why insulin has been known as the "fat-producing hormone."
In essence, insulin is an excellent worker. Otherwise, your body could not administer glucose, its primary energy, and levels of "blood glucose" will increase while the body explored for supplementary energy, your muscle tissue and fat stores.
On the other hand, assuming insulin is too efficient, or in abundance, it would administer a large amount of glucose to distribute it in the blood to stimulate the brain.
As an obese person gains more weight, the insulin dilemma gets bigger too. Various studies have exposed that the overweight person is exceptionally insensitive to the administration of insulin.
For so many years now, most weight loss tips have focused on exercise and proper balanced diet. Health experts say it is time to focus on these two important aspects of maintaining weight to achieve positive results.
About the Author:
Daily Healthy Weight Loss, Dieting and Fitness Tips can be found at http://The-Weightloss-Guide.com/blog
In order to avoid any problem on health, it is best to maintain a healthy, well balanced diet. In this way, you gain control in developing your body into something that is desirable and in good physical shape.
On the other hand, if you are one of those many people who are currently suffering from obesity and other weight-related problems, it is best that you learn the secret to effective weight loss now or suffer the consequences more.
To get you started, here are some practical weight loss tips that will let you get the body shape that you want and stay at the peak of health.
Keep your eye on your metabolism
Sugar, you see, set off specific "metabolic processes" that are both madness for your waistline and damaging to your health. Sugar is considered as a metabolic toxic.
The American diet mainly consists of sugar. No wonder why nearly one-third of the American adult population is considered as obese.
And even if you do not take sugar straight, you will find it already inserted into a thousand different foods and beverages before they come to your table, put, for the most part, into stuff that, if it had not been made so sweet, you would wrinkle your nose up at.
Consequently, the problem continues to prevail if information had been disseminated regarding the harmful effects of excessive sugar content in the body.
The point here is that common sense will dictate that when a lot of people try the same answer to the same problem and they all fail, there is something wrong with their solution. And avoiding sugar may not be the simple solution after all.
You may have tried a low-calorie diet and you may have seen other people tried it. After a promising start, they end up as failures.
So the question now lies on whether sugar is really bad for the body or is it because it triggers certain metabolic processes that the body does not need.
Be wary on your insulin
Insulin is produced in the islets of Langerhans, a fraction of your pancreas. By the time your blood sugar increases, insulin dashes forward and change a fraction of "glucose" to "glycogen." Glycogen is a stored starch in the liver and the muscles. It is readily made available for energy consumption.
If all the glycogen supply areas are loaded, considering that there is too much glucose in the blood in spite of everything, which is, in essence outside the required amount of the body to function normally, insulin will alter the surplus to "fatty tissue" known as "triglyceride," which humans have in their bodies as the main substance of "adipose tissue."
No wonder why insulin has been known as the "fat-producing hormone."
In essence, insulin is an excellent worker. Otherwise, your body could not administer glucose, its primary energy, and levels of "blood glucose" will increase while the body explored for supplementary energy, your muscle tissue and fat stores.
On the other hand, assuming insulin is too efficient, or in abundance, it would administer a large amount of glucose to distribute it in the blood to stimulate the brain.
As an obese person gains more weight, the insulin dilemma gets bigger too. Various studies have exposed that the overweight person is exceptionally insensitive to the administration of insulin.
For so many years now, most weight loss tips have focused on exercise and proper balanced diet. Health experts say it is time to focus on these two important aspects of maintaining weight to achieve positive results.
About the Author:
Daily Healthy Weight Loss, Dieting and Fitness Tips can be found at http://The-Weightloss-Guide.com/blog
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