Healthy Living 24

The British are Healthier than Americans

Signe Lloyd — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:03:49 +0000

A new study reports that middle aged people in England are in much better overall health than the same age group in the United States. The study looked only at whites and excluded other race groups. Certain factors didn’t seem to change this conclusion. It did not seem to matter the education or income level of those studied.

Generally, Americans spend much more money on health care than do the British. This seems rather odd given the fact that their overall health is actually worse. Many researchers were baffled by the results of the study. Their long held hypothesis was that the richest country in the world should be the healthiest. Their findings proved anything but.

Some breakdown of the findings show that about 42% of Americans in this age group have high blood pressure while only 34% of British due. The rate of diabetes was quite alarmingly as the United States had twice the incidence of the disease in comparison to the British. Strokes and lung disease were also more prevalent in the Americans than the British. Another interesting finding was the wealthier Americans studied had health that was more comparable to that of the British who have low incomes. IT seems like it doesn’t matter how much money you have, that simply is not a significant factor in one’s health when comparing these two nations.

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Sniff Your Way to Good Health

Signe Lloyd — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:34:26 +0000

Aromatherapy has long been known for its ability to provide healthful benefits for overall wellness. Inhaling certain scents can actually provide certain enhancements in a variety of areas. Many of these scents are rather common and could provide alternatives for those looking for more natural means to improve their well-being.

Coffee

Coffee is well known for its aromatic and pungent scent. In a recent study, subjects were asked to smell coffee beans and then determine when 60 seconds has elapsed. On average, most subjects indicated that 60 seconds has passed when in actually it has been a minute and 35 second. Smelling coffee beans can make things last longer.

Banana, Green Apple or Peppermint

These three scents can help stimulate one’s weight loss efforts. Those who regularly smelled one of these particular scents lost on average 5 pounds a month. These people made no other changes to their diet or fitness patterns.

Jasmine

The flowery, fragrant smell of jasmine can be a boon for athletic abilities. One study showed female athletes performing over 25% better when inhaling jasmine. Many attribute this benefit to the fact that jasmine helps to reduce anxiety and generally improves one’s overall mood. These factors can help improve one’s skills.

Grapefruit

Want to appear younger? It seems that inhaling grapefruit scents can do this for you. Those wearing masks that were infused with the aroma of grapefruit were thought to be considerably younger following the treatment.

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Skin Health: Reasons for an Itchy Scalp

Signe Lloyd — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:51:17 +0000

Often people give little regard to caring for their scalp and instead focus on their and skin. However sometimes problems occur with ones scalp which leads to itching, irritation and white flaky skin. Having dandruff is actually a general symptom that occurs with a variety of scalp ailments. Knowing the exact cause of your dandruff can be helpful in curing the problem.

Seborrheic Dermatitis

If you notice that your dandruff has a slight yellow color to it and you observe redness that you have a classic case known as seborrheic dermatitis. This scalp problem occurs when there is an overgrowth of a specific fungus known as malassezia. Also in some situations excessive oil production within the scalp can be another contributing factor.

Eczema

If you find that your scalp is extremely itchy and has a very noticeable red rash that is flaking you could possibly have a more serious condition. One of these could be eczema. With eczema the flakes are very similar to oat bran. While doctors do not know exactly why eczema develops on the scalp, they do believe that genetics play a role in its occurrence. When the scalp is affected by eczema it has a difficult time maintaining water. This is further exacerbated with the drive winter in air. Typically those people who get eczema on their scalp have had outbreaks before on other parts of their body.

Psoriasis

Another disorder that can cause your scalp to flake is psoriasis. This disorder is characterized by over activity in your immune system. As a result you his skin cells reproduce at an incredibly rapid pace. Therefore large scaly patches of picks can develop. When this is scratched a large amount of skin cells fall off which look like the occurrence. Doctors report that one of the major factors in developing psoriasis is stress.

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Diets: What works and What doesn’t

Signe Lloyd — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:12:25 +0000

The basic formula for weight loss is quite simple. You need to eat less and move more. While this might essentially be what you need to do to melt off the pounds, it is difficult and just plain boring. Most dieter’s today want a quick fix. They want to be thin now. There are some diet tricks out there today that could possibly speed up weight loss. However, many of them do not. Knowing which ones are helpful is key so as not to waste one’s time on a diet trick that is ineffective.

System Cleanses

Today cleaning one’s system is a popular way to jump start a weight loss regiment. However, is this really an effective practice? A system flush means that one consumes a large amount of body flushing liquids. Solid food is consumed in small amounts or in some cases, not at all. Without a doubt, if all a person is ingesting are liquids, weight will be lost. However, once a person begins to eat solid food again, the weight will come back. Really, there no need to cleanse your body. There are already organs within the body that do this automatically. It is the function of both the liver and the kidneys to eliminate toxins. Diarrhea can also result from cleanses. This can lead to dangerous dehydration.

Drinking Water

Some dietitians recommend that drinking more water can help facilitate weight loss. In fact, sometimes people mistake the fact that they are hungry when really they are thirsty. Drinking water can often stave off the hunger pains until it is time for your next means. It is possible to drink too much water. However, this is very rare.

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Three killer illnesses to look out for this winter

admin — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:37:22 +0000

Winter is fast approaching and it is also one time of year that makes us more vulnerable to certain illnesses. This is mainly due to the harsh weather, which often runs down our immune systems. If you are young, fit and healthy, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about, however those that are extremely young or very old and frail may need to take more precautions.

Very young people such as new-born babies often don’t have a strong enough immune system and something such as a common cold could in fact be extremely fatal to a new born or premature baby.

The above also applies to the older generation as with age comes vulnerability and extremely cold weather can be dangerous to the older person. This is why it is important to invest in various insurance covers. Such cover will protect the person that takes out the cover in a variety of situations.

There are also a variety of tips available that will help people to avoid illness this winter. These include getting the likes of a flu shot, eating well, working out regular and getting plenty of exercise, staying hydrated, getting your intake of good bacteria, getting plenty of sleep and always washing your hands.

Traditional illnesses such as cold and flu will also occur during the winter months, with a strong immune system, such ailments can become fatal to many, this is why many more people have been investing in life insurance.

Other illnesses such as hyperthermia are also common amongst the old and young. Some may be unable to afford to keep the heating on or may wear too little layers whilst outside in the cold weather.

It is important to invest in great life and health insurance as if anything were to go wrong, both of the above would have the back of the person taking out the cover.

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Prone to the Winter Blues?

Signe Lloyd — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:28:48 +0000

As the days continue to get shorter and the amount of daylight each day also diminishes, this affects the mood of many people worldwide. These people suffer from what is known as seasonal affective disorder. Many people almost go into hibernation mode in a sense where they simply don’t want to do normal everyday tasks. For some people, the approaching winter doesn’t have to be a sentence for depressing days. In fact, there are measures that can be taken in an effort to help life the winter blues.

Artificial light boxes are a useful solution for those people who experience seasonal affective disorder. They come in a variety of sizes. They are easily portable and can be used at home and in the office. The boxes emit a bright artificial light which helps provide the body with the light it craves. Only a short session is required with the light to get the full effects. Most people only need a 30 to 45 minutes session to feel better.

Light therapy has also been connected to helping with other health such as sleep disorders. Many also find it work well with clinical depression. This is useful for populations, such as pregnant women, who are unable to take antidepressant medication.

Despite the effectiveness of light therapy using a light box, many doctors are still reluctant to prescribe its use. Some patients simply do not want to be bothered with sitting in front of a light box daily. They prefer popping a pill. However, as more and more people look for natural remedies, the light box is surely likely to increase in use.

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Making a Medical Negligence Claim

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:43:09 +0000

If you have suffered an injury or any unnecessary harm in the course of medical treatment, you may have suffered clinical negligence. Medical professionals such as doctors and nurses have a duty of care towards their patients; if they fail in that duty of care then they have not fulfilled their legal obligation. However, making medical negligence claims is an extremely serious matter; it is not the same as making a claim for personal injury caused in the workplace or in a road accident. In these kinds of claim it is usually rather simple to establish who was to blame, whilst it can be extremely difficult to prove that a medical professional is guilty of negligence.

In order to succeed in a clinical negligence claim, you are required to prove, through evidence provided by impartial medical experts, that the person responsible for your care was not performing at a competent level. It must be proven that serious errors were made in your treatment that no competent professional would have made; and that those errors either caused or at least contributed to the injury or harm that you are suffering.

As an area of law, clinical negligence is extremely complex. The rules, laws and procedures that govern clinical negligence are different from other forms of compensation claims because they involve professional medical personnel. If you find yourself in a situation where you are looking to claim, there is no way that you can find out much information alone – you will need to consult a team of specialist solicitors who will then handle the claim on your behalf. Although it is a very serious matter to pursue a clinical negligence claim, it is also negligent on your behalf not to – if you do not act on a case of possible negligence, someone else could suffer in the future as a result.

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Man’s Best Friend also Man’s Best Fitness Bud!

Signe Lloyd — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:37:32 +0000

Dogs have long been known as man’s best friend for the loyalty and companionship they provide their owners. Current studies have shown that the benefits of having a dog might also extend to one’s personal fitness. Research shows that dog owners walk more than those who do not have a dog. Additionally, they are also more likely to walk faster and be more active. It seems like having a dog also provides owners with an added benefit to their health.
Dr. Sandra McCune, an animal behavioralist from Leicestershire, England observes that dog owners or more likely to obtain the recommended daily amount of physical activity when compared to non-dog owners. Through the study, it was discovered that two thirds of all walks undertaken by dog owners were precipitated due to their dog. Dog owners are also more likely to visit parks and other outdoor locations because of their pet.
Dog walking not only benefits one physical health but their mental health as well. When walking a dog, owners are more likely to socialize along their journey. They may meet up with neighbors or other people walking their dogs. Many communities even sponsor activities for dogs which also brings an opportunity for not only dogs to socialize with one another but owners to socialize with each other as well.

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Foot Health: Are your heels harming your feet?

Signe Lloyd — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:13:49 +0000

For females, the shoe is an important part of one’s fashion wardrobe. In fact, many women would go so far as to say they have a passion for shoes and their collection features numerous pairs. Every year designers compete with one another to come up with the latest designs and trends in footwear. In doing so, they come up with some shoes that feature new heights in comparison to previous styles. As women compete with one another to own these latest shoe trends, they rarely stop and think about the repercussions of wearing such shoes.

Take for instance a current trend in shoes which features stilettos with some extremely heels or perhaps the ballet flats with soles so flat they feel like you’re going barefoot. While these might be in vogue in the fashion world they are anything but when considered by those in podiatry. In fact, podiatrists report that many foot problems that women have are the result of wearing poorly constructed shoes. These ailments can range from the whole foot to just the heels or toes. Many women do not realize that these effects can even be further reaching as they can affect one’s legs and spine. In some situations, migraines experiences by women have been traced back to high heel wearing.

Some women go to great lengths to obtain treatments to allow them to continue wearing their mile high stilettos. For instance one remedy calls for facial fillers to be injected into the balls of the feet. This is done to provide a temporary fix for the fat pad which had been worn down on the foot. Some even go so far as more permanent solutions such as having their feet surgically narrowed or even having a toe tuck where the small toe is made smaller. Given the unfriendliness of most trendy shoes for one’s health, some designers are responding. They are creating cute designs with foot health in mind.

High heels can cause a slew of other problems. For instance, teetering on high heels can create instability which can cause fractures and sprains. Damage to the ligaments can also happen. Don’t forget painful and disfiguring conditions such as bunions and hammertoes.

Next time when choosing footwear, think about your feet. Doctors endorse totally forgoing the wearing of high heels. They simply are not foot healthy shoes. However, if a woman can’t totally forget her stilettos, another suggestion is simply to wear them in moderation. Also, certain stretches and exercises can help protect against foot issues from shoes.

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What is Parkinson’s Disease?

admin — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 08:17:37 +0000

Most of us have heard of Parkinson’s Disease but very few of us actually know exactly what it is and what the symptoms are.

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition which affects around 120,000 people in the UK, which is roughly one in five people. Usually the disease affects those that are over 50, but younger people can be affected as well, with around one in 20 sufferers being diagnosed under the age of 40.

Parkinson’s is well recognised by its symtpms which include steadily worsening trembling in the arms and legs, rigidity in the muscles and a slowing of movements. Around one third of Parkinson’s sufferers also go on to develop senile dementia, whilst other complications such as pneumonia, strokes and infection have been known to occur in seriously affected patients.

Parkinson’s Disease is thought to be related to the fact that sufferers’ brains do not develop enough of the neurotransmitter dopamine, usually because some of the nerves in their brain have died. Dopamine helps to regulate motor functions and a deficiency leads to movements becoming slower. There is no known cure for Parkinson’s and it is known as a critical illness, which, in insurance terms, means you would need to have critical illness cover in order to make a claim to help support you through the course of your disease. It can be worth looking into getting cover in case you become critically ill as this will not be covered by normal life insurance policies.

There are several famous Parkinson’s sufferers including Muhammad Ali and Michael J. Fox, the latter of whom is an activist in helping to find a cure and has even set up the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which funds research and trials.

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