Hey I'm Maria welcome to my blog. I am currently a student who finds health to be very interesting. I have a true passion for medicine and in the future hope to study in the Health Field where I can help many people and save many lives, but for now I just wish to find unknown facts about our health and hopefully help you. So enjoy, learn and spread the news!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Hunger - Food - Opportunity
Have you ever been so hungry you feel as if you wanted to murder someone? So hungry that you get angry at every person that walks by? Today at work I was that person, I went to work at 12 and by 5 I was so hungry that I wanted to kill all my students (I work at KUMON a tutoring place), finally I decided to call my brother and ask him to bring me food or at least money, when he finally came and I got my food and ate I realized how thankful I was to be able to eat. As I ponder on how lucky I was to be blessed with food I began to think about the fact that I can’t go without food for 5 hours so how can kids anywhere else go without food for days. I am thankful for everything I have. 2008 has blessed me with opportunities, love & health =) Bring on 2009!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
12 Brain Rules

The human brain evolved under conditions of almost constant motion. From this, one might predict that the optimal environment for processing information would include motion. That is exactly what one finds. Indeed, the best business meeting would have everyone walking at about 1.8 miles per hour.
Researchers studied two elderly populations that had led different lifestyles, one sedentary and one active. Cognitive scores were profoundly influenced. Exercise positively affected executive function, spatial tasks, reaction times and quantitative skills.
So researchers asked: If the sedentary populations become active, will their cognitive scores go up? Yes, it turns out, if the exercise is aerobic. In four months, executive functions vastly improve; longer, and memory scores improve as well.
Exercise improves cognition for two reasons:
Exercise increases oxygen flow into the brain, which reduces brain-bound free radicals. One of the most interesting findings of the past few decades is that an increase in oxygen is always accompanied by an uptick in mental sharpness.
Exercise acts directly on the molecular machinery of the brain itself. It increases neurons’ creation, survival, and resistance to damage and stress.
The brain is a survival organ. It is designed to solve problems related to surviving in an unstable outdoor environment and to do so in nearly constant motion (to keep you alive long enough to pass your genes on). We were not the strongest on the planet but we developed the strongest brains, the key to our survival.
The strongest brains survive, not the strongest bodies. Our ability to solve problems, learn from mistakes, and create alliances with other people helps us survive. We took over the world by learning to cooperate and forming teams with our neighbors.
Our ability to understand each other is our chief survival tool. Relationships helped us survive in the jungle and are critical to surviving at work and school today.
If someone does not feel safe with a teacher or boss, he or she may not perform as well. If a student feels misunderstood because the teacher cannot connect with the way the student learns, the student may become isolated.
There is no greater anti-brain environment than the classroom and cubicle.
What YOU do and learn in life physically changes what your brain looks like – it literally rewires it. We used to think there were just 7 categories of intelligence. But categories of intelligence may number more than 7 billion—roughly the population of the world.
No two people have the same brain, not even twins. Every student’s brain, every employee’s brain, every customer’s brain is wired differently.
You can either accede to it or ignore it. The current system of education ignores it by having grade structures based on age. Businesses such as Amazon are catching on to mass customization (the Amazon homepage and the products you see are tailored to your recent purchases).
Regions of the brain develop at different rates in different people. The brains of school children are just as unevenly developed as their bodies. Our school system ignores the fact that every brain is wired differently. We wrongly assume every brain is the same.
Most of us have a “Jennifer Aniston” neuron (a neuron lurking in your head that is stimulated only when Jennifer Aniston is in the room).
What we pay attention to is profoundly influenced by memory. Our previous experience predicts where we should pay attention. Culture matters too. Whether in school or in business, these differences can greatly effect how an audience perceives a given presentation.
We pay attention to things like emotions, threats and sex. Regardless of who you are, the brain pays a great deal of attention to these questions: Can I eat it? Will it eat me? Can I mate with it? Will it mate with me? Have I seen it before?
The brain is not capable of multi-tasking. We can talk and breathe, but when it comes to higher level tasks, we just can’t do it.
Driving while talking on a cell phone is like driving drunk. The brain is a sequential processor and large fractions of a second are consumed every time the brain switches tasks. This is why cell-phone talkers are a half-second slower to hit the brakes and get in more wrecks.
Workplaces and schools actually encourage this type of multi-tasking. Walk into any office and you’ll see people sending e-mail, answering their phones, Instant Messaging, and on MySpace—all at the same time. Research shows your error rate goes up 50% and it takes you twice as long to do things.
When you’re always online you’re always distracted. So the always online organization is the always unproductive organization.
The human brain can only hold about seven pieces of information for less than 30 seconds! Which means, your brain can only handle a 7-digit phone number. If you want to extend the 30 seconds to a few minutes or even an hour or two, you will need to consistently re-expose yourself to the information. Memories are so volatile that you have to repeat to remember.
Improve your memory by elaborately encoding it during its initial moments. Many of us have trouble remembering names. If at a party you need help remembering Mary, it helps to repeat internally more information about her. “Mary is wearing a blue dress and my favorite color is blue.” It may seem counterintuitive at first but study after study shows it improves your memory.
Brain Rules in the classroom. In partnership with the University of Washington and Seattle Pacific University, Medina tested this Brain Rule in real classrooms of 3rd graders. They were asked to repeat their multiplication tables in the afternoons. The classrooms in the study did significantly better than the classrooms that did not have the repetition. If brain scientists get together with teachers and do research, we may be able to eliminate need for homework since learning would take place at school, instead of the home.
It takes years to consolidate a memory. Not minutes, hours, or days but years. What you learn in first grade is not completely formed until your sophomore year in high school.
Medina’s dream school is one that repeats what was learned, not at home, but during the school day, 90-120 minutes after the initial learning occurred. Our schools are currently designed so that most real learning has to occur at home.
How do you remember better? Repeated exposure to information / in specifically timed intervals / provides the most powerful way to fix memory into the brain.
Forgetting allows us to prioritize events. But if you want to remember, remember to repeat.
When we’re asleep, the brain is not resting at all. It is almost unbelievably active! It’s possible that the reason we need to sleep is so that we can learn.
Sleep must be important because we spend 1/3 of our lives doing it! Loss of sleep hurts attention, executive function, working memory, mood, quantitative skills, logical reasoning, and even motor dexterity.
We still don’t know how much we need! It changes with age, gender, pregnancy, puberty, and so much more.
Napping is normal. Ever feel tired in the afternoon? That’s because your brain really wants to take a nap. There's a battle raging in your head between two armies. Each army is made of legions of brain cells and biochemicals –- one desperately trying to keep you awake, the other desperately trying to force you to sleep. Around 3 p.m., 12 hours after the midpoint of your sleep, all your brain wants to do is nap.
Taking a nap might make you more productive. In one study, a 26-minute nap improved NASA pilots’ performance by 34 percent.
Don’t schedule important meetings at 3 p.m. It just doesn’t make sense.
You brain is built to deal with stress that lasts about 30 seconds. The brain is not designed for long term stress when you feel like you have no control. The saber-toothed tiger ate you or you ran away but it was all over in less than a minute. If you have a bad boss, the saber-toothed tiger can be at your door for years, and you begin to deregulate. If you are in a bad marriage, the saber-toothed tiger can be in your bed for years, and the same thing occurs. You can actually watch the brain shrink.
Stress damages virtually every kind of cognition that exists. It damages memory and executive function. It can hurt your motor skills. When you are stressed out over a long period of time it disrupts your immune response. You get sicker more often. It disrupts your ability to sleep. You get depressed.
The emotional stability of the home is the single greatest predictor of academic success. If you want your kid to get into Harvard, go home and love your spouse.
You have one brain. The same brain you have at home is the same brain you have at work or school. The stress you are experiencing at home will affect your performance at work, and vice versa.
Our senses work together so it is important to stimulate them! Your head crackles with the perceptions of the whole world, sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, energetic as a frat party.
Smell is unusually effective at evoking memory. If you're tested on the details of a movie while the smell of popcorn is wafted into the air, you'll remember 10-50% more.
Smell is really important to business. When you walk into Starbucks, the first thing you smell is coffee. They have done a number of things over the years to make sure that’s the case.
The learning link. Those in multisensory environments always do better than those in unisensory environments. They have more recall with better resolution that lasts longer, evident even 20 years later.
We are incredible at remembering pictures. Hear a piece of information, and three days later you'll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you'll remember 65%.
Pictures beat text as well, in part because reading is so inefficient for us. Our brain sees words as lots of tiny pictures, and we have to identify certain features in the letters to be able to read them. That takes time.
Why is vision such a big deal to us? Perhaps because it's how we've always apprehended major threats, food supplies and reproductive opportunity.
Toss your PowerPoint presentations. It’s text-based (nearly 40 words per slide), with six hierarchical levels of chapters and subheads—all words. Professionals everywhere need to know about the incredible inefficiency of text-based information and the incredible effects of images. Burn your current PowerPoint presentations and make new ones.
What’s different? Mental health professionals have known for years about sex-based differences in the type and severity of psychiatric disorders. Males are more severely afflicted by schizophrenia than females. By more than 2 to 1, women are more likely to get depressed than men, a figure that shows up just after puberty and remains stable for the next 50 years. Males exhibit more antisocial behavior. Females have more anxiety. Most alcoholics and drug addicts are male. Most anorexics are female.
Men and women handle acute stress differently. When researcher Larry Cahill showed them slasher films, men fired up the amygdale in their brain’s right hemisphere, which is responsible for the gist of an event. Their left was comparatively silent. Women lit up their left amygdale, the one responsible for details. Having a team that simultaneously understood the gist and details of a given stressful situation helped us conquer the world.
Men and women process certain emotions differently. Emotions are useful. They make the brain pay attention. These differences are a product of complex interactions between nature and nurture.
The desire to explore never leaves us despite the classrooms and cubicles we are stuffed into. Babies are the model of how we learn—not by passive reaction to the environment but by active testing through observation, hypothesis, experiment, and conclusion. Babies methodically do experiments on objects, for example, to see what they will do.
Google takes to heart the power of exploration. For 20 percent of their time, employees may go where their mind asks them to go. The proof is in the bottom line: fully 50 percent of new products, including Gmail and Google News, came from “20 percent time.”
Vitamins
The body does not store this vitamin and the body requires daily 5,000 units of this vitamin. It is essential to the skin and the eyes and, in turn, strengthens hair and nails.
Effects of insufficient supply of this vitamin:
Red dots on its skin diseases in the eyes, hair dry and weak and prone to infections.
Food that contains:
Green beans, carrots, liver, kidneys, peaches, plums, egg, milk and its byproducts, dried apricots and plums.
Vitamin B:
Is not stored in the body, so it must be daily supply. It is the vitamin of the vitality and energy.
Food that contains:
It is found in cereals. The richest source is brewer's yeast.
Vitamin B-1:
Helps the respiration and oxygenation of the cells and the smooth functioning of the digestive tract, heart, the glands, brain and nervous system.
Food that contains:
Milk and its byproducts, bean, spinach, peas, egg yolk, raw cabbage, carrots, hazelnuts and walnuts, broccoli, tomatoes, lentils, bananas and peaches.
Vitamin B-2:
This vitamin whose daily consumption of 2.5 mg should be about helping the oxygenation of the cells, strengthens vision, hair, nails and skin.
Effects of insufficient supply of this vitamin:
Anemia, hair and lack of vitality.
Food that contains:
The brewer's yeast, milk, plums, fish, spinach and legumes.
Vitamin B-6:
It produces antibodies and red blood cells, helps digestion and is essential for the smooth functioning of the female sexual organs. It is currently being studied as a potential medicine to cure sterility. It is also used to counter juvenile acne.
Food that contains:
Brewer's yeast, the grains, the bread, egg yolk and raw salads.
Vitamin B-12:
Such an anti-vitamin is essential for the metabolism of fats and proteins
Food that contains:
milk, eggs, liver, kidneys and fish.
Vitamin C:
This vitamin is used increasingly in modern medicine to combat many diseases. Among its tasks is to strengthen the intercellular substance strengthen the walls of the blood capillaries and gums. It helps fight infections and heal wounds. Normally you need a dose of 1,500 units a day.
Food that contains:
Cantaloupe, oranges, strawberries, raw cabbage, cucumbers, pineapple, apple, pear, avocado and lettuce.
Vitamin D:
It is the vitamin that controls phosphorus and calcium in the body. It is indispensable for the maintenance of bones and teeth.
Food that contains:
The sun's rays, fish, sardines and egg.
Vitamin E:
Helps prevent heart disease and hypertension counter.
Food that contains:
It is found in large amounts in natural foods, without chemical processing.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Advertising affecting our health
Between 1970 and 1999, the percentage of overweight children ages 6-11 more than tripled to 13 percent. Adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 also saw a significant increase, reaching 14 percent.
Research indicates that there is an 80 percent chance an overweight adolescent will be an obese adult and that over 300,000 deaths can be attributed to obesity and weight in the United States every year.
A 2006 report issued by the Institute of Medicine indicated there is compelling evidence linking food advertising on television and increased childhood obesity. "Some members of the committee that wrote the report recommended congressional regulation of television food advertisements aimed at children, but the report also said that the final link that would definitively prove that children had become fatter by watching food commercials aimed at them cannot be made," says Grossman.
So as you can see there is a pathos appeal in food advertising because it deals with our emotions. Food propaganda urges us to go out and try all kinds of foods. Be smart when choosing you can be affecting your health.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
10 Dietary Mistakes to Avoid
The government's recommendation for protein—a measly 0.4 grams per pound of body weight—is barely half of what you need to build muscle, which in turn will help you burn fat. This applies to women as well: You need protein
Skipping breakfast
I don't mean grabbing a soda or eating a quick doughnut; I mean consuming whole foods such as oatmeal, eggs, fruit, milk, and yogurt. Your brain and body both need these nutrients to function.
Skipping other meals because you don't think ahead
Maybe you're in meetings all day and haven't eaten for six hours. When you finally do, you choose badly because you're absolutely starved. What's more, you eat too quickly when you're famished, outracing your body's "fullness" signal. Instead, aim to eat every three hours.
Eating carbs only
A plain bagel alone, or with orange juice, is one of the worst breakfasts you can eat. Dreadful. Your blood sugar will light up like fireworks on the Fourth of July. This stimulates the release of the hormone insulin, which signals your body to stop burning and start storing fat. It also triggers hunger, making you reach for something else that will skyrocket your blood sugar again. Better to start your day off with eggs (protein), turkey bacon (fat), and a side of fruit (healthier carbs).
Thinking in terms of "snacks" packaged in boxes and bags.
Falling for the fat-free gimmick.
Not everything in the center aisles of your local supermarket is junk—hey, canned tuna is useful—but the vast majority of what you'll find there has been pumped full of chemicals and processed beyond belief. Unless you need a greeting card, a magazine, or a can of shaving cream, stay on the store's periphery, where all the fresh stuff lies.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Snoring


Snoring the biggest irritation known to any couple
is like all other sounds, is caused by vibrations that cause particles in the air to form sound waves, the sound of snoring is caused when there is a small blockage that impedes the passage of air from the back of the mouth and nose. Snoring is not considered a disease but it indicates that something does not work very well.
Alcohol
Recommendations
Avoid alcohol and tranquilizers These two elements can depress the central nervous system and relax the muscles of the diaphragm and jaw which increases snoring.
Avoid gaining weight When you are overweight, especially in neck, it can make it difficult to breathe because that weight is pressing on a respiratory tract. It is advisable in this case to lose weight.
Take action if you suffer from allergies People who suffer from respiratory allergies may sleep with an open mouth which causes snoring. It is recommended, to use a humidifier in the room.
Sleeping on your side Some studies have shown that snoring occurs when a person sleeps. Therefore, it is recommended to sleep on your side.
Establish regular sleep patterns
See a doctor If a person snore so strong that can be heard outside the bedroom, you may be suffering from a condition which is known as sleep apnea where the person may even stop breathing when sleeping.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Hiccups
This past weekend I went to the doctor but not because I was sick but instead because I had a case of the hiccups for more than a couple of minuets. Actually they lasted about 10 minuets and of course like any other mom, my mom send me to the doctor to see what was wrong. I got to the Doctor and as I waited to get checked all of a sudden the hiccups stopped (it was really weird). So my blog today is about hiccups what they are and what are some remedies you can use to get rid of them.
Have you ever had the hiccups for more than a couple seconds?
"A hiccup basically is where there is an involuntary spasm of this muscle called the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a pretty big muscle that sits right below the lungs and it helps us to breathe normally but it can go a little haywire," said Dr. Arfan Din.
Almost everyone has had hiccups. "Singultus" is the medical term for hiccups, derived from the Latin word "singult," which means the act of catching your breath while sobbing, an apt description of the way hiccups sound. Although they can be embarrassing — especially if the "hic" pops out of your mouth in a quiet room or during a meeting — hiccups are rarely cause for concern.
They can be caused by:
Carbonated beverages
Intense emotions
Nervousness
Smoking
Cold air or cold drink
Folk remedies
Remedy # 2: With the thumb and the index pull your tongue out slightly
Remedy # 3: Slightly frightening to the person who has the hiccups. * I do this too*
Remedy # 4: A natural remedy is to keep a piece of ice for a minute near the Adam's apple.
Remedy # 5: Sink your finger in the upper part of your stomach while you count to sixty.
Go on this website to learn more about your hiccups http://cbs13.com/goodquestion/2.485791.html
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Natural Travel Kit
So in class today there were these long discussions on what activities were going to take place for the holidays so here is a natural kit that one might consider taking if anything occurs when traveling.
For intestinal parasites
Fruit: Papaya
Properties: It is diuretic, laxative, nutritious and has qualities vermifyga (expels intestinal parasites)The best way is to eat natural, cooked in liquid milk or canned.
Fruits: Grapefruit
Properties: The grapefruit seed extract may be very suitable for avoiding most of intestinal worms (also could run the extract of garlic or garlic oil). At the same time the grapefruit seed extract helps us to combat colds and the majority of infections (angina, otitis, cándidas, cystitis, etc ...).
For sunburn
Plant: St. John's wort
Properties: The St. John's wort is excellent, apart from sunburn, in case of hives, sores or blisters on the feet or as a moisturizer.
Plant: Calendula
Properties: The calendula calm irritation armpits, genital areas, English, etc. produced by heat or sweat. It may also be valid in case of eczema
Plant: The aloe Vera or SábilaProperties Anti-inflammatory, laxative, high-dose laxative helps aged or irritated skin, sores, bruises, minor burns, pigmentation, insect bites, eczema nuts, grains, acne, canker sores, bleeding gums, inflammation of the eyelids
For the dizziness and vomiting
Plant. Ginger
Properties: digestive stimulant that prevents dizziness and vomiting and is also suitable for pregnant women.
To help sleep on a long journey or for combat stress of the journey
Plant: Valerian
Properties. Sedative recommended in case of timely or chronic insomnia, stress and mild anxiety states.
Bruises & dislocations
Plant: ArnicaProperties: It is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory herbal products for external use. It is also analgesic, antiseptic, antimicrobial, healing and relieves muscle pain.
For something cold and fever
Plant: ulmaria
Properties: It is stated in colds and flu, but also in rheumatic pain and urinary disorders.
To reduce the swelling of insect bites
Plant: Calendula
Properties: The creams and ointments with marigold are very effective, and prevent further infection to develop.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Forgotten but not gone

Nerve cells retain many of their newly created connections and if necessary, inactivate only transmission of the information. This makes relearning easier.
Unhappy People Watch TV, Happy People Read/Socialize
While searching for information for my blog I came across this article which talked about unhappy people and how they are unhappy because of TV! Weird right who ever was to think that to much television can actually make one sad.
A new study by sociologists at the University of Maryland concludes that unhappy people watch more TV, while people who describe themselves as "very happy" spend more time reading and socializing. Analyzing 30-years worth of national data from time use studies and a continuing series of social attitude surveys, the Maryland researchers report that spending time watching television may contribute to viewers' happiness in the moment, with less positive effects in the long run.
"Addictive activities produce momentary pleasure and long-term misery and regret," says Martin likens
So now that you know will you watch less TV?
Friday, November 28, 2008
Who are smarter men or women?
Men do score better at tasks that involve orienting objects in space, while women do better at language tests.
Scientists have known for a while now that men and women have slightly different brains, but for many years they thought the changes were limited to the hypothalamus -- the part of your brain that controls sex drive and food intake.
In 2001, researchers found that certain parts of the brain were differently sized in males and females. The study found that parts of the frontal lobe, responsible for problem-solving and decision-making, and the limbic cortex, responsible for regulating emotions, were larger in women. In men, the parietal cortex, which is involved in space perception, and the amygdala, which regulates sexual and social behavior, were larger.
Men also have approximately 6.5 times more gray matter in the brain than women, and women have about 10 times more white matter than men do. This difference may account for differences in how men and women think -- gray matter is full of active neurons, while white matter consists more of connections between the neurons.
A woman's brain is a bit more complicated in setup, but those connections may allow a woman's brain to work faster than a man's.
However, average IQ scores are the same for both men and women.
Watch this video and find out who's smarter http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/11/27/who-are-smarter-men-or-women.aspx
Irritating Throat
That difficulty swallowing and the feeling ofburning throat is often the first symptom of a cold or the flu.
Folk remedies
Remedy popular # 1:. Boil three leaves of lemon in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add a teaspoon of honey. Slowly drinking tea when it is still warm.
Remedy popular # 2: Add a tablespoon of baking soda in a large glass of water. Take, for sips during the day.
# 3: Mix one teaspoon of table salt in half a liter of water at room temperature. Then, gargle made approximately every hour.
Recommendations
Place a humidifier in the room.
Increase consumption of fluids.
Discard your toothbrush.
Raise your head if you have problems with reflux
Visiting a doctor if one or more of the following symptoms
Irritation of the throat for a long time or a recurring
Shortness of breath
Joint aches, ear, or a tumor in his neck.
Fever above the 38.3 ° C
Hoarseness for more than two weeks.
Saliva or phlegm bloody.
10 Foods that actually bring Pain
10 Foods That Bring on Pain
An estimated 40 million Americans live with what they describe as chronic pain, and many more suffer from acute bouts of pain. But for some, pain-free living could be a dietary change away.
When people eliminate certain foods from their diets, their symptoms are often eliminated or reduced. Here are some of the worst pain-inducing offenders for headaches, acid reflux and arthritis.
However, results may vary -- reactions are different for every person.
Tomatoes
For the millions of Americans who suffer from heartburn and acid reflux, tomatoes are a chest pain waiting to happen. When you ingest tomatoes or spicy foods, your lower esophageal sphincter has an abnormal relaxation, and it allows the acid contents of the stomach to splash back up into the esophagus. This causes the discomfort known as heartburn.
And although everyone experiences small amounts of reflux every day, some people's acid reflux is so severe that the excessive amount of acid actually breaks down the lining of the esophagus, leading to extraordinary pain.
Citrus Fruits
The acid reflux-inducing nature of citrus fruits can vary from person to person, but the most common offenders are oranges, grapefruits and lemons. As with tomatoes, it is the high acid content of these fruits that causes the pain. The aggravation is the same as well; eating citrus-y foods affects the lower esophageal sphincter in much the same way as tomatoes.
Bacon
Bacon can be the cause of arthritic pain, especially when the meats are deep fried. Bacon may form the internal substances that are responsible for inflammation, and it's this inflammation that leads to increased arthritic pain. And if the prostaglandins and leukotrienes don't get to you, the extra weight you'll put on by eating too much bacon will -- the greatest effect of diet on arthritis is weight control.
Eggs
Eggs contain the same pro-inflammatory agents as bacon. Eggs contain arachidonic acid, and as this acid is broken down by the body, it can lead to the formation of inflammatory prostaglandins. These inflammatory prostaglandins can lead to increased swelling and joint pain.
Cheese
Excess cheese consumption can cause pain in several ways. One may be a reaction to the protein found in the cheese -- very similar to an allergic reaction. This can lead to inflammation.
Soft Drinks
Soft drinks are among of the most consumed beverages in the United States. This "liquid candy" is so ubiquitous that it contributes to about 10 percent of the calories consumed in the average American diet. And diets that are high in sugar have been associated with inflammation, since excess sugar consumption can lead to obesity, which is known to cause joint pain and swelling.
The average 12-ounce can of soda contains 136 empty calories and 33 grams of sugar -- the equivalent of 11 sugar packets or more in every can.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains the chemical phenylethylamine, and too much of it may affect concentration and can cause a nasty "chocolate hangover" for some. Different kinds of chocolate affect people differently, which could be due to the amount of cocoa or caffeine found various kinds of chocolate in chocolate.
Wine
Drinking too much wine can cause just about anyone to get a headache, but for some people drinking even a tiny amount of wine will bring on a vicious migraine, nausea and flushing. It was previously believed that red wine headaches were caused by sulfites in the wine, but it is now thought that the only people who have a reaction to the sulfites in red wine are people who already have sulfite allergies.
Instead, wine headaches may be caused by the amino acid tyramine, which have been shown to induce migraines in many people. Wine headaches could also be caused by the dehydrating effects of alcohol.
Processed Meat
Processed meats such as lunch meat, hot dogs and sausages contain chemicals such as nitrites that are associated with increased inflammation and chronic disease. This is partially due to the unhealthy fats used in preparing and processing these foods, especially trans fats.
Potato Chips
Potatoes are part of the nightshade family. Members of this family of plants has been associated in the past with increased inflammation and arthritic pain. Certain proteins in potatoes may also trigger a bad reaction in some people, quite similar to an allergic reaction. This reaction could cause painful migraines or arthritic flare-ups.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Best Kept Secret for Treating Depression
Every year, 230 million prescriptions for antidepressants are filled, making them one of the most-prescribed drugs in the United States. Despite all of these prescription drugs being taken, more than one in 20 Americans are depressed, according to statistics that came out from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier this month. Of them, 80 percent said they have some level of functional impairment, and 27 percent said it is extremely difficult to do everyday tasks like work, getting things done at home or getting along with others because of the condition. Why are so many people feeling so low, even though antidepressants -- the supposed “cure” for depression -- are so widely available? Because antidepressants are barely effective, and they increase your risk of many serious side effects. Watch this video and find out the best kept secret for treating depression.http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/09/30/best-kept-secret-for-treating-depression.aspx
A laugh a day keeps the doctor away

Blood flow decreased by about 35 percent after experiencing stress
Blood flow increased by 22 percent after laughing, which is equivalent to what happens after a 15- to 30-minute workout
STRESS
However, what is really stress? What effects does stress have on our health? What folk remedies exist to counter it?
Many people think that stress the word itself carries a negative connotation, but in truth, it is not. Stress that stays at acceptable levels, impels us to respond to the needs and demands of the environment which gives zest for life, liberates our creativity and encourages the use of our resources. However, when the stress exceeds or surpasses by far the skills and capabilities to respond to the environment, it becomes negative stress or distress in that case it is a health risk.
The most immediate signs of stress are fatigue, the emergence of problems sleeping and irritability. It may even cause physical reactions in the body such as granite, sweating, dandruff, hair loss and even affects the digestive system.
With the passage of time, stress can affect the immune system of the person making it constantly cold. It can cause, headaches, and even high blood pressure.
Folk remedies
1. Flowers of orange blossom
2. Prepare a juice of a banana, half pear, five strawberries and a tablespoon of brewer's yeast. To prepare it, you should peel the fruit, chop and put in a blend
Recommendations
Take time for yourself.
You are therefore advised to save an hour each day to read a book or go for a walk. The latter activity is excellent, especially in a park, and that contact with green and fresh scent helps fight stress. It is important to choose an activity that does not involve an effort; it must be something pleasant rather than raise it as a bounden duty.
Setting priorities and not try to do everything at once
Learn to say no.
Monitor our diet.
Getting enough sleep
Exercise is fundamental
Learn relaxation techniques.
Find an advisory council
Comply with any reward from time to time
See the situation that produces stress from another point of view other than
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The amazing power of music
Music is a great mood regulator, whether it’s used in conjunction with exercise or not. Loud, upbeat music generally has a stimulating effect, whereas slow music can act as a sedative.
It’s very encouraging that more and more health professionals are beginning to realize the value of simple techniques such as music, using it as an adjunct to promote healing even in more conventional medical settings. As pediatrician Linda Fisher stated in the article above, it’s the music’s rhythm, melody and tonal quality that puts the patient in that “special place of peace” where healing can be achieved faster.
For example, harp music might be particularly helpful for people who have heart trouble. Harvard researchers have shown that the rhythms of healthy hearts may be similar to those found in classical music, and that certain rhythms, such as that of harp music can cause your heart to beat more normally.
Other studies from the early 1990s concluded that music significantly lowered the heart rates and calmed and regulated the blood pressures and respiration rates of patients who had undergone surgery.
Music therapy has also been shown to:
Improve motor skills in patients recovering from strokes
Boost your immune system
Improve mental focus
Help control pain
Create a feeling of well-being
Reduce anxiety
Read this article to find out more information about music http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/11/04/the-amazing-power-of-music-revealed.aspx
A Cure for Your Cough
There are several types of coughs. A cough that appears at the end of a cold or flu which is a thick expectoration. Another non-productive, dry, which only serves to irritate the airways and lead to more coughing. There are also occasional cough and cosquilleante without sore throat and is caused by smoking.
The causes of cough are varied:
Bronchitis,
Smoking
Stress
Allergies
Moisture-free environments.
Irritants
Side effects of medications.
Folk remedies
Remedy popular # 1: macerate for several hours, the grated radish mixed with an abundant sugar o miel. or honey. Take several tablespoons a day.
Remedy popular # 2: Mix ¼ cup of water with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and drinking it slowly.
Remedy popular # 3: Do gargle with salt water
Remedy popular # 4: Prepare a syrup mixture of cherry juice or fresh carrots with honey in equal parts.
Remedy popular # 5: Boil a rate of milk with a teaspoon of honey and sesame oil.
Remedy popular # 6: Eat a clove of garlic every three hours can be beneficial.
Recommendations
Spray room with the person who suffers a cough.
Strive to drink a lot to release the mucus.
Consult a physician if the cough does not refer at the end of a week or intensifies and becomes more complicated with fever, chest pain and nausea to rule out the possibility of another physical problem.
In the case of infants or young children, you should consult a doctor en cuanto sea posible.as soon as possible.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Love Your Pet its Good for Your Health

Most households in the United States have at least one pet. Why do people have pets? There are many reasons.
Some of the health benefits of pets are listed below.
Pets can decrease your:
Blood pressure
Cholesterol levels
Triglyceride levels
Feelings of lonelinessPets can increase your:
Opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities
Opportunities for socialization
Health Benefits Of Having A Pet
More and more studies are beginning to show evidence that children who live in homes with animals that have fur (cat, dog, guinea pig,etc) and large animals are less at risk for allergies, eczema (skin rash condition) and asthma. There is also some discussion that children in those homes may have stronger immune system activation.
Heart attack patients who have pets survive longer than those without, according to several studies.
People with pets actually make fewer doctor visits, especially for non-serious medical conditions.
Pets help fight depression and loneliness-The antics of animals at play keep you lighthearted. The presence of a dog prompts the daily walk you otherwise might postpone. Having a cat means regular exposure to contented purring, with its guaranteed-to-be calming effect on your psyche. Furry critters encourage life-critical social interactions and feeding and grooming routines offer structure and purpose to a life lived alone.
Pets can help lower your blood pressure-Dr. Karen Allen, a researcher at the State University of New York at Buffalo, showed that people with hypertension who adopted a dog had lower blood pressurereadings in stressful situations than did those who did not own a pet.
Dr. Meredith Wells, an assistant professor of psychology at Eastern Kentucky University, surveyed businesses that allow pets in the workplace and found that employees believe that the animals reduce stress and improve their mental and physical health.
Pets promote social interaction; decrease the feeling of loneliness and isolation, and increase morale and optimism.
Pets satisfy the need for touch and to be touched, and give nonjudgmental warmth and affection.
Pets encourage playfulness, exercise, and laughter.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Burn More
1. Just park the car. When you go to the grocery store-or whatever your destination may be-park a little farther away from the door rather than driving around in circles trying to find a spot a little closer to the door. You'd be amazed at the extra calories you'll burn by taking those few extra steps.
2. Walking lunch breaks. When lunch time rolls around, allow time for a couple of laps around the parking lot. Start keeping a pair of tennis shoes in your vehicle and after you eat your lunch, throw on your shoes for a quick couple of laps around the parking lot. Walking is a great way to burn calories quickly. Extra tip: Walk in spurts. Speed walk for 2 minutes, and then walk at a moderate pace for 2 minutes. Alternate until you have about 5 minutes left of your lunch break for an easy cool-down. Walking at 3 mph (20min/mile) will burn 159 calories in 30 minutes.
3. Be a kid. 30 minutes of playing vigorously with the kids-your own, your nieces and nephews, the neighbor's....whomever-will help you burn 242 calories. Now that's worth running around the yard and playing tag for a little while, right?
4. Get some sleep. Sleeping burns 43 calories per half hour, so try to get in a full 7 to 8 hours every night. Some people only get a few hours of sleep. every night-you know who you are-and it's not very healthy. You awake in the morning tired and dragging behind for the whole day. A good night's sleep will burn calories as well as give you the energy to get into a more active schedule-which will, in turn, burn more calories. Sleeping is good in moderation!
5. Clean the house. Okay, everyone hates to clean, but here's the realization on how many calories you can burn in 30 minutes by cleaning:
Vacuuming: 169 calories per 30 minutes
Chocolate
The answer is a qualified “yes”
Good news for chocolate lovers. It’s OK to indulge those “forbidden” cravings. In fact, it may be downright healthy—if you stick to dark chocolate and don’t overdo it. “Chocolate can be eaten every day if done responsibly,” says registered dietitian Janet Zusi of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network.
More than divinely delicious, chocolate contains powerful plant antioxidants called falconoid. Found in cocoa, the dark part of the cacao bean, falconoid protect cells and promote heart health by lowering blood pressure and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. The other healthy ingredient from cacao beans is cocoa butter. Its fat is highly saturated, but falls into the “good fats” category because it doesn’t elevate LDL and may lower it.
The darker the chocolate, the more cocoa and falconoid, so look for “dark” or “semisweet” chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa content. Milk chocolate has less cocoa and white chocolate none at all, and both have added sugar and high-fat milk.
There are people who should avoid chocolate, even the healthy dark kind. If you have reflux disease, PMS, migraines; the fat, sugar and small amounts of caffeine in chocolate may aggravate your symptoms. And never give chocolate to a pet. It contains a chemical toxic to animals.
One final caution—when it comes to chocolate more isn’t better. “A single ounce contains 150 calories from the fat and sugar,” Zusi says. To keep your consumption no higher than an ounce a day, make the most of that luscious chocolate taste by using it with other, healthier foods. “Sprinkle a tablespoon of dark chocolate chips on fat-free yogurt,” Zusi says, “or mix them into trail mix with nuts, high-fiber cereal and raisins.”
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Miracle Foods
90/ 10
90/10 Is a theory by Stephen Covey, he says that 10 % of life is related with what occurs to you and that 90% is determine by the way you react to what happen to you. What does this mean in his eyes it means that 10 % of life you can not control but other 90% you can by your reaction afterwards. For example lets say that your sitting around eating breakfast with your family and all of a sudden your daughter spills coffee all over your new shirt - your reaction is this- you get up all frustrated, and angry that you begin to yell at your daughter which causes her to cry, you yell at your wife and say to her that it was her fault for putting the glass to close to the border, as you run upstairs to change you realize that you are late for work as you come down your realize your daughter is still crying at the thought of spilling your drink that she even misses her bus which causes you to drive her to school by the time you get to work your late and stress, when you get home your wife begins to lecture you about how you treated your daughter.
So after all of this, who is to blame for your hell day?
a. The Coffee
b. Your daughter
c. Your Wife
d. Yourself
The point that Mr. Covey was trying to convey was that life is a boomerang everything we say do or think will come back to us. 90/ 10 think before you react!
What's Your Best Time of Day?
All living organisms, from mollusks to men and women, exhibit biological rhythms. The idea that our bodies are in constant flux, is fairly new, which goes against traditional medical training, but now there is a new science called chronobiology, which scientific and medical communities are beginning to rethink their ideas about how the human body works and by helping us organize ourselves so we can work with our natural rhythms, which can enhance our outlook on life as well as our performance at work and play.
The most obvious daily rhythm is the sleep/ wake cycle but there is also temperature, blood pressure, and hormone levels which can determine how you feel, how well you work, your level of alertness, your sensitivity to taste and smell , the degree to which you enjoy food or take pleasure in music all are changing through the day.
Here are some cool facts:
– Short term memory is best during the morning; it really does pay to review your notes right before the test is given.
- Long term memory is best during the afternoon where you can recall day’s weeks or months later.
* Students it would be wise if you were to schedule and study for your classes in the afternoon.*
- We tend to do best on cognitive tasks in the morning
- Your manual dexterity the speed and coordination with which you perform complicated tasks with your hands peaks during the afternoon hours.
- All your senses may be at their keenest during late afternoon and early evening
- Even your perception of time changes from hour to hour. Not only does time seem to fly when you’re having fun, but it also seems to fly even faster if you are having fun in the late afternoon or early evening.
Learn how to listen to the inner beats of your body; let them set the pace of your day. You will live a healthier and happier life.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
The Brain
Hippocrates
Hippocrates is perhaps history's most famous physician. By rejecting superstition in favor of scientific observation, by classifying diseases, and by creating a set of moral and professional standards for physicians, he earned the title of 'Father of Medicine.'
What does this quote say to you?
“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.”
Why?
Medicine at home is an idea that occurred to me while watching the history channel; I realize that in ancient times when medicine was not as advance there was all types of cures for illnesses that still occur today; as a result I began to wonder why we had stop using natural ingredients to cure certain sicknesses. My focus is on ingredients that can be found at home to cure or alleviate any medical problem you might have.
I guess you can say my blog is a mix of history and medicine, I bring out the past, present and future of medicine in a way that can help you fight though your pain.
Enjoy, Learn, and Share
