Glucosamine Chondroitin for Osteoarthritis

What are glucosamine and chondroitin?

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are compounds that are thought to have a protective effect on the cartilage, as well as to help manage osteoarthritis, particularly of the knee. Currently there are still many controversies around the effectiveness glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate in actually preventing the degeneration of joint cartilage. In Europe, glucosamine is a prescription drug with a standardized formula. In the United States and some parts of Asia, glucosamine is sold over-the-counter as dietary supplements.

Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are found in normal joint cartilage and synovial fluid. Researchers proposed that glucosamine may stimulate production of cartilage-building proteins. Glucosamine in supplements is extracted from animal tissues such as crab, lobster or shellfish and marketed as glucosamine sulfate or glucosamine hydrochloride. They are considered to be equally effective, but the hydrochloride form is absorbed more easily by the body and can be taken in lower dosage than glucosamine sulfate.

Chondroitin sulfate is part of a protein molecule that maintains cartilage elasticity and is also thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect. Chondroitin sulfate in supplements is extracted from animal cartilage such as trachea or shark cartilage.

Do glucosamine and chondroitin really work for osteoarthritis?

In reality, some studies have found that either glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate given together or separately may relieve osteoarthritis pain with fewer side effects than conventional arthritis drugs. However, there are also studies that have shown no benefit. Although currently positive reports outnumbered negative ones, the negative ones have been larger and better designed.

The largest clinical trial that studies the effect of glucosamine and chodroitin sulfate is the Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), which is funded by the National Institutes of Health. In 2006, the researchers reported that glucosamine and chondroitin, alone or together, did not reduce osteoarthritis knee pain more effectively than a placebo. Follow up reports from this study also failed to show any promising result.

However, despite this discouraging result many people who take glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements did report subjective reduction in arthritis pain. There are preliminary reports that suggest addition of vitamin C, bromelain, or manganese may enhance the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. And because these supplements are thought to have very few side effects, people keep taking them anyway.

Be wise if you decide to take glucosamine and chondroitin supplement.

Severe form of osteoarthritis may require surgery.

So, what to do? If you decide to try glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements after all, give it three months time to evaluate their efficacy. The typical initial dose is 1500 mg of glucosamine and 1200 of chondroitin daily for 6 to 8 weeks. If a response is obtained, the dose can be reduced to 1000 mg of glucosamine and 800 of chondroitin or less. If you feel there is no change in symptoms after three months, these supplements should be discontinued.

If your symptoms are severe, you should stay on your usual arthritis medications even while you are taking glucosamine and chondroitin. As always, consult your physician before taking any form of supplements. Common side effects include stomach upset, gas, soft stools, drowsiness, headache, racing heart, and skin reactions. Patients with diabetes should pay extra caution because glucosamine is an amino sugar that may affect blood sugar levels. Also, because these supplements contain shellfish and other possible allergens, watch out for allergy symptoms.

Tips For Choosing Supplements

Most people in the United States take one or more supplements either regularly or occasionally. Dietary supplements come in forms of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, herbal products, and many others. The preparation can be a tablets, capsules, soft gels, powders, and liquid. Because there are so many varieties out there, choosing the right kind of supplement may be challenging. Here are a few basic tips to consider before you decided to start consuming one.

Do some preliminary background check

Research the benefits and possible side effects of the particular compound you’re planning to take. Always consult a health care professional beforehand. Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not drugs and, therefore, are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases. Do not believe whatever claims the manufacturer made before doing some research of your own. Some supplements promise to help make us thinner, smarter, stronger or faster without making any other changes in lifestyle. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Consider the effectiveness of the supplement

Find out how much you need to consume in order to bring out the health benefits for your body without risking the side effects. Many popular products include ingredients in miniscule quantities, just so a much-publicized ingredient can be listed on the label, or vice versa, they include a very high amount of a particular ingredient while in reality our body only needs a minuscule amount. A good, but not perfect guide is to look up the recommended daily allowances (RDA) of that product. However, keep in mind that a product’s chemical formulation and how it is prepared affect how our body is able to take in the ingredients. This is called bioavailability. A high-dosed product, but low bioavailability is not very effective.

Soft capsules generally have a better bioavailabilty than traditional tablets.

Be aware of safety and risk issues

The term ‘natural’ doesn't always mean safe. Many supplements contain active ingredients that can have strong effects in the body. Always be alert to the possibility of unexpected side effects, especially when taking a new product. Dietary supplements can also interact with certain prescription drugs in ways that might cause problems. Watch out for other catch phrases like ‘clinically tested/proven’ and ‘pharmaceutical strength’. Unlike drugs, which must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed, dietary supplements do not require premarket review or approval by the FDA and the manufacturers do not have to provide any evidence about the claims they made before the product is marketed.

Look for quality assurance

Since the quality of nutritional supplements can vary widely, one strategy is to choose an established brand name, or one that's recommended by a health professional. Not every product uses high quality raw materials, or is manufactured according to accepted good manufacturing practices. Besides the FDA, several independent organizations like U.S. Pharmacopeia, ConsumerLab.com, and NSF International offer quality testing and allow products that pass these tests to display their seals of approval. These seals of approval provide assurance that the product was properly manufactured, contains the ingredients listed on the label, and does not contain harmful levels of contaminants.

Going Somewhere? Basics of Travelers' Health

Nobody wants to fall sick or get hurt during a trip, but sometimes these things happen. You may not be able to prevent every illness or injury, but you can plan ahead to be able to deal with them. Here's a bit of information to keep in mind whenever you're planning for a travel, especially international ones, in order to ensure a safer, healthier and more enjoyable experience.

Learn about your destination

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides health-related information on destination countries which includes disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and other events. Besides the information provided by the CDC, you should also gather as many details as possible about your specific destination. Take into consideration the modes of travel, lodging, food, and activities during your trip.

Seek travel health advice from your physician or travel medicine provider

Ideally, set up a visit 4-6 weeks before your trip because you may need some vaccinations that may take some time in order to be effective. Besides giving required immunizations, during the pre-travel visit, your doctor may recommend some medications to prevent specific diseases (such as antimalaria drugs) and give specific health advice for preventing and treating travelers’ diarrhea and other illnesses.

Consider your health status.

Avoid traveling when you're sick, especially if you have contracted a communicable disease. If you have a chronic medical condition or are taking medications, consult your regular physician for travel advices and be sure to pack enough medications for the duration of your travel. Travelers with infant or young children, those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and people with weakened immune system may need extra care during their travel.

Know your vaccinations.

CDC divides vaccines for travel into three categories: routine, recommended, and required. Routine vaccinations protects you from diseases that may still be common in other parts of the world even though they rarely occur in your country of origin. Recommended vaccinations are given depending on your destination, whether you will be spending time in rural areas, the season of the year, your age, health status, and previous immunizations. The only required vaccinations are the yellow fever vaccination for travel to certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America and the meningococcal vaccination for travel to Saudi Arabia during the Hajj.

Prepare your personal travel health kit.

Generally in addition to personal medication, a good travel health kit contains:

• Basic medications for fever (acetaminophen or ibuprofen), diarrhea or stomach upsets (loperamide, oral rehydration packs, antacids), respiratory illness (antihistamines, cough preparation), anti-motion sickness medication, and anti allergic medications.
• Basic first aid and wound treatment kit
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Alcohol-based hand cleaner
• Contact card containing information about remaining family member or close contact in the country of origin, place of lodging, embassy contact number, and other emergency information.

Pay attention to your health during your trip and after you come back home.

Try not to take risks with your health and safety. Be careful about food and water. Wear proper protection such as insect repellants, sunscreen, protective clothing and gears during your travel. Some diseases like malaria and tuberculosis may have a long incubation time and symptoms can occur after you have returned to your home country. So pay attention to any suspicions health related complaints even after you got back.

The Benefits of Antioxidants

What is an antioxidant?

Antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules, preventing the production of free radicals. Free radicals are produced when our body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. They can start a chain reaction that eventually damage cells, and may play a role in the aging process, development of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other degenerative diseases.

What are the sources of antioxidants?

Plants and animals can produce its own antioxidants or obtain them from food. Examples of antioxidants are gluthatione, beta-carotene, flavonoids, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, lutein, lycopene, coenzyme Q10, and enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidases. Antioxidant are also available as food supplements, but these synthetic forms may not have the same effects on the body as antioxidants that occur naturally in foods.

Listed below are a few examples of antioxidants and their natural sources:

• Beta-carotene is found in colorful fruits and vegetables such as carrots, peas, cantaloupe, apricots, papayas, mangoes, peaches, pumpkin, apricots, broccoli, sweet potatoes and squash. It can also be found in some leafy green vegetables, including beet greens, spinach and kale.
• Vitamin A is found in milk, liver, butter and eggs.
• Vitamin C is found in most fruits and vegetables such as oranges, papayas, strawberries, cantaloupe and kiwi.
• Vitamin E is found in wheat germ and vegetable oil, cereal, liver, eggs yolk, green plants, milk, and.some nuts and seeds, including almonds, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts and peanuts.
• Lutein is found in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, collards and kale, broccoli, corn, peas, papayas and oranges.
• Lycopene is found in pink and red fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, pink grapefruit, watermelon, and apricots.
• Selenium is found in tuna, cold water fish (cod, halibut, salmon), turkey, calf liver, barley, garlic, broccoli, and seeds. Brazilian nuts have especially high selenium content.

How does antioxidant benefit your health?

Antioxidants benefit your health by cleaning free radicals out of your bloodstream. Different antioxidants benefit act on different parts of the body. Beta-carotene found maintain eye health and may prevent age related macular degeneration, lycopene can contribute to prostate health, while flavonoids are good for your heart.

Before you decide to start taking antioxidants supplements, remember these supplements are not a replacement for healthy diet or conventional medical care. The best sources of antioxidants are from natural products. A varied diet containing at least 5 servings of fruits and 6-11 servings of grains, including at least 3 servings of whole grains per day will provide you with enough antioxidants to keep oxidative stress away. Be sure to consult your physician before you start taking supplements. High levels of some nutrients, such as vitamins A, vitamin E, or selenium can be harmful for your health.

Beware of Fad Diet Plans - Get Realistic

What is fad diet?

The phrase fad diet, was originally used to refer any eating plans that promote short term weight loss. Food fad or fad diet is a term of popular media, not science. These diet plans claim to be scientific but do not follow the scientific method in establishing their validity. Some of them were downright telling you to starve yourself.

No matter how good it sounds, a diet plan that consists solely of bananas, is not feasible.

The fact is, no one (even the models who are used to advertise these diet plans) is able to stay on these deprivation diet for long periods of time. Even if you did lose some weight, you won't stay that way once you get back to your regular eating pattern. Fad diet plans typically don't result in long-term weight loss and they are usually not very healthy. In fact, some of them might actually be dangerous to your health.

How to identify fad diet plans?

Fad diet usually focuses on a single dietary element such as cabbage or grapefruit. In 1974, the term was defined as three categories of food fads.

• A particular food or food group is exaggerated and proclaimed to cure specific diseases.
• Certain type of foods or food element (fat, carbohydrate, or protein) are eliminated from because they are viewed as harmful.
• An emphasis is placed on eating certain foods to express a particular lifestyle.

Examples of these fad diets are the cabbage soup diet, fruitarianism, the grapefruit diet, fat free diet, and many others.

Why shouldn't you follow these diet plans?

A balanced diet is important, unless you have a medical condition like liver or kidney disease that demands protein restriction. You can't just simply eliminate one of the major elements from your diet and expect there won't be any consequence. For example, if you eliminate fat from your diet and replace it with protein, you'll risk getting a condition called ketoacidosis which can lead to loss of consciousness.

Some fad diet plans claim that you can lose weight without having to exercise. This is a very misleading notion because without studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are more likely to lose and keep weight off. Any diet plan that tells you that you can lose weight without exercise is only telling you what you want to hear, but not the truth. There's no easy way to get your way around and skip exercise.

"Fad diet plans don't result in long-term weight loss and they are usually not very healthy."

Even though the principle of weight loss is to cut down calories, the quality of the food you eat do matter. If you only stick to one type of food for long periods of time, you'll lose other important nutrients like vitamins and minerals even if you actually get enough calories to fulfill your daily need.

The worst thing about fad diets is the emotional consequences they have on those who fail when trying to follow them. Those who start the diet expect that they are going to lose weight quickly and be able to stick with it. Someone who has tried several different diets without success feels like a failure. Unfortunately dieters tend to blame themselves for the failure, rather than recognizing that the diets they were attempting were unrealistic and impossible to stick with in the long term. Before starting a diet, be sure to assess what you expect and whether that is a realistic expectation.

Healthy Computing Habit

If you're feeling aches and pain in your neck or lower back after working in front of the computer, you might want to review your computer habits. Following these simple suggestions for healthy computing might prevent you from developing serious medical problem caused by poor posture.

1. Take frequent breaks, at least 3 minutes every 30 minutes. Set a timer to remind if you tend to forget. During the break, preform a simple stretching exercise. For example, lean forward, hold your knees, and push your knees apart while keeping your hands on them or stand up and stretch your neck and shoulders while taking deep breaths from your abdomen.

2. Maintain good working posture. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the following are important points to consider while working at the computer workstation. So you might want to adjust your chair or working station to fulfill these:

Maintain good working posture.

• Hands, wrists and forearms are straight, in-line and roughly parallel to the floor.
• Head is level or bent slightly forward, forward facing, and balanced. Generally it is in-line with the torso.
• Shoulders are relaxed and upper arms hang normally at the side of the body.
• Elbows stay in close to the body and are bent between 90 and 120 degrees. You may want to adjust your forearm rest to achieve this position.
• Feet are fully supported by floor or footrest.
• Back is fully supported with appropriate lumbar support when sitting vertical or leaning back slightly.
• Thighs and hips are supported by a well-padded seat and generally parallel to the floor.
• Knees are about the same height as the hips with the feet slightly forward.

3. If you get to choose between a desktop computer and a laptop, choose the desktop. Laptops and netbooks may seem appealing, but they generally don't provide an ergonomic environment. When using a laptop computer over long periods of time, attach it to a docking station or raise the height of your laptop screen to eye level and use an external keyboard and mouse.

4. Center your monitor and keyboard in front of you at arm's length. Your monitor should not be farther than 35 degrees to the left or right. Make sure the top of the screen is eye level when sitting up straight. The preferred distance between the eye and monitor is in the range of 20-40 inches (50-100 cm).

5. Alternate your mouse hands. You can use a symmetrical mouse to make left and right hand pointing more comfortable. Switching hands can be particularly helpful if your shoulder or neck pain happens only on one side.

6. Place frequently used devices such as the phone within your reach. Use a speaker phone or a headset for long conversations.

Premenstrual Syndrome: Men's Worst Nightmare?

It's a common belief (among the guys, of course) that man suffers whenever a woman is having premenstrual syndrome. This is not entirely accurate. True, emotional irritability is one of the many symptoms of PMS, but not every women with premenstrual syndrome experience this problem. And if PMS was to be someone's worst nightmare, it would be more likely to be a woman's.

Premenstrual syndrome: men's worst nightmare?

What is premenstrual syndrome?

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) involves a variety of physical, mental, and behavioral symptoms related to a woman's menstrual cycle. These symptoms occur during the two weeks before a woman's period starts, known as the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Three out of four menstruating women have at least one symptom as part of their monthly cycle. PMS symptoms characteristically become more intense in the 2-3 days prior to the period and usually resolve after the first day or two of flow.

Women who are between their late 20s to early 40s, those who gave birth at least once, and those who have a history of mood disorder are more prone to have PMS. Most women have only mild symptoms, but around 3-8% may have a severe form of PMS, called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) with disabling symptoms that affect their daily functions.

What are the symptoms of PMS?

Symptoms varies between one woman and the other, but they usually follows a predictable pattern and recur each month with variable intensity. Physical symptoms include fatigue, headache, joint and muscle pain, weight gain, bloating, acne, and changes in bowel movements. Mental and behavioral symptoms include mood swings, anxiety, irritability, depressed mood, poor concentration, cravings, insomnia, and social withdrawal.

The exact causes of PMS are still unknown, but cyclic changes in hormones level seem to play an important part. Low levels of serotonin, a type of brain chemical, may also trigger PMS symptoms. Stress, depression, poor eating habit can make the symptoms worse.

How to manage PMS?

Management of PMS consists of lifestyle changes, behavioral therapy, medications, and vitamin and mineral supplementation. For most women, lifestyle changes are often enough to control symptoms.

• Drink enough fluids, but avoid alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and soft drinks.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet and divide the portion into small, frequent meals.
• Regular physical exercise throughout the month will help reduce the severity of PMS.
• Aspirin, ibuprofen, and other non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce back pain, headache, and cramps.
• Nutritional supplements like vitamin B6 (50-100 mg), vitamin E (400 IU), calcium (1000mg), folic acid (0,4 mg) and magnesium (400 mg) may reduce symptoms in general. 
• In severe cases, your physician may prescribe anti-depressant medications.

Obesity Overview

Obesity is diagnosed when your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher. In people of Asian descent, you may be diagnosed with obesity when your BMI is 27.5 or higher. To calculate your BMI, divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height (in meters) squared. Or if that's too complicated for you, use an online BMI calculator found here: http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

"Obesity is more than just a cosmetic problem."

A BMI of more than 40 means you are morbidly obese. Morbid obesity carries a very high risk for cardiovascular diseases and severely interferes with a person's normal functioning and quality of life. It is more than just a cosmetic problem.


People who are obese have an excessive amount of body fat. Because muscle weighs more than fat, sometime using only BMI to diagnose obesity can be inaccurate, especially in muscular people like athletes. Therefore, waist circumference is also used to determine the amount of abdominal fat. People who carry too much fat around the middle (central obesity), are more likely to have health problems. Waist measurement greater than 40 inches (101 cm) in men and greater than 35 inches (88 cm) in women are considered to carry increased risk for diseases. In people of Asian descent, greater than 36 inches (90 cm) in men and greater than 32 inches (80cm) in women.

What causes obesity?

A lot of people thinks that obesity is caused simply because one eats too much calories and lacks physical activity. However, there are other factors that also play a role in obesity which include:

• Genetic factor. Obesity tends to run in family. If one's biological mother is heavy as an adult, there is more than 50% chance her offspring will grow to be heavy. This doesn't mean that your genes failed you and convict you to a lifetime of obesity, though. Many people who are genetically predisposed to obesity do not become obese or are able to lose weight and keep it off.
• Age. As your body ages, your metabolism rate slows down and you do not require as many calories to maintain your weight.
• Gender. Women have slower resting metabolism rate than men and thus more prone to obesity. 
• Environmental factors, including lifestyle behaviors, what a person eats, and his or her activity.
• Psychological factors. Many people eat in response to emotions such as boredom, sadness, or anger.
• Medical conditions. There are some illnesses that can cause obesity, such as hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Arthritis may also cause obesity by restricting physical activity.
• Drugs. Certain drugs such as steroids and antidepressants may cause excessive weight gain.
• Lack of sleep. Getting less than seven hours of sleep at night causes hormonal changes that may increase your appetite.

Obesity affects one's quality of life.

What are the physical and psychological effects of obesity?

Some of the potentially serious health problems you may develop from obesity include: metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer (especially colon and breast cancer), sleep apnea, liver and gallbladder diseases, infertility, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is also associated with low quality of life because of self esteem issues and discrimination that leads to social isolation and depression.

When to seek help?

Contact your doctor or health care provider if you think you may be obese to evaluate your health risks and discuss weight-loss options. You should also seek help if you are having emotional or psychological issues related to obesity.

What are the management options?

Weight loss is usually possible through dietary changes, increased physical activity and behavior changes. In some cases, prescription medications or weight loss surgery may be used under physician's recommendation. Support groups are available to provide help with the psychological aspects of obesity. Stress management and healthy coping strategies are beneficial to increase quality of life.

Heart Disease Prevention

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, at least 58.8 million American suffer from heart disease of any form. Around 950.000 people die every year from cardiovascular causes. It is also a major cause of disability for the survivors. Even though increased age is a risk factor, it's a big misconception to think that heart disease only happens to the elderly. One out of every 20 people below the age of 40 has heart disease.

The good news is that there are many ways to prevent heart disease. Studies show that nearly everyone, even those with unmodifiable risk factors such as old age and racial background, can become more heart healthy by following a few key steps, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, quitting smoking, and maintaining a healthy body weight.

Quit Smoking

Smoking or tobacco use is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Even occasional social smoking increases the chance of getting heart disease, as is exposure to second-hand smoke. Pipe smoking or using low-tar, low-nicotine products does not reduce the risk by much. However, when you quit smoking, your heart disease risk drops dramatically within just one year. No matter how long or how much you smoked, you'll start reaping rewards as soon as you quit.

Exercise regularly

Try getting at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. You can break up your exercise time into three times 10 sessions. Casual activities such as gardening, housekeeping, and taking the stairs all count toward your total.

Eat a heart-healthy diet

Following the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan can help protect your heart. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Limiting saturated and trans fat will also reduce your LDL cholesterol which plays an important role in the development of heart disease.

Omega-3 fatty acids is a type of polyunsaturated fat that decreases your risk of heart attack by lowering blood pressure and prevents irregular heart beats. Omega-3 is present in salmon, mackerel, flaxseed oil, soybean oil and canola oil. They can also be found in form of food supplements.

Moderate amount of alcohol, such as red wine can have a protective effect on your heart. Limit consumption to no more than two drinks a day for men, and one a day for women.

Maintain a healthy weight

As you put on weight in adulthood, your weight gain mostly consists of fat rather than muscle. Even a small weight loss can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by just 10% can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes which in turn reduce your overall risk for cardiovascular diseases.

One way to see if your weight is healthy is to calculate your body mass index (BMI). If your BMI is 25 or higher, you have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. The BMI is a good, but imperfect guide. Muscle weighs more than fat, and women and men who are very muscular and physically fit can have high BMIs without added health risks. Because of that, waist circumference also is a useful tool to measure how much abdominal fat you have. Men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (101 cm). Women are overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88 cm).

Regular screening for heart disease risk factors

Check your blood pressure at least every 2 years starting from 18 years old. Check your cholesterol level every 5 years (more frequently if you are at an increased risk for heart disease) starting from 20 years old. Check your blood sugar level every five years (more frequently if you have other risk factors such as obesity or high blood pressure) starting from age 30 years old.

Practical Tips for Stress Management

Let's start with the four 'A's mentioned in the previous entry about healthy coping strategies for stress management: avoid, alter, adapt, and accept.

Avoid unnecessary stress

When doing this remember that not all stress can be avoided and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed.

Manage your time and personal limits.

• Set your priorities and move the tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of your to-do list, or eliminate them when possible. 
• Don't spend too much time with people who stress you out or if possible, avoid them entirely. This is not the same as social withdrawal where you avoid friends and people who are not causing you stress as well.
• Set your personal limits and stick to them. Learn how to say no when you think people are demanding more than you can handle.
• Take control of your environment. If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route.
• Avoid conversation topics that have the tendency to develop into heated arguments, like religion or politics.

Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it and figure out what you can do to prevent the problem from presenting itself in the future.

• Plan ahead and make sure you have enough time to do important tasks, but still have time to get enough rest.
• Communicate your needs and feelings. If you have an exam tomorrow and a friend plan to drop by, tell him or her you need to study. If something or someone is bothering you, voice your feelings openly in a respectful way. Holding everything inside will likely to build up resentment while the situation remains the same.
• Be willing to compromise. If you ask someone to change their behavior, be prepared to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground. 

Communicate your needs and feelings.

Adapt to the stressor

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself.

• Change your point of view and look at stressful situations from a more positive perspective. If you fail at something, look at it as a chance to learn from your mistakes and do better in the future. Look at the big picture and ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Don't sweat the little things.
• Set reasonable standards for yourself and others. Try not to demand everything to be perfect, learn to accept things that are good enough.
• Focus on the positive things in your life: your family and friends, your own achievements and talents, including physical properties like your home. Learn to appreciate and be grateful for them.
• Avoid thinking negative thoughts, especially about yourself. Eliminate words such as 'always', 'never', 'should', and 'must' when you talk to yourself.

Accept the things you can’t change

There are things in life in which you have no power to do anything about, such as the death of a loved one, a natural disaster, or a war. Acceptance may be difficult, but it’s easier than ramming yourself against a situation you can’t change. Learn to forgive yourself and others for the mistakes they made.

Other strategies to reduce stress

Besides the four 'A's, listed below are other ways to manage stress:

• Spare some time to relax and have fun. Try to do at least one thing you enjoy doing every day.
• Maintain a good sense of humor, including the ability to laugh at yourself
• Eat a healthy diet. Avoid too much caffeine, alcohol, and sugar.
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough sleep

Stress Management: Coping The Inevitable

Human is equipped with a fight or flight response when faced with any challenges, physical or mental.

An adult who tells you he or she had never felt stressful in his or her life is either a saint or a liar. Let's face it, stress in inevitable. In fact, stress is part of a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever increasing demands of life. There will never be more hours in a day, there will always be bills to pay, and there will always be occupational and social responsibility for you to deal with. Even with great coping strategies, stress won't disappear entirely from your life.

The human body is equipped with a fight or flight response when faced with any challenges, be it physical or mental. When facing a threat, our brain reacts by telling the body to increase the production of hormones, charging it up so it will be ready to respond. Once the threat is gone, our body is meant to return to a normal relaxed state. Unfortunately, the nonstop stress of modern life places a demand so that our body has to be constantly on alerted state.

Overworking is an unhealthy coping strategy.

Realizing that you are not powerless against life's challenges is the foundation of stress management. Managing stress is all about taking control. It may be hard to change the conditions of your environment, but your thoughts, emotions, and choices are your own. With practice, you can increase your coping ability and switch from unhealthy strategies to healthier ones.

"Healthy coping strategies require change."

Unhealthy ways to cope with stress include smoking, drugs and alcohol abuse, overeating or undereating, social withdrawal, sleeping too much, procrastinating, overworking, and taking out your stress on others by lashing out or physical violence. 

Generally, healthy coping strategies require change. That's why they are more difficult to implement than the easier, unhealthy ones. The change can be applied either to the situation or to your reaction. When deciding which option to choose, it’s helpful to think of the four As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.

Since everyone has a unique response to stress, no single method works for everyone or in every situation. Experiment with different techniques and focus on the ones that makes you feel calm and in control.

Tips to Improve Sleep Habits

Everyone suffers from sleepless night every now and then. A lot of factors contribute to sleep problems, but fortunately most of them are modifiable. Stress, uncomfortable surrounding, occupation, dietary habit, pollution, and lack of physical activity are common things that can prevent you from falling and/or maintaining a quality sleep. 


The following tips will help you optimize your sleep habit so you can wake up feeling refreshed and energized for the rest of day.

1.   Create comfortable sleep environment

An ideal room for sleeping is usually cool, dark and quiet. Make sure your bed is comfortable and there is enough room for you stretch and turn if you share your bed with another person.

Try not to use an alarm clock to wake you up.

2.   Keep a regular sleep schedule

Consistency is important. If you keep a regular sleep schedule, your sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm) will become synchronized and it’s easier to sleep better this way. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off. Try not to use an alarm clock to wake you up. If you are sleep deprived, it may take longer for you to wake up naturally.

3.   Pay attention to your diet

Avoid too much coffee or smoking. These stimulants will make it hard for you to fall asleep. Stay away from alcohol as well, because even though it makes you fall asleep faster, it reduces the quality of your sleep. Don’t drink too much fluid around bedtime because it will wake you up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet. Don’t eat too much either because a full stomach will keep you up until it finishes digesting the food.

4.   Stay active during the day

Regular physical activity will help you fall asleep faster and enjoy better sleep quality. Don’t exercise too close to bedtime, though. Avoid taking naps in the daytime if you can help it. If you can’t, limit them to 30 minutes at most in mid-afternoon.

5.   Try to regulate your circadian rhythm naturally

A light sensitive hormone called melatonin is produced by your brain to regulate your sleep-wake cycle. When it’s dark, melatonin levels increased, making you feel sleepy. On the contrary, when it’s bright, melatonin levels decreased making you feel awake. Getting enough sunlight in the daytime and avoid too much artificial light in the night will improve your sleep habit.

6.   Develop a bedtime ritual

Doing the same things each night before bed will help your body to relax and wind down, taking a hot bath, reading books, or listening to music for examples. Try not to include anything that requires you to look at an electronic screen like television, computer, or mobile phones.

7.   Deal with stress and anxiety

Easier said than done, but it’s not impossible. If you have a habit of worrying, try to evaluate your thoughts, sort the unrealistic ones out and replace them with productive ones. Even counting sheep is better than worrying. Stress management strategies like setting your personal limits, staying organized, and positive thinking will help you reduce the strain that’s keeping you from getting a good night sleep.  

Importance of Dietary Minerals Part 2: Trace Minerals

Trace minerals are also known as minor minerals. Don't let the term 'minor' fooled you into think they're not as important as major minerals, though. Because they're only found in small amount in the human body, even moderate deficiencies can have impact on normal functioning.

Currently there are over ten kinds of trace minerals identified, but not all of them have been scientifically proven to have any health benefit. Listed below are the ones that have.

Iron

Red meat is a source of iron.

RDA: Adult men: 8 mg/day, women aged 19-50: 18 mg/day,
women aged >50: 8mg/day, pregnant women: 27 mg/day
Iron is an important component for proteins and enzymes. It's required to make hemoglobin, the pigment that carries oxygen in red blood cells. The main sources of iron are red meat, eggs, fish, leafy green vegetables, beans, and grains.

Zinc

RDA: 11 mg/day
Zinc is required for immunity and nerve function. It's important for reproduction. It is found in red meat, calf liver, eggs, oats, asparagus, green peas, and scallops.

Iodine

RDA: Adult: 150 micrograms/day, pregnant women: 220 micrograms/day
Iodine is important for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. The thyroid hormones in turn regulates the body's growth and metabolism. The main sources of iodine are iodized salt and sea products.

Manganese

RDA: Adult men: 2.3 mg/day, adult women: 1.8 mg/day
Manganese is required for enzyme functions, cartilage and bone formation, and wound healing. The main sources of manganese are green leafy vegetables, grains, brown rice, nuts, soybeans.

Copper

RDA: 900 micrograms/day
Copper is required for development of connective tissues, enzyme function, and iron metabolism. The main sources of copper are seafood, whole grains, mushrooms, nuts and seeds.

Selenium

 

Tuna has the second highest selenium content after brazilian nuts.

RDA: 55 micrograms
Selenium is important for thyroid function and supports antioxidant activity. It is found in tuna, cold water fish (cod, halibut, salmon), turkey, calf liver, barley, garlic, broccoli, and seeds. Brazilian nuts have especially high selenium content.

 

 

Molybdenum

RDA: 45 micrograms/day
Molybdenum is a component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase that helps break down chemical toxin ingested from preserved food. It is found in tomatoes, carrot, green leafy vegetables, and onions.

Chromium

RDA: Men aged 19-50: 35 micrograms/day, men aged >50: 30 micrograms/day,
women aged 19-50: 25 micrograms/day, women aged >50: 20 micrograms/day
Chromium boosts metabolism and helps control blood sugar levels. It is found in apples, spinach, oyster, red meat, and eggs.

Importance of Dietary Minerals Part 1: Major Minerals

Like vitamins, dietary minerals both major and minor are required for many biochemical processes in our body. There are seven major minerals found in abundance in the human body: calcium, phosporus, sodium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium, and sulfur. Minor or trace minerals like iron, zinc, manganese, copper, and iodine, are also important for hormones and enzyme activity even though they are found only in a small amount.

Milk is high in calcium.

Calcium

Recommended Daily Allowance: adults <50 years old: 1000 mg/day, >50 years: 1200 mg/day
Calcium is required for bone formation, muscle contraction, the transmission of nerve signals, blood clotting, and supports heart function. It is found in diary products like milk and cheese, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seed.

Phosporus

RDA: 700 mg/day
Phosporus is required for bone growth and energy production in cells. It is found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, diary products, and grains.

Sodium

RDA: 1500 mg/day
Sodium is an important electrolyte that regulates fluid balance. Besides table salt, sodium is found in many processed foods and in sea products.

Chlorine

RDA: 2300 mg/day
Chlorine is required for stomach acid production and fluid regulation. It is found mainly in table salt together with sodium.

Banana is high in potassium.

Potassium

RDA: 4700 mg/day
Potassium is also an important electrolyte that regulates fluid balance, maintains normal heart function, and muscle contraction. It is found in banana, sweet potato, and soybeans.

 

 

Magnesium

RDA: Adult men age 19-30: 400 mg/day, adult men age 31 and up: 420 mg/day, adult women age 19-30: 310 milligrams/day, adult women age 31 and up: 320 mg/day
Magnesium is required for normal muscle, nerve, and immune system function. It also regulates heart rhythm and maintain bone strength. It is found in green vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Sulfur

There is no RDA for sulfur because it is obtained from amino acids and should be enough in any diet containing enough protein. It is required for amino acid synthesis and enzymatic reactions in our body.

Exercise For Older Adults and The Elderly

A lot of seniors feel discouraged to do physical exercises because concerns about injury or falls. Sometimes a health condition such as heart disease and osteoarthritis can also prevent them from staying active. Below are some tips to manage exercise for older adults and the elderly.

Find an exercise plan that suits your condition.

Before starting, remember to consult your physician, especially if you have heart problem, bone and joint problem, or metabolic problems such as diabetes. You may need to have some medication adjustment if you are taking any.

Anyone who says elderly people don't need exercise can have a go at grandma.

Start and stop gradually.

Start and stop your exercise session gradually. Avoid doing sudden, intense sudden exercise. Try to prepare yourself with at least 10 minute warm-up before exercising and end your session with another 10 minutes cool down.

Know your limits.

Learn to take hints from your body. Shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, or feeling shaky means you probably have overexerted yourself and it's time for a break.

Monitor your heart rate during exercise. In order for your body to reap the benefit of aerobic exercises, you will want to reach a target of 50-70% of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is 220 subtracted by your age.

Combine different types of exercises

There are four main types of exercise and you need to do a little bit of each. Combining different types of exercise will reduce monotony and increase the overall benefit to your health.

• Cardio-endurance exercises like walking, swimming, hiking, cycling, and dancing improve the health of the heart and circulatory system  
• Strengthening exercises like weight lifting will build muscle tissue and prevent osteoporosis
• Flexibility like exercises stretching or bouncing  keep the body limber and increases your range of movement.
• Balance exercises like yoga and tai chi improve your posture and reduce the chances of a fall.

Stick to the plan.

Commit yourself to an exercise schedule for at least 3 or 4 weeks so that it becomes habit. Try to focus and keep yourself motivated towards your goals.

Changes That Come With Aging

A few entries back we've talked about how accepting changes is one of the keys to aging gracefully. Now we're going to discuss more about those changes, particularly the ones related to your body systems. If the superficial (if not trivial) changes such as the wrinkles and the gray hairs trouble you, be prepare to get even more troubled.

Accept and embrace the changes in your physical and mental function. Your youth won't come back, but it doesn't mean that you can't be happy still.

Cardiovascular System

Your heart muscles will have to work harder to pump the same amount of blood through your body, lowering your tolerance to exercise. Your blood vessels become less elastic and fatty plaque may accumulate in the walls of your arteries, making them stiffer. This can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension) and other cardiovascular problems.

Bones, joints and muscles

Your bones may become less dense, a condition called osteoporosis. This lead to increased risk for fracture. You may also contract osteoarthritis as a result of wear and tear to your joints. Your muscles lose strength and flexibility causing you troubles with movement and coordination.

Digestive and Urinary System

Low fiber diet, lack of exercise, not taking enough fluids, and medications may cause constipation in elderly people. Loss of bladder control is also common with aging. Frequent constipation, obesity, and chronic cough may contribute to incontinence.

Memory

The number of nerve cells in your brain will decrease with aging, causing some memory problems and concentration. It may take longer to recall familiar names or to remember new things.

Vision and HearingYour eyes produce less tears, causing a sense of dryness. The lenses lose their clarity and the retina becomes thinner. You may need correctional lenses to help with reading and you may become more sensitive to glare. Your ears may have difficulty hearing high frequencies or following a conversation in a crowded room.

Oral Health

Your mouth may feel drier because of less saliva production. With less saliva to clear out the bacteria, your teeth and gums become more vulnerable to decay and infection. Your teeth also darken in color and become more brittle.

Skin and HairYour skin becomes less elastic, more dry, and wrinkled. It is also more fragile, causing you to bruise more easily. Dark spots or age spots, especially on sun-exposed areas of your body, may occur. Hair loss and loss of color and luster is common.

Weight

Muscle mass decreases with age and they are replaced with fat. Because fat tissue burns fewer calories than muscle tissue, you may need to reduce the number of calories in your diet or increase your physical activity simply to maintain your current weight.

Are you feeling troubled yet?

Don't be. These changes are inevitable, but you can minimize their impact on your well-being by adopting healthy lifestyle long before these changes even begin to occur. Start now. It's never too late to change your lifestyle into a better one. 

Dangers of Second-hand Smoke

What is second-hand smoke?

Second-hand smoke, also known as passive smoking or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is the inhalation of smoke by person other than the active smoker. Even if you yourself don't smoke, but the person next to you is puffing like a chimney, you are getting the second-hand smoke. Non-smokers who breathe in second-hand smoke take in nicotine and toxic chemicals the same way as smokers do.

Enforce smoking restriction at work and public places.

There are two forms of smoke that made up second-hand smoke: the sidestream smoke and mainstream smoke. The sidestream smoke is the smoke that comes from the lighted end of a cigarette or pipe, it is the direct result of burning the tobacco product. The mainstream smoke is the smoke exhaled by the active smoker.

Sidestream smoke is much more dangerous than mainstream smoke because it has higher concentration of dangerous chemicals like ammonia, carbon monoxide, cyanide, lead, formaldehyde, and other agents that can cause cancer. It also has smaller particle size so it's easier to reach our lungs and cause damage to our cells. As if that's not bad enough, these dangerous particles can stay in the air for hours or even longer. Even when the smoke has cleared out, the residue remains on the person's hair and clothing, as well as the furniture, carpets, wallpapers, and other things.

dangerous particles stay in the air even after the smoke clears

What are the dangers of second-hand smoke?

In adults, second-hand smoke causes the same problems as direct smoking. These include lung cancer and other cancers like breast, kidney, and leukemia, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, allergies, ear infection, and many others. The bottom line is that it increases the overall death rate.

In children, second-hand smoke causes low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, childhood asthma and allergies, respiratory tract infections, ear infections, and chronic irritation.

How can you can reduce or even eliminate exposure to second-hand smoke?

• Don't allow smoking in your home or your vehicle. If family members or guests want to smoke, ask them to step outside. No ventilation system or air purifier can completely eliminate second-hand smoke 
• Enforce smoking restriction at work and public places. Don't hesitate to warn people if they're breaking the rules.
• If you have close people like your partner, family, or friends who smokes, offer support and encouragement to stop smoking.

Managing Diabetes

Diabetes management aims to keep your blood sugar in control through various measures, from diet and lifestyle changes to medications and insulin injection. When it comes to diabetes, blood sugar control is often the central theme. After all, keeping your blood sugar level within your target range can help you live a long and healthy life. But do you know what makes your blood sugar level rise and fall?

Dietary Habit

By now you're probably getting bored of me stating the obvious, but healthy eating is the most important part of any diabetes management plan. It's not just about the quality and quantity of the foods you eat, the meal schedule matters too.

Blood sugar level peaks around two hours after meal then begins to fall after that. If you keep to a regular schedule by eating at the same time every day and dividing your total daily calories into several small meals at regular times, you can control the fluctuation of your blood sugar level.

Stick to the DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) eating plan because it's also the best diet for diabetes. It's well balanced, have the right mix of carbohydrate, fruits, vegetable, and lower fat. Always remember to coordinate your meals and your medication, especially if you're using insulin to avoid low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Physical Activity

Staying physically active improves your body's response to insulin.

Regular exercise is another important part of your diabetes management plan. Regular physical activity improves your body's response to insulin. This is especially important in people with type 2 diabetes. When you exercise, your muscles take up the excess glucose and turn them into energy.

Pick the type of exercise that is appropriate with your condition. If you have a heart problem or sores in your feet, consult your physician first. Pay attention to your blood sugar levels before, during, and after exercise and recognize the signs of low blood sugar such as hunger, weakness, lightheadedness, anxiety, and fatigue. Bring an emergency snack or glucose pill with you when you're exercising. Drink plenty of water or isotonic fluids to prevent dehydration that can affect blood sugar levels.

Medication

Diabetes medications and insulin are used only when diet and exercise are not enough to control your blood sugar. If you have type 1 diabetes, then insulin must be included in your treatment plan. If you have type 2 diabetes, you may take either oral anti-diabetic medication (as a single drug or in combination) and/or insulin in combination.

pre-filled insulin pen to deliver insulin

Insulin works by increasing glucose uptake into your cells. There are many types of insulin which differ in how they act and how long they stay in your body. Oral anti-diabetic agents may either increase the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas, increase the sensitivity of your organs to insulin, or decrease the absorption of glucose from the gastrointestinal tract.

Anti-diabetic drugs, like other type of pharmacological agents, may interact with other medications such as anti-hypertensive agents and birth control pills. Always consult your doctor to find the right medications for you and minimize drug interactions and side effects.

Stress

Psychological stress increases the production of stress hormones in body. These hormones may prevent insulin from working properly and increase your blood sugar level. Learn to manage your stress by relaxation techniques, learning coping strategies, setting limits and prioritizing tasks.

Illness, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause may also put your body under extra stress. Anticipate to take extra measures to control your blood sugar during any of these conditions.

The ABC of Vitamins

The word vitamin speaks for itself.

In 1912 Cashmir Funk, a Polish scientist first named that special substance he found in food as 'vitamine' from the two words 'vita' meaning life and 'amine' from thiamine, a compound isolated from rice husks. Today, we all know that vitamins are important for our health. They are needed for normal growth and body function.

Vitamins are a group organic substances occurring naturally in small amounts in every organism. They may be water or fat soluble. Vitamin A, D, E, and K are fat soluble, while B and C are water soluble.

Vitamin A 

Also known as retinol, vitamin A is important for your eyesight, skin and mucous membranes, bone and teeth, and immune defense system. Avoid taking high dosage of vitamin A when you're pregnant. It's found in diary products, eggs, liver, orange-colored fruits and vegetables like carrots and apricots.

Vitamin B

There are many types of vitamin B, namely thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), cobalamine (B12). Even pantothenic acid and biotin are actually vitamin B. Generally they're important for energy metabolism, nerve function, and red blood cell formation. They're found in a variety of foods, mainly cereal and diary products, leafy vegetables, poultry, beef, fish. Except vitamin B12 that are not found in plants. That's why vegetarians are prone to B12 deficiency.

Vitamin C

Also known as ascorbic acid, is a major antioxidant in our body important for immune system, tissue repair, skin health, and cartilage formation. It is found only in fruits and vegetable especially citrus fruits.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is needed for absorption of Calcium and bone health. It's found in liver, eggs yolk, milk, and fatty fish. The skin can make vitamin D when exposed to enough sunlight.

Vitamin E

It is an antioxidant and protect the cell wall from damage. It is also important for reproductive function. Vitamin E is found in wheat germ and vegetable oil, cereal, liver, eggs yolk, green plants, and milk.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is needed for blood clotting. It is found in leafy green vegetables, butter, cheese, and egg yolk. The bacteria in our digestive tract also produces vitamin K and prolonged antibiotic therapy can cause deficiency.

The most important source of vitamins is our diet- not from supplement pills or injections. You can not hope to replace a healthy and balanced diet with a bunch of high dosed supplements.

As stated before, vitamins are required only in a small amount. Taking high dosage of vitamins surpassing the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) will not not make your body function better. In fact, it can lead to over-dosage, especially for vitamins that are fat soluble because they are accumulated in our body, mainly in the liver.

Fighting the Sun: Sunscreen and Other Options

Know your enemy: ultraviolet radiation

It's not the sun that you actually want to fight, it's the ultraviolet radiation. The highest concentration of ultraviolet occurs between 10 am to 4 pm. So these are the times when you want to avoid getting exposed to sunlight, or at least use extra protection if you can't do so.

There are two types of ultraviolet that can harm your skin: UVA and UVB. UVA rays may penetrate deep into your skin, suppress your defense system, and eventually be responsible for wrinkles and age spots. UVA rays can even penetrate glass and clouds so you still need to protect yourself even when it's cloudy or you're in a place with a lot of windows. UVB rays may burn your skin. Prolonged exposure to both UVA and UVB rays raises the risk of getting skin tumors and malignancy, such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma.

A good sunscreen offers protection from all types of UV light, but there are other ways to protect yourself from the sun. Protective clothings like long sleeve shirt, long pants, sunglasses, and wide-brimmed hat can also considerably reduce the harmful effects of UV exposure.

What is SPF?

remember to take other protective measures against ultraviolet

Every sunscreen have a SPF (Sun Protection Factor) number. This number measures how well the sunscreen deflects UVB rays. There's no standard for measuring protection against UVA. Theoretically, the higher the SPF, the better. Sunscreens with an SPF of 2 to 14 can advertise protection from sunburn, but they don't reduce skin cancer risk or early skin aging. 

In general, look for water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Broad spectrum sunscreen means it provide protection to both UVA and UVB. Apply the sunscreen evenly and thick enough onto your skin around 30 minutes before going outdoors. Always remember that even water-resistant sunscreen will wear off after awhile. Reapply sunscreen after two hours or immediately after swimming.

Always remember that sunscreen use must be accompanied by other preventive measures, such as protective clothing and avoiding midday sun, in order to actually reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging.