Do you know what to look for in your breasts during a self-exam? Use this card as your guide:
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Breast Self-Awareness Card
Breast cancer can be beaten – especially if you find it early and know what to look for. Use this breast self-awareness card from Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help you know what’s normal for you and what’s not.
Do you know what to look for in your breasts during a self-exam? Use this card as your guide:
Do you know what to look for in your breasts during a self-exam? Use this card as your guide:
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
3 Health Tests Every Man Needs
It can be easy to get overwhelmed by health concerns – especially for men who hate going to the doctor. Break down of the three health tests that every man needs.
Help fight three of the most deadly diseases that affect men by getting these simple, lifesaving tests.
1. Blood Pressure Reading
High blood pressure is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among men in the US. Ideally, blood pressure should be under 115/75. For every increase of 20 points in the top number or 10 points in that bottom number, you’re twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
New science indicates that checking both arms gives a more accurate blood pressure reading. Men whose top number varies by 15 points between both arms are at a greater risk for vascular disease than those who have similar readings from each arm.
Diets high in salt are linked to higher blood pressure. To keep your blood pressure under control, eliminate hidden salt traps from your diet. Excess sodium can often come from surprising sources – the CDC’s newest findings reveal bread as the #1 source of salt in our diets! In addition to bread, be mindful of these seven words on food labels that reveal hidden sources of salt:
Soy sauce
Mustard
Msg (monosodium glutamate)
Smoked
Barbecued
Pickled
Baking soda
You should never consume more than 2300 mg of salt a day. Dr. Oz recommends staying under 1500 mg, especially if you’re older than 50.
2. Prostate Exam
After lung cancer, prostate cancer is the deadliest cancer in men. Men over the age of 50 should have a prostate exam each year, but you should start sooner if you have a family history.
During the exam, a health-care provider inserts a finger into the rectum about 1-2 inches to feel for the prostate. It should feel smooth and symmetrical if it’s healthy. A prostate that feels irregular could indicate an issue that requires further testing.
3. Blood Glucose Test
While death rates for cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer have been declining, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease are on the rise. Diets high in sugar have been linked to an increased diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Your blood delivers all kinds of rich nutrients to the brain. But if you have a lot of sugar in your blood, it can cause inflammation. This allows plaque to collect on your neurons, which are where you store your memories. The plaque makes it harder for neurons to fire off signals and causes them to freeze up. Eventually, they are prevented from talking to each other; the information those neurons carry can’t be transmitted or retrieved. When these synapses begin to fail, we begin to see the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
A fasting blood sugar greater than 100 puts you at a greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
(Special thanks to Dr. Oz for this information)
Help fight three of the most deadly diseases that affect men by getting these simple, lifesaving tests.
1. Blood Pressure Reading
High blood pressure is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among men in the US. Ideally, blood pressure should be under 115/75. For every increase of 20 points in the top number or 10 points in that bottom number, you’re twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
New science indicates that checking both arms gives a more accurate blood pressure reading. Men whose top number varies by 15 points between both arms are at a greater risk for vascular disease than those who have similar readings from each arm.
Diets high in salt are linked to higher blood pressure. To keep your blood pressure under control, eliminate hidden salt traps from your diet. Excess sodium can often come from surprising sources – the CDC’s newest findings reveal bread as the #1 source of salt in our diets! In addition to bread, be mindful of these seven words on food labels that reveal hidden sources of salt:
Soy sauce
Mustard
Msg (monosodium glutamate)
Smoked
Barbecued
Pickled
Baking soda
You should never consume more than 2300 mg of salt a day. Dr. Oz recommends staying under 1500 mg, especially if you’re older than 50.
2. Prostate Exam
After lung cancer, prostate cancer is the deadliest cancer in men. Men over the age of 50 should have a prostate exam each year, but you should start sooner if you have a family history.
During the exam, a health-care provider inserts a finger into the rectum about 1-2 inches to feel for the prostate. It should feel smooth and symmetrical if it’s healthy. A prostate that feels irregular could indicate an issue that requires further testing.
3. Blood Glucose Test
While death rates for cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer have been declining, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease are on the rise. Diets high in sugar have been linked to an increased diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Your blood delivers all kinds of rich nutrients to the brain. But if you have a lot of sugar in your blood, it can cause inflammation. This allows plaque to collect on your neurons, which are where you store your memories. The plaque makes it harder for neurons to fire off signals and causes them to freeze up. Eventually, they are prevented from talking to each other; the information those neurons carry can’t be transmitted or retrieved. When these synapses begin to fail, we begin to see the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
A fasting blood sugar greater than 100 puts you at a greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
(Special thanks to Dr. Oz for this information)
Music, Healing and Longevity
Music has a long history of therapeutic use – from its traditional role in healing rituals around the world to its recent use as an integrative Alzheimer’s disease treatment. Here’s how music to your ears can add on years.
Get Some Music Therapy
For thousands of years, music has been used in medicine. Ancient Greek philosophers believed that music had a healing effect on the body and soul. Singing and chanting have been a part of Native American healing ceremonies for millennia. In the Ottoman Empire, mental illnesses were often treated with music. A more formal approach to music therapy began after World War II when researchers observed that music had a positive effect on emotionally disturbed veterans.
To date, there is evidence that music therapy can reduce high blood pressure, depression and sleeplessness. In Alzheimer’s patients, music therapy was shown to significantly reduce anxiety and aggression. While there are no claims that music therapy can directly cure diseases like cancer, medical professionals believe that music can reduce certain symptoms, help with healing, improve physical movement, and enrich a patient's overall quality of life.
Live Longer With Soothing Tunes
In the past few decades, researchers have found that slow, soothing music is generally beneficial to one’s health, whereas fast, jarring music is not. Listening to calming music enhances cognitive functions such as memory, concentration and reasoning skills; even better, it boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, relaxes muscle tension, regulates stress hormones, elevates mood and increases endurance. Classical music and meditation music were found to deliver the most health benefits. On the other hand, irritating sounds can cause stress and therefore negatively impact your health. The composers that have been suggested to most effectively improve your quality of life are Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi and Scarlatti.
Play Songs to Boost Your Brain
When you learn new things, you give your brain a workout, so why not learn a new instrument? Studies have found that students who take music lessons have increased IQ levels, and even show improvement in their nonmusical abilities. And when you play a wind instrument, such as the saxophone, flute, trumpet, trombone, clarinet or even a pennywhistle, you get the added benefit of improved lung capacity.
Remember that music is for people of all ages. There is increasing evidence that regular mental and physical exercise maximize overall health and functioning in older adults; for aging individuals who are prevented by disability from participating in active physical exercise, music bridges the gap, providing the significant benefits of both mental and physical stimulation. Whether they enjoy the social experience of singing in a choir or reflect on a musical recording, older adults can use music as an effective healing art.
Get Balanced With Calming Sounds
If your home or office is consistently overrun by disturbing sounds like traffic and construction, consider counteracting the noise with a subtle sound source. Try an indoor fountain with bubbling water to soothe your nerves. Wind chimes made from natural materials like bamboo or seashells also provide peace. For some, the sound of a grandfather clock brings serenity. Find the most calming sound to you and make it the background to your day. (Special thanks to Mao Shing Ni, L.Ac., D.O.M., PhD for this information.)
Get Some Music Therapy
For thousands of years, music has been used in medicine. Ancient Greek philosophers believed that music had a healing effect on the body and soul. Singing and chanting have been a part of Native American healing ceremonies for millennia. In the Ottoman Empire, mental illnesses were often treated with music. A more formal approach to music therapy began after World War II when researchers observed that music had a positive effect on emotionally disturbed veterans.
To date, there is evidence that music therapy can reduce high blood pressure, depression and sleeplessness. In Alzheimer’s patients, music therapy was shown to significantly reduce anxiety and aggression. While there are no claims that music therapy can directly cure diseases like cancer, medical professionals believe that music can reduce certain symptoms, help with healing, improve physical movement, and enrich a patient's overall quality of life.
Live Longer With Soothing Tunes
In the past few decades, researchers have found that slow, soothing music is generally beneficial to one’s health, whereas fast, jarring music is not. Listening to calming music enhances cognitive functions such as memory, concentration and reasoning skills; even better, it boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, relaxes muscle tension, regulates stress hormones, elevates mood and increases endurance. Classical music and meditation music were found to deliver the most health benefits. On the other hand, irritating sounds can cause stress and therefore negatively impact your health. The composers that have been suggested to most effectively improve your quality of life are Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi and Scarlatti.
Play Songs to Boost Your Brain
When you learn new things, you give your brain a workout, so why not learn a new instrument? Studies have found that students who take music lessons have increased IQ levels, and even show improvement in their nonmusical abilities. And when you play a wind instrument, such as the saxophone, flute, trumpet, trombone, clarinet or even a pennywhistle, you get the added benefit of improved lung capacity.
Remember that music is for people of all ages. There is increasing evidence that regular mental and physical exercise maximize overall health and functioning in older adults; for aging individuals who are prevented by disability from participating in active physical exercise, music bridges the gap, providing the significant benefits of both mental and physical stimulation. Whether they enjoy the social experience of singing in a choir or reflect on a musical recording, older adults can use music as an effective healing art.
Get Balanced With Calming Sounds
If your home or office is consistently overrun by disturbing sounds like traffic and construction, consider counteracting the noise with a subtle sound source. Try an indoor fountain with bubbling water to soothe your nerves. Wind chimes made from natural materials like bamboo or seashells also provide peace. For some, the sound of a grandfather clock brings serenity. Find the most calming sound to you and make it the background to your day. (Special thanks to Mao Shing Ni, L.Ac., D.O.M., PhD for this information.)
Healthy Replacements for Those Junk-Food Cravings
It can be tough to break free from the pull of a craving, especially when it’s for junk food. These three bite-sized recipes are healthy makeovers of your most notorious cravings: pizza, salty snacks, and chocolate. The next time you’re craving something savory, salty or sweet – try one of these great healthy options!
1. Portobello Pie – Instead of Pizza
Ingredients:
1 large portobello mushroom
1 tbsp low-sugar pasta sauce
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheese
Vegetable toppings of your choice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F degrees. In place of crust, use a Portobello mushroom that has been cleaned and the stem removed. Place the mushroom on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes to dry it out. Remove the mushroom from the oven and add 1 tbsp of low-sugar pasta sauce. Then drizzle 1/2 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese and your favorite vegetable toppings. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!
2. Popped Chickpeas – Instead of Salty Snacks
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 can of chickpeas, drained
Your favorite spices to taste
Directions:
Sauté the chickpeas in the olive oil until they pop. Sprinkle with your favorite spices to taste. Enjoy!
3. Carob Chips – Instead of Chocolate
Ingredients:
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup carob powder
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp sugar substitute
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Melt coconut oil over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in carob powder, sugar substitute and vanilla. Drop the dough in tbsp sized drops on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until solid, enjoy!
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