LiFe AnD HeaLtH BASicS: A LiFeTimE oF HeALthY WeiGHt.

Weight loss isn’t easy.


Obesity research shows that the best way to obtain and maintain a healthy weight is to replace bad habits with good habits and that means changing the way we think about food and activity. Successful losers develop a plan for long-term, lifetime healthy weight, not just short-term weight loss; and they retrain their brains to think like a thin person.

That takes effort, but the effort pays off in better health and quality of life and increased likelihood of longevity as well. Each of us has only one body and we must take care of it by eating well and staying active.

The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) is an on-going study that monitors the habits of thousands of people who have achieved and maintained a healthy weight for several years and have won the battle against obesity. Research findings from the registry are regularly published in leading health journals and are a valuable resource for those wishing to lose weight.

The following advice on reaching and maintaining healthy weight goals is culled from this obesity research as well as from other sources.

• Get plenty of sleep. Metabolic hormones are influenced by sleep patterns, which affect body mass index (BMI). A lack of sleep decreases leptin (an appetite suppressant) and increases ghrelin (an appetite trigger). Studies have shown that increased BMI corresponded directly to decreased sleep (defined as less than eight hours per night).



• Eat only when you’re hungry—when you think of food, take 90 seconds to think about why you want to eat. Pay attention to what your body is telling you. You may find that you are eating out of boredom or habit, or for emotional reasons. Rethink food in terms of fuel and energy for your body. Think about what your body needs and train your brain to look at food in a new way.

• Eat a variety of fresh foods daily, and these should be in their whole form—closest to their form in nature —whenever possible. Though whole foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, usually contain relatively few calories, they will fill you up, and they are loaded with fiber. In addition to macronutrients (vitamins and minerals), these foods contain many micronutrients (phytochemicals, enzymes, and more) that researchers are only beginning to understand. These are essential to good health and cannot be found in refined, processed foods that are then “enriched” with some of the macronutrients that have been removed. Processed foods and fast foods usually have more unhealthy fats and more sodium than is recommended for good health and healthy weight.

• Replace refined white flours and grains with whole grain alternatives. The extra fiber and nutrition in whole grains will help you feel satisfied longer and will help regulate your blood sugar levels. Avoid refined sugars like sucrose, dextrose, fructose and glucose. Anything ending in “-ose” that you see in an ingredient list is a sugar. Read and understand food labels—in one form or another sugar and refined flours are ubiquitous in processed foods.

• Move—exercise instead of sitting and watching television. Take a walk for an hour. Walking is the favored exercise of long-term successful former obesity statistics on the NWCR. They also tend to limit television viewing to 10 hours per week or less—an important strategy since obesity research shows that exercise is a major key to healthy weight loss and maintenance.

• Eat at a table and use a smaller plate, proper utensils and proper etiquette. No more two-fisted eating—chips or crisps in one hand and burger in the other. And standing at the cupboard eating chocolate chips out of the bag or mindlessly munching through a barrel of popcorn at the theater should be a thing of the past. Breaking detrimental old habits will help you become aware of what and how much you are consuming.



• Take smaller portions and savor the flavors. Remember that the taste will never be better than that first bite. Eat slowly, chew well and stop when you are no longer hungry. Be aware of internal clues like hunger, as opposed to external clues like an empty plate or bowl.



• Keep a food diary—write down everything you eat and how much of it you eat every day. This can encourage you to think twice before snacking, and will increase your awareness of portion sizes. It’s not unusual for people to underestimate their calorie consumption by hundreds of calories per day, a mistake which can create a huge calorie overload and a huge weight gain over time.



• Replace sweetened beverages with water. Your body is composed of about 60 percent water and it is vital for healthy living. Also, a glass of water has no calories and helps you feel satisfied. Sometimes, thirst is mistaken for hunger, so if you’re feeling hungry try drinking a glass of water first. How much? There’s no magic formula—more if it’s hot and dry and if you’re exercising; less if it’s cool and you’re sedentary. Drink when you’re thirsty, or better yet, before you get thirsty. Remember those internal clues.

• And finally, don’t despair if the scale doesn’t show immediate results, and don’t give up if you slip and gain a pound or two. Just keep following the above tips and understand that it is normal for your weight to fluctuate from time to time. Your goal is life-long healthy weight and that takes time—the better part of a lifetime.

ALICE ABLER

SmOkiNG aNd MeNTaL HeALtH...

The effects of smoking on physical health are well-documented—for example, oral and lung cancers, plus diseases of the respiratory system—but new research is shedding light on the effects of smoking and tobacco use on mental health.


One study, headed by Professor Mark Weiser of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Psychiatry, compared the IQs of more than 20,000 healthy 18- to 21-year-old males enlisted in the Israeli Army. This study, the largest of its kind, showed that the men who smoked scored about seven points lower on average than their nonsmoking peers. Especially interesting was the comparison between siblings where one smoked and the other did not. In most cases, the nonsmoking brother was found to have a higher IQ.

Although this study showed a connection between smoking and lower IQs, it did not show that smoking resulted in a lower IQ. However, research led by Debapriya Ghosh and Anirban Basu of the Indian National Brain Research Centre (NBRC) seems to indicate a distinct connection between smoking and brain damage. Their test results (both in vitro and in vivo) showed that NNK, a procarcinogen commonly found in tobacco, promotes an inflammatory condition of the brain and “inflicts subsequent neuronal damage.” The researchers suggest that NNK causes the brain’s immune cells (microglia) to attack healthy cells instead of damaged or unhealthy cells.

Such damage can be caused by tobacco, whether smoked or chewed. Even second-hand smoke carries NNK, which can cause nerve or brain damage.

The unborn are also affected by tobacco. Known long-term effects from exposure to maternal smoking include increased risk for ear infections, asthma and other respiratory diseases. But Finnish researcher Mikael Ekblad (of Turku University Hospital in Finland) and his colleagues conducted a study “to evaluate the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and both brain volumes and head circumference in very-low-birth-weight/very-low-gestational-age infants.”

The study, published in the February 2010 Journal of Pediatrics, concluded, “Prenatal smoking exposure was associated with significantly smaller frontal lobe and cerebellar volumes in the brains of preterm infants. This is consistent with reports showing an association between prenatal smoking exposure and impairments in frontal lobe and cerebellar functions such as emotion, impulse control, and attention.”

Ekblad and others also analyzed health records of babies born in Finland between 1987 and 1989 as well as the health records of the babies’ mothers.

Results of these studies (presented at the 2009 Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) show that the use of psychotropic medication was highest in the young adults whose mothers smoked while pregnant. Such exposure increased the risk for use of all such drugs, including those used to treat ADHD, addiction and depression. Of the young adults whose mothers had smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day during their pregnancy, more than 10 percent used drugs to treat depression. “Young adults exposed to prenatal smoking had a significantly increased risk for use of psychiatric drugs than unexposed young adults.” The authors added, “Our study suggests that preventing prenatal smoking exposure could reduce psychiatric problems in young adults.”

Sleep problems are sometimes associated with behavioral problems and depression in children, so there may be a connection between the Finnish studies and a study headed by Kristen Stone (of the Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island). The authors concluded, “Prenatal exposure to nicotine was positively associated with children's sleep problems persisting throughout the first 12 years of life. Targeting of this group of children for educational and behavioral efforts to prevent and treat sleep problems is merited given that good sleep may serve as a protective factor for other developmental outcomes.”

Sadly, it is too late for these children to have the best possible start for a healthy life, and the researchers recommend that they be given extra help to compensate for the shortfall. Perhaps their mothers did not understand that using tobacco while pregnant exposed their unborn children to unnecessary physical and mental health risks. But those who use tobacco by choice (whether through smoking or chewing) are also choosing to increase their own risks of damaged physical and mental health.

These studies and tests reinforce what we have known about the physical dangers of tobacco use and add a more cerebral level of concern for the mental health of those exposed to tobacco. The smart conclusion would be to avoid tobacco use altogether.

ALICE ABLER

What is PSORIASIS

 What i psoriasis

Psoriasis is a medical condition that occurs when skin cells grow too quickly. Faulty signals in the immune system cause new skin cells to form in days rather than weeks. The body does not shed these excess skin cells, so the cells pile up on the surface of the skin and lesions form. 

 





   signs and symptoms?

•  The lesions vary in appearance with the type of psoriasis. There are five types of psoriasis: 

         *Plaque, guttate, pustular, inverse, and erythrodermic. About 80% of   

           people living with psoriasis have plaque (plak) psoriasis, also called “  

           psoriasis vulgaris.”

• Plaque psoriasis causes patches of thick, scaly skin that may be white, silvery, or red. Called plaques (plax), these patches can develop anywhere on the skin. The most common areas to find plaques are the elbows, knees, lower back, and scalp. 

• Psoriasis also can affect the nails. About 50% of people who develop psoriasis see changes in their fingernails and/or toenails. If the nails begin to pull away from the nail bed or develop pitting, ridges, or a yellowish-orange color, this could be a sign of psoriatic arthritis.

What causes PSORIASIS

• Stress
• Sunlight
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• seasonal changes
• Hormonal changes
• infection
• because of certain drug withdraw with corticosteroid,lithium,choroquine.

Psoriasis is not contagious. You cannot get psoriasis from touching someone who has psoriasis, swimming in the same pool, or even intimate contact. Psoriasis is much more complex. 

Causing new skin cells to form in days rather than weeks. The reason T cells trigger this reaction seems to lie in our DNA. People who develop psoriasis inherit genes that cause psoriasis. Unlike some autoimmune conditions, it appears that many genes are involved in psoriasis.

Side Effected

When psoriasis flares, it can cause severe itching and pain. Sometimes the skin cracks and bleeds. When trying to sleep, cracking and bleeding skin can wake a person frequently and cause sleep deprivation.

A lack of sleep can make it difficult to focus at school or work. Sometimes a flare-up requires a visit to a dermatologist for additional treatment. Time must be taken from school or work to visit the doctor and get treatment. 

English Grammar assignment

Simple past Tense.

-Used to indicate an action in present time or when it refer to habitual actions or universal truth.


The Present continouse Tense

- Used to indicate an action in present time that is incomplete or still going on.

 The Present Prefect Tense

-Indicate to use past action wher time is not given or in indicate past event that still affect the presen to  
  indicate the action that have begun in the past that are still continuing the present.

 The simple Past Tense

-To indicate the action completed in the past or former habits.


Verbs
-A word that represent an action or state of being.go, strike, travel, and exist are examples of
verbs.Verb is the essential part of the predicate of a sentence. The grammatical forms of verbs
include number, person, and tense.

articles 
- in grammar the words a, an, and the, which precede a noun or its modifier. The is the definite
   article, a and an are indefinite articles.

Conjuction
- A word that is used to join other word, phrases, clauses, and sentences.
   example :  that,for,while,or,but,with,which

Preposition
-show a relationship between places, people and things.

  example :of,to,at,on,in


Adjective
Many
their
Gutter of mising formation,
playground for irresponsible individu,
young
diffrent
expensive
involved
this
one
Net
In
Fast
Accessible
Smooth,
evel
inaccurate
larger
irresponsible
incorrect
net
explicit
material
adults
both
selfish
unidentified
japanese
mailing
graphic
violence
ignore



Noun

mankind
internet
users
account
salesperson
audience
fingertips
next
anger
handle
deeds
understanding
tool
levels
government
schools
parents
children
equilibrium
today
minor
can
up
webpage
ideas
dog
business
environment
characters
but
reputation
companies
nation
stake
top
information
net
virus
damage
organisation
crimes
comission
justification
reached


Adverb

virtually
never
before
co
time
too
as
that
overall
in
all
around
however
more
even
up
their
own
regardless
how
where
only
constantly
when
buy
out


Verbs

define
have
has
been
source
brought
increase
gives
generated
reached
even
set
up
own
publish
idea
gets
eat
are
can
post
circulate
threaten
engulf
net
affect
champion
causes


Conjuction

where
only
but
which
than
while
that
however
before
or
and


Present Contineous Tense

Gaining
Understanding
Handling

Glaucoma....

What is Glaucoma?


Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually steal sight without warning. In the early stages of the disease, there may be no symptoms. Experts estimate that half of the people affected by glaucoma may not know they have it.

Vision loss is caused by damage to the optic nerve. This nerve acts like an electric cable with over a million wires. It is responsible for carrying images from the eye to the brain.

There is no cure for glaucoma—yet. However, medication or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss. The appropriate treatment depends upon the type of glaucoma among other factors. Early detection is vital to stopping the progress of the disease.

It was once thought that high pressure within the eye, also known as intraocular pressure or IOP, is the main cause of this optic nerve damage. Although IOP is clearly a risk factor, we now know that other factors must also be involved because even people with “normal” levels of pressure can experience vision loss from glaucoma.

Adult glaucoma falls into two categories—open angle glaucoma and closed angle glaucoma.

Types of Glaucoma

The two main types of glaucoma are primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), and angle closure glaucoma. These are marked by an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye. When optic nerve damage has occurred despite a normal IOP, this is called normal tension glaucoma. Secondary glaucoma refers to any case in which another disease causes or contributes to increased eye pressure, resulting in optic nerve damage and vision loss.

How common is glaucoma?

Worldwide, glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. In fact, as many as 6 million individuals are blind in both eyes from this disease. In the United States alone, according to one estimate, over 3 million people have glaucoma. As many as half of the individuals with glaucoma, however, may not know that they have the disease. The reason they are unaware is that glaucoma initially causes no symptoms, and the loss of vision on the side (periphery) is hardly noticeable.

What are the risk factors for glaucoma?

• Age over 45 years

• Family history of glaucoma

• Black racial ancestry

• Diabetes

• History of elevated intraocular pressure

• Nearsightedness (high degree of myopia), which is the inability to see distant objects clearly

• History of injury to the eye

• Use of cortisone (steroids), either in the eye or systemically (orally or injected)

• Farsightedness (hyperopia), which is seeing distant objects better than close ones (Farsighted people may have narrow filtering angles, which predispose them to acute (sudden) attacks of closed-angle glaucoma

SINUSITIS.

This factsheet is for people who have sinusitis, or who would like information about it.


Sinusitis is inflammation of the linings of the sinuses that surround the nose. Common symptoms include a tender face and a blocked nose. It's often caused by an infection.

What are sinuses?
The sinuses are air-filled spaces within the bones of your face that open up into the nasal cavity. They are lined with the same membrane as your nose. This lining is called the mucous membrane and it produces a slimy secretion called mucus to keep the nasal passageways moist and to trap dirt particles and bacteria.

You have four main pairs of sinuses.
• The maxillary sinuses are in each cheekbone.
• The frontal sinuses are on either side of your forehead, above your eyes.
• The smaller ethmoid sinuses are behind the bridge of your nose, between your eyes.
• The sphenoid sinuses are between the upper part of your nose and behind your eyes.

What is sinusitis?

Sinusitis is inflammation of the lining of one or more of your sinuses.

If your sinusitis lasts less than eight weeks (or less than 12 weeks in a child) it's called acute sinusitis. If your sinusitis lasts three months or more you may have chronic sinusitis. This is where the lining in your nose and sinuses is thickened and constantly inflamed. The medical terms acute and chronic refer to how long the condition lasts for, rather than how severe it is.

                                                             A maxillary sinus.

Symptoms of sinusitis
If you have sinusitis your symptoms may include:

• pain and pressure in your face, which is worse when you lean forwards
• a blocked nose with green or yellow mucus, which can drain down the back of your nose into your throat and may cause a sore throat and cough
• a headache
• less common symptoms of sinusitis include tiredness, a reduced sense of smell, bad breath (halitosis) and a fever

The pain you have will depend on which of your sinuses are affected.
• Frontal sinusitis can cause pain just above your eyebrows, and your forehead may be tender to touch.
• Maxillary sinusitis can cause your upper jaw, teeth and cheeks to ache and may be mistaken for toothache.
• Ethmoid sinusitis can cause pain around your eyes and the sides of your nose.
• Sphenoid sinusitis can cause pain around your eyes, at the top of your head or in your temples. You may also have earache and neck pain.

On very rare occasions, a sinus infection can spread to the bones of the face or the membranes lining the brain. Also very rarely, sinusitis can spread to form a pocket of pus (abscess) in the eye socket, the brain or a facial bone. If you develop swollen eyelids while you have sinusitis you should see your GP immediately.

Causes of sinusitis

Sinusitis is often caused by an infection of the mucous membranes with a virus, bacterium or fungus. Most people with acute sinusitis have had a viral infection such as the common cold. During a cold the mucous membranes become swollen and tend to block the openings of the sinuses.

Irritants and allergens can inflame the linings of your nose and sinuses, causing sinusitis. Some examples of irritants include:

• airborne allergens such as grass and tree pollen
• smoke and air pollution
• sprays containing chemicals (eg household detergents)

Enlarged adenoids and growths on the mucous membranes, such as nasal polyps, may block the openings to the sinuses and cause sinusitis.

People with certain medical conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, are more likely to get sinusitis.

Treatment of sinusitis

Most people with acute sinusitis get better without treatment. However, if your symptoms continue for more than a week, or seem to be worsening, you may wish to see your GP.

Surgery.

If you have chronic sinusitis that doesn't get better with home or medical (drug) treatments, your specialist may suggest that you to consider surgery.

In functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) the surgeon washes out the sinuses and widens the drainage holes using an endoscope. This can be done under local or general anaesthesia.

Other types of surgery can remove nasal polyps or correct an obstruction in the nose that may be the cause of your sinusitis. Ask your doctor for more information about the different types of surgery, as all types of surgery carry the risk of complications and side-effects.

Osteoporosis.

What Is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis weakens bones and increases the risk of unexpected fractures. Serious consequences can occur with some fractures. Read this overview article about osteoporosis and how to keep your bones strong.

Osteoporosis Facts at a Glance

Your bones may be at risk: With the aging of America, the number of people with osteoporosis- related fractures will increase. Read these basic facts about osteoporosis and health.

Picture of Osteoporosis

Want to see what a bone with osteoporosis looks like, compared to a healthy bone? This link will show you photos of normal and osteoporotic bone.

Causes

What Factors Create Strong Bones?

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease. It can be prevented with a healthy diet and staying physically active. Learn about factors that can make bones stronger or weaker.

What Causes Compression Fractures?

Most spinal compression fractures are never diagnosed because many patients and families think the back pain is merely a sign of aging and arthritis. These weakened bones cause the spine to collapse. Read more.

Are You at Risk?

Osteoporosis Risk Assessment

It’s never too early or too late to address bone health. Read these articles to check your osteoporosis risk.

Smoking, Alcohol and Osteoporosis

Read more on the link between smoking, drinking and osteoporosis.

Overtraining and Osteoporosis

Is exercise ever a problem? When a woman doesn’t get her periods and she’s not pregnant or menopausal, she may be putting herself at risk for several health problems including thinned bones. Her lower estrogen levels can lead to osteoporosis, making it more likely to break.

Osteoporosis and Conditional Risks

Different health conditions may affect osteoporosis risk in different ways, as these articles explain.

Race, Gender and Osteoporosis

Get the facts.

Prevention

Osteoporosis Prevention

Osteoporosis can be prevented. People of all ages can get involved in protecting their bones. Exercise and a healthy diet can cut osteoporosis risk. Here are some tips for keeping your bones strong.

Calcium Food Sources

Dairy products are rich in calcium, which is essential for building and maintaining strong bones. Find out where to get it and how much you need here.

Vitamin D Deficiency?

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. And we need more vitamin D as we get older. Are you getting enough? If your diet doesn’t contain sufficient amounts of this bone saver, supplements may help. Read about vitamin D deficiency.

Preventing Compression Fractures

If you're at high risk for compression fractures, it's critical to take action. Read more.