The Health Benefits of Salmon

Salmon is a type of fish found in both fresh and salt water. There are several species of salmon, such as the sockeye, pink, coho, chum, chinook, and Atlantic. Salmon is not only tasty but has considerable health benefits; when baked, broiled, seared or grilled, salmon is among the most heart-healthy of dishes.

Omega 3

Omega 3 fatty acids are a type of essential fatty acid. The body cannot make them on its own and requires intake from food or vitamins in order to supply the nutrients. Omega 3 promotes healthy joints and skin, reduces the risk of heart disease and aids in neurological development in unborn children. Atlantic salmon has the highest concentration of omega 3 in the salmon family, at 1.9 grams per 2-oz. fillet. The American Heart Association recommends that adults have two servings of omega 3 per week to maintain optimal health benefits. According to the Worlds Healthiest Foods, omega 3 improves heart muscle function and reduces the risks of deadly heart arrhythmia.

Protein

Salmon contains up to 58 percent of the daily required intake of protein per 4-oz. serving. Salmon contains essential amino acids that promote growth and help maintain muscle tissue mass. The protein found in salmon helps the body maintain metabolism at levels to promote weight loss. Eating salmon three or more days a week will also help you feel full longer. It can be eaten with a serving of fresh steamed vegetables for a heart-healthy dinner that will give you energy and ease hunger pangs.

Low Fat

Salmon is low in fat and calories. The average 4-oz. fillet contains around 183 calories and 10 grams of fat unprepared. If you grill the fillet or broil without using butter or oil, the salmon retains its healthy effects. Make sure you prepare and cook the salmon in a clean area and thoroughly cook the fish to prevent illness such as salmonella, which can cause extreme gastrointestinal discomfort. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute states that in order to maintain good cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease, foods low in fat and calories will help obtain optimal cardiovascular health. The institute suggests getting less than 30 percent of your calories from fat and up to 10 percent from saturated fat.

Vitamins and Minerals

Salmon provides a good source of some essential vitamins you need for a healthy lifestyle. A 4-oz. baked fillet will give you more than 100 percent of your daily value of vitamin D and over 50 percent of vitamins B2 and B12 in just one serving. Vitamin D promotes healthy bones and teeth, and may help decrease your risk of developing multiple sclerosis and certain types of cancer.

Article from Livestrong.com

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Chocolate Lovers Tend To Weigh Less : Study

NEW YORK - People who ate chocolate a few times a week or more weighed less than those who rarely indulged, according to a United States study involving a thousand people.

Researchers said the findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, do not prove that adding a candy bar to your daily diet will help you shed pounds. Nor did the total amount of chocolate consumed have an impact.

But the researchers, led by Dr Beatrice Golomb, from the University of California San Diego, said it was possible that antioxidants in chocolate could be behind health benefits including lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as decreased body weight.

"People have just assumed that because it comes with calories and it's typically eaten as a sweet, therefore it would inherently have been one way, bad," said Dr Golomb.

She and her colleagues used data from a study on cholesterol-lowering drugs that surveyed 1,000 healthy adults on typical eating habits, including how often they ate chocolate.

The participants, who ranged from 20 to 85 years old, ate chocolate an average of twice per week and had an average body mass index, or BMI, of 28, which is considered overweight but not obese.

The researchers found that people who ate chocolate with greater frequency tended to eat more calories overall, including more saturated fat, than those who went light on the candy. But even so, chocolate lovers tended to have a lower body weight.

That was still the case after researchers accounted for age and gender, as well as how much they exercised.

The effect worked out to a 2.3 to 3.2 kg difference between people who ate five servings of chocolate a week compared to those who did not eat any, Dr Golomb said. However, it was only how often they ate chocolate, rather than the total amount, that was linked to their weight.

Past studies have tied chocolate to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and better insulin sensitivity, possibly because of antioxidants or other chemicals in cocoa.

There are a number of possible explanations for the results, said Dr Eric Ding, a nutritionist at the Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the study.

One is that poorer people stick to the basics when they are buying food and do not eat as much chocolate. Poverty has been tied to higher body weight.

Another possibility is that "people who lost weight reward themselves with chocolate, more than chocolate causing the weight loss," he told Reuters Health.

Because the new study is relatively small and could not prove cause-and-effect, it is hard to take any lessons from the findings, Dr Ding said. But the key for chocolate lovers seems to be considering calories and knowing that not all chocolate is created equal.

For example, past evidence suggests that antioxidants in chocolate called flavonoids are behind any benefits tied to chocolate - and dark chocolate has the most flavonoids.

"If you consume chocolate, consume it in place of something else, rather than adding to your net daily calories. Try to consume dark chocolate," he said.

The researchers agreed that moderation is important.

"This certainly does not provide support for eating large amounts of chocolate," Dr Golomb said. "For those of us who do eat a little bit of chocolate regularly, perhaps any guilt associated with that might be qualified."

REUTERS

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13 Surprising Causes of Constipation

By Amanda Gardner

What causes constipation? Well, the obvious culprits include a low fiber diet, repeatedly ignoring the urge to go, not drinking enough water, or a lack of exercise. But constipation also has other, less-well-known causes, including certain medications and supplements, as well as potentially serious medical conditions. What’s causing your gut trouble?

Here are 13 possible causes of constipation you may not have considered.

Possible Cause No. 01 : Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, slows the body’s metabolic processes—even the gut. Not everyone with an underactive thyroid has constipation, nor do all cases of constipation mean that the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck is underperforming. Still, "when I see a young person who’s constipated more than normal and really complaining, I do tend to get a thyroid level," says Carla H. Ginsburg, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Possible Cause No. 02 : Painkillers

Painkillers, specifically narcotics, can cause constipation. "A lot of receptors for the narcotic class of drugs are in the digestive tract, so it tends to bring everything to a halt," says Thomas Park, MD, a gastroenterologist with the University of Rochester Medical Center Park in New York. "In general, it?s a good idea for everyone who?s placed on one of these drugs to also place them on a gentle laxative like a stool softener." Some studies (but not all) have suggested that there might be a higher risk of constipation for people who are chronic users of pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen.

Possible Cause No. 03 : Chocolate

There’s some evidence that chocolate can cause constipation, though other studies show chocolate may actually help some people, Dr. Park says. In one 2005 study, people with chronic constipation or irritable bowel syndrome were more likely than people without those problems to say that chocolate caused constipation (as did bananas and black tea). Eliminate or cut back on chocolate if you think it could be causing your constipation.

Possible Cause No. 04 : Vitamins

Vitamins in general won’t cause constipation, but certain components, such as calcium and iron, can be a problem. "I would tell a patient to stop taking the iron [or calcium] unless they really need it and, if they do need it, I would put them on a stool softener to counteract that," says Dr. Ginsburg, who is a spokesperson for the American Gastroenterological Association.

Possible Cause No. 05 : Laxative Overuse

Some laxatives work by stimulating bowel activity. Such stimulant laxatives should be taken only as directed. If used for long periods of time, stimulant laxatives can lead to dependence, meaning your body simply won’t function properly without them. Stimulant laxatives include Dulcolax, Ex-Lax, Senna, and others. Don’t take any medication—including laxatives—for longer than instructed by either the product’s label or your doctor.

Possible Cause No. 06 : Too Much Dairy

A diet high in cheese and other low-fiber/high-fat foods such as eggs and meat can slow down your digestion. The obvious solution? Cut down on your intake of such foods, and increase fiber intake to 20 to 35 grams a day. "If you?re going to have cheeses and red meat and eggs, mix in some salads or other foods that have fiber," Dr. Park advises. And avoid fast foods and processed foods, which are generally low in fiber.

Possible Cause No. 07 : Antidepressants

Constipation can be associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants such as Prozac (fluoxetine). However, constipation is more of a problem with older tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil (amitriptyline), says Dr. Park. Why any of these drugs have this effect isn’t clear, though. If you’re taking an antidepressant and have this side effect, think about using a gentle stool softener.

Possible Cause No. 08 : Depression

Ironically, the very condition that antidepressants are meant to treat—depression—can also cause constipation. Like hypothyroidism, depression causes a general slowdown of the body’s normal processes, which can also affect the bowel. People with irritable bowel syndrome, which can be closely linked to depression, are also prone to constipation, Dr. Park says.

Possible Cause No. 09 : Antacids

Antacids are great for fighting heartburn, but some can cause constipation, particularly those containing calcium or aluminum, Dr. Park says. Fortunately, the drugstore aisles are crammed with options, so if one medication is a problem you can try something else. You can also cut down on your risk of heartburn by not overstuffing at meals. And consuming fewer fatty foods and more fiber will help prevent both problems.

Possible Cause No. 10 : Blood Pressure and Allergy Medicines

Constipation can be a side effect of some common drugs used to treat high blood pressure, such as calcium channel blockers and diuretics. Diuretics, for instance, lower blood pressure by increasing urine output, which flushes water from your system. However, water is needed to keep stools soft and get them out of the body. Antihistamines used to treat allergy symptoms can be a problem too.

Possible Cause No. 11 : Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes two chronic conditions—Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Both can cause cramping, weight loss, bloody stools, and other health problems. Chronic diarrhea is a common symptom of both. However constipation can be a problem too. In ulcerative colitis, constipation can be a sign of inflammation in the rectum and in Crohn's disease it can be a sign of an obstruction in the small intestine. However if you have constipation alone, without other symptoms, it's unlikely to be due to IBD.

Possible Cause No. 12 : Childbirth

Constipation is common during pregnancy, but childbirth itself can be a problem, possibly due to sluggish abdominal muscles or perhaps the use of pain relievers or an anesthetic during the delivery. Also, "there may be some perineal soreness right after the delivery, so the fear of causing more discomfort may be an important factor in the constipation," says Dr. Park. Although stretch injuries during childbirth can sometimes cause nerve damage that leads to constipation, this is less common.

Possible Cause No. 13 : Diabetes and Neurological Conditions

Diabetes can cause nerve damage that can affect a person’s ability to digest food, says Dr. Park. Most people with advanced diabetes know they have it. Still, it’s reasonable to do a blood sugar test on someone who is regularly constipated, says Dr. Ginsburg. Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease can cause constipation. Usually, though, "this goes with another symptom such as trouble urinating, double vision, or a gait problem," Dr. Ginsburg says.

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http://health.com
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Everything You Need To Know About High Blood Pressure !!

Understanding High Blood Pressure (HBP #1)



Consequences of High Blood Pressure (HBP #2)



Medicating for High Blood Pressure (HBP #3)




Preventing High Blood Pressure (HBP #5)



Health Tip To Lower High Blood Pressure :

What To Eat To Lower High Blood Pressure



How To Lower Your High Blood Pressure



How to Lower Blood Pressure with Garlic



7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure

Everything You Need To Know About Cholesterol !!!

Understanding Cholesterol (Cholesterol #1)



Consequences of Cholesterol (Cholesterol #2)



Cholesterol-Lowering Substances (Cholesterol #3)



Lowering Cholesterol (Cholesterol #4)



Cholesterol-Lowering Medication (Cholesterol #5)

Exposing the Cholesterol Myth

Dr. Ron Rosedale talks about the common cholesterol myth .....

30 Tricks and Tips to Cancer-proof Your Life

We're all grown-ups here -- nightmares aren't a big problem anymore. We're calm, we're cool, we're mostly collected...until it comes to the C-word. For adults, cancer is the thing that goes bump in the night; that bump gets louder when family or friends are diagnosed. Whether your risk is monumental or blessedly average, we know you want to protect yourself. So we've combed through research, interrogated experts, and found cutting-edge strategies to help keep you safe.

Worship a wee bit of sun. People who get the most vitamin D, which lies dormant in skin until ultraviolet rays activate it, may protect themselves from a variety of cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, breast, and colon. Ironically, it even improves survival rates of melanoma, the most serious skin cancer. But 10 to 15 minutes a few days a week is all it takes to benefit. (Or you could try a supplement--aim for 400 IU a day.) If you're out any longer than that, slather on the sunscreen.

Eat an orange every day. It just may zap a strain of the H. pylori bacteria that causes peptic ulcers and can lead to stomach cancer. Researchers in San Francisco found that infected people with high levels of vitamin C in their blood were less likely to test positive for the cancer-causing strain.

Listen to Katie Couric. Though colonoscopies are about as popular as root canals, if you're 50 or older, get one. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Don't think you're off the hook because you got a digital fecal occult blood test at your last checkup: Research by the Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study found that the test missed 95% of the cases. (Schedule your first colonoscopy before your 50th if you have a family history of colon cancer.)

Steam a little green. Piles of studies have shown that piles of broccoli help stave off ovarian, stomach, lung, bladder, and colorectal cancers. And steaming it for 3 to 4 minutes enhances the power of the cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane, which has been shown to halt the growth of breast cancer cells. (Sorry, microwaving doesn't do the trick; it strips out most antioxidants.) Get more protection by sprinkling a handful of selenium-rich sunflower seeds, nuts, or mushrooms on your greens. Researchers are discovering that sulforaphane is about 13 times more potent when combined with the mineral selenium.

Pick a doc with a past. Experience--lots of it--is critical when it comes to accurately reading mammograms. A study from the University of California, San Francisco, found that doctors with at least 25 years' experience were more accurate at interpreting images and less likely to give false positives. Ask about your radiologist's track record. If she is freshly minted or doesn't check a high volume of mammograms, get a second read from someone with more mileage.

Drink jolt-less java. Downing 2 or more cups of decaf a day may lower the incidence of rectal cancer by 52%, finds a study from two large and long-term research projects--the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study from Harvard University. One theory is that coffee increases bowel movements, which helps to reduce the risk. Why decaf reigns supreme, however, remains a mystery.

Drop 10 pounds. Being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men, notes the American Cancer Society. (You're overweight if your body mass index is between 25 and 29.9; you're obese if it's 30 or more. Click here to gauge your BMI.) Plus, losing excess pounds reduces the body's production of female hormones, which may protect against breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. Even if you're not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers.

Make like a monkey. Or a bunny. Women who ate four to six antioxidant-laden bananas a week cut their risk of kidney cancer by 54%, compared with those who didn't eat them at all, found an analysis of 61,000 women at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Gnawing on root vegetables such as carrots did the same.

Get naked with a friend. You'll need help examining every inch of your body--including your back, scalp, and other hard-to-see places--for possible changes in the size or color of moles, blemishes, and freckles. These marks could spell skin cancer. Women, take special note of your legs: Melanoma mainly occurs there. For the guys, the trunk, head, and neck are the most diagnosed spots. While you're at it, check your fingernails and toenails, too. Gray-black discoloration or a distorted or elevated nail may indicate the disease. And whether you see changes or not, after age 40, everyone should see a dermatologist yearly.

See into the future. Go to Your Disease Risk to assess your chance of developing 12 types of cancer, including ovarian, breast, and colon. After the interactive tool estimates your risk, you'll get personalized tips for prevention.

Pay attention to pain. If you're experiencing a bloated belly, pelvic pain, and an urgent need to urinate, see your doc. These symptoms may signal ovarian cancer, particularly if they're severe and frequent. Women and physicians often ignore these symptoms, and that's the very reason that this disease can be deadly. When caught early, before cancer has spread outside the ovary, the relative 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is a jaw-dropping 90 to 95%.

Get calcium daily. Milk's main claim to fame may also help protect your colon. Those who took calcium faithfully for 4 years had a 36% reduction in the development of new pre-cancerous colon polyps 5 years after the study had ended, revealed Dartmouth Medical School researchers. (They tracked 822 people who took either 1,200 mg of calcium every day or a placebo.) Though the study was not on milk itself, you can get the same amount of calcium in three 8-ounce glasses of fat-free milk, along with an 8-ounce serving of yogurt or a 2- to 3-ounce serving of low-fat cheese daily.

Sweat 30 minutes a day. One of the best anticancer potions is a half hour of motion at least 5 days a week. Any kind of physical activity modulates levels of androgens and estrogen, two things that can protect women against estrogen-driven cancers such as ovarian and endometrial, as well as some types of breast cancer. The latest proof comes by way of a Canadian study that found that women who get regular, moderate exercise may lower their risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 30%. Bonus: All that moving might speed everything through your colon, which may help stave off colon cancer.

Stamp out smoking--all around you. Lung cancer is well known as one of the main hazards of smoking. But everything the smoke passes on its way to the lungs can also turn cancerous: mouth, larynx, and esophagus. The fun doesn't stop there. Smokers are encouraging stomach, liver, prostate, colorectal, cervical, and breast cancers as well. The good news: If you give up the cigs today, within 15 years, your lung cancer risk will drop to almost pre-smoking lows. Share that news with the people who puff around you, because exposure to someone else's smoke can cause lung cancer, and it may boost your chances of cervical cancer by 40%.

Step away from the white bread. If you eat a lot of things with a high glycemic load--a measurement of how quickly food raises your blood sugar--you may run a higher risk of colorectal cancer than women who eat low-glycemic-load foods, finds a Harvard Medical School study involving 38,000 women. The problem eats are mostly white: white bread, pasta, potatoes, and sugary pastries. The low-glycemic-load stuff comes with fiber. To find out how your diet fares, go to "Your Guide to the Glycemic Index."

Have your genes screened. Do you have a strong family history of any kind of cancer or multiple cancers? Talk with your doctor about genetic counseling. For instance, nearly everyone born with familial adenomatous polyposis (the genetic predisposition to colon cancer) develops the disease by age 40 if preventive surgery isn't done. Knowing this early can aid in prevention and early detection.

Request a better breast scan. If you're at high risk of breast cancer--you have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation, for example--ask your doctor to pair your routine mammogram with an MRI. One study found that together, the two picked up 94% of tumors; mammography
alone detected just 40% and MRI, 77%.

Grill smarter. Cooking your food over an open flame is a great way to cut calories. Unfortunately, it can also raise your cancer risk: The grill's high temps can trigger substances in muscle proteins to form cancer-causing compounds called hetero-cyclic amines, or HCAs. But avoiding this potential hazard is easy; simply keep gas jets low or wait until the charcoal turns into glowing embers before you start cooking. Protect yourself even more by lacing your burgers with rosemary (and perhaps other antioxidant-rich herbs such as basil, oregano, or thyme). This helps reduce the amount of some HCAs in meat, a Kansas State University study found. Also helpful: Microwaving meat ahead of time helps disable HCA formation and cuts down on grilling time.

Keep your house clean. Yet another reason to love your Swiffer: Active postmenopausal women who got most of their exercise from housework cut their risk of breast cancer by 30%, Canadian researchers say.

Let garlic lie. Thanks to this bulbed wonder, you can ward off vampires and stave off cancer. To preserve the potential cancer-fighting power of garlic, chop it up and let it sit a bit. Research suggests that heating garlic can block 90% of the activity of alliinase, the enzyme that helps to form a cancer-fighting compound. Alliinase is activated when the cloves are crushed or cut, but if cut garlic cools its heels for 5 to 10 minutes before heating, enough compounds are formed to survive cooking.

Check for radon. Exposure to this odorless, radioactive gas that's produced by the natural decay of uranium is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to the EPA. Test your home to see if you're safe. The National Safety Council's National Radon Hotline (800-767-7236) offers low-cost test kits; they're also available at hardware stores.

Play hot tomato. Red fruits (watermelon, tomato, pink grapefruit) are loaded with lycopene, a substance that has been proven time and time again to be a potent cancer fighter. It seems that heating said fruits makes the lycopene easier for the body to use, which explains why men who eat a lot of ketchup, pizza (it's in the sauce), and spaghetti (ditto) are far less likely to get prostate cancer.

Ditch the wieners. You can smother 'em in all the ketchup you want, but you can't negate a hot dog's, well, negatives. One study of 190,545 people found that eating a wiener daily may boost your risk of pancreatic cancer, which is nearly always fatal, by 67%. Same goes for sausage and other processed meats.

The Perfect Cancer- fighting Salad
Can you spot the cancer fighters at the salad bar? Build yourself some powerful protection with these ingredients.

Start with leafy greens. They contain a hefty amount of the B vitamin folate, which has been shown to reduce one's chances of getting colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers. In one study, researchers at Vanderbilt University found that women who ate the mostly dark greens were among the least likely to get breast cancer. Apparently, folate can halt changes in DNA that trigger runaway cell growth, the main characteristic of cancer.

Add shredded carrot. In a study from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, women who ate just five servings of four raw carrot sticks a week had a 54% decrease in their risk of getting ovarian cancer, compared with women who ate them less than once a month. Carrots may also reduce your risk of kidney cancer.

Serve yourself some tomatoes. If you don't feel like turning up the heat on your tomatoes, you can still get some of their cancer-shielding benefits. German research on 165 colonoscopy patients found that those who had the lowest blood level of lycopene, one of the chemicals that give tomatoes their color, had the highest rate of colorectal adenomas, a precursor to colorectal cancer. Toss a few into your guy's salad: They also reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Heap on beans. Women who ate beans at least twice a week were 24% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who ate them less often, report Harvard School of Public Health researchers, who analyzed data from 90,630 people. Legumes may lessen risk of breast cancer, thanks to their ability to suppress the production of enzymes that encourage tumor growth.

Add a little fish. Want to add something hardy to your lunchtime salad? Go wild with salmon. When B6-rich foods (like salmon) are eaten with folate-filled foods (dark leafy greens), they can help reduce the recurrence of colorectal adenomas, a precursor to colorectal cancer, by 39%, a University of Arizona study found. Salmon may also help shield regular eaters from skin cancer, British research found.

Splash on some vinaigrette. Mixing your favorite vinegar with olive oil can also help prevent breast cancer. Scientists from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine found that oleic acid in olive oil dramatically cuts the levels of the cancer gene Her-2/neu, associated with highly aggressive breast tumors with poor prognosis.

Garnish with citrus peel. They're like eating sunscreen--but they taste better. Limonene - a compound that gives oranges, lemons, and limes their scent--is linked to a 34% reduction in skin cancer, finds a University of Arizona study of 400 people.

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By Denise Foley , Denise Foley is Prevention's editor-at-large.
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Herbal Treatment for High Blood Cholesterol

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Article contributed by Carolus Wong
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I want to share a secret for treating high cholesterol.

Three weeks ago l went for a cholesterol check. To my surprise, it was above the normal range which should be less than 5.2 mmol/L. My reading obtained was 6.6. I had been consuming alot of red meat and lamb recently.

After consuming Mok Yee for two weeks, l had my cholesterol checked again and found that my cholesterol level fell to 4.70 mmol/ L

My pharmacist said that even cholesterol medication will need 1- 3 months to take effect. She was very surprised and said it is a miracle.

I immediately followed an advice of a friend who told me about Black fungus (Mok Yee).

He had four blocked heart arteries, over 90 percent blocked. His cardiologist advised him to go for bypass surgery, failing which he would suffer an imminent heart attack. His sinseh (chinese physician) friend advised him against surgery as the procedure would be messy,painful and expensive..

He followed the advise of his sinseh friend by consuming Mok Yee daily. After consumin g boiled Mok Yee juice for 40 days, he went for an angiogram. His heart specialist was surprised and shocked that his arteries were all cleared of any blockage and it would not be necessary to see him for another 10 years+ ACE -&! nbsp;

My observation is that Mok Yee juice is not only effective in treating high blood cholestrol but also helps to bring relief to joint paints, arthritis and poor blood circulation.

The internet info. claims : that Mok yee reduces blood clot, preventing thrombosis, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease, and cancer. Black Fungus contains abundant proteins, ferric iron, calcium, vitamins, rough fibre, the content of protein is equal to meat.

Preparation :

1) Pick a handful of Mok Yee and soak in water for 1-2 h! ours
2) Wash Mok Yee and cut to pieces with scissors.
3) Pour five bowls of plain water into slow cooker (crock pot)
4) Put 2-3 slices of ginger, 8-10 red dates, 20 kay chee(wolf berry) into crock pot.
5) Bring to boil for 8 hours. One and a half bowls of Mok Yee juice will remain after boiling overnight.

Consumption :

You may consume for 10 to 14 days according to the severity of the problem.
For those with low blood pressure consume less or only for alternate days.

Drink Mok Yee first thing in the morning with an 'empty stomach'.
Consume at least one large bowl. Take breakfast 2 hours later.

Side effects - you may feel a little tired after 3- 4 days.
Consume multivitamins and fresh fruits and vegetables daily.
Do not eat oily or fried foods during this period.

Observation :

Dark and oily stool during the first two days.

Remarks :

Cholesterol medication is man-made and may harm the liver. Mok Yee is a plant and does not seem to contain chemicals that harm the body.

Lack Of Sleep Linked To Early Death : Study

LONDON (AFP) - – People who get less than six hours sleep per night have an increased risk of dying prematurely, researchers said on Wednesday.

Those who slumbered for less than that amount of time were 12 percent more likely to die early, though researchers also found a link between sleeping more than nine hours and premature death.

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The foot of a sleeping patient at the Sainte-Anne psychiatric hospital in Paris. People who get less than six hours sleep per night have an increased risk of dying prematurely, according to British and Italian researchers.
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"If you sleep little, you can develop diabetes, obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol," Francesco Cappuccio, who led research on the subject at Britain's University of Warwick, told AFP.

The study, conducted with the Federico II University in Naples, Italy, aggregated decade-long studies from around the world involving more than 1.3 million people and found "unequivocal evidence of the direct link" between lack of sleep and premature death.

"We think that the relation between little sleep and illness is due to a series of hormonal and metabolical mechanisms," Cappuccio said.

The findings of the study were published in the Sleep journal.

Cappuccio believes the duration of sleep is a public health issue and should be considered as a behavioural risk factor by doctors.

"Society pushes us to sleep less and less," Cappuccio said, adding that about 20 percent of the population in the United States and Britain sleeps less than five hours.

Sleeping less than six hours is "more common amongst full-time workers, suggesting that it may be due to societal pressures for longer working hours and more shift work"

The study also found a link between sleeping more than nine hours per night and premature death, but Cappuccio said oversleeping is more likely to be an effect of illness, rather than a cause.

"Doctors never ask how much one sleeps, but that could be an indicator that something is wrong," said Cappuccio, who heads the Sleep, Health and Society Programme at the University of Warwick.

Research showed no adverse effects for those sleeping between six and eight hours per day.

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Taken from http://yahoo.com news
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Working Overtime = Serious Heart Problems

By Ben Hirschler

LONDON - People working 10 or 11 hours a day are more likely to suffer serious heart problems, including heart attacks, than those clocking off after seven hours, researchers said on Tuesday.

The finding, from an 11-year study of 6,000 British civil servants, does not provide definitive proof that long hours cause coronary heart disease but it does show a clear link, which experts said may be due to stress.

In all, there were 369 cases of death due to heart disease, non-fatal heart attacks and angina among the London-based study group -- and the risk of having an adverse event was 60 percent higher for those who worked three to four hours overtime.

Working an extra one to two hours beyond a normal seven-hour day was not associated with increased risk.

"It seems there might a threshold, so it is not so bad if you work another hour or so more than usual," said Dr Marianna Virtanen, an epidemiologist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and University College London.

The higher incidence of heart problems among those working overtime was independent of a range of other risk factors including smoking, being overweight or having high cholesterol.

But Virtanen said it was possible the lifestyle of people working long hours deteriorated over time, for example as a result of poor diet or increased alcohol consumption.

More fundamentally, long hours may be associated with work-related stress, which interferes with metabolic processes, as well as "sickness presenteeism," whereby employees continue working when they are ill.

Virtanen and colleagues published their findings in the European Heart Journal.

Commenting on the study, Gordon McInnes, professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of Glasgow's Western Infirmary, said the findings could have widespread implications for doctors assessing patients' heart risks.

"If the effect is truly causal, the importance is much greater than commonly recognized. Overtime-induced work stress might contribute to a substantial proportion of cardiovascular disease," he said.

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Taken from http://yahoo.com news
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Cure for Diabetes?

Could we find a cure for juvenile diabetes (different from type 2 adult diabetes). Health problems from raised blood sugar, insulin deficiency, nerve damage, blindness, heart disease, stroke, impotence and many other issues. Possible therapy using adult stem cells which produce natural human insulin in response to rise in blood sugar. Research with liver cells transforming into insulin secreting cells. Possible side effects. Growing type 2 diabetes among children and adults. Health care costs. Patrick Dixon, conference keynote speaker and futurist.

Diabetes Treatment

Diabetes Treatment - Controlling blood sugar is a crucial part of managing diabetes, and a new insulin treatment is offering patients a simple and convenient way to keep those levels under control.

What is Diabetes? - an Overview

Heart Attack

MEDICAL - How cholesterol clogs your arteries (atherosclerosis)

3 Paths to Lower Cholesterol: Part 3 - Plant Sterols

3 Paths to Lower Cholesterol: Part 2 - Niacin

3 Paths to Lower Cholesterol: Part 1 - Diet

Lowering Your High Blood Pressure

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Blood Pressure Reading - What Does It Foretell

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you are more than likely to have to checkyour daily blood pressure, which you can do through various methods. Which one suits yourlifestyle and preferences is something that you should discuss with your doctor.

Before you even get that far, however, you should know what blood pressure is, how it works inyour body, and how to find out what your blood pressure is. Let us start with the basics. Yourblood pressure is simply a measurement of the pressure it takes for your heart to force blood outof your heart and into arteries. Arteries carry oxygenated blood throughout your circulatorysystem, to every cell, tissue, and organ within your body.

Lub-dub, Lub-dub, Lub-dub...

Blood pressure is separated into two terms: systolic and diastolic. The moment that your heartpumps blood through your heart, heart valves in the chambers of your heart make sounds, a sortof 'lub-dub'. You can hear the first sound, the 'lub', when the heart muscle contracts, creating asystolic blood pressure. This pressure is also the first set of numbers that show up when someoneis taking your blood pressure.

A normal systolic blood pressure reading can range anywherebetween 120 and 130. However, when the heart muscle rests, or relaxes, you hear the 'dub' sound,called the diastolic blood pressure. This reading normally ranges from 80 to 90 beats a minute.While everyone is different and a blood pressure between an older person and a child can differ, general guidelines exist that decide whether your blood pressure is higher than normal.

Athletic individuals normally have lower blood pressure than others, because their heart muscle isstronger and pumps more efficiently.Taking Care of Your HeartKeeping a normal blood pressure through a proper diet and enough exercise is not always easy.But not doing so can eventually cause the heart muscle and the linings of blood vessels toweaken or become clogged with cholesterol or plaque.

Such a condition forces the heart to workharder to pump blood and provide enough oxygenated and nutrient rich blood to reach all cellsand tissues.Taking care of your heart is important, not only to your daily activities, but also for yourlong-term health.

You should check your blood pressure regularly. If your doctor tells you thatyou have high blood pressure, do everything you can to get it back under control. Medications, achange of diet and exercise work wonders on high blood pressure. But if possible, try to preventsuch measures by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Stay away from high fat foods, eat plenty offruits and vegetables and make sure that you exercise every day, even if it's a walk around theblock after a long day at work.

Recording your blood pressure reading, whether you have been diagnosed with high bloodpressure, can alert you to changes in your body that you might not be aware of. Take charge ofyour heart. After all, it is the only one you have.Get the latest in blood pressure reading know how from the only true source at http://www.bloodpressurefile.comArticle Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stan_Kitchen

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Lynn's hypertension (high blood pressure) was so high that she was close to having a stroke.
But through lifestyle and diet changes, she was able to get and keep her numbers down.

To read Lynn's true hypertension story, visit here.
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