Health Benefits - Vitamins and Minerals Importance

Vitamins and minerals are present in almost all of our food stuffs. These are essential elements to making us healthy and strong individuals. Vitamins and minerals can be supplemented by vitamin tablets and other pills but the most efficient sources of these are natural organic foods. A good combination of these organic foods can supply individuals with the right amount of vitamins and minerals needed to get through the day and maintain our health.

Vitamins are essential for the growth and health of any living organism. Without the proper amount, the body does not assimilate any of them, and can't effectively do its job.

The definition of minerals is that they are inorganic elements that our bodies need to make and repair hard and soft body tissue and other functions of our body. There are two kinds of minerals in our body, trace elements and major elements. These vitamins and minerals go together to help maintain our bodies and keep it in prime condition.

Vitamins and minerals are needed by people to enable growth and repair of our tissues and muscles.

Here I want to share some common but very helpful importance of Vitamins and Minerals for our healthy life:-

(1) Women,especially at their pre-menopausal stage, need iron supplements the most. Fortified cereals, whole grains, dried fruits, nuts and seeds are important sources of iron. Red meat is also rich in iron but it should be taken only three servings per week. Combination of these iron supplements with ingredients high in Vitamin C will help your body absorb the iron properly.

(2)Vitamin D deficiency leads to rickets in children, and osteoporosis and other diseases in Adults.Vitamin D is very necessary for Cancer prevention.One needs to supplement the body with Vitamin D rich substances like vitamin D-fortified milk and milk substitutes, fatty fish such as salmon, and vitamin D-fortified yogurt.

(3) Calcium, along with Vitamin D, is necessary for bone health. Milk, fortified soy milk, dairy products, almonds, beans, sesame seeds and broccoli are Calcium rich food.

(4) Selenium is a lesser known mineral but it is never the less important. It supports the immune system, reduces inflammation and helps protect from cancer. Sunflower seeds, fish, shellfish, red meat and one Brazil nut daily will give you enough selenium.

(5) Lithium Orotatediffers chiefly from prescription strength lithium based on the ion it is bound to. Lithium orotate has also been used with success in alleviating the pain from migraine and cluster headaches, low white blood cell counts, juvenile convulsive disease, alcoholism and liver disorders.

(6) Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin that is believed to protect the brain from damage caused by Alzheimer. It helps you to tackle stress better and also protects you from common cold. A glass of Orange juice, citrus fruits, bell peppers, kiwifruit, papaya, broccoli, dark leafy greens and strawberries will provide you Vitamin C.

(7) Vitamin K plays an important role to strengthen the bones, avoid blood clotting and prevent hardening of arteries. Dark, leafy vegetables are good source of Vitamin K.

(8) Poly MVA is a water and fat soluble formulation and acts as a potent anti-oxidant. It increases the metabolism rate in the body acts as a nutritional supplement generating energy.

(9) Cancer fighting B vitamin folate reduces risk of Alzheimer. It is good for pregnant women as it reduces the risk of having babies with neural tube defects. Spinach helps you get folate. Other sources are beans, peanuts, broccoli, corn, lentils and oranges.

(10) The antioxidant Vitamin E fights free radicals and reduces risk of heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer. Daily intake of nuts and seeds such as almonds and sunflower seeds will provide you Vitamin E.

(11) Intramax is a very powerful therapeutic product and exceptional for those who are ultra hypoallergenic,100% carbon-bond organic microcomplexed liquid trace mineral supplement, plus an all-in-one multivitamin.

(12) The mineral Magnesium helps build strong bones and lower risk of diabetes by enhancing the action of insulin in your body. Beans, nuts, seeds and green vegetables such as spinach are great sources of Magnesium.

(13) Potassium helps to maintain blood pressure. It also helps reduce your risk of stroke. Beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, dried fruits, winter squash, cantaloupe, kiwi, orange juice, prune juice and avocados are good sources of Potassium.

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Heart Attack - Symptoms of Heart Attack - Cardiovascular Diseases

Heart attack, medically known as Myocardial Infarction, is the sudden stoppage of the heart due to death or damage to a large part of the heart muscles known as myocardium. It is widely acknowledged that heart related conditions (cardiovascular diseases) are the number one cause of death and disability.

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death. Men have a greater risk of heart attack at a younger age than women. But the risk increases for women as they near menopause and, eventually, surpasses that of men.

Followings are some early heart attack symptoms :-

(1) Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing, or painful sensation in the chest lasting more than a few minutes. Please note that the painfulness may go away temporary but will go back evenly as dreadful if not more painful.

(2) The pain often spreads to the shoulders, neck, jaw or arms.

(3) People suffering from a heart attack will feel both chest discomfort and light headedness which often lead to fainting.

(4) Sweating, nausea and vomiting are common.

(5) Shortness of breath.

(6) Apprehension, anxiousness and despondence.

(7)Discomfort in other areas of the upper body.

(8) Pain or discomfort in one or both arms.

(9) Pain or discomfort in the back

We can decrease our risk of heart attack by changing our lifestyle in the following:-

(1) Cholesterol Levels:-

Avoid saturated fat, eat fewer calories, and try to eat foods rich in fiber, such as vegetables and fruits. If your cholesterol is very high to lower it may be an option for you.

(2) Doctor Advice for Aspirin:-

We have to talk with related doctor about daily intake of aspirin which may reduce our risk of heart attack by thinning our blood and preventing clots from forming. Because aspirin is not safe for everyone.

(3) Exercise:-

Regular exercise is good for you because it helps reduce stress, cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and excess weight, and it can make your heart stronger, leading to a lower pulse rate.

(4) In our all day busy routines, we have to spend some time for relaxation to reduce heart attacks.

(5) Blood Pressure Control is also one of the very helpful factor for heart attacks reduction.

(6) Smoking is harmful to your cardiovascular health. Smoking also clogs your arteries and in the process, raises the blood pressure in those clogged arteries. This condition helps to double the heart attack risk for smokers compared with non-smokers.

Here, I want also discuss one product which is called Medtronic defibrillator that is implanted in heart disease patient’s chest for monitoring the consistency of heart rhythm.

And also its work for restoring the heart to a normal beat by delivering an electronic shock to the heart with its one or two leads and its generally implanted near our shoulder for this functionality.

The leads have been removed from the market after it was discovered that Defective Defibrillator Leads can facture which can cause unnecessary shocks to a heart, or they lead can fail to operate at all.

In 2006, Medtronic defibrillator recall is big news. It's been accompanied by hundreds of news stories, tumbling stock prices and commentaries like the one from ZDNet that likened Medtronic to a Law & Order episode.

This defect and the problems it causes are detailed below, but if you or someone you love has been injured as a result of this device, contact a Medtronic Recall lawyer immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Health Benefits - Glucosamine

Glucosamine has so many other name like,

(1) glucosamine sulfate
(2) glucosamine sulphate
(3) glucosamine hydrochloride
(4) N-acetyl glucosamine
(5) chitosamine

Glucosamine is a compound found naturally in the body, made from glucose and the amino acid glutamine. Glucosamine is needed to produce glycosaminoglycan, a molecule used in the formation and repair of cartilage and other body tissues. Production of glucosamine slows with age.

Glucosamine is available as a nutritional supplement in health food stores and many stores.Glucosamine supplements are manufactured in a laboratory from chitin, a substance found in the shells of shrimp, crab, lobster, and other sea creatures. In additional to nutritional supplements, glucosamine is also used in sports drinks and in cosmetics.

Glucosamine is Good For :-

Glucosamine is also an excellent tool for elderly or obese people that experience joint pain. The elderly can enjoy the joint rejuvenating effects of glucosamine and can help them move around better without addictive pain killers. Overweight people often have joint problems, especially in the knees that can be helped greatly with glucosamine.

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Health Tips & Benefits - Osteoporosis,Osteoporosis Treatments & Causes

Osteoporosis means porous bones.

Osteoporosis, is sometimes thought of as a disease that only affects elderly ladies, this is not true, it can start to affect people at a very early age, it also affects approximately 20% of men in quite a serious manner.It is a disease in which there is a loss of bone mass and destruction of bone tissue.

Osteoporosis has no obvious symptoms and it is often called the "silent thief" because you do not feel anything, it just steals your bone strength without you knowing about it.

In the Greek it translates as "passages through bones."

Osteoporosis is a silent disease in that there is no physical sensation associated with it.Some people experience back, neck, or joint pain with fractures, but most do not.

What Causes Osteoporosis?

If someone in your family has or had osteoporosis,you're more at risk.

White and Asian people are more likely to be affected by osteoporosis than black or Hispanic people, but this does not mean that black or Hispanic people are not at risk.

Estrogen protects bones, so if you have low estrogen levels, you're more at risk for developing osteoporosis.Menopause causes a fast decrease in estrogen levels, which is why if you're a post-menopausal woman, you need to be especially vigilant about your bone health. Women may lose bone at a rate of 4 to 8% per year for several years after their ovaries stop producing estrogen.

Also, if you've had your ovaries removed, your osteoporosis risk increases because the ovaries produce a lot of your estrogen.

As a post-menopausal woman or a woman who's had her ovaries removed, you should look into estrogen therapy to increase your hormone levels.

Even if you're a young woman now, years from menopause, you should be thinking about your estrogen levels. Irregular periods can indicate low estrogen levels—and serve as an early warning to take care of your bones. Irregular periods may also result from over-exercising or under-eating, both of which can increase bone loss.

Men also have estrogen, but for them, it's the testosterone that protects the bones. If they have low levels of hormones, they're more at risk.

If you've broken bones in the past, you could be more at risk for osteoporosis because the broken bone(s) probably lowered your bone mineral densiry (BMD).

Petite and small boned women (under 130 pounds) have less bone mass to begin with, so they need to be particularly vigilant about their bone health.

Osteoporosis Treatments :-

If you have osteoporosis you need to be careful of vigorous, high-impact exercise. However, leading an active lifestyle will improve balance, coordination and develop muscle strength. All these can reduce the risk of falling and fracturing a bone. Beneficial exercise includes swimming, gardening, walking, golf and Tai Chi.

Eating a diet rich in calcium is important for maintaining healthy bones. Good sources of calcium include milk and dairy products, such as hard cheese and yogurt, dried apricots or figs and some green leafy vegetables such as watercress and curly kale.

Your body also needs vitamin D to absorb calcium properly.Vitamin D is found in certain foods, including cod liver oil, oily fish such as sardines and herrings, margarine and egg yolks. It's also made by your skin when you're in the sunlight. The National Osteoporosis Society recommends about 20 minutes of sun exposure to the face and arms, every day during the summer, to provide you with enough vitamin D for the year. However, to reduce your risk of getting skin cancer, you should cover your skin between 11am and 3pm, and don't allow your skin to burn.

You should try not to drink fizzy drinks or have too much caffeine, salt or animal protein, as these can affect the balance of calcium in your body. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables can help to cancel out the effects of too much protein in your diet.

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Health Tips & Benefits - Sore Throats,Sore Throats Causes and Treatments

What causes sore throats?

Sore throats can be caused by many things.

Viruses (like those that cause colds) can lead to a sore throat. Bacteria can also cause a sore throat, as can smoking, breathing polluted air, drinking alcohol, and hay fever and other allergies.

What is tonsillitis?

Tonsillitis means swelling of the tonsils (at the back of your mouth on each side of your throat). It can cause a sore throat and other symptoms. Signs of strep throat and tonsillitis are often alike (see the box below). Tonsillitis is usually caused by bacteria, though sometimes a virus may be involved.

Symptoms of tonsillitis or strep throat :-

(1) Sore throat
(2) Fever
(3) Headache
(4) Vomitin
(5) White patches in your throat or on your tonsils
(6) Pain when you swallow
(7) Swollen, red tonsils
(8) Sore glands in your jaw and throat

If I have tonsillitis, will I need a tonsillectomy?

Tonsillectomy is a surgery used to remove tonsils. Most people who have tonsillitis don't need a tonsillectomy. You might need a tonsillectomy if you get severe tonsillitis a lot or if your tonsils are too large and cause problems with your breathing. Your doctor can tell you if a tonsillectomy is needed.

What is strep throat?

Strep throat is caused by a type of bacteria called Streptococcus.The pain of strep throat often feels much like sore throats caused by other bacteria or by viruses.What's important and different about strep throat is that if it isn't treated it can sometimes result in rheumatic fever, which can damage the valves of the heart.

What is mononucleosis?

Mononucleosis (mono) is a viral infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. One of the main signs of mono is a sore throat that may last for 1 to 4 weeks. Other signs include swollen glands in your neck, armpits and groin, fever and chills, headache, and feeling tired.

What tests may be used to find the cause of my sore throat?

Your doctor may do a rapid strep test, a throat culture or both. A rapid strep test will give results fast--usually within about 15 minutes. But the test won't tell if your sore throat is caused by a bacterium other than Streptococcus or if it's caused by a virus. A throat culture takes longer--about 24 hours--but it's more accurate. If your doctor thinks you may have mono, he or she will probably do a blood test.

What is the treatment for a sore throat caused by bacteria?

If your sore throat is caused by Streptococcus, your family doctor will probably prescribe penicillin, taken by mouth for 10 days. Another antibiotic, called erythromycin, can be used if you're allergic to penicillin. If your sore throat is caused by a different bacteria, your doctor may prescribe another type of antibiotic.

What is the treatment for a sore throat caused by a virus?

Antibiotics don't work against viruses. Infections caused by viruses usually just have to run their course. Most symptoms caused by a cold-type virus go away in a week to 10 days.

Symptoms caused by mono can last for 4 weeks or more. If you have mono, your doctor will probably suggest that you get plenty of rest and that you not exercise too hard. You can take acetaminophen (brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (brand names: Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) or naproxen (brand name: Aleve) for the headache and other aches.

What about a sore throat that's caused by allergies?

If a sore throat is a symptom of hay fever or another allergy, your doctor can help you figure out how to avoid the things that trigger your allergies. Or you may need to take medicine for your allergies.

How can I avoid catching or passing a sore throat?

The best ways to avoid catching or passing the viruses and bacteria that can lead to a sore throat are to wash your hands regularly, avoid touching your eyes or mouth, and cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.

(1) Easing the pain of a sore throat
(2) Take acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen
(3) Gargle with warm salt water (1 teaspoon of salt per glass of water)
(4) Suck on throat lozenges or hard candy
(5) Suck on flavored frozen desserts (such as Popsicles)
(6) Use a humidifier in your bedroom or other rooms you spend lots of time in
(7) Drink lots of liquids

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