HealthyLife Articles

Category: Uncategorized

  • What Really Are Antioxidants?

    HEALTHY EATING

    Image of different sources of antioxidants.

    Antioxidants play an important role in overall health. They are natural compounds found in some foods that help neutralize free radicals in our bodies.

    Free radicals are substances that occur naturally in our bodies but attack the fats, protein, and the DNA in our cells, which can cause different types of diseases and accelerate the aging process, according to Claudia Fajardo-Lira, professor of food science and nutrition at California State University-Northridge.

    The best antioxidant sources are fruits and vegetables, as well as products derived from plants. Some good choices include blueberries, raspberries, apples, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, eggplant, and legumes like red kidney beans or black beans.

    They’re also found in green tea, black tea, red wine, and dark chocolate. Usually, the presence of color indicates there is a specific antioxidant in that food.

    The keyword here is variety. Try to get as many fruits and vegetables with different colors when you plan your meals and go to the grocery store. An array of color in your diet will give you the widest range of helpful antioxidants.

    Antioxidants added to foods are as effective as those that occur naturally. Vitamins such as C, A, and E can be added to foods-and they often are, such as in orange juice.

    It’s important not to overdo it on vitamin supplements because there can be too much of a good thing. With food alone, it would be extremely difficult to consume too many antioxidants.

    The MyPlate tool based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that you make half your plate fruits and vegetables. If you aim to do that at most meals, you can be sure to get the antioxidants you need, recommends the Institute of Food Technologists.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Do You Need Property Insurance?

    FINANCIAL HEALTH

    Image of chalkboard drawing of house with hands protecting it from weather elements.

    Homeowner’s and renter’s insurance are types of property insurance. Although property insurance offers important coverage, many people don’t have it or don’t understand why it’s needed.

    Each policy is always somewhat different. But, both homeowner’s and renter’s insurance may cover:

    *  Damage to your house, garage or other buildings on your property

    *  Loss of furniture or other property due to theft

    *  Additional living costs if you have to move out during repairs

    *  Liability for accidents and injuries that happen on your property (for people other than you or your family)

    *  Coverage for special valuables, such as jewelry, collector’s items and other items that would be costly to replace

    Renters should not assume that the landlord carries insurance for them. Often, this is not the case. Most people who get a mortgage for a home will be required to purchase homeowner’s insurance.

    Property insurance policies can vary widely in cost and coverage. It pays to spend some time shopping around to different companies. Find the coverage you need at a price that works for you.

    Find out more about how much coverage you might need. Visit the National Association of Insurance Commissioners website atwww.naic.org.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Smart Ways To Avoid Cybercrime

    FINANCIAL HEALTH

    Close up image of hands typing on laptop.

    Cybercrime is a growing problem as we rely on computers and the Internet more than ever before. Many people regularly shop online, send personal information, and even control appliances or household security over the Internet.

    Though this offers convenience, it’s important to take steps to keep your information and your family safe from cybercrime. Cybercrime happens every day with hackers stealing bank information, using computers to attack others, or erasing important online information.

    The U.S Department of Homeland Security recommends:

    *  Only use the Internet on a network that is password protected. Free or open networks may leave you vulnerable.

    *  Do not send personal information, such as your social security number or bank information, over the Internet. Companies will not ask you to send information this way.

    *  Do not open or respond to emails from people you don’t recognize and never click on the links inside the email.

    *  Use long, hard-to-guess passwords for all your devices and email accounts. Change your passwords regularly.

    *  Consider scaling back your social media sharing. Tighten privacy settings so only people you know well can see your activity.

    *  If you see an email or online offer that seems too good to be true, it’s probably a scam.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Bad Air Day

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of women sneezing.

    Ozone. It’s an invisible gas but it pollutes the air and may make it harder for you to breathe.

    Ozone is created when sunlight triggers a chemical reaction between oxygen-containing molecules and pollution that comes from cars, power plants, factories, and other sources, says the NIH News in Health. Hot weather is one of the triggers for the creation of ozone. It’s not as much of a problem in winter, say the NIH scientists.

    High levels of ozone might cause you to cough or have throat irritation. Your eyes might water, and you may have trouble breathing. The ozone irritates the lining of your airways and lungs. If you have a lung condition such as asthma, the damage can be greater.

    Adjust your activities on a bad air day to reduce your exposure to air pollution and stay indoors. Limit outdoor activities. Even if you’re in good health, mow the lawn or take a run or walk later in the evening or first thing in the morning. Ozone levels tend to peak between mid-afternoon and early evening. You can track air quality atwww.airnow.gov.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Ebola Facts

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Illustration of ebola symptoms.

    Although the risk of Ebola spreading in the U.S. is low, the CDC offers this information about a scary disease. A person infected with Ebola-a disease outbreak in countries in West Africa and isolated cases in the U.S.-can’t spread the disease until symptoms appear.

    The time from exposure to when signs or symptoms of the disease appear (called the incubation period) is 2 to 21 days, but the average time is 8 to 10 days. Signs of Ebola include fever (higher than 101.5ºF) and severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising.

    Ebola is spread through direct contact with blood and body fluids.

    Ebola is spread through direct contact (through broken skin or through your eyes, nose, or mouth) with:

    *  Blood and body fluids (like urine, feces, saliva, vomit, sweat, and semen) of a person who is sick with Ebola.

    *  Objects (such as needles) that have been contaminated with the blood or body fluids of a person sick with Ebola.

    There is no FDA-approved vaccine available for Ebola. Experimental vaccines and treatments are under development. You can protect yourself against Ebola.

    *  DO wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

    *  Do NOT touch the blood or body fluids of people who are sick.

    *  Do NOT handle items that may have come in contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids, such as clothing, bedding, needles, or medical equipment.

    *  Do NOT touch the body of someone who has died of Ebola.

    Ebola is NOT spread through the air, water, or food.

    If you have traveled to an area with an Ebola outbreak or had close contact with a person sick with Ebola, you may be at risk.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • 6 Steps To A Healthier Heart

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of hearts hanging from a string.

    It’s never too late to start living a healthier life. A few simple steps can put you on the path to a younger heart age and better overall health. Consider these tips to get started:

    1.If you smoke, quit.Quitting can be hard and often requires help and support. Talk with your doctor or go online to find a number of free resources to help you. Check outsmokefree.govorlung.org/stop-smoking.

    2.See your doctor to get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked.Uncontrolled high blood pressure and high cholesterol increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. You won’t know if you’re at risk until you get tested because there are no symptoms.

    3.Take your medicines as your doctor advises.You may have medicines to control  high blood pressure or cholesterol. Don’t stop taking them without talking with your doctor.

    4.Get regular exercise.Walking, biking, and swimming are great choices to keep your heart healthy. Try to exercise for 30 minutes, five  days a week.

    5.Focus on a heart-healthy diet.This includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein like chicken and fish. Minimize foods like fried foods, fast food, and sugary desserts.

    6.Aim for a healthy weight.Calculate your BMI online, or talk with your doctor. Losing just 5 to 10 pounds has heart benefits.

    By adopting these heart-healthy habits, you can reduce your heart age. You’ll have a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Pap Smear Needed Even With Hpv Vaccine

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of women talking with her doctor.

    HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines that are often recommended to help prevent infections related to cervical and other cancers should not discourage women from also getting a Pap smear, UT Southwestern Medical Center cancer experts said.

    “Women should continue to be screened even if they have undergone HPV vaccination. The vaccine does not target all types of HPV that cause cancer. It is intended to reduce the risk of cancer, but has not been proven to eliminate the need for screening,” explains Dr. Jayanthi Lea.

    Unless you have a history of precancerous lesions, cancer, immune deficiency, or other risks, testing every three years between ages 21 and 65 is sufficient, Dr. Lea said. “There is also the option of combining a Pap test with HPV testing for women over age 30. Screening this way is typically performed every five years.”

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Surprisingly Simple Ways To Prevent Disease

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of happy man with thumbs up as he weighs himself.

    Five new studies support simple steps to prevent illness and improve overall health. The American Journal of Medicine reports the following based on multiple studies in several countries:

    *  Eating fresh fish regularly may reduce your risk of colorectal cancer.

    *  Still trying to stop smoking? Try acupuncture and hypnosis. Several studies found smokers had good success.

    *  Have your teeth cleaned regularly. Scaling removes harmful bacteria. You can reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke.

    *  Talk to your doctor about weight loss. People who were moderately obese, followed a diet plan from their doctors (not a weight loss clinic), and stuck with it at least 12 weeks, lost over 10% of their body weight.

    *  Low-dose aspirin, for people who can take it, offers preventive cancer benefits along with heart healthy help.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Understanding Your Gallbladder

    MEDICAL NEWS

    Image of man talking to his doctor.

    The hardest working digestive helper might well be your gallbladder, a pear-sized organ that sits just under the liver and next to the pancreas.

    The gallbladder stores bile, a thick liquid that’s produced by the liver to help digest fat. When you eat, the gallbladder’s thin, muscular lining squeezes bile into the small intestine through the main bile duct. The more fat you eat, the more bile the gallbladder injects into the digestive tract.

    Bile has a delicate chemical balance. It’s full of soluble cholesterol produced by the liver. This is a different type of cholesterol than the kind related to cardiovascular disease. If the chemical balance of bile gets slightly off, the cholesterol can crystalize and stick to the wall of the gallbladder. Over time, these crystals can combine and form gallstones.

    Gallstones can range from the size of a grain of sand to that of a golf ball. When the gallbladder injects bile into the small intestine, the main bile duct can become blocked by these stones. That may cause pressure, pain, and nausea, especially after eating meals.

    Gallstones can cause sudden pain in the upper-right abdomen, called a gallbladder attack. In most cases, though, people with gallstones don’t realize they have them.

    The causes of gallstones are unclear, but you’re more likely to have gallstone problems if you have too much body fat, especially around your waist, or if you’re losing weight very quickly.

    If left untreated, a blocked main bile duct and gallbladder can become infected and lead to a life-threatening situation. A surgeon can remove the gallbladder. You can live normally without it.

    Symptoms of a gallstone attack

    Talk with your doctor if you have:

    *  Severe pain in the upper-right side of the abdomen that starts suddenly and lasts from 30 minutes to many hours

    *  Pain under the right shoulder or in the right shoulder blade

    *  Indigestion after eating foods high in fat or protein, including desserts and fried foods

    Seek help right away if you have these signs of a serious attack:

    *  Abdominal pain that lasts more than 5 hours

    *  Nausea and vomiting

    *  Fever or chills

    *  Yellowish color of the skin or the whites of the eyes

    *  Dark urine or light-colored stools

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Cold Hearts (Why Shoveling Snow Is Extra Dangerous)

    WELL-BEING

    Image of person shoveling snow from the driveway.

    While you may be used to battling frigid temperatures and the inevitable snowstorms that arrive every winter, are you aware of the dangers these pose to your heart?

    “When the temperature outside drops, our blood vessels narrow to prevent our bodies from losing heat. This is a natural response that can also put people with heart conditions and those involved in strenuous exercise at greater risk of having a heart attack,” says Dr. Holly Andersen of the Perelman Heart Institute at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

    Shoveling snow is one of the most strenuous and dangerous winter exercise activities. It can raise blood pressure, and coupled with the effects of colder temperatures, shoveling can increase heart attack risk drastically. Take these precautions:

    *Warm up.Warm up with stretching and light activity before shoveling, exercising or beginning more strenuous physical activities.

    *Bundle up.When going out to shovel, always wear a scarf over your mouth and nose to warm the air before you breathe in, and dress in layers. Layering clothes underneath a windproof and waterproof outer shell helps maintain body heat.

    *Push the shovel.It is less strenuous to push the snow rather than lifting it, and this reduces the risk of overexerting yourself.

    *Take breaks.You should take frequent breaks while shoveling to give your muscles, especially your heart muscle, a chance to relax. You may also consider sharing the work with a friend to make the workload lighter and ensure that you are not alone in the event of an emergency.

    *Consult a doctor.If you are over the age of 50, overweight, out of shape or have suffered a heart attack, you should consult a doctor before shoveling snow or starting any exercise routine.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine