9 Common Health Myths Debunked

Myth: A high-fiber diet will prevent colon cancer

Not even if you eat a pine tree, cones and all. Research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute showed that no matter how much fiber study subjects ate--from 10 grams a day to 27--it did nothing to reduce their risk of recurrence of precancerous polyps. "The fiber hypothesis dates from an old epidemiological study," says James E. Allison, M.D., a professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. "It was presumed that the shorter intestinal transit time accompanying a high-fiber diet decreased a person's exposure to potential carcinogens."

Reality check: Despite the myth, keep eating a high-fiber diet (it can help lower cholesterol and prevent diabetes), but don't count on it to cancer-proof your colon. For that, you need folic acid. Studies have shown that this B vitamin significantly lowers a man's risk of colon cancer, with research from Louisiana State University linking it to a 60 percent reduction. If your multivitamin (or cereal) doesn't contain at least 400 micrograms of folic acid, buy one that does.

Myth: A soy burger is healthier than a beef burger

Here's the problem: Soy, in all its forms, contains phytoestrogens--that is, plant estrogens. And while having some of the female hormone in our bodies is okay, and even normal, having high amounts of the plant version isn't. In fact, Australian researchers found that men who consumed a soy-rich diet had significantly lower testosterone levels than beef eaters. And as for red meat's artery-clogging reputation, a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that eating lean beef can help to lower LDL cholesterol levels while increasing HDL levels.

Reality check: At only 10 percent fat, ground round is the leanest hamburger meat at the market. It also has the potential to taste the worst, since less fat generally means less flavor. Stick with ground chuck, which, with 15 percent fat, still qualifies as lean. And make sure you pick a package with little "juice" pooled in the Styrofoam tray. "It comes from water in the protein molecules called 'free water,' which is released over time," says Mike De La Zerda, Ph.D., beef-quality manager for the Texas Beef Council. "The more free water that has drained into the package, the less juicy your burgers will be."

Myth: Ginkgo biloba will improve your memory

This popular herbal supplement gained a reputation as a smart pill after certain medical studies suggested that it could improve brain function. And it does--in Alzheimer's patients. In healthy people, "we found no evidence that ginkgo has any effect on memory or cognitive function," says Paul R. Solomon, Ph.D., director of the memory clinic at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Solomon's research team debunked the myth when they found that the people taking Ginkgo biloba for 6 weeks did no better on 14 tests of learning, memory, attention, and concentration than those taking a placebo. "There is nothing in our research to justify taking ginkgo," says Solomon.

Reality check: Go take a nap -- one that lasts 10 minutes. Australian researchers studied the effects of three naps of differing lengths and found that the people who grabbed 10 minutes of shut-eye concentrated better and had more-accurate memories than the rest. Still feel addled? See your doctor. You could be suffering from sleep apnea, a nighttime breathing disorder that deprives your brain of restorative REM sleep.

Myth: Antibacterial soap is better than regular soap for beating germs

Like antitank missiles and antimatter rays, antibacterial soap just sounds more destructive than, say, Dove. Thing is, the germs don't know the difference. In a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, researchers asked 222 New York City housewives (who better, right?) to wash their hands with either antibacterial hand soap or regular soap. Then, on two separate occasions, bacterial cultures were taken from the women's hands, but the results were exactly the same: "We found that antibacterial soaps provide no added value," explains Elaine Larson, Ph.D., R.N., the study's lead author. Even more worrisome, washing exclusively with an antibacterial soap can cause bacteria to become resistant to the soap's germ-killing ingredient.

Reality check: If you want to commit germicide with regular soap, take your time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends scrubbing for at least 15 seconds. And pay particular attention to the area under and around your fingernails. "This is where most bacteria tend to collect," says Howard Donsky, M.D., a clinical instructor of dermatology at the University of Rochester. For those times when your hands aren't visibly dirty, you can use an alcohol-based hand-sanitizer gel. Squirt out a dollop and rub it on for 30 seconds. Repeat.

Myth: The higher the SPF of a sunscreen, the better

To a point. "There is a property of diminishing returns at work," says Martin Weinstock, M.D., Ph.D., director of the American Cancer Society's skin-cancer advisory group. Here are the numbers: SPF-15 sunscreens block 93.3 percent of the sun's burning ultraviolet rays, compared with SPF-30 products, which block 96.7 percent. But making the leap to SPF-45 offers only an additional 1 percent of protection (97.8 percent total), and SPF-60, just 0.5 percent more than that (98.3).

Reality check: You don't need 1 percent more protection. Unless you have a family history of skin cancer or look like the prototypical burner -- fair skin, red or blond hair, green or blue eyes, and freckles -- "reapplying SPF-30 throughout the day is the best you can do, as long as you're really slathering it on," says Dr. Weinstock. Just as important, make sure the bottle contains Parsol 1789 (a.k.a. avobenzone), zinc oxide, or micronized titanium dioxide; these compounds will block dangerous UVA rays that some sunscreens let through.

Myth: Only women get breast cancer

Men don't have breasts, per se. Therefore, men shouldn't get breast cancer. But we do, to the tune of 1,500 new cases a year (with 400 men dying of the disease annually). "The biggest problem is that most men, and even many doctors, don't recognize it," says Sharon H. Giordano, M.D., a professor of breast oncology at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. "Men will dismiss a lump, while a woman knows exactly what it is." Nor do men understand the three major risk factors: age (60 years or older), family history of the disease (male or female relatives), and obesity (the extra tonnage messes with a man's hormone levels).

Reality check: Having even one risk factor is reason enough to do a quick self -exam every 3 months. When you're in the shower, "feel under the nipple and across the chest with the tips of your fingers, looking for any unusual lumps," says Dr. Giordano. "The lump will feel small and hard, like a knot or pea." And, lump or no lump, if you have any discharge or bleeding from the nipple, ask your doctor for a referral to a specialist in male breast cancer.

Myth: Aerobic exercise is the only workout that will keep your heart healthy

Despite what the Dupont heirs would have us think (they hold the patent on Lycra), pumping iron may also prevent a coronary. In a recent Harvard study of 44,000 men, researchers found that the men who weight-trained for 30 minutes or more a week had a 23 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who didn't lift at all. "Weight training increases your muscle mass and your resting metabolic rate, both of which contribute to a decreased risk of heart disease," says Mihaela Tanasescu, M.D., one of the study authors. "It also leads to better glucose control and decreased insulin resistance, which further reduce the risk to your heart."

Reality check: If you're lifting for life insurance, make sure your workout is high intensity (one way to do this is to try supersets--pairing two exercises that work different muscle groups). In the same Harvard study, the researchers noted that increasing the intensity of an exercise also reduced the risk of heart disease. "This increase was independent of the type of training," says Dr. Tanasescu, "and although we didn't study it, I suspect that weight training for longer than 30 minutes a week would be of additional benefit."

Myth: A PSA of 4 or higher means prostate cancer

That's the health myth some urologists have led us to believe. "Most men think elevated PSA levels can only mean prostate cancer," says William Catalona, M.D., a professor of urology at Washington University in St. Louis. "But any trauma or inflammation can cause PSA to leak into the surrounding tissue [of the prostate], where it is picked up in the bloodstream." In fact, everything from a bacterial infection to a long bicycle ride can cause a minor jump in your PSA level.

Reality check: PSA scores between 4 and 10 fall into a diagnostic gray zone, where, until recently, the only way to confirm the presence of cancer was with a biopsy. Now, however, doctors can follow up with a complexed PSA (cPSA) or percent-free PSA exam, tests that, according to Dr. Catalona, measure different molecular forms of PSA. "It's the best way to determine whether your PSA is elevated due to cancer or a benign condition." If your PSA is even 2.5, ask your urologist for a cPSA or percent-free PSA exam.

Myth: Only old men develop Alzheimer's disease

Forget the myths about Alzheimer's disease. Each year, 5 percent of its four million victims are younger than 60 years of age. It's called early-onset Alzheimer's disease, and it even strikes men in their 30s and 40s. "The symptoms are no different from those of late-onset Alzheimer's disease," says Bill Thies, Ph.D., vice president of medical and scientific affairs for the Alzheimer's Association. "The main difference is that people afflicted with early-onset Alzheimer's are still working and trying to support a family."

Reality check: "The biggest risk factor is a strong family history [of late- or early-onset Alzheimer's]," says Thies. Have an afflicted relative? Now's the time to see a neurologist about genetic testing. If it turns out that you have one of the three known trigger genes, you might want to start taking that Ginkgo biloba or, even better, drinking an occasional glass of red wine. In a study published in the journal Neurology, researchers discovered that people who drank wine just once a month were half as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as those who didn't raise a glass at all. Why red wine rather than white? It's much higher in flavonoids--the compounds scientists believe confer the brain-saving effect.

From: MSN Health

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Posted in: Health News

Homemade Facial Tips

We don’t always have to spend a lot of money or depend on someone else to enjoy a refreshing and uplifting facial treatment. You can treat your skin to a quick midnight snack right at home with a few items that you most likely already have in your kitchen! Some of your most commonly used food ingredients have surprising benefits to your skin. I have searched far and wide and found some of the best homemade facial masque recipes. These scrumptious homemade facial masques will fill your skin with delight and satisfaction.

Take a few minutes to whip up these simple recipes, follow my Five Easy Steps to a Self-Facial and bask in the moment of self-indulgence. You deserve it!

Honey & Egg Masque - Dry Skin
Mix together 1 tablespoon warmed honey, 1 egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon almond oil and 1 tablespoon yogurt. Apply to the skin and relax for 10-15 minutes. For easy removal, use a warm, (wet, squeezed-dry) face towel.

-Honey has many hidden talents. Most people are not aware of the fact that honey is a main ingredient in many anti-aging and moisturizing creams on the market. As a natural antioxidant, honey offers superb moisturization and anti-microbial properties.

-Yogurt is a terrific moisturizer and also offers a mild level of exfoliation. The lactic acid present in yogurt will help to refine your pores and smooth your skin by removing dead skin cells. The natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties will aid in fighting off germs and bacteria, which is wonderful for congested skin.

Egg & Cucumber Masque - Oily, Dehydrated Skin
Juice from 1 Cucumber (whole cucumber pureed and drained through a sieve), 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon witch hazel, 1 egg white (beaten until stiff). Apply to the skin and relax for 10-15 minutes, remove with warm towel.

-Eggs are great for all skin types. An egg applied to the skin will encourage tightening of the pores. Their high level of antioxidants will also help to protect the skin against free radicals and premature aging.

-Cucumber juice provides excellent skin hydration.

-Lemon Juice is beneficial to the skin for a couple of reasons. The citric nature of lemon juice works to draw impurities from the pores and will help to reduce their large appearance. The combination of Citric Acid and Vitamin C will also help to brighten and smooth the skin’s overall texture and tone.

Oatmeal Masque - Combination, Sensitive Skin
One beaten egg, 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal (ground with coffee grinder or blender), one teaspoon olive oil. Apply to the skin and relax for 10-15 minutes, remove with towel.

-Oatmeal is beneficial to all skin types, helping to restore the natural moisture balance of the skin. Oatmeal is most ideal for sensitive skin because of it’s superb healing properties.

Chamomile & Herb Masque - Normal Skin
1 teaspoon finely crushed and dried chamomile flowers, 1 teaspoon of fresh mint finely chopped, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 egg white blended all together in a blender. Apply to the skin and relax for 10-15 minutes, remove with warm towel.

** Before serving these delicious snacks to your skin, be sure that you do not have allergies to any of the ingredients. Even though you will not be ingesting the ingredients, you may still suffer an allergic reaction when they are applied to the skin.

From: sharnellskincare.com

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Posted in: Beauty,Skin Care

25 tips for healthy heart

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Posted in: Fitness

The Eleven Most Ridiculous Diets

By: Brie Cadman
Updated July 27, 2008

People will do almost anything to lose weight. While the most logical, sustainable means of doing so hasn’t really changed—eat less and exercise—every day it seems there are a host of new and outlandish methods to lose those love handles. Most of these

ill-fated regimes will help you lose pounds, at least in the short term, but sometimes it’s at the expense of an organ or your sanity. Here are a few of my favorites:

11. Dr. Siegal’s® Cookie Diet™
Make no mistake, you’re not going to be eating Pepperidge Farm Milanos, or Oreos, or Mrs. Fields’ White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies on this diet. No, you’re going to be eating the concoctions of Dr. Siegal, a physician who specializes in hypothyroidism and obesity, and who also likes to sell weight loss books and snacks. However, his proprietary hunger-controlling cookies are a diet-deceiving indulgence; they look like bricks of fiber-coated oats sweetened with prunes. Although they may make you less hungry, the doctor also advises combining them with a restricted calorie diet, which, as we all know, is the main way you’re going to lose weight. I also like how he has trademarked the term “Let’s face it: hunger wrecks diets™.” Uh, so do cookies.

10. The Subway Diet
Ever since I worked in a building where the women’s restroom abutted a Subway sandwich shop, I have had an almost Pavlovian reaction to thought of eating one of their subs. It reminds me of the toilet, and makes me want to gag. So although I know many people like Subway, eating them twice a day for a year, like Jared Fogel, the guy on the Subway commercials who lost 245 pounds, seems inconceivable. And it seems like I could save a whole lot of money by just making my own sandwiches, and maybe going for a jog now and again.

9. The Cereal Diet
This is similar to the Subway diet in that you’re supposed to supplant two meals a day with the same thing—in this case cereal. From Special K to Raisin Bran, many cereal boxes now claim you can “lose six in two”— that is lose six pounds in two weeks. Of course, the premise is the same: when people have to measure the amount they are eating, they end up eating fewer calories, so they lose weight. And it’s not like these cereals are health food or anything. The third ingredient in Special K is sugar; it’s the second ingredient in All-Bran. And the last thing you want to be eating too much of is All-Bran—it’s not weight you’d lose, but the contents of your bowels.

8. Cabbage Soup Diet
Mmmm … cabbage. Good on St. Patrick’s day, not so good every day. Unless you’re trying to lose up to ten pounds in a single week, then maybe cabbage doesn’t sound so bad anymore. But being light headed, weak, and suffering from decreased concentration, as some diet participants have reported, does. Not to mention the inordinate amount of flatulence you are bound to have on a cabbage laden diet. Slim, but stinky.

7. Slim Fast
First a Subway sandwich, then cereal, now a Slim Fast shake or food item. The basic premise is the same: replace two meals with any of the above, you lose weight, and the maker of said item makes a lot of money. That is, until you grow so bored and tired of eating the exact same thing for two meals a day you quit, and realize that—wow—there are a lot of other foods out there that cost a lot less. Say, fruits and vegetables.

6. Blood Type Diet
According to this diet, different blood types should eat different foods. If you’re group O, you’re a hunter, and should eat meat. If you’re A, you’re a cultivator, and are best as a vegetarian. B? A nomad, eat dairy. The rare AB blood type should eat—you guessed it—a combination of the foods recommended for groups A and B. If this sounds more like the plot of a bad high school play than a diet, that’s because there’s really no evidence that your blood type has any influence on your weight or overall health. Look past the A’s, B’s and O’s, and you’ll see this a fad diet that doesn’t make much sense.

5. Russian Air Force Diet
This diet does not require you to stand in the bread line, but it does require you to survive on near starvation levels of food. Originally developed in the former Soviet Union to keep soldiers fit, you are allowed to put herbs, salt, pepper, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and ketchup on all your meals. But about those meals … breakfast is coffee only. Lunch: two eggs, a tomato. And dinner allows you to feast on a sliver of meat and a salad. Yes, you will lose weight. Yes, you will feel like you’ve enlisted. And yes, you will feel like you are back in the USSR.

4. The Three-Day Diet/Hot Dog Diet
These diets are similar, because both recommend eating franks for dinner. You also get to eat one cup of vanilla ice cream and one tablespoon of peanut butter in the course of this diet, as well as other strictly measured amounts of food. The result of losing ten pounds over the course of three days is due to severe calorie restriction, even if your calories are coming from precisely measured hotdogs. And after the three days? Regain.

3. The Apple Cider Vinegar Diet
Yummy—nothing like throwing back a few teaspoons of vinegar to get your gut prepared for a meal. Talk about an appetite suppressant. This diet relies on the premise that apple cider vinegar, taken fifteen minutes before a meal, will decrease hunger and curb the urge to nibble. There’s no real evidence that apple cider vinegar can help you lose weight, but reducing portions and exercising, like most of the proponents of this fad also tell you to do, will.

2. The Writing Diet
I can’t seem to figure out why we writers aren’t all size twos. Because according to Julia Cameron’s new book The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Sized, we should be. The premise for this too-good-to-be-true diet is that people overeat not out of hunger, but because of emotion. By writing daily, we tap into our emotions, and put them on the page instead of in our mouths. While I can concede that having your hands on a keyboard will prevent them from grabbing a bag of Doritos, I can’t figure out how sitting on your butt is supposed to make it smaller.

And the number one most ridiculous diet …

1. The Atkins Diet
Don’t get me wrong: the Atkins diet can help you lose weight. I’ve tried it, and I lost weight. But man, I felt like crap. And after a week, all I could think about was eating an orange. An orange! Of all the harmless food items out there. Of course, cutting out refined sugars and nutrition-less carbs is a good thing, but not all carbs are bad for you, and the good ones fuel muscles, fill you up, and are pretty damn tasty. Not to mention that the Atkins diet isn’t a healthful lifestyle change; it’s a limiting diet that requires you to eat a lot of not so healthy foods. And chances are you won’t be able to avoid eating carbohydrates for your entire life, nor would many people want to.

While these diets are ridiculous, unsustainable, and often times dangerous, if your main goal is to lose weight, you just might find them useful. After all, extreme caloric restriction, per the Three Day or Russian Air Force diet, seems to be a tried and true method of dropping pounds. And they’ll stay off—at least until you come to your senses.

From: www.divinecaroline.com

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Posted in: Diet

Back pain relief tips

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Posted in: Back Pain

Vitamins- Body Benefits

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Posted in: Fitness

10 things NOT to do at the gym (and 10 ways to deal with the jerks who do)

You can tell a lot about a person just by how they carry themselves at the gym, don’t you think? How people operate in a throng of sweaty (and probably cranky) people vying for limited equipment with limited time can be indicative of how they carry themselves in the real world. And it’s been my experience that people who are rude at the gym are usually rude outside of the gym.

Not that I have to worry about any of my Cool Broads…we don’t check our cool at the door. That’s why after each rule, I include a suggestion as to how to deal with the a-hole who’s violating that rule.

At the gym, Cool Broads…

1. Don’t cut in line.

This rule is for people who either a) didn’t graduate from preschool or b) are so worried that they won’t get their favorite spot, that their manners just fly right out of their ears. If you don’t get your favorite spot or all of the equipment is gone by the time you get to the front of the line, c’est la vie. Get to the gym earlier next time. If you disregard the line and bully your way ahead of others, you might get your favorite spot, but you’ll end up looking like an asshole.

If someone cuts in line: roll your eyes and make a mental note never to invite him/her to a party.

2. Respect people’s space.

Whether you’re in a class or the free weight room, don’t crowd those you’re sharing space with. When you put down your yoga mat, make sure that the person next to you has enough room to execute a perfect downward-facing dog. Despite what some may think, most people don’t go to the gym to get closer to others. They’re there to exercise in peace and would rather people not crawl up their bunghole.

If someone is crowding you: accidentally drop a dumbbell on his/her foot and then apologize by saying that you get nervous and twitchy when people get so close, but you and your shrink are working on that.

3. Don’t talk loudly on your cell phone.

If you’re waiting for an important call, put your phone on vibrate and excuse yourself before beginning the conversation.

If someone on the treadmill next to yours is carrying on a loud conversation: act like you’re listening and laugh hysterically when they say something only moderately funny.

4. Clean up after yourself.

I love sitting in a puddle of someone else’s bodily fluids (not). It’s gross and with staph infections making their rounds in gyms…it’s also potentially dangerous.

If someone didn’t wipe down the machine you’re waiting to use: wipe it down yourself, but as you pass by the offender, accidentally spray him/her with the sanitizer and then apologize by saying that you’re a little flustered because you just had to clean up some fat pig’s sweat.

5. Follow gym rules and use machines for allotted amount of
time (unless there are several similar machines free).

Rules are rules. Don’t be a putz.

If someone is taking up more of their fair share of time: Tell them that if you don’t get on the machine fast, your ass will get big and your pimp will beat you for it.

6. Put your weights back properly.

Apparently some people can’t read. The weight stand is marked 10 lbs. because they want you to put the 10 lb. weight there.

If someone can’t seem to put their weights back where they belong: accidentally drop one of the weights on his/her foot and then apologize by saying that after rearranging the weight stand, due to some idiot’s inability to put the weights back in the right place, your arms are like Jell-O.

7. Don’t smell up the place (excessive body odor, smelling of
garlic from last night’s dinner, flatulence, and too much
perfume).

Oy…this is never a Cool Broad offense.

If someone next to you stinks to high heaven: wave your hand in front of your nose and exclaim, “Jesus, do you smell that?”

8. Don’t camp.

If you need to take breaks between each set on the weight machines, step off so others can work in. Never sit idly on your machine and carry on a conversation with someone if others are waiting…this is so rude it makes me want to hurt myself.

If someone camps: Tell her that her ass won’t get any smaller just by sitting there…if it’s a man, tell him that you heard that men who sit on machines for too long without using them will begin to lose their hair.

9. Don’t stalk:

Breathing down someone’s neck while they’re using a machine is worthy of a restraining order. Respect their space and stand back until they’re done (don’t worry, they can see you).

If someone is stalking you: do an extra set (or three) or reps just to piss them off (you’ll pay for it later but, oh well).

10. Don’t be noisy:

If someone grunts loudly enough after every lift to startle you: run up to them and ask if they’re ok and whether you need to call the medic.

from: www.thatcoolbroad.com

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Posted in: Exercise,Muscle Building