Headache? Eat fish Eat fish- fish oil helps prevent headaches. So does ginger, which reduces inflammation and pain.
To prevent stroke drink tea Prevent build-up of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea. (Actually, tea suppresses appetite and keeps the pounds from invading….. Green tea is great for our immune system)!
Insomnia (can’t sleep?) honey Use honey as a tranquilizer and sedative.
Arthritis? Eat fish Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis (fish has omega oils, good for our immune system).
Upset stomach? Bananas and ginger Bananas will settle an upset stomach. Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea.
Bladder infection? Drink cranberry juice High acid cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.
Bone problems? Eat pineapple Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in pineapple.
Premenstrual syndrome? Eat cornflakes Women can ward off the effect of PMS with cornflakes, which help reduce depression, anxiety and fatigue.
Memory problems? Eat oysters Oysters help improve your mental functioning by supplying much needed zinc.
Colds? Eat garlic Clears up that stuffy head with garlic. Remember, garlic lowers cholesterol, too.
Coughing? Use red peppers A substance similar to that found in the cough syrups is found in red pepper. Use red (cayenne) pepper with caution it can irritate your tummy.
Breast cancer? Eat wheat, bran and cabbage Helps to maintain estrogen at healthy levels.
Lung cancer? Eat dark green veggies A good antidote is beta carotene, a form of vitamin A found in dark green and orange vegetables.
Ulcers? Eat cabbage Cabbage contains chemicals that help heal both gastric and duodenal ulcers.
Diarrhoea? Eat apples Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure this condition.
Stress can make women infertile, research has revealed. Scientists found that those with high levels of a stress hormone stop ovulating and are therefore unable to conceive. Women with hectic jobs are those most at risk, and are often most in denial about the stress in their lives, say researchers. They also found that simple ‘talking therapies’ can reverse the effect of stress and boost a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant. The research was presented yesterday at the annual conference of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology in Prague. Professor Sarah Berga, from Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia, studied 16 women in their 20s and 30s who were normal weight but had not had a period for six months. She found they had high levels of the hormone cortisol which is linked to stress. Eight of the women were given cognitive behavioral therapy and the rest no treatment. The therapy was designed to give women a better sense of perspective and improved self-worth to help cut stress levels. But professor Berga said it did not involve telling women to ‘pull themselves together’. “They don’t report stress. They say everything is just fine. It may be the fact that the people that say everything is fine are the most stressed. They have the unrealistic attitudes about themselves and others and think they can get more done in the day than is realistic, and their sense of worth depends on achievements.” JULIE WHELDON
How does one benefit from eating fruits and vegetables?
A diet rich in green and yellow vegetables inhibits the development of hardening of the arteries and may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Eating vegetables and fruits may reduce cholesterol; prevent build- up of fatty deposits in the arteries, according to a study on mice. US researchers led by Michael Adams at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine assessed the effect of diet on heart disease by studying mice. Half of the studied mice were fed a vegetable-free diet and half the mice were fed a diet that included broccoli, green beans, corn, peas and carrots. After 16 weeks, researchers measured cholesterol content in the blood vessels and plaques in the arteries of the mice. They found 38% less build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries of mice that were fed a mixture of vegetables, including carrots and peas. Eating raw fruits and vegetables is healthy partly because of their high fiber content. Research now shows that the cooked versions of these same foods maintain just about the same amount of fiber. IANS
Fruit research yields way to curb cancer
Reuters. Jerusalem Scientists at an Israeli university have found a promising new way to stop the growth and spread of cancer cells while carrying out research to boost the size of peaches and nectarines, the university said on Sunday.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem scientists found that a protein similar to one researched in their project had the effect of blocking blood supply to tumors. “By blocking the blood supply to the tumors, actibind halted the ability of malignant cells to move through the blood stream,” the university said. “Their approach has been shown to inhibit the malignant cells without affecting normal cells and without the severe side effects of traditional treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy,” it said. Oded Shoseyov, who led the research, said his team had succeeded in using the protein to reduce the number of fruits on a tree, thereby increasing the size of each fruit. The technique worked by inhibiting the growth of pollen cells.
Blisters from new football boots can do more than slow down budding soccer stars – they have the potential to kill. A team of doctors reported two cases of toxic shock in young footballers, caused by infected blister from new boots. Both players, a girl aged 13 and 11 years old boy, were treated in hospital and survived. But toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is known to have a five percent fatality rate in children. TSS is an extreme life threatening reaction to bacterial infection, causing fever and organ failure. It is mainly associated with an outbreak of cases in 1980 involving young women who used a particular type of tampon, now withdrawn from the market. In children, TSS is rare and mostly occurs as a complication of skin burns. The two cases linked to football boots were reported in the British Medical Journal recently by Dr Mark Taylor. Both children suffered friction blisters over both heels after playing a competitive game of football in new boots. She was admitted to hospital with a rash that covered her body, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and abnormally low blood pressure. After four days she was transferred to a specialist unit as her kidneys began to fail.
Honey is made up of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron, and phosphate. It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5, and B3 all of which change according to the qualities of nectar and pollen. Besides the above, copper, iodine, and zinc are present in it, in small quantities.
Honey is also a wonderful beauty aid that nourishes the skin and the hair. Honey acts as an anti- bacterial and anti- fungal agent and helps disinfect and speed the healing process in wounds, scrapes and burns.
A special type of indigenous honey available in New Zealand has special anti- infection properties that may help reduce inflammation in cancer patient, say scientists. Manuka honeys healing power have been known for centuries. It has been used as a medicine since the ancient Egyptians, who regarded it as a cure- all. The Christie Hospital in Didsbury, Manchester, has been using special honey- coated dressings at the Manchester Royal infirmary since May. “Manuka honey has special anti- inflammatory and anti- infection properties and is belived to reduce the likelihood of infection,” said Nick Slevin, a specialist at the hospital. The hospital is buying Manuka honey, produced by bees that mainly feed on the Manuka bush from New Zealand, in bulk. The doctors at the hospital now plan to use it on mouth and throat cancer patients. According to doctors, 60 patients at the hospital are taking part in a study to see if the honey can prevent infections that may be resistant to antibiotics. IANS
Is the electronic smog from household gadgets endangering our health?
Your health may be at risk from a `smog’ generated by electrical devices, campaigners in the UK warn. Electromagnetic field stemming from gadgets such as kettles, computers, and microwaves, contributes towards a cloud of unseen emissions- even when they are switched off.
Although each field is small and decreases with distance, there are constant background levels and these are rising. Radio frequency fields from mobile phone masts and TV transmitters add to the effect. It is believed that the smog puts some vulnerable groups at risk. Some say it could be a cause of ME and may explain so- called Sick Building Syndrome.
Concerns about the smog’s effect have been recognized by the Health Protection Agency and the World Health Organization. The agency recently set up a group to develop advice on the issue. Spokesman Dr Jill Meara said household appliances could be health hazards to some. She advised those with a condition called electrical sensitivity to stay away from such devices such as kettles and microwaves. Electro sensitivity UK, a self help group for sufferers, believes three percent of Britons experience symptoms, which may include lethargy, numbness in limbs, palpitation, dizziness and confusion. The WHO, meanwhile, has described electrical sensitivity as ‘one of the most common and fastest growing environmental influences’. It takes seriously concerns about the health effects, adding that ‘every one in the world’ is exposed to the emissions, while ‘levels will continue to increase as technology advances’. The smog comes from devices such as home entertainment systems, cordless phones, electric blankets and toothbrushes, washing machines, mobiles and MP3 players.
The wiring used in any device creates an electromagnetic field, even when it is turned off. When it is operating, there is a second field. Mobile phone masts and radio and TV transmitters provide a third layer. There can also be more specific forces associated with electricity power lines.
It emerged recently that UK ministers are considering issuing public health warnings over the dangers of living near electricity pylons. In 2004, the National Radiological Protection Board warned the risk of leukemia in children may increase with exposure to magnetic fields. Professor David Carpenter, of the state University of New York, believes the smog may be responsible for 30 % of childhood cancers. Sean Poulter
Headache? Eat fish
