Health Bits

If you have ever had a yeast infection you know that it itches, it is or can be a rash, red or white in color, depending on where it is on the body, there is also pain in urination, discharge and sometimes an odor. It does not depend on your age, or gender whether you get yeast infections or not and the symptoms for all are generally similar. The interesting thing here is that there are so many symptoms that usually are not considered related.

Avoid keeping your vagina wet for a long peroid of time and do not douche vagina with vinegar after menstrual periods or sexual intercourse as it may remove the healthy bacteria in the vagina.

The commonplace remedies are anti fungal creams and prescription pills. The experienced women who are aware of the shortcomings of such creams and pills depend upon home remedies that give reliable results that too without any side effects. These remedies are not only for cure of the infection, they prevent infection. Another disadvantage of the over the counter medications is when used regularly, they lose their effectiveness.

Candidiasis affects all people and Read the rest of this entry »

Most likely, there is nothing more frightening for a woman than the discovery of a lump in her breast. Her mind is quickly flooded with cancer and all of its consequences. Most women have a friend, a sister, or a coworker who has been diagnosed with the disease and know how difficult dealing with it can be. Fortunately, 80% of all breast lumps are not cancer, as most are cysts or a benign clump of tissue. From puberty on, a woman’s breasts undergo many changes. Because of these continual changes, breast tissue requires adequate nutrition. Although everyone benefits from a healthy diet, there are additional nutrients which can specifically benefit women including B vitamins, calcium D-glucarate, broccoli extract, green tea extract, maitake mushrooms, and iodine.

Because scientists can learn a lot about diseases from simply observing it, they have learned that certain cultures have a very low incidence of breast cancer, among these being China and Japan. As compared to women in America, Canada, and parts of Europe, the Asian cultures have a much lower breast cancer rate and it seems likely that something in their diet could be protecting these women from the disease because as Asian women adopt a western diet their breast cancer rates climb. It has also been recognized that certain types of vegetables play a large role in the prevention of all types of disease, including cancer. Based on this, scientists have carried out many studies to determine what it is about these nutrients that can prevent breast cancer.

Deficiencies in vitamin B12 can result in Read the rest of this entry »

About 44 million American men and women suffer from osteoporosis (severe bone loss) or osteopenia (mild bone loss), with women being affected twice as much as men. Each year, at least 1.5 million hip, vertebra, or wrist fractures occur in the United States because of osteoporosis. Although bone mass normally declines after age thirty-five, bone loss that is severe enough to cause fractures after only a minor trauma is a different problem.

Some of the risk factors for osteoporosis include: small body frame, underweight, Caucasian or Asian race, a sedentary lifestyle, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol or caffeine intake, high intake of carbonated beverages, and having other family member with osteoporosis. Certain medical conditions such as diabetes, celiac disease, hyperthyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive lung disease, hyperadrenalism, and hyperparathyroidism are also associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis. There are also some medications that increase the rate of bone loss such as those prescribed for seizures and blood thinning, prednisone and other steroids, aluminum-containing antacids, and loop diuretics. By engaging in regular weight bearing exercise, avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine, and quitting smoking, the rate of bone loss will be slowed. Eating adequate amounts of protein and supplementing with various vitamins and minerals also enhances bone health.

Calcium salts are absorbed about the same for most people, absorbing between thirty to forty percent of the administered dose. Those with low stomach acid, hypochlorhydria, should not use calcium carbonate because it is absorbed poorly without stomach acid. For many older people, calcium phosphate is preferable because phosphorus is necessary for normal bone formation. Calcium that is bound to phosphorus is the form in which calcium is stored in the bone, and has a much greater bone activity than other forms.

In order to promote strong bones, vitamin D is a necessary nutrient. Because vitamin D is produced when ultraviolet rays from the sun hit the skin, those people who stay out of the sun, wear sunscreen, or live in a northern Read the rest of this entry »

Once you get a handle on your diet and your cardio routine, it is time to concentrate on your regular exercises. Here are some lower ab exercises that will help tone your lower midsection. We will start with the oblique crunches; lie down on your back with your knees bent and hands clasped behind your head. Keep your lower back against the floor, slowly raise your upper body, do not go up all the way, lift until you feel your muscles contact alternate the right elbow to the left side and the left elbow to the right side. You can do one side first or you can alternate between sides. Do not pull on your neck. Do as many of these as you can and increase by 5 every day until you can build up your stamina.

A different lower ab exercise to try is called leg flutters. To perform, lie on your stomach and Read the rest of this entry »