Osteoporosis: A Silent Disease

Are you having severe back pain? Do you look smaller due to stooped posture? You might have osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a silent disease in the bone. It makes the bone weaker and more likely to break that even a mild stress like coughing can cause fracture.

According to reports that in 10 people affected with osteoporosis, 8 of them are women and 2 of them are men. And it is considered as a “SILENT DISEASE”. In the early stages of bone loss, you will not feel pain or notice in any symptoms but once it became weak by osteoporosis you may notice the following symptoms:

• Back pain
• Loss of height over time
• Fracture of the vertebrae
  

Other than age there are other risk factors of osteoporosis. According to NOF (National Osteoporosis Foundation), here are the factors that increase your risk of osteoporosis:

• Personal history of fracture after age 50
• Current low bone mass
• Being female
• Being thin and/or having a small frame
• Advanced age
• A family history of osteoporosis
• Estrogen deficiency as a result of menopause, especially early or surgically induced
• Abnormal absence of menstrual periods (amenorrhea)
• Anorexia nervosa
• Low lifetime calcium intake
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Use of certain medications, such as corticosteroids and anticonvulsants
• Presence of certain chronic medical conditions
• Low testosterone levels in men
• An inactive lifestyle
• Current cigarette smoking
• Excessive use of alcohol
• Being Caucasian or Asian, although African Americans and Hispanic Americans are at significant risk as well
  

Is there something we can do to prevent osteoporosis if we have one of these risk factors? The answer is yes. There are a lot of things you can do to strengthen your bones and decrease the risk of osteoporosis. These include:

1. Eat a healthy diet that is rich with calcium and vitamin D.
2. Regular exercise.
3. Healthy lifestyle. No smoking and alcohol drinking.
4. Visit a physician about bone density testing so that you will be able to monitor you bone density is normal to your age.

What to do with your dry hair?

Hair is a protein filament that grows through the epidermis from follicles deep within the dermis which is most commonly found in mammals. It is a defining characteristic of the mammalian class. And in humans, generally hair is considered as a crowning glory” especially to women and a significant indicator of health and youth.

We have different hair issues but the most common is dry hair. A dry hair is a brittle and dull hair. It lacks oil and moisture. We may have dry hair every now and then because of different external factor but if the instances of dry hair are excessive, it can be a sign of a greater health issues.

Here are some of the causes of dry hair:

1. Excessive Washing and Blow-Drying, Harsh Detergents
Washing your hair too often, especially with a harsh shampoo, is a surefire way to strip moisture away. Heat from blow dryers, curling irons and electric curlers will also contribute to dryness.

2. Environmental Dryness
The climate you live in can also dry out your hair. Areas with lots of sun, dry heat and little humidity, for instance, will definitely make your hair drier than tropical, humid locales.

3. Malnutrition
A person who is malnourished does not take in the nutrients necessary for the body to maintain healthy hair. As a result, the hair becomes dry, brittle and damaged.

Basically, changing lifestyle can make your hair healthy. Eating healthy food and avoiding harmful chemicals and stress on your hair can make a difference. Here are other home remedies for dry hair:

• Don’t overdo the shampoo and use gentle shampoo.
Excessive washing of hair and use of harsh shampoo can do more harm than good. It washes away natural oils and moisture.

• Apply conditioner.
Little to no-alcohol conditioners can help you repair damage hair

• Avoid the heat.

Frequent use of hot rollers, hot combs and blow dryers invites for dry hair.

• Make it shine with beer.

Using beer after shampooing can help you regain the shine of your hair.

• Add up additional oil.

Rubbing a little oil especially olive or coconut oil into the scalp can help your restore hair shine and softness.

Foods that Can Lower Cholesterol

Generally, cholesterol is lipid or a fat like substance that occur in the body. It is said that a certain level of cholesterol is needed for the body to work. And according to American Heart Association, having cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL or higher increases the risk of heart attack and high blood. Too much of it can stick to the walls of the arteries called plaques which can cause narrowing of the arteries or even block them.

High cholesterol is common to people who has a family history of it and to those who practice an unhealthy lifestyle like an eating habit of having fatty foods. It has no symptoms and can only be determined by a series of screening.

You can lower cholesterol level by taking medicine but it is better to do it naturally. According to the American Heart Association, "You can reduce cholesterol in your blood by eating healthful foods, losing weight if you need to and exercising." Here are some foods you can add to your diet to fight cholesterol.

• Shitake Mushrooms
It contains an active component named eritadenine which shows to lower cholesterol.

• Walnuts
It contains omega-3 fatty acids which is beneficial to the heart. And during the studies walnut can be substitute calories supplied by olives and other monounsaturated fats which lowers the cholesterol level.

• SalmonThis fish is a
particularly good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to lower LDL cholesterol while raising the good (HDL) kind.

• Garlic
Numerous studies have demonstrated that eating garlic regularly reduces LDL cholesterol and raises HDL levels.

• Dark Green, Leafy Vegetables
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Family Heart Study, participants who ate four or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day had significantly lower levels of LDL cholesterol than those who ate fewer servings. Among the most powerful veggies are the dark green, leafy variety, such as spinach, kale, collard greens and Swiss chard.

Risk of Having Routine Work Everyday

What are the usual things you do during weekdays, prepare to work, go home, dinner and watch TV? And how about weekends… almost the same variation? You are doing a repressive routine.
Settling into the same routines that are too easy and comfortable for you for a long period of time may give you bad effects. You can put your emotional and physical strife at risk. Here are some of the risks of doing repressive routines:

1. Boredom
According to studies pathological boredom occurs when a person’s drive and desires are repressed. And it is said that if you are bored, you are at risk on anxiety, depression, addiction and even poor performance at school or at work.

2. Laziness
It said that humans are naturally productive and have a desire to be productive but by the time a repressive routine occurs, you may lose the natural motivation.

3. Brain Drain
By the time you are doing things that are repressive, you tend to lose your enthusiasm and brain activity becomes less, which is not helpful and sometimes causes brain drain.

Meanwhile, staying involved in new activities is an excellent way to increase your personal fulfillment in life and:

• Increase your social interaction and sense of belonging
• Foster your creativity and talents
• Offset monotony and boredom
• Help you realize your life's purpose

The Good and Bad of Tanning Beds

Feeling dull because of the cold weather? Craving for that bronze color skin but can’t go to the beach and enjoy the sun? What will you do? Would you consider artificial tanning?
Nowadays, especially in the US artificial tanning turns to be an option during winter and for those who loves to enjoy bronze color. Tanning has become a good earning industry in the US and based on the reports in last 25 years indoor tanner already increased by more than a 100 percent. And the most common artificial tanners are the tanning beds.

Tanning bed or sunbed is a device emitting ultraviolet radiation used to produce cosmetic tan. Tanning either natural or artificial in general, aids in the production of Vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D is important for a number of human functions, like promotion of healthy bones. Also tanning makes a person feel good. According to research this is because of the increase in the endorphin levels. A controversial benefit of artificial tanning rather than tanning outside also arises, it is the amount of control the tanner has. A person has control to the amount of UV and control on the period of exposure.

Knowing all of these benefits may lead to tanning addiction. It is a rare condition which is due to several psychological conditions. And according to studies, the feeling of relaxation and less tense mood after the UV exposure than without exposure is one of the reason of addiction. Some Americans may be addicted to tanning -- to the point where they feel withdrawal symptoms if they go too long without it.

Over doing things specifically tanning has bad effects too. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure to UV light, either from the sun or a tanning bed, is a risk factor for skin cancer. Short-wavelength UVB light has been found to be carcinogenic in animals, and longer wavelength UVA, which penetrates the skin more deeply and is used in tanning beds, may also contribute to cancer. It also said that women who regularly used tanning bed had a greater risk of malignant melanoma, eye problems and suppression of immune system.

How to stop the Birth of a Unwanted Blemish?

Having problems with your skin? Imperfections like acne and pimples. Acne vulgaris or commonly known as acne is skin disease caused by the changes in the skin structures consisting of follicles and other gland, wherein the hair follicles under the skin is clogged. This skin problem is common in teenagers and young adults. It is not a serious skin disease but it can cause scars that may cause decrease in self-confidence.

Acne affects almost everyone and considered as one of the widespread medical conditions in the world. But unfortunately acne has no cure. And because of this fact the best way to manage acne is to know the cause and do preventive measures. It should be kept in mind especially by the teenagers that acne is not your fault and it is caused by a combination of factors at work beneath the surface of the face, factors like production of excess oil in the skin, skin cells and accumulation of bacteria. These factors are triggered by the following:

• Hormones: Particularly during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.
• Certain medications: Anticonvulsants, corticosteroids, sobriety drugs and certain birth control pills (those that contain only progestins) may cause acne.
• Family history of acne
• Stress: When you're under stress, your body produces more androgens (a type of hormone). These hormones stimulate the oil glands in your skin, which can lead to acne.
• Personal care products: Oily lotions, sunscreens or hair products can cause acne.
  

Prevention is better than cure as we know it; here are some tips from Sixwise Child Health Care and Skin Care Tips to guide you how to avoid acne:

1. Wash your face twice a day, gently with a mild facial cleanser and as much as possible use only natural skin care product. This will remove excess oil and dead skin cells.
2. Don't scrub your skin vigorously, as this can cause irritation that makes acne worse.
3. Women, don't go to sleep with your makeup on, as this can clog your pores and contribute to acne.
4. If you already have acne, over-the-counter acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid may help.
5. Don't pick or squeeze any existing blemishes, as this can cause infection or scarring.