WellnessWatchersMD | Health Tips

Health Tips - Issue 9

Do you suffer from constipation? If so, in addition to increasing the amount of pure filtered water you drink throughout the day, as well as being sure to have at least 6 to 9 servings of fruits and veggies, you may want to consider adding probiotics to your daily health program. Probiotics are food supplements that help to increase the amount of healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Increased healthy bacteria in the GI tract can help to keep you regular. In addition, an adequate supply of healthy bacteria in the GI tract can help prevent and relieve GI infections, colon cancer, and a variety of other gastrointestinal problems. Two of the most popular and effective probiotic supplements are acidophilus and bifidus, both of which can be found in your local health food store.
Is your sex life warning you that you are at risk for diabetes? If you are a man and suffer from erectile dysfunction, the answer could be yes. This little known fact can save you from developing type II diabetes, which in recent decades has reached epidemic levels in the United States. If you are experiencing erectile dysfunction, ask your doctor to test your fasting blood glucose level to determine whether diabetes is a risk for you.
Did you know that butter is a health food? Despite the negative publicity butter received in the past, medical experts are now realizing that butter is good for you. Not only is butter a rich natural source of vitamin E it also contains lutein, an antioxidant nutrient that has been shown to protect the eyes from age-related vision problems. Moreover, the natural healthy fats that butter contains also help to improve your body's ability to absorb and use lutein. So don't be afraid to add butter to your diet. Just be sure to choose an organic brand to ensure the highest quality.
Do you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis? If so, you may want to consider acupuncture instead of pain reliever drugs (analgesics). Studies conducted by researchers at Albans City Hospital and Exeter University (both in England) found that four sessions of acupuncture treatments can reduce pain symptoms caused by rheumatoid arthritis by at least 50 percent. In addition, acupuncture is perfectly safe, unlike pain relievers, which can cause a variety of unhealthy side effects.
Are you at risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA)? If so, avoid drinking decaffeinated coffee, since research indicates that regular consumption of decaf coffee increases the risk of RA, while regular caffeinated coffee poses no such health risk. The reason for this fact is that decaf coffee contains industrial solvents that are added to coffee beans that are not used in the production of regular coffee.
To improve your overall health, you might want to get in the habit of drinking Rooibos tea. Until recently, Rooibos was little known in the United States, but in recent years an increasing number of health experts have started to recommend it as a healthy alternative to coffee and commercial teas because of the rich supply of antioxidants and anti-aging nutrients that it contains. Research also shows that regularly drinking Rooibos tea can help prevent and relief a variety of health problems, including allergies, constipation, depression, insomnia, and skin problems.
If you suffer from athlete's foot, consider using tea tree oil. That's because research shows that twice daily applications of tea tree oil (50 percent solution) can resolve athlete's foot safely and effectively in as little as four weeks.
Here's another way to help you and your loved ones reduce your risk of cancer - avoid gravy with your meals. That's because gravies, which are commonly made from beef, fish, pork or poultry, contain significant amounts of more than 15 known carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals that are produced due to the high temperatures required to make gravy from meats, fish and poultry. (These chemical are not found in these foods in their uncooked state.) So, while you may not want to skip on gravy during Thanksgiving, overall it's a good idea to avoid it.
We've all heard the saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But did you know that regularly eating apples may also reduce your risk of cancer. It's true. Red apples contain a wide variety of nutrients known as flavonoids and phenolic acids. These compounds are natural antioxidants that help to prevent and reverse free radical damage, a known cause of cancer. Additionally, apples also contain a wealth of other nutrients that promote good health. To get the most benefit from eating apples, be sure to select organically grown varieties and don't peel the skin.
If you suffer from psoriasis and safe and effective way to treat your problem is to apply aloe vera gel topically to the affected areas of your body. Numerous studies attest to aloe vera's effectiveness for treating psoriasis, including one study that showed aloe cures the condition over 83 percent of the time. Be sure to use a high quality brand of aloe vera, however, which you can usually find at your local health food store. The higher the concentration of aloe, the better. Also check to see if it is stabilized.
Besides adding zest to meals, ginger is also an herb that is effective for promoting good health. Among its many benefits is its ability to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and to help prevent hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). If your cholesterol and triglyceride levels are above normal, trying supplementing with 250 mg of ginger root extract for two to three months. Most likely you will experience a noticeable improvement within that time period.
Are your nasal tissues abnormally dry? If so, here's a tip to quickly relief this problem. Massage the insides of your nostrils with pure sesame oil. Doing so is usually more effective than the use of nasal sprays and nose drops. For best results, choose a brand of sesame oil that is pharmaceutical grade quality.
Did you know that lowering the temperature inside your house can help you to lose excess weight? It's true. Reducing your indoor home temperature by as little as two degrees will cause your body to burn extra calories in an effort to maintain your normal body temperature (98.6 degrees). Sleeping in a slightly colder than normal bedroom can also increase the amount of calories your body burns.
Drinking more water can help you shed unwanted pounds. That's the finding of researchers at the University of Washington, who found that one glass of water in the evening before bedtime eliminated hunger pangs in nearly 100 percent of people on a diet. Additional research has also shown that nearly 40 percent of all American mistake signs of dehydration for hunger pangs. More alarmingly, other researchers have found that approximately 75 percent of all Americans suffer from chronic dehydration.
Here's another tip to help you lose weight. Eat a big breakfast. Unlikely as this advice may sound to you, it's true. Eating a hearty breakfast of healthy foods helps to improve your body's overall metabolism, which in turn improves your body's ability to burn more calories. Research has also shown that a healthy breakfast is the most important meal for ensuring overall health. In fact, many health experts recommend that for breakfast we eat like a king, for lunch we eat like a prince, and for dinner we eat like a pauper. Eating in this manner has been shown to improve weight loss and to provide a variety of other health benefits as well, including more energy.
Here's a useful tip to remember the next time your doctor checks your blood pressure. Have him or her measure your blood pressure levels in both of your arms, not just one of them, as is commonly done. Although a difference between blood pressure levels in your arms is not always abnormal, in many cases it can be a sign of underlying problems in your cardiovascular system. In short, this simple tip has the potential to save your life.
Want more energy during the day? Then drink more water. Researchers have found that most people (75 percent) in the United States are chronically dehydrated, meaning they are not getting enough water to allow their bodies to work efficiently. They have also found that even mild cases of dehydration can slow down metabolism levels, which in turn leads to increased levels of fatigue.
Here's another reason to exercise regularly. Not only is exercise one of the most important self-care steps you can take to improve and maintain your physical health, it also helps to prevent the onset of impaired mental functioning as you get older. One of the reasons that regular exercise is good for your brain is that it increases blood flow to the brain, thereby also increasing the brain's supply of oxygen and nutrients. Regular exercise also helps to stimulate the growth of nerves involved in brain function.
Want to know how regular you are? Here's a simple trick to help you determine how efficiently your body is digesting the foods you eat and eliminating their waste products. Swallow a spoonful of corn kernels without chewing them. Then examine your stool until it contains the corn kernels. Healthy people will typically eliminate the corn kernels within 24 to 36 hours after consuming them. Anything longer than that is an indication that your elimination is sluggish and needs to be improved.
Do you suffer from stomach upset or other types of gastrointestinal problems? If so, consider drinking green tea on a daily basis. Not only is green tea a rich source of antioxidant nutrients that protect against free radical damage, it also contains a variety of chemicals that help to reduce symptoms of stomach upset and other gastrointestinal problems that are related to chronic low grade inflammation. Drinking green tea every day with your meals can significantly improve and even eliminate your symptoms within a few weeks.