Archive for February, 2010

Blood on the stool can be caused by many things. Bloody stools are normally caused by an injury inside the stomach or by an illness in the stomach. The color in the stool will tell you a lot about what is causing it.

When the stool is solid and firm with bright red blood, then the cause may be a lesion in the anal canal. It might also be due to Proctitis, adenomas and carcinomas on the area around the left colon, radiation proctitis or an ulcer on the rectum. If the stool is soft and formless and has bright red blood, then the cause might be any of these: colitis, carcinomas and adenomas in the mid-colon or colon angiodysplasia. Dark red stools may be caused by colitis, mid-colon adenomas and carcinomas or colon angiodysplacia. Black stools may be caused by the intake of iron and over-ingestion of green vegetables.

Appendicitis is an illness that affects the appendix. The initial signs are pain around the belly button area. This pain then migrates to the lower right side of the abdomen. This pain normally comes with nausea, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea and constipation. When you start experiencing these symptoms, it is important to consult a doctor for you to get proper treatment.

The most common treatment for appendicitis is laparoscopic surgery. The surgical procedure is done to remove the inflamed appendix. The surgery is done to allow you quick recovery. However, this kind of treatment is not recommended for everyone. For some people, the appendicitis is normally too severe to be treated using laparoscopic surgery. Therefore, they have to undergo an open appendectomy which will allow the doctor to treat every part of the abdomen was been inflamed by the appendicitis. Avoid strenuous movement after the surgery.

Kiwis possess anti oxidant properties and also has high amount of vitamin C and potassium than any other fruit.

Green tea contains polyphenols which provides protection against heart disease, cancer and other such conditions. Brewing green tea for 5 minutes helps in bringing out the necessary polyphenols contained in the tea.

Spinach contains high amount of vitamin B6, folate, vitamin K, iron, vitamin A, manganese, calcium, magnesium and potassium which helps in reducing the risk of developing heart attack and lowering blood pressure.

Bok Choy is enriched with fiber, calcium, iron, phytonutrients, vitamin C and vitamin A and gives additional nutritional benefits. Bok Choy can be consumed either raw or cooked however eating raw provides good nutrients.

Avocado contains monosaturated fats which help in lowering bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol levels. It also contains high amount of potassium which will help in reducing the risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke.

Barley is a type of a whole grain. It is said to have originated in south East Asia. It contains very high levels of selenium and dietary fibre. Barley is known to help reduce LDL levels in blood as it contains a compound called beta glucan. It is also known to stabilise blood glucose levels.

It has been approved by the FDA that barley can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Barley and other such whole grains are needed by the body on an everyday basis as the body cannot function properly below a minimum level of fibre supply.

Including barley in your everyday diet can decrease your levels of high cholesterol in the blood and thereby help in reducing the risk of developing heart disease and can prevent the occurrence or further development of heart diseases and related problems like stroke, etc. It is generally consumed in the form of flour.

Soy is a very rich source of protein. It has multiple benefits which span various aspects of general health as well as illnesses and chronic diseases. Soy beans, soy milk and other soy products are known to be very beneficial.

It lowers triglyceride levels and at the same time it does not interfere with the high density cholesterol levels in the blood. This is why it is very helpful in heart diseases and greatly reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke and other such cardiac problems. Not only this, soy gives you healthy and strong bones which are quite an asset for a healthy body.

It is also known to helpful in menopause as it decreases the symptoms and their intensity. Soy has also shown to be of great significance in cancer, especially prostate cancer. Soy is available in the form of Miso, Soy nuts, Tofu, calcium fortified soy milk, Tempeh and Edamame.

Hyperacidity is normally characterized by short pains in the upper abdomen area after eating a spicy meal or after taking aspirin. Some people also experience nausea and vomiting. When you suffer from hyperacidity, there are some natural methods that you can use for treatment purposes. Herbal treatment for hyperacidity is an option that has been in use since time immemorial.

Carrot and cabbage juice is an efficient herbal remedy for hyperacidity. You should take at least one glass or cabbage and carrot juice some thirty minutes before your meals. Olive oil and peppermint are also quite effective in the treatment of hyperacidity. Chewing basil leaves and taking Cumin juice, ginger juice and apple cider vinegar can treat hyperacidity. While using these herbal treatments, it is important to keep away from the food that causes hyperacidity. You should also take it upon yourself to live a healthy and stress free lifestyle.

TLC stands for therapeutic lifestyle changes. The TLC diet is recommended by the American Health Association for lowering high cholesterol. According to the TLC diet, the total fat you consume in a day should not exceed more than 25 % of the total calories ingested.

The saturated fat should constitute less than 7% of the total calories. Polysaturated fat can make for a maximum of 10% of the total calories you intake in a day. Monosaturated fat, which is known to be less harmful than polysaturated fat, should not account for more than 20% of the total calories.

From the remaining portion, 50-60% should be covered by carbohydrates and up to 15% should be accounted for by proteins. Cholesterol must not exceed 200mg/dL. A balanced TLC diet comprises of healthy foods like lean meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. You should consult your nutritionist or dietician for a detailed custom made TLC diet for you.

If you are undergoing any kind of physical training, the first thing you must consider is your diet plan. Food can have a greater impact on your training program than you can think. Food is fuel for the body and it needs even more attention when the body is made to undergo rigorous physical activity.

Strength training requires you to fuel up in a very specific way so that your body can perform at its optimum level. The strength training diet 101 is a special diet designed exclusively for people undergoing strength training. It requires you to include milk, yogurt, fruits, fruit juices, low fat cheese and crackers in your everyday diet. Also, you are required to have carbohydrate based granola bars and energy bars.
You are also advised to have half a bagel or bread of whole grain with nut butter. Consume a lot of fluids, and drink water 10 to 20 minutes prior to every work out.

The bodies of athletes differ to a great extent from normal people and so do their nutritional needs. As we have all heard, proteins are the building blocks of the body, this statement applies more so to athletes. They need greater amounts of dietary protein, as much as 1.2 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. The right value from this range depends on the type of athlete. For instance, strength training athletes require more protein than endurance athletes.

This can be explained by the fact that proteins are essential nutrients which are responsible for repair and rebuilding of muscles which have to suffer great strain during physically demanding activities. It is important for athletes to keep a check on their daily nutritional requirements and the corresponding intake. Besides naturally protein rich foods like milk and milk products, pulses and soy, protein supplements are also available.

Garlic is one of the plants popular for health benefits. It can be used in the treatment of a number of diseases such as flu, cold, acne, asthma, whooping cough among others. Garlic is also very effective in the regulation of blood pressure. It helps slow the heart pulse and regulates the heart rhythm. It can also be used as an anti-inflammatory agent in arthritis treatment. Garlic has been used successfully in the treatment of some chest illnesses such as tuberculosis.

Garlic is also a natural cleanser. It helps dissolve excess mucus in the sinuses, lungs and bronchus. It also helps in the removal of toxins through the skin. Garlic capsules can be used in the treatment of diarrhea as well as other stomach disorders caused by indigestion. Crushed garlic cloves are used to expel worms from the stomach. Garlic is used to rejuvenate the circulation system.