Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair

Healthy Hair Food No. 1: Salmon

When it comes to foods that pack a beauty punch, it's hard to beat salmon. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron.
"Essential omega-3 fatty acids are needed to support scalp health," says Andrea Giancoli, MPH, RD, a dietitian in Los Angeles and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "A deficiency can result in a dry scalp and thus hair, giving it a dull look."
Vegetarian? Include one or two tablespoons of ground flaxseed in your daily diet for some plant-based omega-3 fats.

Healthy Hair Food No. 2: Dark Green Vegetables

Popeye the Sailor Man didn't eat all that spinach for healthy hair, but he could have. Spinach, like broccoli and Swiss chard, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body's natural hair conditioner.
Dark green vegetables also provide iron and calcium.

Healthy Hair Food No. 3: Beans

Beans, beans, they're good for your ... hair?
Yes, it's true. Legumes like kidney beans and lentils should be an important part of your hair-care diet. Not only do they provide plentiful protein to promote hair growth, but ample iron, zinc, and biotin. While rare, biotin deficiencies can result in brittle hair.
Blatner, who is also a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, recommends three or more cups of lentils or beans each week.

Healthy Hair Food No. 4: Nuts

Do you go nuts for thick, shiny hair? You should.
Brazil nuts are one of nature's best sources of selenium, an important mineral for the health of your scalp.
Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair. They are also a terrific source of zinc, as are cashews, pecans, and almonds. A zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding, so make sure nuts are a regular on your healthy hair menu.

Healthy Hair Food No. 5: Poultry

Chickens and turkeys may have feathers, but the high-quality protein they provide will help give you the healthy hair you crave.
"Without adequate protein or with low-quality protein, one can experience weak brittle hair, while a profound protein deficiency can result in loss of hair color," Giancoli tells WebMD.
Poultry also provides iron with a high degree of bioavailability, meaning your body can easily reap its benefits.

Healthy Hair Food No. 6: Eggs

When it comes to healthy hair, it doesn't matter whether you like your eggs scrambled, fried, or over easy. However they're served up, eggs are one of the best protein sources you can find.
They also contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.

Healthy Hair Food No. 7: Whole Grains

Sink your teeth into hearty whole grains, including whole-wheat bread and fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, for a hair-healthy dose of zinc, iron, and B vitamins.
A whole-grain snack can also be a great go-to food when your energy is zapped halfway through the afternoon, and you've still got hours to go before dinner.

Healthy Hair Food No. 8: Oysters

Oysters may be better known for their reputation as an aphrodisiac, but they can also lead to healthy hair -- and who doesn't love that?
The key to their love and hair-boosting abilities is zinc -- a powerful antioxidant.
If oysters don't make a regular appearance on your dinner plate, don't despair. In addition to getting it from whole grains and nuts, you can also get zinc from beef and lamb.

Healthy Hair Food No. 9: Low-Fat Dairy Products

Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources.
For some healthy hair foods "to-go," try throwing a yogurt or cottage cheese cup in your bag when you head out in the morning to snack on later in the day. You can even boost their hair benefits by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.

Healthy Hair Food No. 10: Carrots

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision.
Since a healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well-conditioned head of hair, you'd be wise to include carrots in your diet as snacks or toppings on your salad.

When to Seek Medical Care

See your health care provider if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty initiating and/or stopping a urine stream
• Frequent urination
• Pain on urination
• Pain on ejaculation

You should undergo regular screening for prostate cancer.

• Men aged 50 years and older should undergo a yearly digital rectal examination and blood testing for prostatic specific antigen (PSA).
• Men in the high-risk group, such as those with a family history of prostate cancer or of African American ethnicity, should begin screening as early as age 40 years.

Go to the nearest hospital emergency department right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Urinary tract infection - Burning pain on urination, urgency, frequent urination, especially with fever
• Bladder obstruction - Not urinating or urinating very little despite drinking enough fluid; producing little urine despite straining; pain due to a full bladder
• Acute kidney failure - Not urinating or urinating little, with little discomfort, despite drinking enough fluid
• Deep bone pain, especially in the back, hips, or thighs, or bone fracture - Possible sign of advanced prostate cancer that has spread to the bones

Spinal cord compression is a true emergency and may be the first sign of cancer. It occurs when the cancer has spread to vertebrae of the spine and tailbone region. The weakened vertebrae can collapse on the spinal cord, causing symptoms and problems with function.

• Symptoms depend on the level at which the spine is compressed.
• Typical symptoms that might signal acute spinal cord compression include weakness in the legs and difficulty walking, increased difficulty urinating or moving your bowels, difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels, and decreased sensation, numbness, or tingling in the groin or legs.
• These are often preceded by pain in the hip (usually one sided) or back lasting a few days or weeks.
• Such symptoms require immediate evaluation in the nearest hospital emergency department. Failure to be treated immediately can result in permanent spinal cord damage.

Understanding Prostate Cancer -- Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?

There are no warning signs or symptoms of early prostate cancer. Once a malignant tumor causes the prostate gland to swell significantly, or once cancer spreads beyond the prostate, the following symptoms may be present:

• A frequent need to urinate, especially at night.
• Difficulty starting or stopping a stream of urine.
• A weak or interrupted urinary stream.
• Inability to urinate standing up.
• A painful or burning sensation during urination or ejaculation.
• Blood in urine or semen.

These are not symptoms of the cancer itself. Instead, they are the symptoms of the blockage from the cancer growth within the prostate and surrounding tissues.
Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer include:

• Dull, incessant deep pain or stiffness in the pelvis, lower back, ribs, or upper thighs; arthritic pain in the bones of those areas.
• Loss of weight and appetite, fatigue, nausea, or vomiting.
• Swelling of the lower extremities.
• Weakness or paralysis in the lower limbs.

Call Your Doctor About Prostate Cancer If:

• You have difficulty urinating or find that urination is painful or otherwise abnormal. Your doctor will examine your prostate gland to determine whether it is enlarged, inflamed with an infection, or may have cancer.
• You have chronic pain in your lower back, pelvis, upper thighbones, or other bones. Ongoing pain without explanation always merits medical attention. Pain in these areas can have various causes but may be from the spread of advanced prostate cancer.
• You experience unexplained weight loss.
• You have swelling in your legs.
• You have weakness in your legs and/or difficulty walking.

Controlling Stress and Blood Sugar by Eating Healthy Foods

Blood glucose level always goes up when patients of diabetes face stress. When in stress, the pituitary gland at the base of our skull stimulates the adrenal glands by the kidneys to release adrenaline. This triggers the muscles and liver to break down the glycogen stores into glucose. It then is released into the tissues to enable the body to fight or flight the potential danger. This release increases the blood sugar level which sometimes exceeds the normal range.

So, diabetes is closely related to our emotional condition. City dwellers always live in the environment that will inevitably create stress. Traffic jams, pollution, overwhelming workloads, and selling targets and problems in personal relationships are some of the causal factors for stress. So, it is easy to say to everybody that stress is unavoidable.

The easiest way is through recreation. Unfortunately, we cannot always do that.   City dwellers who are in stress condition usually try to relax their emotional condition by going out and eating out with friends.

Eating more food and drinking alcohol or coffee are the typical reactions which we usually experience.  To reduce the negative effects of stress, we must try to avoid foods that are bad to our body. Even though we can do that, the food and drinks that we consume in general contain excessive fat, salt, sugar, and alcohol and cafein. These deplete vital nutrients such as magnesium and vitamin B5 – the nutrients that are important in combating stress.

Eating foods that contain fiber can help improve our blood sugar. We will feel full due to the volume of the food but the calories intake is lower. In addition, our body cannot digest fiber. Fiber binds cholesterol and lowers its absorption. Food that contains fiber reduces our blood sugar as it slows down the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. 

To minimize the negative effects of stress, we need nutrients such as magnesium and vitamin C as well as vitamin B. They are essential in supporting our body especially the adrenal glands to bust the stress. Foods that are rich in magnesium are almonds, cod, soya beans, sunflower seeds, nuts, dark leafy vegetables, blackstrap molasses. Foods that are rich in vitamin c are citrus fruit, strawberries, potatoes, berries, peppers, blackcurrants, kiwi fruit, cauliflowers, guavas, mangoes, and papaya. Foods that contain vitamin B are green vegetables, brown rice, dairy products, eggs, liver, wheatgerm, lentils and corn.

Botulinum Toxin (Botox)

The injection of botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, has become very popular for reducing wrinkles and rejuvenating the aging face. The effects are only temporary, but the injections can be done quickly, require no recovery time, and are not as complicated as many other cosmetic procedures for the face.
Botulinum toxin is produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. When a small amount of Botox is injected into a muscle, it blocks nerve signals that tell your muscles to contract. The effect is that it temporarily weakens or paralyzes the facial muscles and smoothes or eliminates wrinkles in the skin for a few months.
Getting a Botox injection takes just a few minutes.

What To Expect After Treatment

For the first 2 to 3 hours after treatment, take it easy and do not rub the treated area. After that, you can return to your regular activities.
It can take 3 to 4 days before you notice an effect from the Botox. The full effect may take up to 1 week. The results may last from 3 to 4 months on average but sometimes up to 6 months. After that, you will begin to see the wrinkles return.

Why It Is Done

Botulinum toxin has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating frown lines in adults younger than 65. Botox injections also are frequently used to reduce other wrinkles on the face and neck, such as crow's feet, brow furrow, and forehead lines.
Botulinum toxin is also approved by the FDA to treat eye muscle disorders, including strabismus (cross-eyes), abnormal neck and shoulder contractions, and vocal cord spasms.

How Well It Works

Within 72 hours after treatment, the injection of Botox partly or completely smooths wrinkles for most people. But the results are temporary, typically lasting only 3 to 4 months. You will have to return for injections every 3 to 4 months to maintain the effects. The dose of Botox usually is the same each time you get an injection.

Risks

The most common side effects are:

• Drooping eyelid that may last a short time.
• Headache.
• Bruising.

Other side effects include flu-like symptoms, nausea, temporary facial pain, redness at the injection site, reduced blinking, and weakness in the muscles of the face. In extreme cases, this muscle weakness can limit your facial expressions. In rare cases, a sore may develop on the white of the eye (corneal ulceration).
The risks of repeated Botox injections are not known.

What To Think About

Botox injections are more convenient and less painful than other procedures for reducing wrinkles and making your face look younger (chemical peels, dermabrasion, laser resurfacing, face-lift). Keep in mind that the effects of an injection may last only a few months. To keep the effects, you will have to get injections several times a year. A single injection may seem inexpensive, but the cost of repeated injections can quickly add up.

Understanding Infertility -- Treatment

How Do I Know If I Am Infertile?

In tracing the cause of infertility, a doctor usually begins by asking both partners about their health histories, their use of medications, their sexual histories, and their sexual practices. The man often undergoes a physical exam first. Male infertility is usually related to sperm health or function, which is usually tested with a semen analysis.
For the woman, testing generally begins with a full physical and a pelvic exam. The doctor then makes sure that she ovulates regularly and assesses whether her ovaries are doing their job of releasing eggs. Having regular menstrual cycles and a biphasic basal body temperature curve usually confirms that ovulation is regular. Blood tests can measure hormone levels.

What Are the Treatments for Infertility?

Many couples once pronounced "barren" can now produce their own child. Common-sense steps that raise the chances of conception may help.
Couples who want children should have intercourse during the five to six fertile days of her cycle, which means the four to five days before she ovulates plus the one day of ovulation.
A tip-off to ovulation is that there is a sustained rise in basal body temperature about one to two days after ovulation. A home testing kit can also be used to detect chemical changes in the urine. A newer device is able to detect ovulation from a single drop of saliva.
If the cause of infertility is that the man doesn't have enough sperm, then attempts should be made to find and treat the sperm problem. If, for example, he has varicocele (a condition in which veins in the scrotum are dilated), then surgery can sometimes improve the sperm count.
If the woman does not ovulate, then the cause of her ovulation problem should be found and treated. Sometimes, inducing ovulation with hormones or fertility drugs can quickly result in pregnancy.
The small percentage of couples whose infertility cannot be corrected can try artificial fertilization. In intrauterine insemination or artificial insemination, the woman's uterus is injected, around the time of ovulation, with carefully prepared sperm from the husband, partner, or a donor. This is the easiest and usually least costly method. In the procedure known as IVF (in vitro fertilization), the egg is fertilized outside the woman's body and then placed in the womb or fallopian tube. In another procedure, called GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer), egg and sperm are brought together in one of the fallopian tubes. Both methods rarely succeed on the first attempt.

Massage and Its Health Benefits to Our Body

I like hiking and camping in the tropical rainforest for days. While traveling in the jungle, I and my friends usually walk up the slopes and down the ravines for around 5 hours per day. When I return home, I usually experience tensions and pains all my body. I need massage to relieve muscular spasm and tension. I often experience muscle pains after hiking in the rainforest because I overuse and stress my muscles particularly in the leg areas.
Release of muscle tension
When pressure is applied on certain area of my legs that suffer from pain, the nerve system will activate my body or muscle to release the tension.
The Warming of hard tissue in the pained muscles
When I rub my leg muscle that suffers from tension, I transfer heat from my palm to the tissue of the muscle. The transfer of heat is usually called thermodynamic effect. Such effect will soften my muscle tissue that has been tight and hard.
Stimulate local nerves
When I rub and press my stressed muscle, the local nerves will be stimulated or soothed. They will release the stress or contractions and make the muscles in my leg relax or soft again.
This is a simple therapy that I usually apply on my legs after spending several days hiking and camping in the jungle. So, I believe that massage can give positive implications to our health, well-being and even longevity.

Massage in Sports

For hundreds of years athletes have known the importance of massage in maintaining and improving their performance. After an exercise or real competition, a football player or a runner will usually be handled by a massage therapist to release tensions in his or her muscles.

Understanding Infertility -- Treatment

How Do I Know If I Am Infertile?

In tracing the cause of infertility, a doctor usually begins by asking both partners about their health histories, their use of medications, their sexual histories, and their sexual practices. The man often undergoes a physical exam first. Male infertility is usually related to sperm health or function, which is usually tested with a semen analysis.
For the woman, testing generally begins with a full physical and a pelvic exam. The doctor then makes sure that she ovulates regularly and assesses whether her ovaries are doing their job of releasing eggs. Having regular menstrual cycles and a biphasic basal body temperature curve usually confirms that ovulation is regular. Blood tests can measure hormone levels.

What Are the Treatments for Infertility?

Many couples once pronounced "barren" can now produce their own child. Common-sense steps that raise the chances of conception may help.
Couples who want children should have intercourse during the five to six fertile days of her cycle, which means the four to five days before she ovulates plus the one day of ovulation.
A tip-off to ovulation is that there is a sustained rise in basal body temperature about one to two days after ovulation. A home testing kit can also be used to detect chemical changes in the urine. A newer device is able to detect ovulation from a single drop of saliva.
If the cause of infertility is that the man doesn't have enough sperm, then attempts should be made to find and treat the sperm problem. If, for example, he has varicocele (a condition in which veins in the scrotum are dilated), then surgery can sometimes improve the sperm count.
If the woman does not ovulate, then the cause of her ovulation problem should be found and treated. Sometimes, inducing ovulation with hormones or fertility drugs can quickly result in pregnancy.
The small percentage of couples whose infertility cannot be corrected can try artificial fertilization. In intrauterine insemination or artificial insemination, the woman's uterus is injected, around the time of ovulation, with carefully prepared sperm from the husband, partner, or a donor. This is the easiest and usually least costly method. In the procedure known as IVF (in vitro fertilization), the egg is fertilized outside the woman's body and then placed in the womb or fallopian tube. In another procedure, called GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer), egg and sperm are brought together in one of the fallopian tubes. Both methods rarely succeed on the first attempt.

Menstrual Blood Problems: Clots, Color, and Thickness

If your menstrual blood varies in color and consistency throughout your monthly period, it's very likely that it's perfectly normal. There are times, though, when changes in color, thickness, or clotting may indicate a menstrual blood problem.
You might feel embarrassed asking your doctor about menstrual blood problems. But it is important to talk with your doctor about any concerns you might have.

What's happening during a woman's period, and how long does a normal period last?

During your menstrual cycle, the lining of your uterus thickens to get ready for pregnancy. Then, during your period, your body sheds the uterus lining along with blood. The amount of blood and fluid lost is usually between 4 and 12 teaspoons each cycle.
The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. For some women, though, cycles can be as short as 21 days. For others, they can be as long as 35 days.
A normal period lasts between two and seven days. The average length of time for a period is three to five days.

Are clots and thicker menstrual blood unusual during a period?

Many women have clots in their menstrual blood from time to time. The clots may be bright red or dark in color. Often, these clots are shed on the heaviest days of bleeding. The presence of multiple clots in your flow may make your menstrual blood seem thick or denser than usual.
Your body typically releases anticoagulants to keep menstrual blood from clotting as it's being released. But when your period is heavy and blood is being rapidly expelled, there's not enough time for anticoagulants to work. That enables clots to form.
If you have excessive clotting or clots larger than a quarter, you should see a health care professional to rule out any conditions that might be causing an abnormal period.

Are darker colors and thicker flows normal in menstrual blood?

Sometimes you may notice that your menstrual blood becomes dark brown or almost black as you near the end of your period. This is a normal color change. It happens when the blood is older and not being expelled from the body quickly.
Temporary thick heavy flow isn't necessarily cause for concern. However, regular heavy periods justify a trip to the doctor to check your blood counts. Many women become accustomed to heavy periods, considering them to be normal. Over time, though, the excess monthly blood loss leads to anemia, potentially causing weakness or fatigue. If you ever feel something's not right with your period, see your health care provider.

What causes menstrual blood problems?

Changes in color and thickness of menstrual blood are often normal. But there are a number of problems that might cause abnormal clots to form in your menstrual blood or lead to the changes in color or thickness during your period. Remember, it's important to discuss any concerns you have with your doctor. Problems that can cause changes include:

• Miscarriage. Women who have miscarried may pass blood clots or gray clumps of tissue from the vagina. If there is a chance you are pregnant, be sure to check with your doctor immediately if you notice excessive bleeding or clotting.
• Fibroids. Uterine fibroids are also called leiomyomas. These are non-cancerous tumors that form in the womb (uterus). Fibroids do not always cause symptoms.  In fact, increasing research information suggests that most women with small "fibroid" tumors have no symptoms at all. But women with fibroids may notice greater than usual amounts of menstrual blood. If you have fibroids, you may have more clots in your period than you had in the past.
• Hormonal changes. Your body relies on a delicate balance of the hormones progesterone and estrogen. These hormones regulate the production and shedding of the uterine lining. When this balance is disturbed, it can lead to the development of an excessively thick uterine lining. This thickness can contribute to more bleeding than usual. It can also cause clots in the menstrual blood when the lining is shed.

Hormone changes may occur for many reasons, including:

• menopause
• recent dramatic weight change
• side effects from some medications, including steroids
• Large uterus. If your uterus has been stretched during pregnancy and does not return to its original size, it may be permanently enlarged. With an enlarged uterus, menstrual blood may have time to collect and clot before it's released from the body. This could also result in a dark color or thickening of your menstrual flow.
• Obstruction of menstrual blood. Anything that hinders or blocks the flow of menstrual blood from the uterus through the cervix and out of the vagina may lead to problems with clots, color, or thickness of menstrual blood. Benign polyps in the uterus may change the flow of blood during your period. The flow can also be slowed around the time of menopause when the cervical canal may become smaller as estrogen levels drop.
• Adenomyosis or endometriosis. These related conditions occur when the tissue that forms the uterine lining is found in the wrong place. In endometriosis, this tissue develops outside of the uterus. In adenomyosis it grows in the muscle that makes up the uterine walls. Both of these conditions can lead to abnormal periods and heavy flow. This can increase the likelihood of menstrual blood problems such as clotting or thickness.

The Relation Between Diabetes and Blood Sugar

The most important thing which patients of diabetes must do is learning how to control their blood sugar. Food consists of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and also fiber. All of us have to combine these elements in ratio that is suitable for our bodies. Everybody has his or her own food ratio. Next time, if we want to eat something, we can start making changes in our food intake ratio. One or two hours after eating our foods, we can measure our blood glucose level. Make sure that it is within the allowable range. If it is always above 200 mg/dl, it means we have suffered from diabetes.

Glucose always exists in our blood. Our body needs it as fuel to function well. Glucose is a simple form of sugar. It is derived from the food which we consume everyday. When the food has reached the stomach, it will be digested and processed. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat from our food are processed by our digestive system to generate energy. Excessive energy is changed into fat. Glucose can easily be obtained from carbohydrates.

Foods that are categorized as the source of carbohydrates are bread, rice, grains, pasta and fruit. Some foods such as palm sugar and refined sugar are classed as simple carbohydrates whereas others such as grains and tubers are classed as complex carbohydrates. Foods such as honey, white rice, French bread release their energy quickly. They have high glycaemic value. If we plan to work hard during the day, we will need such foods to supply us with sufficient energy so that we will not become weak during and after work. However, if what we do are typing and filing, we should choose foods which contain low glycaemic value such as oats, basmati rice and raw carrots.

When we eat foods of high glycaemic value but we don't work hard, the excessive amount of sugars that are released will be stored in our body. To do this we need the insulin. This hormone is produced by pancreas. Insulin maintains our blood sugar to an acceptable level. If we always eat high glycaemic foods, we will need more insulin. More insulin is also needed if we frequently drink alcohol. Eating fast-releasing energy foods such as cereal, a cup of coffee or apple juice will cause our blood sugar rises rapidly. It will trigger the release of insulin.

Pancreas may become exhausted. Failure of insulin producing cells in the islets of Langerhans of pancreas leads to diabetes. To avoid this disease, we need to balance our foods so that they will not always bring pressures to pancreas. Our meal should be the combination of foods that contain complex carbohydrates, fiber and some protein

Broccoli

Properties of broccoli for cancer has long been a concern of scientists. In a recent research note, broccoli and cabbage can also increase the life expectancy of breast cancer patients, and even delay the recurrence of cancer.Research conducted in China on 5,000 women aged 20-75 years who were diagnosed with breast cancer found that those who often group cruciferous vegetables mengasup like broccoli, cabbage, or mustard, the risk of dying from breast cancer 62 percent lower. Among other benefits, the risk of disease recurrence is also 35 percent lower.Thus the results of the latest research presented by Sarah Nechuta, a researcher from Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center in Nashville, Tenn.. "This study demonstrates that cruciferous vegetables contain bioactive compounds that may protect against breast cancer," he said.Researchers claim that their findings are in contrast to previous research, because this time the findings look at the influence of the consumption of broccoli and cabbage family vegetables in patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.The respondents in this study were women who took part in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study. The researchers interviewed volunteers over six months after being diagnosed to gather information about diet, lifestyle and the clinical factors such as tumor stage. They were also asked about how many vegetables at 18 and 36 months after being diagnosed.Results showed that women who consume broccoli 62 percent less likely to die from breast cancer during the study period of about five years less than women received vegetable intake. While the risk of recurrence was 35 percent lower among women who ate broccoli.Researchers said the relationship a lower risk of death and cancer recurrence was even adapted by other factors, including soy and meat consumption, vitamin intake, physical activity, stage of cancer, income and education levels. On average, the women in this study ate approximately 3.5 ounces of broccoli family of vegetables a day.Even so, Dr. Laura Kruper, director of the Women Health Center, City of Hope in Duarte, Calif., said, "These findings are very difficult to demonstrate cause and effect relationship." He added, need to do more studies in other populations and in particularfor a long time to see the relationship between the two."I always tell my patients to limit alcohol (four glasses a week) and sugar, and eat more vegetables and less red meat consumption," said Kruper. Kruper added, alcohol and physical inactivity are the two factors known to increase risk of breast cancer.

The food we eat influences our blood glucose level

People with diabetes need to control their blood glucose closer to normal level. Whether they are patients of type 1 or type 2 diabetes, they must know it everyday. Our blood glucose is normal if it is between 70 and 110 mg/dl measured at 8 hours fasting. But it is not easy for patients of diabetes to keep their blood glucose at these levels. It is realistic if we can control our fast blood glucose and 2 hours after meal to be under 200 mg/dl. If the level is too low (typically less than 70), patients will experience hypoglycemia. In this condition, patients will tremble, feel weak and very hungry. Sweet food or drinks such as sprite and fanta or coca cola coke soft-drinks, fruit juice, biscuits or glucose tablets will be needed to raise the blood sugar level. If the blood sugar level is too high, then insulin injection is needed to lower it. Fast-acting carbohydrate such as apple or orange juice, grapes and regular soda can raise our blood glucose back to normal.
The levels of blood glucose are not always the same after meal. They depend on the kind of foods that we usually eat. If we measure them by ourselves, we will able to understand why our blood glucose is rising or falling. We can also know when the level is at its highest point or at its lowest point. Then, we will be able to take action to balance it.
The food that we eat will certainly raise our blood glucose. One to two hours after meal, the blood glucose will rise to its highest level. So, we have to measure the amount of food that we eat. We need to control our daily meal, and our lunch, and dinner time so that we will be able to know when and how our blood glucose rises or falls. By doing that, we will be able to adjust the amount of insulin injection or medicine that we need to overcome hyperglycemia.
Various kinds of food causes various blood sugar level. Our food contains carbohydrate, protein, and fat. These three components raise the glucose level. But carbohydrate is the strongest component that raises the glucose level

Controlling Stress and Blood Sugar by Eating Healthy Foods

Blood glucose level always goes up when patients of diabetes face stress. When in stress, the pituitary gland at the base of our skull stimulates the adrenal glands by the kidneys to release adrenaline. This triggers the muscles and liver to break down the glycogen stores into glucose. It then is released into the tissues to enable the body to fight or flight the potential danger. This release increases the blood sugar level which sometimes exceeds the normal range.

So, diabetes is closely related to our emotional condition. City dwellers always live in the environment that will inevitably create stress. Traffic jams, pollution, overwhelming workloads, and selling targets and problems in personal relationships are some of the causal factors for stress. So, it is easy to say to everybody that stress is unavoidable.

The easiest way is through recreation. Unfortunately, we cannot always do that.   City dwellers who are in stress condition usually try to relax their emotional condition by going out and eating out with friends.

Eating more food and drinking alcohol or coffee are the typical reactions which we usually experience.  To reduce the negative effects of stress, we must try to avoid foods that are bad to our body. Even though we can do that, the food and drinks that we consume in general contain excessive fat, salt, sugar, and alcohol and cafein. These deplete vital nutrients such as magnesium and vitamin B5 – the nutrients that are important in combating stress.

Eating foods that contain fiber can help improve our blood sugar. We will feel full due to the volume of the food but the calories intake is lower. In addition, our body cannot digest fiber. Fiber binds cholesterol and lowers its absorption. Food that contains fiber reduces our blood sugar as it slows down the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. 

To minimize the negative effects of stress, we need nutrients such as magnesium and vitamin C as well as vitamin B. They are essential in supporting our body especially the adrenal glands to bust the stress. Foods that are rich in magnesium are almonds, cod, soya beans, sunflower seeds, nuts, dark leafy vegetables, blackstrap molasses. Foods that are rich in vitamin c are citrus fruit, strawberries, potatoes, berries, peppers, blackcurrants, kiwi fruit, cauliflowers, guavas, mangoes, and papaya. Foods that contain vitamin B are green vegetables, brown rice, dairy products, eggs, liver, wheatgerm, lentils and corn.

Eggs

Talk about an egg that is certainly not foreign to us, ranging from toddlers to old people like to consume. In addition to the pleasure it has a protein content in eggs is good for our bodies, but of the many types of eggs turns.Eggs are the perfect food for consumption and practical at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. First, the eggs never branded as unhealthy food. But as many recent studies that prove the health benefits of eggs, the egg was bad judgment to fade away.Actually, there are many health benefits that you can obtain from the consumption of an egg. Here are five reasons why you should choose one of the eggs as a food source was quoted as saying everdayhealth following:1. Healthy HeartMost of the bad reputation is because of the cholesterol in egg yolk.According to the American Heart Association (AHA), one large egg yolk has about 186 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol and the number was sufficient to satisfy one's cholesterol intake (which according to the recommendation to 300 mg per day). The AHA recommends that people with normal cholesterol levels can eat eggs as many as four eggs per week. Meanwhile, for people with heart disease just two items each week.It is assumed, egg whites contain no cholesterol at all and therefore there is no limit to eat egg whites, because it can promote heart health. In fact, a 2001 study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, found that lutein, a nutrient found in egg yolks, can help reduce the risk of heart disease.2. Lose weightEggs are an excellent snack for anyone who wants to lose or manage their weight. With 6 grams of protein and only 80 calories contained in a large egg, hard boiled eggs can be a satisfying snack.You can also add a handful of fresh spinach as a running mate. Keep in mind, the egg white has only 15 calories per egg. No saturated fat and cholesterol content in egg white so it is good for you who want to lose weight.3. Foods rich in nutrientsIn addition to helping control weight, egg also provides many important nutrients, including vitamin A, and the minerals iron, phosphorus, zinc, and DHA, which is key to brain health. For vegetarians who still eat some animal products, eggs could be the best choice because it is rich in vitamin B12 - essential nutrients that most humans get from meat, fish, and milk. Absence of high nutrients contained in eggs is also highly dependent of how the production process. When poultry laying hens feeding omega 3, it will produce eggs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve heart health.4. Secure raw eggs?All kinds of raw eggs - even organic eggs - can carry the risk of illness from salmonella bacteria.Historically, raw food eaters feel that can make a fried egg on egg nutrition is lost. But in fact such an assumption is not correct.5. Healthy ways to eat eggsBoil an egg or cook without using oil or butter is the best way to cook eggs for a low calorie content. Eggs can be an option for a healthy lunch and snacks in the evening.