Health

How Many Walking Steps Are in a Mile? Here Is a Scientific Assessment

Written By: Arch
Arch

So, how many walking steps are in a mile? There is no definitive answer to that question. It can vary significantly from person to person, based on a variety of factors.

The answer may also vary based on how are steps being measured. Not every person has the same step or gait. Depending on whether they’re in a hurry or not, the length of a person’s step can vary greatly.

Different apps and fitness devices use various measuring systems. They can be approximately precise, but never 100% accurate. Let’s take a look at the number of walking steps in a mile, how to measure it, and why it might differ in some situations.

The Number of Walking Steps in a Mile

The stride impacts how many steps it takes for a person to hit the one-mile mark. An average person has a stride that ranges from 2.1-2.5 feet in length. If a person is significantly taller or shorter than average, this number will vary accordingly. However, the average estimate is that it takes anywhere from 2000-2500 steps to cover one mile.

The length of a person’s stride can also change based on circumstances. A person who is taking a slow and relaxed walk through the park tends to have a much shorter stride and therefore, needs more steps to reach the said mile. A person in a hurry will usually have a much longer stride and will need fewer steps to complete a mile. Stride will also vary with exercise type. Runners need fewer steps than walkers.

How to Get an Accurate Number of Steps per Mile

There are many ways to calculate the number of steps in a mile. You could use a football field or a runner’s track, for example. The length or size of the areas is not all that important.

Go to one of these places and walk the distance of the oval or the field. Track your steps and then calculate how much you will need to meet the one mile mark. For example, if you walked a quarter of a mile, multiply the number of steps by four. You can count your steps, or you could wear a device like a pedometer and have it count for you.

To get an accurate measurement, conduct your experiment more than once. Measure your stride each time. You should walk at various speeds to see if the length of your stride changes or not. This can help you get the most accurate reading possible. To see how consistent your steps-per-mile experiment was, you can try it on others and see what results you get.

Do Walking and Running Steps Differ?

Yes, they do. The faster you walk or run, the fewer steps you need to achieve the one-mile mark. An individual taking a slow walk will approximately need around 2,252 steps to hit the one-mile target. Someone running at an 8-minute mile pace can achieve the same distance in around 1,400 steps. The length of the stride and the speed impact the numbers, as does one’s height.

Some individuals might find the steps per mile metric important, especially if they use it to measure their health goals. Some prefer to set a step goal for the day while others want to walk a certain number of miles each day. For those walking to improve their health, the measurements need to be as accurate as possible.

Health Benefits of Walking

A brisk walk each day can have a wide range of health benefits and doctors often point out the value of regular exercise to their patients. It is important to note that walking gives the same health benefits as a vigorous workout. However, it puts far less stress on the body which is great for people with compromised health.

Walking is a great way to boost your fitness levels. If you are new to exercising or are recovering from an injury, walking is a great way to gain strength and stamina. Walking is also great for weight loss as it can help a person burn around 150 calories per day. You should be able to cover a mile or more in 30 minutes.

Let’s look at some other benefits to walking:

  • Improved cardiovascular health
  • Improved joint health
  • Lower cholesterol levels
  • Improved mood
  • Improved balance
  • Stronger bones and muscles
  • Reduction in body fat

Pedometer Devices and Apps

People are significantly more health-conscious today than they were in the past. Fitness trackers have become very popular recently and many use them to track their training progress. Let’s take a look at some of the common ways a person can gauge the steps and miles walked.

  • Smartphones– Most smartphones have built-in apps that can help a person monitor the distance and how many steps they have taken during the day. These step counts are approximations.
  • Wearable fitness devices– Wearable fitness devices like Fitbit or Apple Watch can also count your steps and the miles you cover. They track your body movements and use an accelerometer to count the steps.
  • Pedometers-While both Fitbit and Apple Watch can technically be classified as pedometers, there are dedicated pedometer devices out there that focus on step count. A dedicated pedometer is likely to give you a more accurate estimation of your performance.
  • Pedometer apps or health & fitness tracking apps– If you are concerned about the accuracy of your phone but don’t want to purchase a wearable tracker, then you can download a fitness or pedometer app from Google Play and Apple App Store.

Bringing All the Pieces Together

So how many walking steps are in a mile? That number is based on multiple factors, including your height, your stride, and your speed. If you need a more accurate assessment, there are a variety of wearable fitness trackers that can help you determine your steps per mile with greater precision.

The scientific average is anywhere from 2000-2500 based on the factors listed above. It is also important to note that if you are walking slowly, you will need more steps to walk a mile than someone who is running. Walking is recommended by doctors and is one of the lightest forms of exercise. Incorporating a 30-minute brisk walk into your daily routine has a plethora of health benefits.

 

References:

https://www.verywellfit.com/best-pedometers-4159148
http://www.thewalkingsite.com/10000steps.html
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-estimating-height-walk/
https://www.verywellfit.com/how-many-walking-steps-are-in-a-mile-3435916
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/walking-for-good-health

Health

How Long Does Xanax Stay in Your System?

Written By: Arch
Arch

Many individuals struggle with the occurrences of anxiety disorders and the impact they have on their daily lives. The phenomenon can cause many frustrations in a person’s life that require specific medical treatment. To address health challenges related to anxiety disorders and mitigate the symptoms, many people are prescribed a drug named Xanax.

This drug is often prescribed to people who grapple with overwhelming distress, anxiety, fear, and panic disorders. The question is how long does Xanax stay in your system? First, we’ll need to look into what Xanax does and examine its impact. The article below aims to describe what is Xanax, what are the benefits and effects of this drug, and how long it stays in the system.

What Is Xanax?

Xanax is widely used to decrease the levels of anxiety but only during a limited period of time. The drug is a government-controlled drug and should only be used as stated on the prescription.

The typical dosage prescribed to adult patients starts between 0.25 mg and 0.50mg. The drug is usually administered three times a day. However, different people struggle with different problems, and the severity of symptoms varies from person to person. Therefore, the therapy is tailored to each patient’s personal needs and condition.

The active ingredient of Xanax is the chemical called Alprazolam. It is sometimes used in the drug’s name. The most prominent example is Alprazolam Intesol. It is of utmost importance for a person who uses a prescription drug such as Xanax to understand the drug’s chemical makeup and side effects. You should always consult your doctor before you start using Xanax. Never administer the drug on your own.

How can Xanax help us the patient in the case of a panic attack or fear in a public place? The section below will provide a deeper insight into the benefits and side effects of using Xanax.

Benefits and Side Effects of Xanax

What are the positives and negatives of Xanax? The key reason people use the drug is to cope with emotional discomfort that can lead to distressing situations at home, when travelling, or visiting places away from home or another familiar place. It is critical to know how your body might react to Xanax.

Benefits

The benefits of using Xanax include improved sleeping patterns and decreased levels of anxiety. Patients tend to be calmer and worry less while on Xanax. Using the correct dosage also allows a patient to feel more relaxed, without depression or moodiness. All in all, Xanax can provide the feelings of calm and being in control. It also lowers the feelings of disorientation and anxiety.

Side Effects

Along with positive effects, Xanax can also cause a number of unwanted side-effects. For example, a patient might experience bouts of dizziness, memory loss, low blood pressure, or difficulty speaking.

Serious side effects can include various mental problems, such as increased feelings of depression, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, and general confusion. The list also includes muscle spasms, seizures, tremors, arrhythmia, tremors, chest pain, yellowing of the skin, and urination problems.

It is good to know that Xanax can cause addiction. This also means that patients can overdose if they take more than the prescribed quantity.

Next, we’ll look into how long does Xanax last before it gets out of the system?

How Long Does Xanax Last?

To determine how long the drug will stay in your system, we should first take a look into its half-life. Half-life means the time it takes for half of the ingredients to leave your body after you take the drug. For Xanax, it is around 11.2 hours. However, it might be longer for older people.

Xanax takes on average four to five days to leave your body. It stays detectable in your blood for 24 hours and it can be found in your hair for up to three months. If you are using Xanax and have an upcoming drug test, you have to inform the lab.

Release Time

After you take Xanax, the body immediately absorbs the drug and its blood levels peak after 60 to 120 minutes later. The speed at which the drug is released into your system depends on many factors. For example, your weight, body size, health status, age, liver capability, and your metabolism rate, all affect how fast or slow will your body absorb and metabolize the drug. Most patients report that it takes approximately two hours for the drug to kick in.

It is important to notice that after the initial spike, it takes eight to twelve hours for the effects to subside. That’s if you’ve taken the 0.25 mg tablet. If you have a fast metabolism, you may experience withdrawal after six hours.

In the next section we’ll take a look at activities you should avoid while using Xanax.

Activities You Should Avoid When Taking Xanax?

People who use Xanax should abstain from alcohol and smoking. Xanax should also not be combined with other drugs. Using it in parallel with other drugs can create significant health problems and you might experience a severe reaction. It is also important to note that people should avoid using the drug for recreational purposes.

Conclusion

How long does Xanax stay in the system? This is an important question, as Xanax is a strong drug and it has a strong impact the entire system. However, the time Xanax will take to leave your system depends on a variety of factors related to your health status. If you are healthy and have a fast metabolism it will work faster and leave the body quicker.

The calming effect typically lasts for half a day and it starts decreasing after that. During the withdrawal period you should refrain from taking extra doses because Xanax can cause addiction. These extra doses can lead to overdose or make you more tolerant to the drug.

Individuals who’ve used Xanax before may experience higher substance levels in their bodies and feel the side effects much longer. Finally, it is strongly recommended to consult your doctor before you start taking Xanax. Also, never increase or decrease the dosage on your own. Finally, once prescribed Xanax, don’t stop taking it without consulting your doctor.

 

References:

https://www.xanax.com/
https://www.evergreendrugrehab.com/addiction-questions/how-long-xanax-stays-in-body.php
https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/prescription-drugs/xanax/length-in-system/
https://drugabuse.com/xanax/effects-use/
https://www.drugs.com/pro/alprazolam-extended-release.html
https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/long-xanax-3510962/
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-xanax-last#5

 

Health

Cold Showers Benefits – Let’s Take a Closer Look at New Information

Written By: Arch
Arch

Scientists have proven that there are numerous cold shower benefits. Anytime your water heater ran out of hot water, or your roommate used it all, it had been seen as a terrible inconvenience. However, it turns out that it’s not so inconvenient, after all.

Environmentalists have told us to turn down the temperature of our showers for years to consume less energy. Now there is scientific evidence to back up why you should embrace showering with cold water. Let’s explore cold showers.

What Is Considered a Cold Shower

For the purposes of the scientific research, a cold shower was defined as a shower with water heated to no higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. For obvious reasons, the temperature of your water shouldn’t be much colder than that.

Water that is too cold can cause a range of medical issues. Water at 70 degrees Fahrenheit already feels cold to the average person. Water at 40-50 degrees is painful to touch. Stay in the 70-degree range for the greatest health benefits.

What Are The Proven Cold Showers Benefits?

Scientists have created a list of things that improve with the use of the cold shower technique. Here are a few of those benefits:

  • An increase in endorphins– A cold shower is a shock to the system. This shock triggers the brain to release endorphins. For individuals who experience depression, the release of endorphins could help to elevate the mood.
  • A boost in metabolism– There are two types of fat in the body: white fat and brown fat. White fat is the kind associated with conditions such as obesity and heart disease. Brown fat is not, and is considered a “good fat.” Cold showers can boost the production of brown fat which assists in reducing the white fat levels and keeping them in line.
  • Improving circulation– Cold water has been used by athletes for years to help improve blood circulation. When the body is immersed in cold water, the water makes it harder for the body to maintain its core temperature. To keep the temperature at a proper level, the circulatory system has to work harder. This speeds up the blood flow throughout the body. Increased blood flow is helpful to host of medical conditions.
  • Boosting the immune system– Taking a cold shower stimulates the production of leukocytes. Leukocytes help the body ward off germs, like the ones that cause the common cold. If you boost your leukocytes, you are less likely to get sick.
  • Faster recovery and healing of the muscles– As mentioned above, athletes have used cold showers and baths for years. They use this technique to heal and recover from injuries faster. The improved circulation that comes with cold showers helps remove some of the lactic acid buildups in the body. Lactic acid is what causes the burning feeling in the muscles. When some of the built-up acids are removed from the muscle tissue, the body begins to heal sooner.

How Do You Take A Cold Shower?

To take a cold shower and reap the health benefits it offers, you actually need to start with warm water. Rinse off in warm water first and then slowly lower the water temperature. Once you have reached a temperature of roughly 70 degrees Fahrenheit, resume showering.

Start with your legs, working slowly up each leg. Then switch to your arms, starting with the back of each arm and then flipping to the front. After that, you may rinse off the rest of your body. After completing the shower, take the water back up to the normal temperature and then repeat the process with warm water. After that, switch back to cold water one more time before ending your shower.

It is strongly suggested to ease into cold showers gradually. Start with once per week, and move to two times per week, and so on. Some take a cold shower every day in a bid to maximize the results. However, the tempo at which you make the transition should depend on what your body can tolerate. The key is to follow the strategy listed above and to alternate between warm and cold water in each shower session.

Why Aren’t Cold Showers More Popular?

It’s not that the doctors do not believe in the benefits of a cold shower. It’s just that they want people to proceed with caution. Cold shower benefits are plentiful! The issue is that some might take these benefits too seriously and jump in too fast.

Who Should Avoid Them?

While immensely helpful with a slew of problems, cold showers do have their limitations. As with any treatment option, holistic or not, consult your doctor before starting.

That being said, there are certain health conditions that might get aggravated with cold showers. Let’s see who should avoid them.

  • Patients suffering from heart disease and those with weakened hearts should avoid cold showers. The jolt to your system could potentially trigger a heart attack.
  • Individuals with high blood pressure are not good candidates for this type of treatment. Cold water causes your blood vessels to constrict. If you have high blood pressure, this is not something you would want to happen. Constricted blood vessels could trigger a stroke.
  • If you have a fever or you are overheated, your instinct may tell you to take a cold shower. That would not be the best idea. When the body runs hot, it needs blood vessels to dilate, so it can release heat. Cold water has the opposite effect. Stick to showers and baths of normal temperature when you have fever.

Bringing It All Together

So, are there cold shower benefits? Yes, there are many. They can boost your health and assist with a wide range of health conditions. You can improve conditions ranging from poor circulation to muscle fatigue and inflammation.

Keep in mind, as with any other treatment, go slow and ease into it. Also, check with your doctor before starting with cold showers. Not every health condition mixes well this technique. Some can actually get worse and you could cause yourself harm.

 

References:

https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-shower-benefits
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4049052/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/12-benefits-of-taking-cold-showers-every-day/ar-BBUq4zD
https://www.runtastic.com/blog/en/cold-shower-benefits/

Health

Treat Your Stomach Right – Learn How to Make Diarrhea Stop

Written By: Arch
Arch

Diarrhea is a common affliction resulting from of a variety of causes and problems. Although this condition in general passes quickly, in some people it can be chronic. Although the chronic cases are manageable, they aren’t curable and require constant awareness of what you eat, drink, and consume. Of course, treating your stomach right is one of the pillars of general health, so chronic diarrhea or not, you should always take care.

The Symptoms

Knowing the exact symptoms of your condition is very important. In order to learn how to make diarrhea stop, you need to know what’s going on inside your body, at least approximately. The typical symptoms of regular diarrhea are watery stools, bloating, unpredictable bowel movements, nausea, abdominal pain, cramps, and mucus/blood in the stool. Naturally, you aren’t likely to experience all of these symptoms at once, but each one is a clear sign of diarrhea.

If the symptoms persist for more than a few days, if the abdominal pain becomes unmanageable and more severe, if you experience rectal pain, have bloody or black stools, or experience a fever of more than 102°, you should pay a visit to your doctor. Although diarrhea is a common condition that usually passes within a few days, if the symptoms get worse or persist for longer periods of time, go to your GP, ASAP. You may be looking at something more serious.

Causes

In order to know how to make diarrhea stop in your situation, you should look at the potential causes that might have triggered the condition.

Medicine

If you’ve been using antibiotics recently, they may be to blame for your current condition. Antibiotics don’t selectively kill off bacteria, but neutralize both the good and the bad microorganisms. Some of the bacteria in your intestines are actually good and help your digestion and your gastrointestinal microbiota or gut flora.

Antacids with magnesium and cancer drugs could also cause the underlying condition. However, given the fact that medicine could be a contributory factor, you’re probably going to have to sit your diarrhea out.

Bacteria and Parasites

Consuming contaminated food and water can transmit bacteria. As a result, parasites may enter your body. These microorganisms can easily cause indigestion and diarrhea. However, you shouldn’t just let this pass. Go to your GP if you think that you’ve consumed bad food or water recently.

Viruses

Some viruses can cause diarrhea. These include cytomegalovirus, viral hepatitis, and the Norwalk virus. In children, rotavirus may cause acute diarrhea. Visit your physician if you suspect a viral infection. These are typically followed by increased body temperature.

Lactose Intolerance

Some people have difficulty digesting lactose, a sugar commonly found in dairy products. Owing to the fact that the enzymes you had as a child tend to drop in number as you age, you may become increasingly intolerant to lactose. In order to stop lactose-induced diarrhea, stop consuming dairy products and see if this helps.

Artificial Sweeteners and Fructose

Some people have trouble digesting fructose properly, which may lead to diarrhea. This sugar, found in honey and fruit, is used as a sweetener in juices and similar beverages. Avoid consuming fructose to see if it will make your diarrhea stop.

Alternatively, artificial sweeteners may also cause diarrhea. These are mainly mannitol and sorbitol, so try to avoid consuming them and see how your body reacts.

Treatment

In addition to cutting out certain foods and beverages that may have caused your diarrhea, there is a variety of things that you can do to speed up your healing process and protect your gut flora. All of these solutions depend on the underlying cause of your diarrhea, so it is recommended that you always visit your GP before taking the matter into your own hands.

Antibiotics

If you’re certain that your diarrhea is caused by parasites or bacteria, go with the antibiotic treatment. Keep in mind, however, that antibiotics may cause diarrhea by killing off the good bacteria in your GI tract. Additionally, antibiotics won’t help against viruses and will only make your diarrhea worse. If diarrhea is a result of a virus, there is no quick cure. You need to follow the instructions below.

Replenishing Fluids

The common issue with diarrhea is that you’ll get dehydrated quickly. This is because your stool is overly watery. Your physician will likely order you to drink lots of fluids, in the form of water, juices, soup, broth, avoiding more concrete, hard-to-digest foods, such as red meat, spicy food, etc.

However, although water will replace your fluids, it doesn’t contain electrolytes and salts (potassium and sodium, for instance). Nonetheless, these are vital for your bodily functions, so make sure that you drink fruit juices and soups to replenish these minerals. That said, water should still be your main focus.

Eating Dry, Hard Foods

Soups and broths should be the pillar of your diet while you have diarrhea. However, you will need to ingest some harder foods, in order to make your diarrhea stop. Toasted bread should help, along with boiled potatoes. Avoid spicy and exotic foods and if you have to eat meat, go with white meat like chicken, and avoid red meat.

Additionally, avoid acidic foods and spices, such as tomato ketchup, vinegar, etc. Greasy foods aren’t recommended either. Keep things as dry and simple as possible.

Adjust Your Meds

Check your medication packaging for potential side-effects. If you think that the medications are the cause of your diarrhea, visit your GP and have them prescribe you an alternative, if possible.

Treating the Conditions

If you are diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or any other similar condition that affects digestion, consult with your doctor to cure or, at least, manage it.

Treating Your Bowels Right

Even if you don’t happen to be experiencing diarrhea or irregular bowel movements, you should pay attention to what works for your own body. Don’t consume foods that irritate your stomach. If you do happen to experience diarrhea, make sure you visit your doctor’s office and take heed of their advice. Your diarrhea is probably caused by something simple and relatively harmless, but you should always get checked out because things may be more serious.

 

References:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diarrhea/symptoms-causes/syc-20352241
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diarrhea/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352246
https://www.iffgd.org/lower-gi-disorders/diarrhea/nutrition-strategies.html

Health

What Is the Best Alcoholic Beverage for a Low-Carb Diet?

Written By: Arch
Arch

Losing weight is a difficult process. It may not seem so from a thin person’s perspective, but if you’ve ever tried shedding the pounds, you know just how hard it can be. It’s about dedication, focus, persistence, and saying no to some foods and beverages that you love. Make no mistake, alcoholic beverages aren’t diet-friendly. Not only are they high in calories, but they include a lot of carbs that will negatively impact on your low-carb diet.

So, what’s the best alcoholic beverage for a low-carb diet?

Keto Diet

Let’s assume that you are on the ketogenic diet, or at least some version of it. Whichever the case, your diet is all about taking low carb levels with your food. The keto diet essentially consists of having your body metabolize fats instead of carbohydrates. So, how does alcohol fit in here? Well, to be frank, poorly.

The ketogenic diet is all about ketosis – your body’s metabolic state when it’s metabolizing fatty acids or ethanol at a very high rate, which is the general idea behind every keto diet. But how does alcohol affect this? Well, while ketosis is all about metabolizing ethanol, it’s not this alcohol ingredient that’s the real problem here. Most alcoholic beverages are packed with carbs, which are exactly what your body uses as fuel.

Unlike glycogen, though, once the carbs are burned off, your body will switch back to the process of ketosis immediately. Bear in mind, however, that this slows down the fat burning process, so you might want to abstain from alcohol for at least the first ten days of a keto diet. This is known as the “induction phase” and it’s essential that you don’t “fall off the wagon” here, but let your body adapt to the new diet.

Paleo Diet

Like any keto diet, paleo diets also rely on low-carb intake. A paleo diet is much looser and more relaxed, however. It begins with you ‘fasting’ for a few weeks, lightly grazing on fruits and nuts during the day and eating as much as you’d like and whatever you want for your evening meal. During this period, it is essential that you avoid consuming alcoholic beverages, not because they tend to contain high carb levels, but because they may reduce your willpower and encourage you break the ‘rules’.

After you’ve gotten used to your new paleo diet, you let your stomach guide you. Or, that’s the general idea behind it, at least. If you crave alcoholic beverages or simply want to have fun with your friends, there is no one stopping you. Keep in mind, though, alcohol will slow the weight-loss process down.

Any Other Diet

Whether you’re undertaking a low-carb diet, a smaller meal diet, or any other diet, for that matter, alcohol won’t help you in the process. However, giving up on alcoholic beverages completely may not be for you, so let’s see what’s the best form of low-carb alcohol. .

Beverages to Avoid

Well, first of all, if you want to avoid carbs, say goodbye to regular beer. Whilst the favorite beverage of many, it is widely-known that beer makes you fat, so it’s definitely a thing to avoid while on a diet. A 12-ounce can of regular beer contains as much as 12 grams of carbohydrates, which is a lot.

But if you thought that beer was bad, just take a look at Sangria. Yes, it is very sweet. Yes, it can get you tipsy quickly. But surely it doesn’t contain more carbs than beer, right? Wrong! Sangria contains as much as 27 grams of carbohydrates per cup (240ml). This is much more than found in a 12-ounce can of beer!

Cocktails, in general, especially the Cosmopolitan and Piña colada, are rich in carbs, so try avoiding them if you are trying to lower your carbohydrate intake. The same can be said of a Bloody Mary, Margarita, and Whiskey sour.

Avoid all of these beverages while you’re on your low-carb diet.

Passable Beverages

Once again, alcohol intake is advised against while you’re on a diet. However, certain beverages contain low-carb content, while others contain no carbohydrates whatsoever.

Let’s start off with beer. While the regular beer may not be ideal for your diet, light beer contains about 3-6 grams of carbohydrates per a 12-ounce can. This is a very low carb content that you wouldn’t expect from beer. In fact, light beer contains far fewer carbs than most red and white wines, which is definitely something to consider.

Speaking of wine, both red and white wine varieties contain a ballpark figure of around 3-4 grams of carbohydrates per 5-oz serving. This isn’t a lot, but if you are more of a beer person, go with light beer before any wine type, especially Sangria.

Now, as for the alcoholic beverages without carbohydrates, there are only a few. On the best alcohol low-carb list, we have five beverages that contain the same carbohydrate content: zero. These include whiskey, tequila, gin, vodka, and rum. Once again, the fact that these beverages don’t contain carbohydrates doesn’t mean that they won’t slow down the weight-loss process.

So, there you have it, alcoholic beverages with low-carb values.

Myths about Alcohol and Carbs

There are many myths associated with things surrounding diets. Here are some of the most common ones:

  • 0% alcohol beers contain fewer carbs – This is absolutely false. As a matter of fact, non-alcohol beers contain even more carbs than regular beer. In some cases, twice the amount.
  • The liver metabolizes alcohol into sugar – This is also untrue. In fact, people tend to experience lower blood sugar levels while consuming alcohol. The liver breaks down alcohol into acetate which is released as carbon dioxide and water.
  • Wines are carb-free – No, wines definitely contain carbohydrates. In fact, some wines contain twice as many carbs as light beer.
  • High GIs in alcoholic beverages – Again, no. GI, or glycemic index, of wine, beer, as well as distilled products is zero. This is important if you are on a diet (or practicing a lifestyle) that pertains to monitoring the GI of the food and beverages that you consume. Relax, you can still enjoy a drink or two.

Alcoholic Beverages and Diets

If you’re looking for a low-carb beverage, most spirits offer zero carbs. If you are a fan of beer, a light beer or two won’t hurt you. As for the wine lovers, you can enjoy a healthy glass, just try and avoid Sangria. However, this doesn’t mean that alcoholic beverages with zero carbs and low-carb levels compliment weight-loss. You are best off at least lowering your alcohol intake, if you’re wondering what’s best for your diet, low-carb or otherwise.

 

References:

http://www.theketogenicdiet.org/keto-diet-and-alcohol/
https://www.alcoholproblemsandsolutions.org/HealthIssues/1110385823.html
https://beyondtype1.org/how-much-alcohol-what-type/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketosis

 

Health

Why Do People Get Skin Tags: A Generally Harmless Nuisance

Written By: Arch
Arch

If you have small growths on your skin that seem to have appeared out of nowhere, you may have skin tags. This dermatological condition isn’t really an issue, in general, more an inconvenience that usually appears in multiple areas of the skin. Skin tags aren’t dangerous and rarely cause complications. None the less, they may cause discomfort, may hurt when accidentally scratched, may become irritated, and are widely considered unattractive.

What Do They Look Like?

First and foremost, it is important to know whether or not you have skin tags in the first place. They are easy to distinguish and can often be self-diagnosed. It is also important to note that self-diagnosis is never the answer or a good idea. It is much better to visit your GP than discover that you’ve had warts all this time, months later.

So, how do you know that you have skin tags? Well, skin tags are small, skin-colored (may be darker) growths, ranging in size from a few millimeters wide, up to as much as two inches.

Skin tags may look like warts in certain instances but are usually knobbly (they tend to hang off the skin, unlike warts, which are either raised or flat). Skin tags also tend to be soft and smooth to the touch (unlike warts, which are generally rough). Finally, skin tags, unlike warts, aren’t contagious. In contrast, warts are spread easily, even if papillomas may be etiological by origin, they aren’t contagious.

Where Are They Found?

Skin tags are frequently found on patients’ armpits, necks, the general groin area, as well as under the breasts. In certain instances, they can be found in the folds under the buttocks and on eyelids. As a rule of thumb, skin tags tend to appear on skin folds.

Factors and Causes

Known in medicine as Acrochorda or papillomas, skin tags are extremely common in humans. In fact, it’s estimated that at least 50% of the population will develop skin tags at a certain point in life. So, what are they, exactly and why do people get skin tags?

Well, skin tags are small cutaneous lesions that aren’t congenital (meaning present at birth). However, young children, as well as toddlers have been known to develop skin tags, most commonly in underarm and neck areas. Nonetheless, skin tags generally occur during adulthood and throughout middle age.

Obesity

These skin lesions are often found in overweight and obese people. In these cases, papillomas tend to appear around areas that are frequently exposed to friction. As is the case with non-obese patients, the popular area of this affliction is the underarm area.

In obese patients, however, skin tags tend to appear around the chin, the neck, even near the chest and stomach area. As mentioned, these lesions are predominant near skin folds, more typical in overweight people.

Pregnancy

Papillomas aren’t uncommon in pregnant women, either. As is the case with obese people, the new skin folds that develop during pregnancies are often exposed to friction, which may lead to skin tags. In pregnant women, however, papillomas have been known to appear owing to elevated hormone levels, a well-known consequence that occurs throughout the gestation period.

Insulin and Blood Glucose

Although it has yet to be discovered why this is the case, skin tags are a common occurrence when there are increased levels of insulin and glucose present. In fact, papillomas are used as markers for persons who are tested for Type-2 diabetes mellitus. As mentioned above, despite the clear correlation between insulin/blood glucose levels and skin tags, there is no obvious reason apparent.

Virus

According to some research, Human Papilloma Viruses 6 and 11 were found in skin tags. These viruses are of low risk, meaning that they aren’t dangerous, but this does support the claim that the skin tags may be etiological in origin.

Genetics

Some studies have found evidence that suggests that skin tags may be genetic in nature. That is to say, that some people may be more genetically susceptible to develop papillomas  than others.

Yet neither of these studies have proved conclusive thus far.

Although there are many proposals as to why these small skin lesions tend to appear, they most likely result from a majority of the mentioned factors. Chances are that there is a correlation between the above-mentioned causes. These factors cause the skin to behave in a certain manner, therefore resulting in skin tags.

When Do They Become Problematic?

By default, skin tags do not cause any discomfort or pain and are harmless. However, they are very unappealing aesthetically and may cause mental anguish, especially if the affected area is apparent and sizeable. Additionally, if they appear in areas of the skin that are frequently exposed to jewelry and the like, skin tags may bleed, which is never a good thing.

Unfortunately, papilloma removal is considered cosmetic surgery, meaning that you are probably going to have to pay for the removal procedure yourself. This type of surgery is most likely not covered by the NHS, unless it is proven that papillomas are causing harm to your mental or physical health.

Do Not Remove Papillomas by Yourself

In some cases, skin tags may fall off on their own. This is usually the result of a lack of blood supply distributed to the tissue. However, under no circumstances should you try to remove skin tags by yourself. In addition to being a very painful experience, you could cause unnecessary complications that may become more serious.

Similarly to wart removal, papillomas are burnt or frozen off. In some instances, especially in cases of larger tags, surgical procedures are performed using local anesthetic.

Burning or freezing papillomas off may cause skin discoloration and irritation. In fact, the skin tag may not end up falling off at all, which means extended treatment. On the other hand, removing these lesions surgically has the benefit of removing the skin tag completely, with a risk of only minor bleeding.

Skin Tags

So, why do people get skin tags? Well, there is a variety of reasons and no 100% conclusive answer. Skin tags are most likely a skin reaction to certain afflictions and diseases, but can be associated with genetic predispositions, and may even be etiological in nature. Whatever the case, don’t try to get rid of them by yourself and be sure to consult with your GP before doing anything rash.

 

References:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/skin-tags/
https://www.aocd.org/page/SkinTags
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/67317.php
http://www.ijdvl.com/article.asp?issn=0378-6323;year=2008;volume=74;issue=3;spage=222;epage=225;aulast=Gupta

Best Low-Carb Vegetables

Written By: Arch
Arch

Staying fit and healthy is a challenge for many people living a fast-paced modern lifestyle. Eating fast-food and other unhealthy snacks rich in carbs will result in weight gain and eventually, other health-related problems.

However, if you cut down on your carb intake and take care of your diet, you will stay lean and healthy. Switch from potato chips and KFC chicken to low-carb veggies, and balance your food to your needs. Eating vegetables is always a good idea. Here are some low-carb veggies you should add to your diet.

1. Broccoli

Broccoli is one of those veggies that can fill your stomach without a lot of carbs and fats. In fact, it takes more calories to digest broccoli than it does to eat it. Many people don’t like how broccoli tastes, but it’s not that bad once you get used to it.

Broccoli is very healthy, and it can decrease the resistance to insulin for Type-2 diabetics. It’s also used in many healthy diets because it’s known to protect against various cancers.

One cup of broccoli has only six grams of carbs, and is very rich in vitamins K and C. No wonder many nutritionists call it a super-food. It’s definitely one of the best low carb vegetables you should consider eating more often.

2. Bell Peppers

Better known as sweet peppers, bell peppers are very rich in antioxidants. Eating these peppers regularly can help decrease cancer risk, reduce inflammation, and protects good cholesterol from oxidation. They come in different colors, but the green ones have the lowest carbs. A cup of chopped red pepper has only 9 grams of carbs, but it has over 90% of your daily vitamin A and 320% RDI for vitamin C. Therefore, it’s one of the best components of any low-carb diet.

3. Celery

If you’ve ever tried eating celery, you’ll know that it has a strong flavor and a crunchy texture. It’s also very low on carbs. One 100-gram cup has only 3 grams of carbs. Celery is packed with an antioxidant called luteolin that’s used for treating and preventing cancer. It’s perfect for cooking vegetable soups because of its flavor.

4. Lettuce

Everyone likes lettuce. It’s a standard element in sandwiches, hamburgers, and other fast-foods because it’s abundant in vitamins A, C, and K. Lettuce comes in many different shapes and sizes, and it’s one of the best sources of vitamins. It also has a high level of folate that has positive effects on the heart, reducing the risk of many different diseases.

5. Mushrooms

Even though mushrooms feel meaty and substantial, they have almost no carbs. A cup of raw mushrooms has only 2 grams of carbs, which is one of the lowest carb levels of all vegetables. Studies have proved that eating mushrooms regularly improves the levels of antioxidants in the blood and reduces inflammation. Mushrooms are not vegetables, but you can find them on any list of the best low carb vegetables available. Their unique flavor makes them suitable for all kinds of dishes. They are also rich in vitamin D.

6. Spinach

Even Popeye eats a lot of spinach to stay healthy and strong. Spinach is a leafy vegetable that deserves more credit than it gets. It’s a vegetable that provides a few significant health benefits that shouldn’t be ignored. Firstly, it’s got the ability to reduce DNA damage. Secondly, it’s good for the heart and the eyes. It works against the formation of cataracts as well as macular degeneration.

But that’s’ not all. Spinach is very rich in crucial minerals and vitamins. A single cup of spinach will provide you with over ten times more vitamin K than your daily needs. It has the lowest amount of carbs when raw, and only 7 grams of carbs per cup when cooked.

7. Zucchini

Zucchini looks like a big soft cucumber, and it’s very low on carbs. It’s used in kitchens all over the world because it tastes nice and is also rich in vitamin C. The green summer squash can be used for sweet and savory recipes alike, and you can use it as a replacement for chips and fries.

8. Cucumber

Cucumbers are full of water, similar to melons, but they are sour instead of sweet. However, cucumbers are a standard element in many summer salads because they are very refreshing and crunchy. One cup of sliced cucumber has 4 grams of carbs, and it’s perfect for reducing swelling and irritated skin. It’s rich in caffeic acid, vitamin C, fiber, magnesium, and potassium. With low levels of selenium, it’s also useful for fighting cancer. Surprisingly enough, cucumbers are also good at battling inflammation and preventing cardiovascular diseases.

9. Green Beans

Even though green beans have a bit more starch than the other veggies on our list, they are still very low on carbs. One cup of green beans has 10 grams of carbs, four of which are fibers. Include them in your regular diet as they are rich in chlorophyll that works against cancer. They also have a dose of carotenoids that keeps your brain working better as you age.

10. Brussel’s Sprouts

Brussel’s sprouts may appear tasteless, but they are, in fact, delicious. However, they tend to give out a strong smell when cooked, which is why many people don’t want to try them. You should chop them in half and cook them in olive oil or roast them in the oven. A single cup of Brussel’s sprouts has only 11 grams of carbs, four of which are fibers. Brussel’s sprouts provide an 80% RDI of vitamin C and 140% of vitamin K. Eating them regularly may reduce the risk of many types of cancer.

The Bottom Line

These are only some of the best low carb vegetables; you can eat them to stay healthy and reduce your body weight. You can expand your diet with other veggies, including artichokes, cabbage, eggplant, onions, radishes, kale, and so on. All of these vegetables are rich in vitamins and low in carbs and sugars. Changing your diet is the first step to a happier and healthier life.

 

References:

https://asweetlife.org/the-12-best-low-carb-vegetables/
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/low_carb_vegetables_are_good_for_everybody_especially_those_needing_to_coun

Health

Average Height for a Man

Written By: Arch
Arch

The average height for a man has been changing throughout the centuries. It has, in fact, been slowly increasing for the past four-hundred years. There are many different factors that affect height, including race, genetics, nationality, child nutrition, and so on.

The current global average height for men is 5 foot 10 inches or 178 cm. Men in America are a little below the global average, measuring 5 feet 9 inches or 175.4 centimeters. There’s no doubt that men are getting taller every year, so let’s take a closer look at the facts.

The Height of Men Throughout History

Even though the average height for men keeps changing all the time, the US only started collecting data efficiently in the 1950s. Since then, men have grown a few inches, a trend which is still visible. The average height has increased by an inch in the last sixty or seventy years, which is quite a lot.

For example, the average height for men in the early Pilgrim colonies in Massachusetts in 1620s was 66 inches. Compared to today’s 69.3 inches – a more than evident difference. The average man is more than 3 inches higher after just four-hundred years. However, that doesn’t mean that an average man will be 72.5 inches tall in another four-hundred years! Many factors have to be taken into consideration, but the chances are that men will get even taller than they are today.

Written records date back only a few hundred years, but we can measure the average height all the way back to the Mesolithic era. After digging up and examining male skeletons from a few thousand years ago, the average height was about 168 centimeters or 5 feet 5 inches. That means that the average height increased by 4 inches in the past ten millennia.

The most significant spike in the average height for a man has taken place in the last three-hundred years. That has a lot to do with nutrition and advances in medicine and healthcare. Most experts on the subject think that we have reached our maximum height and that there won’t be many changes in the following decades.

Factors that Determine the Average Height for Men

It’s clear that the average height for a man keeps increasing throughout the centuries, but why? The trend is caused by a few factors that allow men to grow taller than ever before. The main factor being genetics, but other conditions like diseases, nutrition, and geographic location also play a role. Here is a list of factors to consider:

Low Weight at Birth

Babies weighing less than the average upon birth have increased chances of growing shorter than the average. Of course, that’s not always the case, but lower birth rate than normal indicates that the baby doesn’t have the genes to grow very tall.

Premature Birth

All premature babies are born of lower height and weight than normal babies. It’s a known fact that they rarely grow to average height later in life.

Nutrition

One of the main reasons why men keep getting taller is nutrition. The modern way of life teaches us a lot about healthy nutrition. Boys that intake plenty of vitamins, minerals, and calcium have better chances of growing taller than those with a poor diet. If a boy gets everything his body needs to grow taller in his teen years, he will most likely grow taller than the average.

Hormones

It’s no secret that hormones have a significant effect on growing. If a young adult has a hormone imbalance, the chances are he will be shorter than a balanced male. However, some medical conditions like gigantism produce more growth hormone, leading to heights that are much higher than the average. Sadly, those conditions come with many other negative factors as well.

Geography and Ethnicity

The location you are born in and your ethnicity has a lot to do with height. That’s why the tallest people in the world come from Europe, while the shortest live in Southeast Asia.

The Global Average Height for Men

The Global average height for a man is 171 cm or 5 foot 7.5 inches. However, the number is very different in some parts of the world. For example, men from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Nederland average slightly over 6 feet tall. On the other hand, men from Southeast Asia average at only 5 feet 4 inches or less. That’s quite a difference between the two parts of the world.

Average Height Based on Age

If we track the average height for men based on their age, we will see a drastic increase in the past fifty years. Men who are between 65 and 75 years of age are two or three inches shorter than young men ages 18 to 24. That fact correlates to advances in science, nutrition, and healthcare which has seen the biggest improvements in the last fifty years or so. The drastic increase in height has since slowed down a bit, but it’s still on the rise as the years go by.

Average Height for Boys

We’ve already stated that genetics play a major role when it comes to height, but it’s not the only one. Tall parents don’t always get tall children or vice versa. Some boys develop faster than others, and that leads to an above-average height when they grow up. No one can really predict how tall a boy will get in the future, but there are some general guidelines based on age.

  • Boys between 2 and 9 years of age are 34 inches tall on average. They can grow up to 50 inches tall by the end of year 9.
  • Boys ranging between 10 and 14 years usually grow anywhere between 55 and 65 inches.
  • During the teen years, boys who are between 15 and 18 years of age can grow up to 70 inches and keep growing until they are 25.

The Bottom Line

The average height for a man is very different in some parts of the world. There are many factors that impact height during the development period, but the overall result shows that men are getting taller. We can’t do much about our height, but if you’re not happy with your overall height, get a pair of height increasing shoes to boost your confidence.

 

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Average_human_height_by_country
https://halls.md/average-height-men-height-weight/
https://ourworldindata.org/human-height
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr122-508.pdf

 

Health

What Is a Pathogen? – Types of Infections and How to Prevent Them

Written By: Arch
Arch

Pathogens are organisms (microbes) that cause diseases. There are many microbes in every living organism, but they are not automatically pathogens. They can affect you if your immune system is weak, or microbes invade a vulnerable part of your body.

All living things are affected by pathogens. Even bacteria are affected by viruses called phages. They can be transmitted in many ways – through air, touch, bodily fluids (blood, sexual intercourse, feces, orally).

To find out more about what is a pathogen?, which types of pathogens exist, and how to prevent them – read this article.

Types of Pathogens

There are an astonishing number of pathogens in the world. However, just a tiny number of them affect humans. For example, a liter of seawater has 10 billion bacteria and more than 100 billion viruses. But only one in a billion of these microbes is a human pathogen.

About 1,400 human pathogens have been found and described. Although classifiable in several small groups, there are four major types of pathogens: viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

Viruses

Viruses are made up of pieces of RNK and DNK and coated with protein. They need a living host to multiply and grow. The living host can be anything from bacteria to the human body.

The virus will infiltrate the living organism and occupy a cell. From there the virus replicates and spreads to other cells, killing the infected cell in the process.

There are instances in which viruses remain dormant for a period of time, which causes an infected person to appear healthy and recovered, only for them to get sick again.

Viruses can be mild, seasonal illnesses like cold or stomach flu. However, they can be much severe and even fatal, especially if not treated in time. The most dangerous common viruses include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C.

Bacteria

Bacteria are one-cell organisms that are not always dangerous to other living things. They come in a wide range of shapes and sizes (rods, spheres, spirals), and can thrive in almost any environment. In fact, you have almost 30 trillion bacteria in your body at any time – the majority of them in the gut.

As not all bacteria cause diseases, they are not all pathogens. The dangerous forms are called pathogen bacteria and they usually become harmful when your body is already infected by a virus. Viral infections weaken your immune system and turn harmless bacteria into pathogenic bacteria.

Some examples of bacterial infections are meningitis, strep throat, or food poisoning. You treat these infections with antibiotics, though some bacteria become resistant to antibiotics over time. This makes them harder to treat and happens either due to evolution or extensive use of antibiotics.

Fungi

Fungi are much larger than bacteria and viruses and can be found almost anywhere around you. They grow indoors, outdoors, even on human skin. They thrive in wetter surroundings, and if they grow big enough can cause infections.

There are more than a million known fungi in the world, but only about 300 can be pathogenic. Their cells are thicker due to the cell wall and membrane that protects its components. Because of that, they are much harder to kill than bacteria or viruses.

Mushrooms, yeast, and mold are all types of fungi that can harm the human body. Some of the fungal infections include histoplasmosis, ringworm, and vaginal yeast infections. In recent years, new strains of fungal pathogens appeared, such as Candida auris. They are believed to be much more dangerous than previous infections.

Parasites

Parasites are usually the largest of all pathogens. They are tiny animals that infiltrate another living organism and feed at the expense of its host. Over time, the host will become ill. In some extreme cases, this can even be fatal.

Parasitic pathogens are most common in the subtropical and tropical areas, but they can, in fact, occur anywhere. The usual parasitic infections are tapeworm (affects the digestive tract), protozoa (a single-cell organism that reproduces inside the host), ticks (causing Lyme disease), helminths (worms), plasmodium, and ectoparasites (larger organisms that live on your skin).

You can get infected by a parasitic pathogen in many different ways. If the water or food is contaminated, the parasite can infiltrate your body. The same goes for contaminated blood or soil. There’s also a chance to catch a parasite through sexual intercourse, or through insect bites.

How to Protect Against Pathogens

Now that you know what a pathogen is, the question remains – how to prevent the infection? Some of the methods to avoid infections are well-known. Here they are:

  • Get vaccinated.
  • Wash your hands whenever you can, especially before meals.
  • Avoid sharing items for personal hygiene with others, especially a toothbrush or razor.
  • Prepare and cook your food well to prevent parasitic infection. Also, make sure to always store sensitive food (meat, eggs, etc.) properly.
  • If you’re feeling unwell, stay at home. Don’t go outside if you have a flu – vomiting, diarrhea, fever, etc.
  • Protect your skin from insects and insect bites.
  • Always have safe sex.
  • Don’t share glasses, cups, or kitchen utensils.
  • When you travel, especially cross-continent, learn about health risks and potential prevention. Some tropical countries require you to get vaccinated before you enter.

Modern medicine has a wide range of methods to fight pathogens, whether viruses and bacteria, or fungi and parasites.

Your body already has various mechanisms to fight off the pathogens on its own. Some of your cells such as antibodies, neutrophils, and leukocytes are specially created for that purpose.

Also, some symptoms of flu or illness are actually a sign that your body is fighting off these harmful microbes. Sneezing, coughing, and fever are all methods that your body uses to remove or kill the pathogens.

A Well-Contained Threat

The increased mobility of people worldwide due to globalization presents medicine with new challenges. Outbreaks of viruses can happen easily and quickly become a severe health threat. Also, infectious diseases are still a major threat, responsible for a quarter of all deaths.

Although pathogens can still be dangerous and severe, the situation seems much more positive than it was a century ago. The pathogens that were fatal for millions of people such as plague, tuberculosis, or smallpox have now almost been completely eradicated. In that respect, there’s a lot to look forward to in the future.

 

References:

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antibiotic-resistance
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5648414/
http://www.iaff.org/HS/Resi/infdis/What_is_a_pathogen.htm

Science

Contraceptive use helps teen pregnancy rate hit record low

Written By: Chuck Bednar
admin

Teenage pregnancy rates are down and birth rates among 15-19 year old females have reached an all-time low in the US, and increased contraceptive use appears to be the reason why, two studies published last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have revealed.

According to Saludmovil, a health and lifestyle news site for bilingual Hispanics, data collected by the CDC from 2011-15 revealed that the teen pregnancy rate fell to 22.5 births per 1,000 teens in 2015, down from 62 births per 1,000 teens in 1991 and a 9% decrease from 2014.

To put those numbers into context, that’s a 67% decrease in teen births in 14 years, CNN noted. Dr. Elise Berlan at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, who was not involved in the research, called it a “phenomenal decline” and said that birth control was likely responsible.

“Data [from previous years]… suggests it is access to contraceptives and use of contraceptives that has really led to these kind of changes,” Dr. Berland said, telling CNN that “most teens are using some form of birth control,” with the condom topping the list. The CDC research appears to support that notion, as it shows that nearly all sexually active teens are use contraceptives.

In fact, the CDC study found that 99.4% of females between aged 15-19 reported that they used some form of contraceptive between 2011-15, up from just 97.7% in 2002 and 80% in 1988, said Saludmovil. The report also found that females were also more likely to use contraceptives when having their first sexual encounter (81% in 2011-2015 versus 74.5% in 2002).

Experts tout progress, but US still trails other developed nations

Furthermore, the research uncovered what Saludmovil calls a “significant” decline in the rate of 15-19-year-old teenagers having sex. In 1988, 60% of males and 51% of females reported having sex. In the latest research, those statistics have dropped to just 44% and 42%, respectively.

National Center for Health Statistics researcher Joyce Abma, co-author of one of the new CDC studies, told Reuters that teen pregnancy rates peaked in 1990 and have fallen by more than 50% since then. Meanwhile, Abma said, sexual activity levels fell sharply until around 2002 and have gradually decline since then, while the use of contraceptives has steadily risen since that time.

Seventy-four percent of female teens said that their first sexual encounter was with someone they had already been romantically involved with, compared to 51% of male teenagers, Reuters noted. Nearly 40% of males and 20% of females said that their first experiences were with someone that they considered “just friends” or were seeing “every once in a while,” while 7% of males and 2% of females said that the first time they had sex was with someone they had just met.

“My take-away message from these trends over the years is that young people are doing a great job at making responsible decisions about their sexual health,” said Nicole Cushman, executive director of the sexual education organization Answer, according to Saludmovil. “I think it really shows that when we equip young people with the knowledge and the skills to protect their sexual health, they’re capable of making decisions best for them.”

Perhaps, but as the reported emphasized, the teenage pregnancy rate is still higher than in other developed countries. In fact, as Saludmovil explained, Canada’s teen pregnancy rate in 2011 was just 13 per 1,000 teens, while France (7 per 1,000 teens) and Germany’s (5 per 1,000 teens) were even lower.

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Image credit: Unsplash

Health

Corn Starch and Gluten Intolerance: Is Corn Starch Gluten-Free?

Written By: Arch
Arch

Is corn starch gluten-free, you may be wondering. If you are a fan of sauces, glazes, gravies, soups, pies, casseroles, and a variety of other desserts, you’ll want to know more about corn starch and gluten.  This ingredient is an essential ingredient in many delicacies, but can everyone consume it safely?

Corn Starch

Corn starch, or maize starch, is a carbohydrate extracted from corn’s endosperm. It resembles regular flour and is an excellent replacement for it. It is often preferred to flour because it is a clearer thickener, meaning that the resulting gel is transparent and not opaque. Another great benefit of corn starch is that it is somewhat flavorless, which is not the case with flour. More importantly, it packs twice the thickening power.

Also, flour is not exactly healthy. Although corn starch is also packed with carbohydrates (even more so than flour), it brings no saturated fat to the table.

In theory, corn starch is made from corn and is a gluten-free product that contains only carbohydrates and no protein. But is this always the case? Sadly, it’s a bit more complicated than that.

Is Every Corn Starch Free?

Is corn starch gluten-free in its natural form? Is all corn starch gluten-free? Not really. Again, corn starch should be a food ingredient that comes from corn and contains nothing but carbohydrates, making it absolutely gluten-free.

The reality, however, is a bit different and corn is not to be blamed here. Corn, by and in itself, is completely gluten-free. Gluten cross-contamination, however, depends on the manufacturers that make corn starch.

Cross-contamination occurs when processing and packaging products. This is particularly problematic for people who are gluten-intolerant, as even the smallest amount of gluten can cause problems with their digestion. The cross-contamination most frequently occurs with companies that make corn starch products in addition to wheat products, such as flour and flour-based foods.

What Brand to Choose?

Many brands claim that their product is gluten-free. In fact, most corn starch brands do. However, it is evident that cross-contamination is very much a thing and that even if you buy a product with “gluten-free” printed on its product box, you still may end up with a trace amount of gluten in the product. So, how to know which brands don’t present a risk of cross-contamination?

The answer is straightforward. Expensive as they are, choose the brands that focus on gluten-free foods.

The good news here is, as mentioned, that corn starch is two times better at thickening liquids than flour, so you may still end up paying less, despite the fact that gluten-free foods are more expensive. Another approach would be to carefully read and examine the cheaper product packages and to google the facility they came out of. If the facility also processes wheat products, it’s a cross-contamination risk. This approach may take some time, however.

Using Corn Starch

Exactly owing to its fantastic thickening power, corn starch is more prone to clumping and forming lumps. This tends to happen when you add it into a hot liquid, as you would with flour. The way to use corn starch as a thickening agent is to mix it with a liquid at room or colder temperatures to form a slurry.

Once the corn starch molecules have had the time to distribute evenly, creating a slurry substance, bring it to a full boil before allowing it to cool. Be careful not to freeze sauces and similar mixtures that you thickened with corn starch. Doing so will cause the mixture to become thin.

Corn Starch Questions

There isn’t a better gluten-free replacement option for flour than corn starch. Corn starch is almost nothing but carbohydrates. It is a great option for people with celiac disease, and many people prefer this ingredient for other reasons too.

Is It Vegan?

Corn starch isn’t made using any form of animal products and it is absolutely vegan. It is actually very popular in the vegan world, as it’s an excellent substitute for eggs. One tablespoon of corn starch and three tablespoons of warm (not hot) water and you get roughly the same substance as an egg. On the other hand, you won’t get the same taste and you won’t get any proteins, either.

Is It Paleo?

The paleo diet is an extremely popular means of losing weight and eating natural foods with the goal of achieving ultimate health. Corn starch, however, isn’t very Paleo. It contains fewer nutrients than regular flour (fewer vitamins, no protein), and flour in itself isn’t Paleo. Corn starch is highly processed and if you are really dedicated to your Paleo diet, it isn’t recommended. However, it is used in very small amounts as a thickener, so many Paleo dieters consume it in spite of it being a processed product.

Is It Bad for You?

We all know that flour isn’t exactly a healthy ingredient, even though it is somewhat nutritious. Being gluten-free and vegan, is corn starch good for you?

While it isn’t really unhealthy per se, but it is a processed starch that contains nothing but carbohydrates and calories. It isn’t at all nutritious. However, using flour as a thickener brings much more calories to the table, as corn starch is used in much smaller amounts to achieve the same thickening goals.

Alternatives

Arrowroot and tapioca flour are excellent alternatives to corn starch. The former contains fewer calories and offers protein, vitamins, and minerals, such as iron, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B and C. Tapioca flour is vegan-friendly and a great thickener. Both are gluten-free, too.

A Gluten-Free Alternative to Flour

Ultimately, corn starch may not be “better” than flour, but it is certainly a different option that helps you achieve similar results in cooking.

Although not all corn starch is gluten-free, it all depends on the manufacturers. In its true form, it is a completely gluten-free product that serves as an ideal replacement for flour. It is also a much more efficient thickener than flour and has some other upsides as well. It’s definitely worth trying.

Health

Do You Get Heel Pain When Walking? Here’s How to Deal with It

Written By: Arch
Arch

The annoying pain that occurs under the heel, behind it, or on the outer and inner foot sides is referred to as heel pain. Many people suffer from heel pain when walking and, although not an incredibly serious affliction, it tends to cause a great deal of frustration and may result in other complications.

Types of Heel Pain

Heel pain may refer to any affliction that happens around the general heel area. As a point of a large amount of weight distribution, the heel is prone to wear and tear over time. This is why every part of the actual heel is at risk of developing health issues.

There are two main recognized types of heel pain, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis. While plantar fasciitis results in painful sensations under the heel, Achilles tendinitis affects the area behind the heel, as well as the inner and outer sides of the heel and foot.

Plantar Fasciitis

This affliction is by far the most common type of heel pain. Although it can be triggered by a variety of causes (from a stress fracture to arthritis), it is important to note that plantar fasciitis always results in the same painful sensation. However, having it properly diagnosed is essential, because the underlying source of the condition is the key to successful treatment.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the band of tissue that extends from the heel to the toes becomes inflamed. It’s the fascia that first becomes irritated and it’s followed by inflammation that results in heel pain.

Causes

Walking in uncomfortable footwear and having a higher body weight are frequent causes here. People with preexisting foot issues, such as flat feet or high-arched feet are particularly prone to developing plantar fasciitis. The condition is also common among people with job descriptions that require long hours standing.

Symptoms

If you experience heel pain when walking, particularly on the bottom of the heel or in the arch of the foot, you should get checked for plantar fasciitis. This pain tends to be worse upon arising from the sedentary position and will likely slowly increase over time. Swelling on the bottom of the heel doesn’t occur in most cases, but when it does, it is a fairly good indicator of plantar fasciitis.

Achilles Tendinitis

Tendinitis is an inflammation or irritation of the tendons (thick fibrous cords that connect the muscle and the bone). Achilles tendinitis is when this issue occurs on the Achilles tendon. Although heel pain when walking likely isn’t a sign of Achilles tendinitis, getting it checked out by a professional is a good idea.

Causes

This ailment is most commonly found in runners and fast walkers, especially if they run/fast walk on concrete. The pain doesn’t tend to occur overnight, but as a result of repetitive/intense strain on the Achilles tendon. Although runners are most prone to this issue, this tendon is used for walking, as well as pushing up on your toes, so these activities may also cause Achilles tendinitis if exercised excessively.

Symptoms

Usually, Achilles tendinitis causes pain that actually begins as a mild ache in the back of your heel or above the heel. You’re especially likely to experience it after running or other sports activities that put a great deal of strain on the Achilles tendon. Prolonged running, sprinting, and stair climbing may result in more severe pain. Achilles tendinitis often causes stiffness and tenderness in the morning, which improves with mild activity.

Treatment

Both types of heel pain are very treatable and aren’t too serious. The most dangerous thing about heel pain is that it may cause other, more complex issues. This is why visiting the doctor if an issue persists is so important. But if the pain is mild, you can try and see if it goes away by resting.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis can vary in the amounts of pain that it causes, but it typically doesn’t require surgery. There are many treatment options, but you should start with these ones before paying a visit to your doctor.

  • You should avoid going barefoot, despite what people may be telling you about this being healthy. Walking without shoes strains and stresses your plantar fascia.
  • Put an icepack on your heel several times per day for, 20 minutes at a time, to reduce inflammation. Of course, in order to protect your skin, put a thin towel between your skin and the ice.
  • Supportive shoes or supportive modifications can help a lot with plantar fasciitis. Orthopedic footwear is recommended.
  • Anti-inflammatory drugs will help reduce inflammation.

If the issues persist after a few weeks, go visit your doctor, who will recommend additional treatment options. If plantar fasciitis doesn’t respond to the outlined nonsurgical treatment, you’ll likely need surgery.

Achilles Tendinitis

Achilles tendinitis is risky because it can severely weaken your tendon, making it more susceptible to damage. This is called a “rupture” and will require surgical intervention. Fortunately, Achilles tendinitis isn’t too much of a stubborn and problematic ailment, and preventing it is easy to do.

  • Take a break with physical activity. Even if you don’t exercise a lot, try resting for a couple of days.
  • Increase the levels of physical activity gradually, after a few days of rest. This will make sure that you avoid causing a reoccurrence of Achilles tendinitis.
  • Wear comfortable shoes. Uncomfortable shoes put too much strain on your foot.
  • Stretch every day. This will not only help with Achilles tendinitis but will make you more limber in general, helping you avoid other strains and injuries.
  • Work on your calf muscles. When your issue is healed, stand on a step with your toes and use your calf muscles to raise your body up and down. This will strengthen your calf muscles and protect your Achilles tendon.

Don’t Strain Yourself

Especially not when experiencing heel pain. It may sound ridiculous, but if you keep on pushing while your heel hurts, you may even end up with your foot in a cast. Increase your workouts gradually, be careful when exercising and walking, and don’t force it. Oh, and stretch regularly.

Health

What a Pain in the Behind – How to Get Rid of Hemorrhoids Fast

Written By: Arch
Arch

Many of us are leading increasingly sedentary lifestyles, eating all sorts of unhealthy foods, or not getting enough exercise. All of these things, and more, can cause hemorrhoids, a painful and unpleasant condition. There are over 1 million new cases per year in the US alone.

If you’re suffering from this distressing health issue, you’re probably wondering how to get rid of hemorrhoids fast. The good news is that with careful treatment, you may be able to treat them yourself at home, and they should be gone within a few days. Even so, there are plenty of ways you can make things easier on yourself until you’ve recovered.

What Are Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are swollen or inflamed blood vessels on the inside or outside of your anus. They are caused by increased pressure on the rectal area. This can be a result of, among other things, being overweight, chronic constipation or diarrhea, anal sex, and the later stages of pregnancy.

External hemorrhoids are the worse of the two, generally. They occur on the outside of your anus, and they are usually painful. They can also cause itching and burning. In some cases, they can bleed, most often when you wipe.

Internal hemorrhoids are a bit trickier to diagnose. They’re on the inside of the anus, though if they are particularly close to the exit or particularly large, they can occasionally bulge out when you go to the toilet. The most common symptom is bright red, fresh blood in either your poo or when you wipe. Generally, they don’t cause much pain.

Should You See a Doctor?

In the majority of cases, hemorrhoids will pass by themselves within two or three days, especially if you treat them carefully. However, it’s never a bad idea to consult your doctor if you start bleeding out of your rectum, especially if it’s never happened before. At the very least, they will be able to put your mind at ease that it’s not one of the other conditions that can cause rectal bleeding, such as anal, colon, or rectal cancer.

If the bright red blood changes to a darker red, if the hemorrhoid is still there after a week, or if your symptoms worsen despite your efforts to treat it yourself, you should definitely talk to your doctor.

Home Remedies for Hemorrhoids

There are various things you can do to help alleviate the pain and itching caused by external hemorrhoids, and to try to get them to go away sooner rather than later.

Keep It Clean

First and foremost, you need to make sure that the hemorrhoid and the area around it are as clean as possible, to prevent irritation and infection. Touching them can be very painful, so make sure you’re being gentle. Wash the affected area with a soft washcloth or a wet wipe, mild soap and warm water. Carefully pat it dry with some extra-soft toilet paper or with a different, clean washcloth.

Soak It in Warm Water

Soaking your hemorrhoid in warm water will relieve some of the pain, and will help it to heal. You can use either your bath at home or a sitz bath, which is designed to fit over the top of a toilet. Fill the bath with a few inches of warm water, and sit in it for around twenty minutes.

There are many things you can put in the water to help the healing process, such as chamomile, Epsom salt, or table salt. Do this after defecation, and if you have the time, a few more times throughout the day. Make sure to gently dry the affected area afterward.

Topical Treatments

There are numerous treatments you can apply to your hemorrhoids to reduce the pain and swelling. The most well known is probably Preparation H, though diaper rash cream, topical painkillers, and creams containing hydrocortisone can all help too. If you want to try a natural remedy, you can apply aloe vera to the hemorrhoid. But if you’re buying it as a gel or cream, make sure that it’s not mixed with other ingredients.

Use Epsom Salt and Glycerin Paste

One of the lesser-known remedies, this paste can help to reduce inflammation and soreness. Simply mix two tablespoons of Epsom salt with two tablespoons of glycerin, and put the resulting paste onto a gauze pad. Apply the pad to your hemorrhoid and leave it there for fifteen to twenty minutes. Reapply every 4-6 hours.

Eat More Fiber, Drink More Water

Increasing your intake of foods that are high in fiber will help to soften your poos and make your digestive system work more efficiently. Leafy green vegetables, nuts, whole grains, as well as supplements containing fiber can all help. But you should add extra fiber to your diet gradually, as too much too quickly can make you gassy and bloated.

Making sure you are properly hydrated is also important for helping to soften your poos, and it will make your life easier in general. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to ensure your body is functioning like it should.

Sit on a Donut Pillow

These specially designed pillows help lessen the pressure on the hemorrhoid, which will reduce the pain and swelling if your job or lifestyle requires you to spend a great deal of time sitting down. If you don’t have a donut pillow at hand, at least make sure where you are sitting is well padded, as hard surfaces can worsen your symptoms. But if possible, take your pillow with you wherever you go until the hemorrhoids recede.

Avoiding the ‘Rhoids

There you have it: our top advice on how to get rid of hemorrhoids fast. They should be gone within a few days, especially if you are keeping the area clean and treating it carefully and gently. Over-the-counter painkillers can also be a boon, especially anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen. But if your symptoms worsen, you should have a chat with your doctor, because it could be a sign of something worse.

 

References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemorrhoids/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20360280
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/piles-haemorrhoids/
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/7-best-and-worst-home-remedies-for-your-hemorrhoids/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/

Health

Classical vs. Operant Conditioning – Learn About Learning

Written By: Arch
Arch

The human mind is a fascinating subject, and it is still not fully understood despite thousands of years of philosophy, research, and experimentation. How we learn is an important field of study, and it can be of use to parents, teachers, employers, and even just normal people trying to make a change in their lives.

In this article, we will be looking at two opposing schools of thought on how this learning process occurs. The dichotomy of classical vs. operant conditioning is going to be our focus, though both are worthy in their own right as psychological theories.

Classical Conditioning

You may have come across classical conditioning already, in the form of the well-known story about its original proponent, Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov. His interest in the concept began when he was studying digestion in dogs. He noticed that when they saw the technician who fed them their meat, they began to drool in anticipation. He realized that it was the sight of their feeder, rather than the food itself, that was making them react.

He put this observation to the test by changing the stimulus that the dogs associated with food. He used a variety of stimuli, such as the sound of a metronome, an electric buzzer, and a harmonium (though not a bell, as commonly believed) shortly before they were given their meal. As Pavlov predicted, the dogs needed only a few repetitions – after that, when they heard the metronome, they would again begin to drool in anticipation of eating.

Pavlov surmised that the dogs’ reaction to these stimuli were caused by what he called a ‘conditional reflex.’ This process of learning by association was then expanded upon by an American named John Watson, who took Pavlov’s ideas a step further by testing them on a young boy called Little Albert. Through the use of shocking loud noises, the 9-month-old infant was trained to be afraid of white rats, when he had displayed no such fear before the experiment.

Examples of Classical Conditioning

  • If you always listen to a certain sad song after breaking up with a partner, then you’ll feel sad in the future whenever you hear that song, no matter how you felt prior to hearing it.
  • Some people smoke a cigarette every time they answer the phone, even if they didn’t want one before it rang.
  • Being afraid of dogs because you were once bitten by one as a child is common too.

Uses of Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning has been used in a number of different behavioral therapies to help people stop performing undesirable actions or behaviors. In aversion therapy, patients are conditioned to associate something unpleasant with a behavior that they want to stop. For example, if someone is constantly biting their nails to the quick, then coating their nails in something that tastes horrible will train them to associate that terrible flavor with the action of nail-biting.

Graduated exposure therapy, also known as systematic desensitization, is another therapeutic use. For example, if a patient has a phobia, they are exposed to something that triggers a minor response. Once this causes less fear due to them becoming more used to it, they are presented with something that causes a higher fear response. This desensitization continues up until they can be faced with the most anxiety-inducing scenario associated with their phobia without a fear response.

Operant Conditioning

The concept of operant conditioning had been around since the turn of the 20th century, thanks to the work of Edward Thorndike. But its inventor is considered to be the American psychologist, B.L. Skinner. Skinner was an admirer of Pavlov’s work, but his theory takes a different view of why behavioral patterns develop.

According to operant conditioning, the likelihood of a behavior occurring more or less often is a result of reinforcement or punishment respectively. Here’s how these two responses to a behavior break down:

  • Positive Reinforcement – When a behavior is inherently rewarding, or if it is externally rewarded in order to make that behavior occur more often. For example, giving a child a present after they get good marks at school, so that they will strive to do so again in the future.
  • Negative Reinforcement – When a behavior results in the removal of something unpleasant. For example, if you have a headache, and take some painkillers, the headache goes away. This will teach you to take painkillers again whenever you have a headache, as it removes that unpleasant condition.
  • (Positive) Punishment – When an undesirable behavior results in something bad happening to the one who committed it, in order to stop the behavior from reoccurring. For example, if a student doesn’t complete their homework, they will have to attend detention.
  • (Negative) Punishment – When an undesirable behavior is responded to by taking away something pleasant. For example, when a parent catches their teenager drinking and punishes them by taking away their PlayStation.

Uses of Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning has been used in education, as well as in the training of animals, for a long time. Rewarding good behavior with a treat, and answering poor behavior with a punishment, is a standard approach for many people, even if they’ve never heard of the psychological term associated with the practice.

It has also led to an increase in understanding of the mechanisms of addiction, for both positive and negative ends. Using drugs is an inherently rewarding action, and it acts as a positive reinforcement of the action. No longer using the drug can then result in withdrawal and cravings, which function as a punishment of that behavior. Taking the drug to alleviate these effects functions as a negative reinforcement of the drug use.

Ring My Bell

Here is the most important thing you should know about classical vs. operant conditioning. Although they’re sometimes treated as opposing theories, these two psychological approaches to human behavior are not at odds with one another. In fact, they can be applied in a complementary fashion depending on what the desired result is.

 

References

https://www.simplypsychology.org/classical-conditioning.html
https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html
https://www.simplypsychology.org/pavlov.html
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/11/24/drool

Classical vs Operant Conditioning


https://study.com/academy/lesson/classical-conditioning-vs-operant-conditioning-differences-and-examples.html

Health

How to Treat Thyroid Problems Naturally

Written By: Arch
Arch

Having problems with the thyroid gland is something many people go through without even knowing it. Medicine can help balance things out, but there are also a few natural methods that help with the issue.

With these methods, there are no side effects, and you may be able to fix the problem without too much hassle. You will have to change some of your habits, but that’s a small price to pay for having a healthy thyroid gland.

Changing Your Diet

According to some researchers, 90% of the people that have thyroid problems suffer from Hashimoto’s disease. This is an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid gland, which leads to an imbalance in hormones. That will manifest through everything you do. You will have low energy all the time, as well as brain fog that will make it hard to think. If you’re experiencing that, changing your diet is the first step to a healthy thyroid gland.

Cut Down on Coffee and Sugar

Start by removing all non-nutritional forms of energy from your diet. That includes sugar, coffee, and energy drinks. They are often responsible for hypothyroidism. You will have to increase the intake of healthy, natural foods, but that’s just the starting point.

Once you learn how to treat thyroid problems naturally, you’ll become healthy in no time.

1. Forget About Carbs

You should do what you can to cut down on or completely eliminate carbohydrates from your diet. Drink tea instead of coffee, but don’t sweeten it with sugar. Flour is also one of the elements you should remove because your body treats it the same way it treats sugar. You should do everything you can to switch to a non-starchy vegetable diet and leave the unhealthy carbs behind you.

2. More Protein Is Better

Proteins are the vessel that transports the thyroid hormone throughout your entire body. By upping your protein intake, your tissues and cells will get more hormones, which will normalize the thyroid function. Focus on eating more nut butter, nuts, eggs, fish, organic meat, and animal products free of biomes and hormones. You should also steer clear from soy products because they can disrupt the hormone balance in your body.

3. You Need to Consume More Good Fats

Thyroid problems are often caused by a low cholesterol level, which is responsible for hormone imbalances in the body. You should do what you can to consume more natural fats. That includes eating more avocados, olive oil, fish, nuts, cheese, yogurt, ghee, flax seeds, and products made from coconut milk. Increase your good cholesterol levels, and the thyroid gland will start working normally.

4. You Need More Vitamins and Nutrients

Hyperthyroidism is often caused by a lack of vitamins and nutrients in the body. This leads to a hormone imbalance that creates other health problems in the long run.

You should get some supplements with vitamins like iron, omega-3 acids, copper, vitamins D, A, and B, selenium, zinc, and iodine. Foods like seafood, Swiss chard, garlic, spinach, and sesame seeds are perfect for improving you iodine intake. Omega-3 acids are found in nuts and fish, and you can take them as supplements as well. Of course, it’s also important to get some sun.

5. Gluten Is Your Enemy

Thyroid tissue has an almost identical molecular composition to gluten, which is why gluten can cause problems. Your body will think that you have plenty of thyroid hormones, so it will cease production, which will lead to other health issues. You should stop consuming gluten at least until your hormone levels are back to normal.

6. Cut Down on Goitrogens

Let’s now focus on the natural foods you should remove from your diet. Goitrogens are found in cauliflower, radishes, peanuts, strawberries, spinach, soybeans, and many other foods. They can make problems for your thyroid hormone production, so you should remove them as much as possible. However, that only goes for raw food. Goitrogens disappear when you cook the food (though you should still minimize the intake of cooked ingredients that have it).

7. More Glutathione Is Good

If you don’t know what glutathione is, it’s a potent antioxidant that boosts your immune system and helps you fight Hashimoto’s disease. It will improve your immune system and make it react less strongly to thyroid production. Foods like raw eggs, squash, broccoli, avocado, asparagus, grapefruit, and others will help your body natural glutathione production.

8. Check Your Gut

Many different factors impact thyroid hormone production, and your gut is one of them. Go to the doctor and check your healthy gut bacteria levels because they affect the thyroid gland profoundly. Drink a lot of yogurt or probiotics to repopulate your healthy gut bacteria and help the thyroid work properly.

9. Get Rid of Stress

Stress often causes adrenal fatigue. In other words, it impacts your adrenal glands in a way where they stop producing hormones normally. That leads a constant feeling of tiredness, and it affects the thyroid gland as well. You can’t achieve a balance without addressing the adrenal gland. Do what you can to get plenty of rest and stick to your new and improved diet program.

10. Try Meditation or Yoga

Sometimes it’s tough to shake the effects that stress has on your life. You can’t just leave your job and change your life overnight. That’s why you should try meditation or yoga to reduce stress levels. The thyroid gland is very reactive to stress, so you must find a way to make yourself feel calmer and more relaxed.

Tread Carefully and Get Healthier

Hypothyroidism is a misbalance of thyroid hormones in the body. You can treat it with medicine, but you can also improve your condition with some natural treatments. If you’ve been wondering how to treat thyroid problems naturally, our list of tips should be more than enough to point you in the right direction. Try sticking to our advice, and you will feel a change in your mood and energy levels in a few weeks. You should also consider talking to a nutritionist or a doctor.

 

References:

https://www.healthline.com/health/hypothyroidism/five-natural-remedies-for-hypothyroidism#2
https://www.medicinenet.com/thyroid-problems-home-remedies-medication-and_cure/article.htm

Space

Have researchers finally found the first-ever exomoon?

Written By: Chuck Bednar
admin

While astronomers have located more than 1,000 verified exoplanets and several thousand other potential candidates, they have yet to find a confirmed exomoon, but now, a new study posted to the arXiv prepublication server could provide evidence of the first such discovery.

According to Engadget and BBC News, Dr. David Kipping, an assistant professor of astronomy at Columbia University, and his colleagues used data from the Kepler Space Telescope to detect signs of what appears to be a Neptune-sized moon located about 4,000 light years from Earth.

Said exomoon was found orbiting a planet about the same size and approximately 10 times more massive than Jupiter in the Kepler-1625 system, and the authors detected its existence when they noticed a decrease in brightness before and/or after the planet passed in front of its host star.

The Kepler Space Telescope, BBC News explained, hunts for planets by looking for changes in brightness that occur when a planet passes in front of its star. In this study, Dr. Kipping’s group looked for dips in starlight that happened before and/or after the planet passed in front of its sun. Such a signal was detected during three of the planet’s transits, the researchers reported.

Ideally, the researchers told the UK news outlet that they would have liked to have detected more signals, as that would have increased the level of confidence that they had indeed located the first ever verified exomoon. “We would merely describe it at this point as something consistent with a moon,” Dr. Kipping said. “But, who knows, it could be something else.”

Follow-up observations needed to confirm the discovery

The researchers plan to further investigate the potential moon with the Hubble Space Telescope in October, and while the object is – in Engadget’s words – “one of the strongest candidates for an exomoon to date,” those follow-up observations will confirm or dismiss the discovery.

Dr. Kipping and his co-authors have assigned a confidence level of four sigma to their signal, which according to BBC News describes how unlikely that it is that an experimental result is due to pure luck. In this case, it’s like flipping a coin and getting 15 straight heads, they explained.

However, the researcher said that this was not the ideal way to evaluate the potential detection. He said that he and his colleagues were “excited about it… statistically, formally, it’s a very high probability. But do we really trust the statistics? That’s something unquantifiable. Until we get the measurements from Hubble, it may as well be 50-50 in my mind.”

So while there is a fairly good chance that this is indeed an exomoon, the researchers are unable to completely rule out that the object is something else completely – at least, not until manage to take a second look at it with Hubble later on this year. Hubble, Phys.org explained, is capable of collecting better data than Kepler, and if the discovery is confirmed, it would make this not only the first ever confirmed exomoon, but also the largest moon ever observed, they noted.

“I’d say it’s the best [candidate] we’ve had. Almost every time we hit a candidate, and it passes our tests, we invent more tests until it finally dies – until it fails one of the tests,” Dr. Kipping told BBC News. “In this case, we’ve applied everything we’ve ever done and it’s passed all of those tests.”

—–

Image credit: NASA/Tim Pyle

Space

Astronomers discover extremely hot, pitch-black exoplanet

Written By: Chuck Bednar
admin

Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered a most unusual exoplanet that absorbs 94% of the visible light given off by its host star, making it seem as if it is pitch-black in color, according to research published last week in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

This unusual world, officially known as WASP-12b, is a “hot Jupiter” – a giant gas planet which orbits very closely to its sun and which is heated to extreme temperatures – NASA explained in a statement. In this case, its day side reaches temperatures of up to 4,600 degrees Fahrenheit.

The reason that WASP-12b can reach such extreme temperatures, Popular Science explained, is because it is just two million miles from its host star, meaning that it can complete a trip around its sun in 1.1 Earth days. Conditions are so hot on the exoplanet that reflective clouds are unable to form, meaning that incoming light penetrates deep into the planet’s atmosphere.

That incoming light is absorbed by hydrogen atoms and converted to heat energy, NASA stated, and this steady conversion of light-to-heat makes the planet appear to be pitch-black to onlookers, the researchers found. To the human eye, the exoplanet appears to be as black as fresh asphalt.

“We did not expect to find such a dark exoplanet. Most hot Jupiters reflect about 40 percent of starlight,” said lead investigator Taylor Bell of McGill University and the Institute for Research on Exoplanets in Montreal. He added that the discovery “further demonstrates the vast diversity among the strange population of hot Jupiters,” some of which can be thousands of degrees cooler than WASP-12b.

Strange exoplanet is tidally locked, has extremely low albedo

Originally discovered in 2008, WASP-12b is an egg-shaped exoplanet that is about twice as big as Jupiter, and because of its close proximity to its sun, it is tidally locked– which, as Space.com explained, means that the same side of the planet (the day side) is always faces its host star.

Despite knowing of the planet’s existence for nearly a decade, though, scientists did not know just how dark WASP-12b was before observing it with the Hubble’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph instrument last October. Those observations revealed that it had a reflectance (or albedo) of no more than 0.064 – much lower than that of Earth (0.37) or the moon (0.12).

nasa funny exoplanet graphic

That’s one way to put it. (Credit: NASA)

The low reflectance means that the planet essentially consumes 94% of the light that it receives from its host star, converting it into heat and allowing it to maintain its scorching temperatures, NASA explained. For the sake of comparison, Bell noted that most hot Jupiters reflect about 40% of the sunlight they receive, making this distant gas giant (located around 1,400 light years from Earth) an oddity – even if it is not the only dark exoplanet of its kind to be discovered.

“There are other hot Jupiters that have been found to be remarkably black, but they are much cooler than WASP-12b,” Bell said, according to Space.com. “For those planets, it is suggested that things like clouds and alkali metals are the reason for the absorption of light, but those don’t work for WASP-12b because it is so incredibly hot.”

“Past observations of hot Jupiters indicate that the temperature difference between the day and night sides of the planet increases with hotter day sides,” he added. “This previous research suggests that more heat is being pumped into the day side of the planet, but the processes, such as winds, that carry the heat to the night side of the planet don’t keep up the pace.”

—–

Image credit: NASA

Health

Yoga Poses for Beginners

Written By: Arch
Arch

Yoga is one of the best ways of maintaining good physical and psychological health. People have practiced it for thousands of years, and it’s still being practiced by many all over the world. In fact, people can do yoga poses when stretching after getting out of bed without even knowing it.

So, if you want to start practicing yoga on your own, stick around, and we will give you some of the most accessible positions that will strengthen your muscles and correct your posture.

1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

The mountain pose is the first position in yoga. It looks like nothing is going on, but it can be quite hard at first. You will look like you’re just standing and waiting for something, but there are numerous muscles involved in this pose.

First of all, your heels have to be touching and firmly on the ground. The muscles in the legs are fully engaged, and all of your bones have to be in line with each other. The shoulders should be directly above the hips, with your shoulder blades in the straight position. The top of your head should also be straight. Remember to breathe correctly while performing the mountain pose.

2. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

One of the most popular yoga poses for beginners is the downward-facing dog. It’s an element found in all yoga practices and it’s an excellent exercise for stretching your entire body. You have to get on all four, so your arms are directly beneath your shoulders. Hunker down with your feet and hands and start moving your hips upwards. As you do that, move your hips closer to your heels.

If you’re not flexible enough, you can keep your knees bent a bit, but if you perform the exercise on a daily basis, you will straighten your hamstrings. As you straighten your legs, move your hands forward if you’re too uncomfortable. When you’re in the upward position, rotate your elbows towards each other. Move your hips front and back to stretch your thighs. Make eight breaths before dropping back down on all fours to rest.

3. Garland Pose (Malasana)

The garland pose starts almost the same as the mountain pose. Stand with your feet together and then move them towards the edges of your yoga mat. Bend your knees to make a squat, but your heels have to stay on the ground. If you can’t do that, place a rolled-up towel or blanket below them.

This position is very natural for children, but we forget about it as we get older and our muscles become less flexible. It’s one of the best exercises for people who spend a great deal of time sitting, as it stretches the hips and back. It’s also very beneficial for people who have to kneel a lot.

4. Raised Arms Pose (Urdhva Hastansana)

The raised arms pose is one of the easiest you can try. You need to stand with your back straight and raise your arms above your head. It starts the same way as the mountain pose, but you have to raise your arms while keeping them straight. It’s suitable for morning stretching, and it requires you to maintain proper alignment.

Keep your heels firmly on the ground and keep your shoulders moving away from your head. Rotate your arms until your fingertips touch above your head. Keep facing forward to look at your hands and stay in that position for two breaths.

5. Plank (Kumbhakasana)

The plank found its way to many modern exercise programs because it’s very beneficial for the entire body. It teaches you how to balance on your hands while strengthening your entire body, especially the core. Learning how to breathe is a critical factor for this position.

You have to drop an all fours and tuck on your toes. Then, lift your entire body so that you’re only standing on your toes and palms. It should look similar to when you do push-ups. Straighten your back and stay in the position for about 10 breaths before dropping down for a break.

6. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

The standing forward bend will be a little challenging to complete at first until you make your lower back muscles and thighs more flexible. The position requires you to make a full front bend from the standing position so that your palms touch the ground. You should keep your knees a little bent at first and try straightening them up after a few sessions. Let your head hang when you bend over. You can keep your feet together or spread them to the width of your hips.

7. Tree Pose (Vriksasana)

This position is the one that pops into mind when you think about yoga. It’s one of the most recognizable poses that teaches you how to balance on one foot and promotes focus and clarity of thought.

From the standing position, place your palms together and lean your right foot on your inner left thigh. Focus your eyes on something in front of you. Gaze for 8 to 10 breaths before switching legs. Relax your shoulders while keeping your core muscles busy. Make sure you’re not leaning while balancing on one foot. It’s one of the easiest yoga poses for beginners.

8. Lunge Pose (Anjaneyasana)

The lunge pose is perfect for straightening your legs and hips. From the standing pose, step with your left leg as far to the front as you can. Bend your right knee and move your body all the way to the front, leaving your right foot in the back. The position is similar to a low start for sprinters. Keep leaning forward until your right thigh is parallel with the ground.

When you stretch one leg, push your body back into the original position without moving your feet. Finally, move your front foot back into a standing pose and repeat the lunge with the right foot. Switch between the two for 10 times.

Become Healthier with These Simple Yoga Exercises

These yoga poses for beginners are ideal for stretching in the morning, and they are straightforward to perform. Of course, it’s always better to join a yoga class to see how every pose is performed correctly, but you can complete these simple exercises by yourself. And if you keep practicing every day, you will feel a significant change in body strength and muscle flexibility. Good luck.

 

References:

https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/10-simple-yoga-poses-that-help-everyone-at-any-age#gid=ci02228525500026fe&pid=01-breathing
https://www.self.com/gallery/must-know-yoga-poses-for-beginners

Science

Incoming Asteroids: Too Fast, Too Dim, Too Late

Written By: Clifton
admin

Incoming asteroids conjure images of the world cracked apart, but that’s not always the case. The world got a shock on June 2nd, 2018, when a small space rock, about six feet long, plunged into Earth’s atmosphere, detonating spectacularly over South Africa. Given that the explosion was several miles above land, no one was ever in any danger. In fact, Catalina Sky Survey, on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona, were the first sky-watchers to see the asteroid. The incoming space rock was very dim, due to its dark coloration and tiny size, just under 7 feet long. It’s incredible scientists were able to detect such a tiny piece of stellar flotsam, but also a bit chilling, given that only hours later it struck the Earth’s atmosphere. That rock did no damage, but will we always get lucky?

The simple answer is no. We won’t.

Asteroid Dangers

An asteroid’s potential for destruction is related to its size, composition, and speed.  Size of the rock is always critical, but in composition, asteroids come in three categories. Type M rocks are composed of metals, mainly iron and some of the platinum group of metals. Type C, the carbonaceous chondrite asteroids, are made up of metal, organic compounds, and water. These asteroids tend to be quite dark on their surfaces. They’re problematic in that their very low reflectivity makes them challenging to detect. Type S the NASA maintains a skywatch program, cataloging near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) 460 feet and above. An asteroid of that size would be disastrous if it stuck near a city, but wouldn’t cause mass extinctions. However, a direct hit on a populated area would cause many deaths. much like a nuclear warhead. An ocean collision would result in giant tsunamis.

Around 1500 feet and up, an asteroid impact would cause regional disaster on the scale of a devastated continent. After 3000 feet and above, we’re talking about an extinction level event. The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs was around 6 miles long.

Slowing Down Doom

In the case of potentially dangerous Earth-crossing asteroids, being forewarned is literally forearmed. The further away from Earth a dangerous body is, the more time scientists have to determine what to do. Without enough lead time, there won’t be anything to do at all if an asteroid or comet is large and has low reflectivity (low albedo).  A positive takeaway is that NASA believes they have all the dangerous near-Earth asteroids mapped out. If that’s so, then our chances of dodging a fatal rock are pretty good. In fact, no known asteroid poses a significant threat of impact for over a century. The catch is “known.”  There’s always the potential for a nasty surprise.

NASA has two plans to stop an asteroid from hitting the Earth. An impactor approach involves striking the asteroid with an object propelled at high speed. The idea isn’t to shatter it but to slow it down. Asteroids move around 12 miles per second, so introducing even a small but incremental slowdown would allow the Earth to sail on unimpeded. The other technique would involve placing an extremely heavy mass in a close, but fixed position near the asteroid to pull it off course enough to miss the Earth. The most important thing we can do is catch a dangerous incoming rock as soon as possible. Neither of these techniques would work with less than several months–or years—of forewarning.

 

Health

Can Men Get a UTI? Learn About the Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Written By: Arch
Arch

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi that are stationed in urethra or bladder. The infection can be painful and frustrating, and sometimes it may spread to other organs and cause even bigger complications.

UTIs are common among women, with around half of women developing this disease throughout their lives. But can men get a UTI, too? Yes, they can, albeit the odds are much lower.

In this article, we will talk about how can men get a UTI and what can they do to prevent it or treat it.

What Is a UTI?

A urinary tract infection happens when bacteria infiltrate the bladder (urinary tract) and then multiply. As a result, the bladder gets red and swollen. If you get infected, you’ll feel burning pain in your pelvic area and while urinating.

Coli bacteria are the main cause of these infections. According to research, 90% of all UTI comes from E. coli. In some rare cases, the culprits could be viruses or fungi.

Women are much more prone to UTIs due to their body structure. It doesn’t take long for bacteria to travel from the pelvic region (where they are stationed) to the bladder (which they infect).

For the same anatomical reason, men are much less likely to catch a UTI. Since the urethra is longer in men, the bacteria will have problems traveling through and will most likely be washed out or destroyed by the immune system.

If not treated properly, the UTI can continue traveling through the body and reach the kidneys. This causes pyelonephritis, which is a serious kidney infection. When infected, the pain spreads from the pelvic region to the back and you are likely to catch a fever.

Can Men Get a UTI?

Only 3% of men around the world get this condition, and even less frequently young men.

But the small percentage of men who do get a UTI will probably endure more complications than women do, as the infection is more likely to spread along to the kidneys, and in some instances, it may even require surgery.

It’s a common misconception that men can only catch a UTI from sexual intercourse with a woman. While a possibility always exists, the main reason for this infection in men is the presence of.

Why Do Men Get a UTI?

Men of older age are much more likely to get UTI than young, healthy men, especially since older men can develop an enlarged (non-cancerous) prostate gland. This condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia.

When the prostate gets bigger, it wraps around the part of the bladder that links with the urethra. This can prevent the free flow of urine and the bladder may not empty out, therefore some bacteria will remain.

Other than benign prostatic hyperplasia, a wide range of other factors can cause this condition:

  • Kidney stones
  • Diabetes
  • Any condition that prevents you from emptying the bladder completely
  • Any condition that makes you urinate involuntarily
  • Being immobile for a long time
  • Not drinking enough water and other liquids
  • Having had a UTI in the past
  • A weak immune system
  • Having anal intercourse, which exposes the urethra to bacteria
  • Having a medical procedure that involves instrumentation of the urinary tract (cystoscopy, tube insertion, etc.)

How to Know If You Have a UTI

In some situations, men won’t feel any symptoms of their UTI in the beginning. But when the symptoms appear for the first time, here’s what you should look out for:

  • A need to urinate as often as possible
  • Burning pain while urinating
  • Can’t start urinating
  • Bloody urine
  • Throbbing pain in the lower abdomen area
  • Urine with a heavy odor
  • A slow stream or leakage

If the UTI gets more complicated, the symptoms are:

  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Back pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting

How to Treat a UTI

Most of the time, UTIs will require a longer treatment and you’ll need to be extremely patient. The purpose of the treatment is to prevent the infection from spreading to the kidneys. Then, the treatment destroys the remaining bacteria in the bladder.

The treatment usually includes antibiotics and medications that will reduce symptoms such as pain in the abdomen and a burning feeling while urinating. Some treatments can last up to six weeks, though sometimes it only takes a few days. If the UTI spreads, the situation gets far more complicated, and surgery might be required.

The following natural methods should benefit you while treating a UTI (in addition to your doctor’s prescription):

  • Cranberry juice: Cranberry contains substances that prevent bacteria from remaining in the urinary tract, washing them out of your body.
  • Drinking liquids: Water is essential while treating this disease. The more water you drink, the more time you’ll have to urinate and wash the bacteria out of the body. Other recommended liquids include herbal teas and juices.

How to Prevent It?

Now that you know that men can get a UTI, here’s the best way to prevent this from happening. Doing these things will significantly reduce the possibility of catching a UTI:

  • Empty the bladder as often as you can and don’t hold it in unless there’s no other option
  • Drink as much liquid as you can
  • Wear condoms during sexual intercourse
  • Clean the genitals before and after intercourse
  • Urinate after sex to remove any bacteria

Small Chance – Big Problems

Men are less likely to develop UTIs but the infection is often more dangerous in men than in women. The bacteria can spread around easily, and the symptoms don’t reveal themselves until it’s in the later stages, so there’s always a risk of the infection taking a more serious form.

However, you can easily prevent this by taking care of your urinary tract, drinking a lot of water, and of course – staying clean. If you take these preventive measures, there is almost no chance that you’ll be in that annual 3% that develop this infection around the world.

 

References:

Click to access uti.pdf


https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cystitis/expert-answers/bladder-infection/faq-20058552
https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/urinary-tract-infection-in-men-a-to-z
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5615991/

Health

What is Body Composition? How to Calculate Mine?

Written By: Arch
Arch

Most people rely on their body weight as the primary indicator of health. However, our weight doesn’t always paint the full picture of how healthy we really are.

In recent years, there has been a rise in obesity among young children and adults. This problem comes with various health issues, which propelled the necessity to understand our bodies better. But it’s not enough to focus only on weight. Instead, we also need to analyze our body composition.

Now, if your next question is – “What is body composition? How to calculate mine?” you’re in the right place. This article will explain it thoroughly.

What Is Your Body Composition?

Although measuring the weight or a body mass index (BMI) is a widespread method, this can’t really tell you if you’re healthy or not. When you want to improve your condition, you’ll want to reduce fat and probably gain some muscle, but weight and BMI don’t make any difference between the two.

How can two people of the same height, age, and even sex have the same weight but very different body shapes and health levels? The answer is that their body composition is different. Assume that one individual is all muscles, while the other has a belly sticking out. Their weight might even out, but one is far healthier than the other.

Body composition is a thorough analysis of what your body is made of. It is the only method that can make a distinction between the fat, muscle, proteins, minerals, and other components of your body and give you a crystal clear picture of your health.

What Is Included In Body Composition

Four major things form body composition – muscle, fat, bone, and water. Besides these, there are a few other factors that you can include. Let’s look at them in detail:

  • Weight: Your overall body mass which consists of all your body parts – bones, organs, water, fat, and muscles. Some factors influence your weight more, such as hormonal functionality, genetics, exercise, lifestyle, etc. You can measure your weight fairly easily using a scale.
  • BMI: Your Body Mass Index divides your weight and your height. Although it’s not a good overall display of health, it can indicate a higher body fat and specific health conditions.
  • Body water: The amount of body water impacts your health in several ways. You measure the amount of water in bones, blood, cells, tissues, and other body parts. You need to maintain the proper amount of water in your body, as it maintains the balance of fluids and keeps the circulation in check. On average, a human being consists 70% out of water.
  • Body fat: Even if many people want to remove the body fat, it’s an essential part of the body and it has its own purpose to serve. The amount of required body fat is different for men and women. Men need around 5% of body fat, while women require from 10% to 13%.
  • Lean mass: The lean mass is your body weight without the fat. World-famous bodybuilders and fitness gurus often keep the focus solely on improving their lean mass and reducing body fat.
  • Muscle mass: This is the weight of your muscles and it’s one of the most important parts of body composition. Muscles are responsible for burning fat and energy, so the higher the muscle mass, the more weight you’ll lose.
  • Bone mass: The bone mass indicates the overall density of the bones in your body. This value is also an important indicator of your health, as low bone density can lead to osteoporosis – ‘fragile bone disease.’
  • Daily intake of calories: If you want to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories. The calories are measured by the food that you consume every day. If you want an accurate body composition analysis, you should keep track of every calorie you take in, even if this can be a consuming task.
  • Visceral fat rating: This is the most essential value of fat as it’s the body fat that wraps most of the major organs. It provides them with adequate protection and makes space between them. But too much visceral fat can cause high blood pressure and the risk of heart attacks.

How to Measure Body Composition?

Measuring body composition consists of various analyses.

  • Skinfold test: This is used to measure the percentage of body fat. The measurer pinches the subcutaneous fat tissue with fingers and measures the thickness with a caliper.
  • Air Displacement Plethysmography: This method measures the volume of the human body. First, you are placed in a pressure chamber. Then the measurer calculates your density, percentage of body fat, and fat-free ratio by looking at the changes in the volume of the air.
  • Hydrostatic Weighing (Archimedes’s method): Another method to calculate the volume, only this time a person is submerged in water.
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Using an MRI is a way to measure skeletal muscle mass and adipose tissue. Measurers can use the adipose tissue value to further calculate visceral fat and subcutaneous depots.
  • Bioelectric Impendence Analysis: The electrodes are placed on a person’s hands and/or feet, and low-level electricity is released through the whole body. The current’s flow is affected by the amount of water in the body. So, it’s the best way to calculate the percentage of water.
  • Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA): This is one of the most accurate methods of calculating body composition. Your body is exposed to two different x-rays and it measures bone density, body fat, and muscle mass for various body parts.

Get a Clear Picture of Your Body

If you have the opportunity, you should seriously consider getting a full body composition analysis. This way, you’ll get a clear picture of your health and a glimpse of your future.

When you know these values, and with proper consultation, you can make some changes in your diet or lifestyle that will positively impact your life and health.

Hopefully, the next time someone asks you “What is body composition? How to measure mine?” –you’ll be able to explain to them the importance of the matter.

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2082845/

Health

How Often Should You Shower to Stay Clean and Healthy

Written By: Arch
Arch

Showering is one of our basic necessities. It ensures the mechanical removal of various bacteria that live on the skin. That being said, not every shower you take cleanses your skin as much as you might think. The cleaning products you use make a great deal of difference, and those with antimicrobial properties remove more bacteria. Regular soaps and body lotions, on the other hand, have less of an impact on hygiene.

But the real question is how often should you shower? Numerous studies have been conducted to find out the answer. However, there’s no number that works for everyone, as not everyone has the same needs. In other words, some people might not need to shower as often as others.

People Who Benefit from Showering Often

Most people simply shower to avoid smelling. Body odor can be extremely unpleasant and embarrassing. Even sleeping in a room that’s too hot can cause you to sweat enough to develop a bad odor. But for those who lead busy, active lives, it can be an even bigger issue.

Hence, many people shower early in the morning. Showering after workouts, runs, after playing various sports, or after commuting with public transportation, is also not uncommon. While washing your hands might be sufficient in some cases, a shower gives you a much more thorough cleaning.

People who lead a more sedentary life and live in relatively cleaner environments may not need to turn on the hot water on a daily basis.

When Is Clean Too Clean?

You’ve probably heard that taking a shower helps keep your skin moist, clean, and healthy, and that is true to some degree. But there is such a thing as being too clean, or taking your hygiene too far. Showering too often and for too long can cause some of the following conditions:

  • Brittle hair
  • Flaky skin
  • Itching
  • Eczema and Psoriasis flare-ups
  • Lower numbers of good bacteria
  • Fewer natural oils on the surface of the skin

The human body has good bacteria both on the inside and on the outside. Some good bacteria are found on the skin. There, they form a barrier against certain infections. Extensive showering doesn’t just shed dead skin cells and some microbes, but also good bacteria.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that not all people shower the same way, and some people get overzealous with their routine. You don’t always have to scrub hard and shower in hot water, or use large amounts of soap and other cleaning solutions. The skin is a sensitive organ, so don’t be too rough with it.

Most Inmates Shower Three Times a Week

You may have heard this before, but not every prisoner gets to shower daily. That being said, prisons are obligated by various laws to ensure minimum hygienic conditions for their prisons.

So in most states, all inmates (including those in solitary confinement) get three showers per week. That’s because this is believed to be the safe minimum number of showers needed to maintain good hygiene in humans.

Some dermatologists and healthcare professionals agree that showering every other day should be enough.

Showering Too Often vs. Not Enough

All things considered, it should go without saying that it’s better to overdo it than not to shower enough. While showering too often may reduce the number of good bacteria and eventually lead to drier skin, the alternative is much more unpleasant.

Not showering often enough may have some negative effects that will be felt quickly. Sweat buildup can be quite dangerous, as it can irritate the skin to such a degree that it leaves it defenseless in the face of bacterial and fungal infections.

Showering Every Other Day

If you do decide to take the fewer weekly showers approach, it doesn’t mean that you should forget about proper hygiene. There are certain areas on your body that you should wash on a daily basis.

Even if you don’t take a full shower, always make sure to wash your hands, face, armpits, feet, and groin area daily. Those areas are more prone towards developing unpleasant odors, causing the ingestion of microbes and bacteria, and developing rashes or infections if treated poorly.

Good Skin Hygiene Practices

Asking yourself how often should you shower is not enough to maintain a healthy skin. Developing good skin hygiene practices is just as important as following an appropriate showering frequency for your body type and lifestyle.

Here are some tips you should keep in mind:

  • Shower with warm water instead of hot water
  • Don’t spend more than 10 minutes in the shower
  • Don’t wash your hair every day
  • Use gentle soaps, lotions, and sponges
  • Spend more time rinsing off products
  • Avoid cleaning agents with too many fragrances and deodorants
  • Moisturize after taking a shower
  • Blot the skin instead of rubbing it with the towel
  • Allow the skin to mostly air-dry when possible

Other Benefits that Come from Showering Less Often

This may not be health-related but it is worth mentioning nonetheless. Showering less often, like every other day or once a day instead of multiple times per day, can save you quite a bit of money in the long run.

You’ll be wasting less water, using fewer products, and you’ll even reduce the risk of having to buy medication for dry skin, skin rashes, irritations, and other conditions.

Showering less often may also help you develop better skin hygiene practices. You might be more mindful of the do’s and don’ts regarding products, water temperature, water consumption, and so on.

It’s Still Subjective

At the end of the day, there’s no right or wrong answer here that will satisfy every individual. That’s just how it is, and not just with hygiene. Humans are unique beings, each one having their own particular needs.

Showering is a must for everyone. However, the frequency at which you should do it needs to be determined based on the many factors mentioned in this article.

 

 References:

https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/how-often-should-you-shower#bathing-tips
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/7/2/70-0225_article

Click to access SPG_aohandbook.pdf


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5025014/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6011066/
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02063867

Health

What Happens When You Stop Eating Sugar and Start Eating Healthy?

Written By: Arch
Arch

There’s not eating sugar at all and then there’s not eating added sugar. You need to make a distinction between the two first, in order to fully understand what exactly will happen to you, when you stop eating sugar.

Sugar is found in many fruits and vegetables, and even in some grains in small amounts. That sugar isn’t usually a problem for most people, certainly not to the degree that added sugar is. Products like sauces, candy, sodas, dressings, and other processed and prepackaged foods contain large amounts of added sugar.

Added Sugar – the Definition of a Bad Habit

Added sugars are what you find in most junk foods. Some accurately describe added sugar as empty calories. They are sugar carbohydrates that are added for extra flavor. Because on a molecular level, added sugars and naturally occurring sugars are identical, the term “added sugar” is used in reference to that extra serving that has no beneficial purpose (if you aren’t counting the appealing taste).

Weight Loss

What happens when you stop eating sugar is a slow but noticeable weight loss process. Why? – Here’s how sugar intake causes weight gain to begin with.

A high sugar intake causes your body to produce extra insulin. When this happens, the cells in your body will absorb more glucose than they usually would. This, in turn, causes the body to store fat for future use.

But that’s not all. While all this is happening, the fructose in sugar is metabolized by the liver and turned into fat. That fat will get secreted into the blood and distributed throughout your body. The cells with excess fat will only become larger.

As a result, your body secrets excess leptin. In time, you’ll likely develop a resistance to leptin. Why is that a bad thing? – Because leptin keeps your eating habits in check by giving you a sensation of fullness when you’ve had enough to eat. Resistance to leptin is one of the main causes of overeating.

You Might Have Less Energy in the Beginning

It’s happened more than once for someone to feel less energetic after quitting added sugars or sugar entirely. However, although you might feel this in the beginning, it’s important to understand that what happens when you stop eating sugar is not something that lasts forever.

When you’re eating a lot of sugar you’re essentially having a high caloric intake diet. Calories are what give you cravings. At the same time, these calories can be processed by your body for energy a lot faster than fat and other sources.

That’s why some sugary treats are good energy boosters in some situations. Now, although you won’t feel as energetic if you go cold turkey, this doesn’t mean that you won’t feel as lively ever again. Your body will just need a short period of time to adjust to processing other natural and healthier fuel sources.

Substitute sugar with Stevia, coconut sugar, or honey. These are natural sweeteners with no links to weight gain. Also, make sure that you’re eating plenty of vegetables, lean meats, healthy fats, and fruits. A healthy diet will give you tons of energy.

Some Good Things Happen in the Long Run

Here’s a perk you didn’t think about. Once you go off sugar, whenever you give yourself a natural energy booster, you won’t feel the drop off as fast as you would when consuming sugar. Therefore, what happens when you stop eating sugar will eventually be the ability to sustain a high energy level for a longer period of time.

Sugar and Sugar Withdrawal

There’s no definitive proof that cutting sugar out of your diet will cause any noticeable withdrawal side effects. Sugar isn’t a narcotic. In fact, sugar doesn’t even have an effect on your eating habits. It’s the calories in the sugar that give you cravings and boost your energy levels quickly, only to have them crash down even faster.

As long as you maintain healthy eating habits after cutting out added sugars, you shouldn’t feel anything remotely like what an alcoholic or a drug addict feels when they quit cold turkey.

Reduced Mouth Acidity

Eating sweets or anything with a high sugar content tends to increase the pH levels in your mouth. As a result, the saliva becomes more acidic. This is a common cause for accelerated tooth decay.

As you start eliminating sugar from your diet, the pH levels in your mouth will begin to stabilize. This means that the saliva will undergo remineralization faster and fight the acids. As a result, tooth decay and plaque formation will slow down. Your gums will also be healthier and less prone to inflammation.

Of course, that’s not enough to maintain a healthy denture. You’ll still need to brush your teeth, use mouthwash, and visit the dentist regularly. But, not eating sugar will still have a major impact, and make your trips to the dentist less costly.

Lowered Triglycerides

Weight gain is tied to an increase in triglycerides. Cutting added sugars from your diet lowers your calorie intake, your body weight, and lowers the triglyceride levels. This can be very beneficial as high triglycerides have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. It can also lower the risk of diabetes.

Ways to Cut Down on Sugar

Obviously one of the fastest ways to cut down on sugar is to stop eating junk food, candy, and stop drinking soda. But there are many more foods that have high sugar content. Things like sports drinks, alcoholic beverages, preprocessed foods, ketchup, mustard, sweet and sour sauces, and many others contain a lot of sugar.

Here are some tips on dealing with the “sugar withdrawal:”

  • Drink more water
  • Use honey or Stevia as sweeteners
  • Eat bigger, healthier meals
  • Exercise more often
  • Increase dietary fiber intake
  • Manage your stress better

Sugar Is Not the Only Sweet Thing out There

Yes, candy, alcohol, cakes, sodas, junk food, and many more delicious treats are partly that appealing because of their high sugar content. While not everyone will be affected in the same way, at least now you know what happens when you stop eating sugar and consequently, those highly “addictive” processed foods.

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5174139/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6234835/
https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/know-your-limit-for-added-sugars.html
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/manage-blood-sugar.html

Health

How to Get Rid of a Sinus Headache

Written By: Arch
Arch

A sinus headache can be excruciating. At worst, your forehead may feel as if it’s being separated from the rest of the head, the teeth get numb, and it might be hard to keep the eyes open. Want to know how to get rid of a sinus headache?

Over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers help, though the pain is sometimes so persistent that you need to consider other treatments as well. Aside from painkillers, there are more than a few medications and traditional remedies that can provide the necessary relief. But first things first, it pays to get acquainted with the sinus headache triggers and symptoms.

What Is a Sinus Headache?

Inflammation of sinus cavities causes the pressure that pushes against the skull and results in pain. In general, inflammation is triggered by allergies or infections. But there are other irritants that may block normal sinus drainage and cause the pressure build-up.

Symptoms

In addition to the pain, a sinus headache comes with several other symptoms. They usually include a runny or congested nose, post-nasal drip, and you might feel pain or numbness in the upper jaw. The nasal discharge might be green or yellow and the pain often worsens when you move the head.

If the inflammation becomes serious, you might even feel fatigue, fever, or chills. But when the pain is the only symptom, a sinus infection is not the likely cause. In this case, you might be having a migraine, rather than a sinus headache.

How to Get Rid of a Sinus Headache – Medical Treatments

There are four types of medications that alleviate the symptoms of sinus headaches. They are OCT painkillers, antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal steroid sprays. Except for nasal steroid sprays and some antihistamines, you don’t need a prescription for these medications.

However, it’s always best to consult with your physician to determine which one would work the best for you. Here are some important notes for each of the medications.

OTC Painkillers

Drugs that contain ibuprofen or acetaminophen are good in providing pain relief. Even though they are OTC, there are certain things you should take into consideration.

Needless to say, you need to carefully read the label and make sure not to exceed the daily recommended dose. Painkillers shouldn’t be taken for more than 7 days in a row, unless prescribed by the doctor.

The painkillers may irritate your stomach, so it’s best to grab a bite or, at least, drink a glass of yogurt prior to the pill.

Antihistamines

If an allergy is the cause of a sinus headache, antihistamines are usually a better option than painkillers. Although these medications work well for a variety of allergies, there is no such thing as a universal solution. Plus, there are potential side effects like drowsiness, dry mouth, or even nausea.

This is why it’s crucial to talk to your doctor before you start taking antihistamines. The tip applies even if you go for an OTC nasal spray.

Decongestants

Decongestants reduce the swelling and loosen the mucus that’s obstructing the normal sinus drainage. These medications are usually the first line of defense and they are very effective.

However, decongestants shouldn’t be taken lightly because they might even be addictive if used for too long. The recommended treatment duration caps at 3 days for sprays and the limit is 7 days for the oral alternative.

Nasal Steroid Sprays

These are prescription medications similar to spray decongestants. Nasal steroid sprays reduce the swelling, relieve pressure in the sinuses, and help with the pain.

You should know that it might take some time for the sprays to work, usually two weeks. It should be mentioned that exceeding the recommended number of applications doesn’t speed up the process. It might backfire and cause nose or throat irritation.

How to Get Rid of a Sinus Headache – Home Remedies

In some cases, home and traditional remedies work better than conventional medications and it’s safe to combine them with painkillers or antihistamines. That being said, nasal sprays and some traditional treatments don’t go well together.

For example, using a combination of the neti pot and a nasal spray is not a good idea because your nasal cavities will get irritated. Anyway, check out the quick rundown of best home remedies.

Neti Pot

Neti pots are designed to help you rinse the nose and maintain optimal moisture to relieve some of the pressure. But using them might require some practice.

Fill up the pot with sterile water, lean over, and tilt your head left or right. It’s best to do this in the bathroom or over a sink. Insert the spout of the pot into the nostril that’s higher, breathe through your mouth, then pour in the water. The action flushes irritants from your nostrils and helps with the clogging.

Warm Washcloths

Applying a warm washcloth can provide a quick relief from the pressure. The cloth should be placed over your nose and onto the cheeks. It’s enough to keep it there for a few minutes and you can repeat the process a few times during the day.

You can also put heated salt into a diaper rag and then apply it to the affected area. It helps loosen the mucus and opens up the obstructed airways.

Hydration

Drinking plenty of herbal teas, coffee, and fruit juices increase your hydration levels. Tea may also help with a clogged or runny nose and fluids keep mucous membranes moist. This is more of a general advice that actual treatment and you should start hydrating as soon as the first symptoms of a sinus headache kick in.

Essential Oils

According to the American Sinus Institute, essential oils are one of the best traditional remedies to ease sinus pressure. The oils include peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, frankincense, menthol, to name a few.

To reap the benefits, add a few drops of the oil into hot water and breathe in the steam. Certain essential oils have mild anesthetic properties. But there is still no medical study that confirms decongestant characteristics of menthol, for example.

Take a Deep Painless Breath

If you suffer from sinusitis (sinus infection) the pressure within your head may persist for two or more weeks. This doesn’t mean you’ll have the headache all the time. However, it’s best to start the treatment right away.

Begin with the essential oil inhalation and don’t forget to stay hydrated. Should the symptoms worsen, consider paying your doctor a visit. Remember, painkillers may provide relief but won’t completely treat allergy-induced sinusitis.

 

Authority References

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/drug-cabinet/painkillers/top-questions-about-painkillers
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000404.htm
https://www.americansinus.com/essential-oils-that-help-relieve-sinus-congestion/
https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/37/6/509/361469

 

Other References

https://www.webmd.com/allergies/antihistamines-for-allergies
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321322.php
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149941.php
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/sinus_headache/article_em.htm#sinus_headache_facts
https://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-headaches#1
https://www.healthline.com/health/relieve-sinus-pressure#treatment
https://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-and-flu/treatment/natural-sinus-pain-and-pressure-relief/
https://www.rd.com/health/conditions/sinus-headache-home-remedies/

Health

Fizzy Battle – Diet Soda vs Regular – What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages

Written By: Arch
Arch

There has been a long debate about which kind of soda is better, regular or diet. Right off the bat, diet soda seems to be better for you. Though, most experts would agree that you should steer clear from both. But are the most-popular carbonated beverages really that bad?

Luckily, it’s not like you are drinking something toxic, but soda is not exactly good for your health. To hint at the silver lining, both drinks have their advantages if you keep the consumption moderate.

This write-up aims to find a definitive answer to diet soda vs regular – what are the advantages and disadvantages.

Regular Soda

Carbonation techniques date back to mid-18th century while the first flavored sodas appeared in pharmacies in mid-19th century. Everybody knows about J.S. Pemberton’s concoction of cocaine and kola nut that created the flavor which is now a cultural icon.

Sodas became popular well before WWII and they really took off after the war. History lesson aside, the negative effects were first discovered in the 40s but it was until decades later that they were fully grasped. However, there is a positive side to it.

Advantages

If you are to take a biased non-medical standpoint, regular soda can be refreshing and give you a reinvigorating punch similar to coffee. The key is to not overindulge in your favorite fizzy drink.

Regular soda can (12oz) may contain about 10 teaspoons of sugar and 140 calories. This doesn’t sound too bad if you are to compare it with some Starbuck’s coffees. For example, a single 12oz serving of Mocha Frappucino contains around 200 calories, provided it’s without whipped cream.

You do need calories to keep your body running, but should you go overboard or you’ll see the changes in the waistline soon enough. The bottom line is that regular sodas are not the worst when it comes to calorie-rich drinks.

Disadvantages

To tell you the truth, it’s not all about the calories. In fact, the high sugar content in regular soda is much more dangerous than the calories.

As said, most regular sodas contain around 10 teaspoons of sugar but the actual amount may vary from one drink to another. Colas usually contain between 39g and 41g of sugar per 12oz can and many non-cola drinks – Sprite, Dr.Pepper, and Mountain Dew – contain between 38 and 46 grams.

If this doesn’t sound like too much, you can do a simple mind experiment. A single teaspoon holds 4.2g of sugar; add between 7 and 10 tsp to a 12oz cup of water, and mix it all in. This should help you visualize the amount and give you a clearer image of how sweet the drink actually is.

According to the American Heart Association, the daily sugar intake should cap at 9 tsp (36g) for men and 6 tsp (25g) for women. So drinking a single can of regular soda (12oz) exceeds the recommended amount, regardless of your gender. On the bright side, if you are healthy and don’t drink more than one, your body should be able to metabolize the sugars without any consequences.

Diet Soda

The history of diet soda started in the 1950s and the first one was sold in 1959. This variant came into being as the regular soda alternative that can be consumed by diabetics. Of course, this means that diet soda doesn’t contain any natural sugars.

Given the disadvantages of its older cousin, no-sugar diet soda might be considered as a healthier or better alternative. But there is more to it than meets the eye.

Advantages

A diet soda can be refreshing, taste the same as the regular variant, and satisfy your craving for a fizzy drink. It might also be more favorable for your teeth.

Regular soda leaves some residue on your teeth, mostly because of the added sugar. This is usually not the case with diet soda and there might be less chance of developing plaque. But you should take this with a pinch of salt because a dentist is not likely to recommend soda, diet or regular, as something that’s good for oral health.

On the other hand, diet soda contains certain acids. In the long run, these acids might damage your teeth and leave you more susceptible to cavities and premature tooth decay.

Disadvantages

Upon closer inspection, diet soda is a mix of an artificial sweetener, carbonated water, flavoring, colors, and food additives. As such, it has very low or no nutritional value and can be high in sodium.

For example, Diet Coke has zero sugar, calories, protein, or fat but it is rich in sodium (40mg). The recommended sodium intake caps at 2,300mg a day. But then, there are plenty of other foods that are packed with sodium, so if you don’t limit the soda intake the numbers quickly add up.

Diet soda sweeteners shouldn’t be overlooked either. Sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, and Stevia are most commonly used and some might be 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame could be the least favorable for your health because of the way it metabolizes in your body.

Once consumed, it breaks into aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. Phenylalanine and aspartic acid are amino acids that go straight into your bloodstream and might affect neural mechanisms. It bears mentioning that humans lack the enzyme that’s needed to properly metabolize methanol.

To end on a positive note, FDA approved the artificial sweeteners that are used in diet sodas. But they are best consumed in moderation.

Healthy Alternatives

If you have a knack for soda you know that it’s hard to find the right alternative. But healthy treats like matcha green tea or kombucha come very close.

Those who use soda to give them an energy boost should know matcha has a similar effect. It contains a lot of caffeine which is slowly released into the bloodstream so you won’t experience any lows and highs.

Kombucha has been touted the “immortal health elixir” and its benefits deserve an article on its own. It will suffice to say that kombucha is nutritious, good for your gut, and may boost immunity. Plus, many people find it quite tasty and refreshing.

Carbonated Giants – The Final Face-Off

Diet soda vs regular – what are the advantages? Health-wise, the advantages of both sodas are limited, to say the least. But your body sometimes craves the sugar-rich carbonated taste of a fizzy drink.

The important thing is to stop at one can and avoid drinking them every single day. Why not try some of the alternatives? You never know they might become your new favorite.

 

Authority References

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars#.WI4MaGQrLaY
https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/executive-summary/#figure-es-12015-2020-dietary-guidelines-for-americans-at-a-glanc
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/diet-soda-healthier-regular-soda
https://www.wda.org/your-oral-health/sip-all-day
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780081005965032406
https://sites.psu.edu/siowfa16/2016/09/15/diet-soda-v-regular-soda/
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/high-intensity-sweeteners

 

Other References

https://www.businessinsider.com/sugar-content-in-popular-drinks-2018-8
http://www.historyofsoftdrinks.com/soft-drink-history/diet-soda-history/
https://draxe.com/nutrition/article/aspartame/?utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_source=article&utm_campaign=runtastic
https://www.medicaldaily.com/diet-soda-vs-regular-soda-one-worse-you-other-308063
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/diet-soda-good-or-bad#nutrition
http://www.eatingwell.com/article/17391/regular-soda-or-diet-soda-which-is-worse-for-your-health/
https://www.businessinsider.com/diet-soda-coke-vs-regular-health-science-2017-12
https://www.thoughtco.com/introduction-to-soda-pop-1992433

Health

How Long Does Adipex Stay in Your System – All You Need to Know

Written By: Arch
Arch

Those who are diagnosed with obesity might be prescribed Adipex to help them lose weight. It is administered in short intervals and could be addictive if taken for a long time. Adipex comes with side effects and may trigger a false positive on a drug test.

So, how long does Adipex stay in your system? The answer depends on numerous factors. Keep reading to find out more about how Adipex works, the half-life, possible side effects, and precautions.

What Is Adipex

Adipex is a brand name for phentermine, a weight loss medication. FDA approved phentermine back in 1959 for people aged 16 and older. It is to be used in treatment cycles of up to 12 weeks.

Phentermine is a controlled drug and can only be obtained with a prescription in the United States. It shares certain chemical properties with amphetamine, a stimulant.

Phentermine, including Adipex, is prescribed to obese people who desire to lose weight. According to a study published in 2015, a patient should have a body mass index of over 30 for a prescription to Adipex. The same study posits that in some cases, especially in the presence of other obesity-related health issues, patients with body BMI of 27 can also be prescribed Adipex. The side issues include but are not limited to high cholesterol, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.

How Does It Work?

Phentermine is an anorectic, a drug that’s used to suppress a patient’s appetite. It lowers your feeling of hunger and thus limits the number of calories you take. The lower calorie intake would lead to weight loss.

Though the mechanism of Adipex remains unclear, it is suspected that it boosts the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain. When the levels of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine rise to a certain level, they mask and suppress your feeling of hunger, which should promote weight loss.

The downside to Adipex is that patients may develop a tolerance to the drug over time. It usually takes a few weeks before the effects of Adipex would start diminishing. However, it is not recommended for patients to increase the dosage on their own.

Precautions

Adipex has a stimulating effect and is known to raise hormone levels. Therefore, users run a risk of becoming addicted. That’s partially why the maximum treatment period is limited to 12 weeks. It should also be noted that people who have a history of drug abuse may not be eligible for Adipex or phentermine.

Drugs that might interact with Adipex include antidepressants and related drugs. As is the case with all drugs, you should let your doctor know if you take monoamine inhibitors or selective serotonin uptake inhibitors.

Also, if you are taking insulin-based medications and guanethidine for depression and weight loss, be sure to disclose the fact. Stop taking Adipex if you suspect that you’re allergic to phentermine.

Over-65 seniors, pregnant women, women who breastfeed, and women who plan on becoming pregnant shouldn’t take phentermine. Finally, it is recommended not to drink alcohol while under the effects of Adipex.

Half-Life and Elimination

How long does Adipex stay in your system? The half-life for Adipex is approximately 25 hours. It is a primarily renal excretion drug, i.e. it leaves the body through urine. A study from 2013 found that around 4/5th of the drug is eliminated in unchanged form. The half-life of the drug is longer in patients that have alkaline urine.

The time needed to eliminate the drug from the system varies from patient to patient. On average, it is around 5.5 half-lives. You should have in mind that there are various factors at play here. How long it takes to leave your body depends on your build, age, health, dosage, and metabolic rate.

Adipex can cause you to test positive on a urine drug test due to its chemical resemblance to amphetamine. If that happens, you can request to take a confirmatory test to determine that it was phentermine (Adipex) in your system and not amphetamine. In essence, you’ll be proving that it was a false positive.

Adipex can be detected in blood tests for 24 hours after the last dose and up to four days in urine tests. It can also show up in hair tests for up to 30 days.

If you expect to take a drug test while on Adipex, you should report that to make sure that the lab interprets your results properly.

Dosage

Up until 2016, Adipex and other phentermine brands were available in 37.5, 30, and 15mg tablets. In 2016, the FDA standardized it to 8mg. This new formulation can be administered up to a maximum of three times a day.

However, if you’re taking three doses a day, you may not want to take the last one late in the evening for the risk of sleeping problems, such as an inability to fall asleep and difficulties staying asleep.

The FDA recommends the minimum effective therapy. If your doctor prescribes Adipex in combination with topiramate, you will be on the lowest dose for two weeks. After that, the doctor might opt to increase the dose based on how effective the drug was in the past 14 days.

If you fail to lose even 5% of your weight after taking the maximum recommended dose for 12 weeks, you might as well discontinue the treatment.

Side Effects

Adipex can only be used for short periods of time when administered alone. Therefore, there’s a lack of data regarding the long-term effects and risks. Mild side effects might include unpleasant taste and dry mouth. Vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea are also not uncommon.

It should be noted that you’re not supposed to open the capsule, cut it, or crush it. This would cause an immediate release and you might experience some of these side effects:

  • Tremors
  • Chest pain
  • Swollen ankles and legs
  • Restlessness
  • Heart palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Trouble sleeping
  • High blood pressure

For cases of severe overdose, according to the FDA, side effects might include assaultiveness, rapid breathing, arrhythmia, circulatory collapse, abdominal cramps, and more. Hyperflexion, hallucinations, and social dysfunction may also happen.

In Combination with Topiramate

Adipex is sometimes combined with topiramate for long-term usage. When administered in parallel, both drugs are taken in lower doses than when administered individually. Though severe side effects rarely happen, studies have found a number of milder side effects. These include:

  • Sleeping problems
  • Heart palpitations
  • Constipation
  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Skin flushes
  • Dizziness
  • Dry mouth

Final Words

Adipex can be very helpful but it can also cause a slew of side effects and health problems, especially if it interacts with other therapy drugs. It has a half-life of about 25 hours and takes about 5.5 half-lives to completely exit the body. This would depend on the patient including health status, age, and dosage. Drug tests have been known to register traces of Adipex in the patient’s hair for up to one month after the last use.

 

References:

https://www.ebs.tga.gov.au/ebs/picmi/picmirepository.nsf/pdf?OpenAgent&id=CP-2010-PI-06558-3&d=201908071016933

Click to access 085128s065lbl.pdf


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23738843
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29156182

Health

Best Breathing Exercises for Anxiety

Written By: Arch
Arch

For thousands of years, deep and mindful breathing has been used to help treat the gut-wrenching, chest-tightening symptoms of anxiety. For the last thirty years, there have been many scientific studies that explored the link between health and deep breathing.

How you are breathing can have both a mental and physiological effect. Breathing too rapidly or shallowly can contribute to stress and anxiety, as it triggers the body’s “fight or flight” response. On the other hand, breathing deeply and consciously has been shown to help manage anxiety, reduce stress, and it can even help you get to sleep quicker.

Many of the best breathing exercises for anxiety have their root in ancient yogic traditions, as slow and mindful breathing has long been a central part of meditation and yoga practices.

Don’t Panic!

Here is something that many people are not aware of. Paradoxically, the feeling of being short of breath comes from the fact that the person is not actually breathing properly. This is because there are two different types of breathing: thoracic breathing, which is when you breathe from your chest, and diaphragmatic breathing, which is when you breathe from your abdomen.

When you are feeling anxious, you will likely be taking short, shallow breaths from your chest without even realizing that this is what you are doing. This can lead to an increased heart rate, tension, and dizziness, and so make you feel even worse. Your body starts to produce more stress-related hormones like cortisol, and you reduce the amount of oxygenated blood going to your brain.

Learning to be aware of your breathing is the first step to helping yourself to calm down and relax. Rapidly inhaling sends signals to your body that you are in panic mode, while regulating your breathing and having long exhales tells it that you are calming down.

Breathe from Your Belly

Diaphragmatic breathing is what babies are born doing, and this is also the mode of breathing you automatically slip into when in deep sleep. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” system, which helps slow your heart rate and calm you down.

A simple way to check where you are breathing from is to place one hand over your belly button, and the other in the middle of your chest. If you are breathing from your diaphragm, you will notice that the hand over your belly is the one that moves the most. Try using this method the next time you are feeling anxious. You will likely see that you are breathing from your chest, not your abdomen.

Equal Breathing

This technique originates from the yogic breathing practice known as pranayama. It’s a very simple method that focuses on ensuring that you breathe in and out for the same length of time. It can be performed while sitting or lying down, whichever you find more comfortable. Here’s what you need to do:

  • Close your eyes and bring your awareness to how you are currently breathing.
  • Inhale through your nose for a slow count up to four.
  • Exhale for the same slow count of four.
  • As you breathe, focus your attention on the progressive feelings of fullness and emptiness in your lungs.

The exact number of your count is less important than ensuring that you are breathing for an equal count on both the inhale and exhale. Most importantly, the breathing has to happen from your diaphragm.

4-7-8 Breathing

This rhythmic breathing technique focuses on ensuring that you are getting long and deep breaths, with the exhale lasting longer than the inhale. It is best performed while in a comfortable sitting position, and it can be even more beneficial if you practice it at least twice a day.

  • Position the tip of your tongue at the front of your palate, just behind your top front teeth.
  • Exhale fully.
  • Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four seconds.
  • Hold this breath for seven seconds.
  • Purse your lips and exhale forcefully for eight seconds, allowing the air to make a whooshing noise as you breathe out.
  • Repeat up to four times.

This method of breathing may cause you to feel lightheaded or dizzy when you first start to use it, so remember to do it while sitting or lying down. The most important aspect of it is the ratio of breaths that you take, so if you are struggling to maintain a count of four-seven-eight, you could try shortening this to:

  • Inhale for two seconds.
  • Hold for three and a half seconds.
  • Exhale for four seconds.

Proponents of this technique suggest that the more often you use it, the quicker you will start to notice its relaxing properties.

7-11 Breathing

Another simple breathing technique, 7-11 breathing is as simple as it sounds (and for the record, it’s unrelated to the convenience store chain). Its simplicity belies its effectiveness, though, as it has been widely used for a long time to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety.

  • First, empty your lungs of air.
  • Breathe in for a count of seven seconds.
  • Breathe out for a count of eleven seconds.
  • Continue for five to ten minutes, or longer if you have the time.

Again, if you are struggling to maintain breaths for these lengths of time, you can shorten them to something that is more suitable for you, such as in for three seconds and out for five seconds. The important part of this method is to ensure that the exhale is longer than the inhale.

“Most Doctors Agree That Breathing Is an Excellent Way to Stay Alive!”

These are just some of the best breathing exercises for anxiety and panic attacks, though really the main thing to remember is to be aware of how you are breathing. Using your diaphragm rather than your chest, and breathing deeply, helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which will automatically calm you down.

An added bonus to these techniques is that by focusing on your breathing and the counts that you are doing it for, you are also diverting your attention away from the thoughts that are causing you stress, which is another important aspect of managing anxiety and panic attacks. Hopefully, one of these methods will help you to manage your symptoms.

 

References:

https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/decrease-stress-by-using-your-breath/art-20267197
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23882107
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5455070/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/ways-relieve-stress/

Health

The 10 Best Essential Oils

Written By: Arch
Arch

Using essential oils to heal or unwind started in Ancient Egypt thousands of years ago, and the practice has spread around the world. While the science on aromatherapy is currently somewhat inconclusive, some studies have shown that using plant oils can be effective in treating anxiety and stress.

Essential oils have a variety of beneficial properties. With this list of the 10 best essential oils, you can choose which one to use during your well-deserved downtime.

Peppermint

Peppermint oil is one of the most versatile oils available, with many studies showing a wide range of benefits. It’s long been used on tissues to help clear blocked noses, but that’s not all this wonder-plant can do. Some of its potential positive effects include:

  • Antifungal, antiviral, antimicrobial effects
  • Spasm relief
  • Pain relief
  • Headache treatment
  • Reduced antibiotic resistance
  • Enhanced memory
  • Increased alertness

So not only can it help to reduce your stress levels, clear up your headache, and help you deal with colds, it may help you focus and perform better at work. It can even be used to deter rodents and spiders, as they are repelled by the scent.

Lavender

Everyone knows the scent of lavender, and it’s widely appreciated for its relaxing, heady aroma. It is used in many different kinds of products, and rightly so. The beneficial properties include:

  • Reduced anxiety
  • Antibacterial effects
  • Spasm relief
  • Anti-inflammatory effects
  • Antioxidant effects
  • Sedative effects – lavender helps with insomnia

A recent study has also shown its potential to help reduce the damage that diabetes can cause to the body. Some people also use it to speed the healing of cuts and burns. Lavender can also provide your immune system with a boost.

Tea Tree

Tea tree oil comes from a plant only found in Australia, where it has been used for many years as a natural antiseptic for minor injuries, as well as to treat both fungal and bacterial infections. Its many other potential healing effects include:

  • Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral effects
  • Reduced inflammation
  • Reduced gingivitis (bad breath)
  • Dandruff treatment
  • Acne treatment

There has been some concern in recent years that tea tree oil might have a damaging effect on your DNA due to the strength of its antimicrobial action. But studies have shown that is entirely safe and non-toxic.

Lemon

From hand soap to air freshener, lemon oil is widely used in commercial products for its zesty aroma and its antimicrobial effects. While a lot of these products use synthetic versions these days, the real deal has many possible benefits, such as:

  • Antiseptic effects
  • Skincare – it acts as an astringent
  • Antibacterial effects
  • Anti-inflammatory effects

It’s been shown to help combat depression and reduce stress. So, when life gives you lemons, distill them down to their essence, and use them to lift your mood.

Citronella

Citronella is another plant with a huge number of beneficial properties, though possibly the most well known is that it can work as an insect repellant. It can help keep some species of mosquito from biting you for two to three hours. Other reported benefits include:

  • Antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic effects
  • Spasm reduction
  • Anti-inflammatory effects
  • Diaphoretic effects – makes you sweat more and so encourages detoxification by perspiration
  • Diuretic effects – makes you pee more often, again encouraging detoxification

It also acts as a mood enhancer and stimulant, it fights stomach infections, and even kills intestinal worms. Because it makes you sweat more, while reducing inflammation and fighting off infections, citronella oil is a popular treatment for combating fevers.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon oil was commonly used by the Ancient Egyptians, and it was a highly prized and expensive commodity for a long time. Global trade has made the musky, warm-scented spice widely available today. Its oil has been shown to have many helpful properties, including:

  • Antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic effects
  • Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects
  • Pain relief
  • Improved focus and concentration

Lemongrass

Perhaps most commonly used as an ingredient in Thai cuisine, lemongrass has a sweet, herbal scent that is also quite lemony. Some of its many benefits include:

  • Antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal effects
  • Anti-inflammatory effects
  • Insect repellant
  • Reduces anxiety, stress, and tension
  • Combats dandruff

It is occasionally used in anti-cancer treatments.

Clary Sage

Another favorite of both the Egyptians and medieval physicians, clary sage was used to flavor wine, while its seeds were used to help with vision problems. There are many beneficial effects to be gained by using the plant’s essence, including:

  • Antibacterial effects
  • Improved circulation
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Reduced menstrual pain and cramping when used in massage
  • Hormone regulation

Clary sage can also help combat depression.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is widely used in products that help reduce congestion, such as Vicks VapoRub and Tiger Balm. It also has many other possible benefits, such as:

  • Antibacterial effects, antifungal, antiparasitic effects
  • Reduced inflammation
  • Improved immune system

It is also sometimes used as a pesticide, as it can kill certain insects and weeds. It can also be used as a salve to help combat asthma attacks, and it reduces the pain associated with fibromyalgia.

Frankincense

You probably know this traditional scent as one of the gifts given to baby Jesus, according to the Bible. Modern research has shown that the aromatic resin has a number of potential benefits, including:

  • Anti-inflammatory effects
  • Anticancer effects
  • Reduced stress and anxiety
  • Immune system boost
  • Improved memory
  • Hormone regulation
  • Improved digestion

Essential Oil Essentials

This list of the 10 best essential oils showcases an impressive range of benefits. Many of these are supported by scientific research, while others are still being assessed. But whichever oil you choose, try to ensure that you are buying 100% natural products, rather than synthetic oils, as these artificial versions are far less potent than the original plant.

If you have sensitive skin, go for soothing oils with less intense effects. If you experience any adverse reactions when using these oils, consult with your doctor to make sure you don’t have an allergy. And always test essential oils before using them for the first time (use a small area of your skin, like the back of your hand, and wait to see if there is any redness or discomfort).

 

References:

https://www.fgb.com.au/content/history-essential-oils
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25557808
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20225652
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20616515
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22849536
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21309711
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22285469
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3854496/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19121295
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26566122
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24802524
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6060867/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8805113
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26247152
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23537749
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18041606
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26072990

Health

What Happens If You Eat Moldy Bread?

Written By: Arch
Arch

No-one likes having to throw away uneaten food. However, around a third of all food produced never gets eaten. One widespread reason to throw away your groceries is that they’ve started to grow mold.

Some forms of mold that can grow on your food are harmless to eat. Some even make the food tastier, such as the specialized molds used to make gorgonzola and camembert. But what happens if you eat moldy bread? Is it safe to just scrape away or cut out the moldy part and eat the rest?

What Is Bread Mold?

There are several different types of mold that can grow on your bread, including:

  • Aspergillus
  • Botrytis
  • Fusarium
  • Mucor
  • Penicillium
  • Rhizopus

Depending on which type of mold is growing on your bread, you might find patches of black, green, gray, yellow or white. These colors can change over time, and so they are not enough for you to work out which type of mold is growing on your bread.

Mold is a fungus, and the fuzzy patches you see on your loaf are the spores that the fungus uses to spread and reproduce. When you put the molds under a microscope, they look very similar to mushrooms, with the spores sitting atop stalks, ready to fire out and spread.

Is the Mold Bad for You?

Most molds that grow on food are relatively harmless to humans, but some can potentially cause issues. Depending on the type of mold that is growing, it might do nothing, or it might just affect people with specific allergies. Mold can also be dangerous to those with weakened immune systems, such as diabetics.

But moldy bread can also contain toxins that are seriously harmful to anyone’s health. Just inhaling the spores can be enough to cause issues. If you have an allergy, this can be a potential trigger for asthma. And if a person with allergies eats the mold, it can lead to dangerous and potentially life-threatening reactions, like anaphylactic shock.

Diabetics with poorly-controlled symptoms are also at risk of contracting an infection if they inhale Rhizopus from bread. While rare, this infection can be very dangerous, and possibly even fatal.

It’s Better to Throw It Away

The problem with how mold reproduces is that the fuzzy spores that you see on your bread are just the tip of the iceberg. Even before it is visible on the surface, the mold can and likely will have spread its roots throughout the bread. Scraping it off or cutting it away unfortunately won’t be enough to ensure that your bread is mold-free.

That’s why the general consensus is that it is safer to throw away the entire loaf if you find mold growing on it. While it might seem wasteful, you could potentially be saving yourself from a lot of future trouble.

Some species of molds that grow on bread can produce poisonous substances called mycotoxins. They are especially highly concentrated in bread that has large amounts of mold on it. These toxins can cause digestive issues, as well as other illnesses in both humans and animals, so you shouldn’t be giving moldy bread to your pets either.

The most notorious of the mycotoxins, aflatoxin, is produced by Aspergillus molds, which can grow on your bread. If you keep eating it, you may be increasing your chances of developing cancer.

How to Stop Mold from Growing

Most breads that are made without preservatives will only last between three to four days, which is why people have tried a few different methods of preserving bread’s lifespan.

Store Your Bread Properly

While the baking process generally leaves the bread free from mold and bacteria, it doesn’t take long for them to gain a foothold once more. Whenever the bread is exposed to air, there is a chance that spores can land on it and begin to spread. As molds prefer warm and humid conditions in which to reproduce, keeping the bread somewhere that doesn’t fit that description can help you preserve it for longer.

The most readily available methods include:

  • Put the bread in the freezer – Putting it in the refrigerator will slow the growth of mold, but it won’t stop the bread from going stale. It also tends to dry it out. Freezing the bread halts mold growth while minimizing the changes to the texture. This method is especially useful for gluten-free bread, which is usually moister and contains fewer preservatives.
  • Keep it covered – Making sure your bread isn’t exposed to the air will help to reduce the number of mold spores that can land on it, which is especially useful when making your own bread. Just be sure to let the bread cool thoroughly before packing it away, to keep it from getting soggy.
  • Keep the packaging dry – Wipe away any moisture you find inside the packaging with a clean cloth or kitchen roll, as the dampness will encourage the mold to grow.

While many brands of bread come with special forms of packaging, such as vacuum sealing, this is only effective until the bag is opened. After that, it can be contaminated by spores.

Choose Bread Made with Preservatives

Most home-made breads are made without preservatives, which is why they have such a short lifespan. Much effort has been put into finding ways of helping bread to last longer. While ingredients like cloves and cinnamon can be used to reduce the growth of mold, they generally have quite strong flavors, so their use is fairly limited.

Most bread found in the supermarket is made with chemical preservatives such as sorbic acid and calcium propionate, both of which help to slow the growth of mold. Another common option is to purchase breads like sourdough, which are made using lactic acid bacteria. The acids produced by these bacteria also work to slow down mold.

Better No Bread Than Dead

What happens if you eat moldy bread? Sometimes, if you’re low-risk, and it’s the right kind of mold, nothing at all. But, considering the risk factors involved in eating moldy bread, especially for people who have compromised immune systems or allergies, it’s generally not worth taking the chance. Wasteful as it seems, it’s better to throw out a moldy loaf, as it can make both you and your pets ill.

 

References:

http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30301164
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26980564
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Molds_on_Food.pdf?redirecthttp=true
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19772765
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26140270
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11563743
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28904924
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29674435
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28240164
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28636450

Health

No, I’m Not Winking at You – How to Stop an Eye Twitch

Written By: Arch
Arch

Anyone who has been through it knows how frustrating and distracting a constantly twitching eyelid can be. It’s pretty tough to focus when it feels like your eye is trying to get your attention for some reason. Plus, people will notice that your face is twitching, even if they’re too polite to bring it up.

Here’s the bad news first: doctors aren’t yet entirely sure exactly what causes this, most of the time. There have plenty of educated guesses though, and research is ongoing. A few treatments have proven effective. How to stop an eye twitch depends on how severe it is, and what could be causing it.

Why Is It Twitching?

The majority of the time, there’s no discernible reason, and the twitching passes quickly. If it’s your upper eyelid that’s going haywire, it’s likely a blepharospasm, which is a strong twitch or contraction every few seconds. If it’s the lower lid, then chances are that it’s a myokymia, which is the scientific name for when a small group of muscles quivers involuntarily.

Either way, it’s harmless and painless, and usually goes away within minutes. However, it can last for weeks if you’re unlucky. Sometimes, the twitches can be powerful enough to completely shut your eye.

Again, all of the causes aren’t known, but there have been potential links to:

  • Fatigue
  • Stress
  • Allergies
  • Caffeine
  • Magnesium deficiency
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Dry eyes
  • Photosensitivity

It is also a potential side effect of certain medications, like drugs for sufferers of Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and psychosis. In addition to this, eye twitches are a known symptom of benzodiazepine withdrawal.

What Else Could It Be?

While most of the time the twitches pass quickly, it’s not unusual for them to go on for days or weeks. Occasionally, they don’t stop for months. Obviously, taping your eyes open Clockwork Orange-style isn’t an option, so what can you do if your eye won’t stop twitching of its own accord?

There’s a wide range of conditions that can cause your eye to constantly twitch, from the relatively benign to the potentially life-threatening.

In most cases, it’s enough to cut back on the coffee and get a good night’s sleep. But some of the more serious potential causes include:

  • Blepharitis (inflamed eyelids)
  • Dry eyes
  • Light sensitivity
  • Pinkeye

Much more rarely, it can be a sign of a nerve or brain disorder, such as:

  • Motor neuron disease (also known as ALS)
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Bell’s palsy
  • Tourette’s syndrome
  • Dystonia
  • Damage to the basal ganglia

If you go to see a doctor, and all other potential causes are ruled out, you might be diagnosed with Benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS). This is basically a catch-all diagnosis for any form of involuntary twitching that doesn’t have some nastier underlying reason. It almost always means that the condition is essentially harmless, even if it can be incredibly annoying.

The Types of Twitches, and How to Treat Them

The two most common causes for twitching eyelids are:

Minor Eyelid Twitch

This is the most often seen form of eyelid twitching, and it is closely linked with your health and lifestyle. It can be caused by a lack of sleep, stress, anxiety, and overuse of stimulants like caffeine. It can also happen if the surface of your eye or the lining of your eyelids become irritated.

Treatment:

Most of the time, it will stop pretty quickly. But sometimes the twitch will stick around, and this might have something to do with your day-to-day routine. Stopping your eyelid twitching may well be helped by adjusting your habits and lifestyle.

Try cutting back on caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol. Try to get a good night’s sleep at night, and to catch some sun during the day. Give your eyes regular breaks from staring at a screen.

If your eyes are dry or irritated, artificial tears or antihistamine eye drops might help. Another more direct approach is to apply a warm compress over your twitch and to then massage it gently.

Benign Essential Blepharospasm

A much rarer cause for a twitching eyelid, this condition normally turns up later in life. Its symptoms worsen over time.

It usually begins with constant blinking or eye irritation, and graduates on to light sensitivity, blurry vision, and facial spasms that can force your eyelid to stay closed for hours. The condition often starts in just one eye, but it will eventually spread to both.

There are some indications that it can be inherited, though it’s by no means guaranteed to show up even if your parent had it. It is also linked to stress, fatigue, and irritation caused by pollution, the wind, or bright lights.

Treatment:

It’s hard to find a cure when you’ve not found the cause of the problem, which is the case with this diagnosis for now. There are several approaches to treatment, with varying results, depending on the needs of the patient and the severity of the spasms.

Botox is a common solution, which means applying injections of paralyzing toxins to the muscles. This helps reduce or even stop the twitching. The treatment lasts for a few months, though it’s less effective for some people, and it might need to be topped up. It can also cause eyelid drooping in rare situations.

Certain drugs, like clonazepam and lorazepam, have also been shown to help mild cases in the short term, though generally drug treatments are short-term and they have unpredictable results. In more severe cases, surgery to remove the muscles responsible for closing the eye is an option.

Is This That Twitch Thing All the Kids Are Talking About?

If you’re being plagued by a constantly twitching eyelid, it will probably go away by itself and you have nothing to worry about. Even if it sticks around for a while, it isn’t very likely to be connected to a serious disease.

How to stop an eye twitch varies depending on the underlying cause. But most of the time, all that you need to bring your unruly muscles back into line is a good night’s sleep, a bit less coffee, and maybe a warm compress.

 

References:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/twitching-eyes-and-muscles/
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/benign-essential-blepharospasm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4862245/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1738986/
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/jphysiol.2002.025064

Health

How Often Should You Get a Massage

Written By: Arch
Arch

Massages have long been regarded for their healing properties. As early as 2330BC, the Ancient Egyptians had hieroglyphics showing two men having their hands and feet tended to. By 700 BC, the Greeks and Chinese were both using massages regularly, and these days the practice has spread to all the corners of the world.

There are many types of massage to choose from, depending on whether you’re just looking to treat yourself or treat a medical condition. How often should you get a massage? The answer varies – for example, a pregnant woman needs a different sort of treatment than an injured athlete.

Health Benefits of Massage

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine himself, supposedly once wrote that “the physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly in rubbing.” The Greeks were big fans of using massage for aiding in recovery after athletic and military endeavors. Unlike some ancient medical practices, this one has stood the test of time.

One of the first benefits you’ll notice when receiving a massage is the deep feeling of calm that ensues. Massages have been shown to reduce the levels of stress hormones like adrenalin and cortisol, they also cause a flood of endorphins. These neurochemicals trigger feelings of wellbeing, which makes sense considering they’re also released when you enjoy some chocolate. Plus, they’ve been shown to have pain-reducing effects, so they really help set you up for your massage.

There’s plenty of ways a massage can directly help your body to be at its best, including:

  • Relaxing your muscles
  • Improving your circulation
  • A wider range of mobility and flexibility in your joints
  • Aiding in recovery from physical injuries
  • Reducing stress, anxiety, and depression

The Different Types of Massage

With such an extensive history, it’s hardly surprising that there are many different styles and approaches. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular.

Swedish Massage

Swedish massage, or classic massage, is the most commonly practiced form of massage in the Western world, and this probably the first thing that springs to mind when you think about massages. It’s a full-body massage that can go from gentle to firm, and it is good for releasing tension and unknotting muscles. It’s a good place to start if you’ve never been to a massage before.

Sports Therapy Massage

One of the technique’s oldest uses, a sports massage can help to heal injuries, and even to prevent them from happening again. This is great for athletes prone to repetitive muscle injuries, and it can also help improve flexibility and promote circulation, as well as relieving pain. The intensity of the massage can vary depending on your needs.

Deep Tissue Massage

This form of massage uses much more direct pressure that the others, as it aims to reach tension and scar tissue hidden deep in your muscles. It can help relieve chronic muscle pain, and it can be used to help promote healing in deep muscular injuries.

Thai massage is a popular form of deep tissue massage that combines Indian and Chinese traditional medicines with thousands of years of Thai traditions. It combines a spiritual approach with the physical, as it aims to remove blockages in the energy lines throughout the body. It does so by means of pushing and pulling you in a variety of positions that would make a contortionist jealous.

How Often Should You Get a Massage If You Are…

An Athlete?

Twice a week to once a month, depending on your workload

If you’re constantly in the gym or on the field, massages can have a range of benefits. No surprise, then, that many major sports teams have massage therapists on staff. How often you should get a massage depends on how intense your training is, and whether you’ve got a match coming up.

During lighter training, having a sports massage or deep tissue massage can be all you need to promote muscle health. During more intense periods, you might want to look at having a session once or twice a week. This can be especially helpful if you ask your therapist to focus on the area you’ve been working the most.

One caveat: avoid deep tissue massages up to five days before any big games, as they can cause soreness, and your body needs time to fully recover.

In Injury Recovery?

Once a week to every other week

This will depend a great deal on your injury, so you should check with your therapist first. A general guideline would be to look at going once a week when you’re first in recovery, cutting back to fewer sessions as you heal up.

Pregnant?

Once or twice a week

If you’re pregnant, regular massages can help relieve the steadily increasing stress on your back, hips, and knees. Plus it helps with emotional stress, which is a definite bonus. However, many massage therapists will refuse to give you a session if you’re in your first trimester, as there is some concern that the increased blood flow could be harmful.

Suffering from Insomnia?

Weekly

Massage has been shown by recent research to have a significant effect on the parasympathetic nervous system. This system manages the body’s “rest and digest” processes, which means a good rub-down can put your body in a condition that will help you to nod off.

Under Heavy Stress?

Weekly

Stress kills – people who’ve experienced persistent stress over their lives are fifty percent more likely to die. So, anything that can help you to relax is probably worth an hour or so a week.

Thanks to those happy little endorphins, a weekly massage can do wonders to relieve the mental and emotional symptoms of stress, even as your therapist’s hands work on the physical ones. It can also help with depression, chronic pain, arthritis, and other sources of constant discomfort. Not bad for an ancient medical practice…

An Average Person?

Once a week to once a month

How often should you get a massage? How often can you afford it? How much time do you have to spare? How bad does your back hurt after sitting at your desk all day? Answering questions like these will help you find the answer that works for you. In terms of health benefits, once or twice a month should be enough to make sure that your body is getting the TLC it deserves.

Massage Received

Depending on what you’re using it for, the art of massage can be helpful in a number of ways. Assess your situation before you decide how often to use this millennia-old treatment. One way or another though, you’ll end up feeling less stressed, less tense, and ready to face the world or have a nice long nap.

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26329399
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27338942
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27258432
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25197310
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24867903
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19283590

Health

Back to Basic – How to Make Alkaline Water

Written By: Arch
Arch

In the ever-changing and evolving world of nutrition, it can be tricky to keep up with every trend.

One of the latest is alkaline water, and it apparently comes with numerous positive effects. People believe that it can reduce inflammation, protect against cancer, and improve your immune system. Some companies selling alkaline water have seen their sales increase by eighty percent in the last year. The trend is big enough that Coca-Cola already has an alkaline water product, and Pepsi and Nestle are both getting involved.

However, this health trend is based on some fairly shaky science. The handful of studies that have been performed so far have been quite small. So, take the supposed benefits with a pinch of salt, as with any new dietary fad. That said, let’s take a closer look at both sides of the table, and then learn how to make alkaline water from the comfort of your own home.

What Is Alkaline Water?

A Brief Lesson on pH

Everything sits somewhere on the pH scale, which measures how acidic or alkaline (or basic) something is. The strongest acids, like battery acid, are at 0 on the scale, while the most alkaline substances, such as caustic soda, have a pH of 14. Pure water is entirely neutral, and it sits in the middle at 7 on the pH scale.

There are some health links between certain lifestyle choices and having a more acidic pH in your body. Drinking alcohol or coffee, or consuming sugar might contribute to this, and the increased acidity has been linked by some to a higher likelihood of cancer.

Different parts of your body have a different natural pH. Your stomach acid, for example, is usually between 2 – 3.5 pH. Meanwhile, your blood is always slightly alkaline and fits into a very small range, just 7.36–7.44 pH. This little window is very important to your health, as falling outside of it can lead to metabolic acidosis or alkalemia, both of which can be life-threatening when left untreated.

Potential Benefits

Most of the possible benefits of alkaline water have yet to be conclusively proven or disproven by science. Even so, with a wide range of glowing reports from alkaline water drinkers, and celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow throwing their weight behind it, perhaps there’s some truth behind it.

Here’s what science has shown so far in terms of the potential benefits of alkaline water:

  • Antioxidant effect – There has been some research that showed that alkaline water can act as an antioxidant. This reduces the presence of free radicals in your body and reduces the risks of illness and cancer.
  • It might improve your circulation – A study conducted in 2016 focused on subjects who were dehydrated after strenuous exercise and who then drank alkaline water. It showed that they had reduced viscosity in their blood. This means that their blood flow was more efficient, which can also improve oxygen delivery and so improve performance and healing.
  • It could make you live longer – If you are a mouse, at least. A 2016 study performed on mice showed that if they drank alkaline water, they lived longer.
  • It might help with acid reflux – A 2017 study found that in combination with a Mediterranean diet, drinking acid water was just as effective as the standard medical treatment.
  • It could help you poop more regularly – Being hydrated is important to regular bowel movements, so drinking any sort of water can help. A 2008 study suggested that alkaline water had beneficial effects on “digestive motility.”
  • It’s hydrating – Hard to argue with this one. You are drinking water, after all. The benefits of proper hydration are too many to list here.

Potential Downsides

In moderation, there are no health risks associated with drinking alkaline water. But in larger quantities, it can have a number of harmful effects, including:

  • Hypochlorhydria – This means that your stomach acid’s pH level falls too low, and this stops your digestive system from working properly.
  • Metabolic alkalosis – This is when the body’s tissues have a pH that is more alkaline than it should be. Symptoms include:
    • vomiting
    • confusion
    • twitching muscles
    • hand tremors
    • nausea
    • tingling in the extremities/face
  • Skin and eye irritation – According to a WHO report, drinking alkaline water with a pH of 10 or more can aggravate pre-existing skin issues, and it also causes irritated eyes.

How to Make Alkaline Water

Doctors suggest that, while drinking naturally alkaline water like real mineral water is safe, you need to be more careful with artificially produced versions. Home-made alkaline water contains fewer natural minerals, and it might have a higher pH than you expect. It’s a good idea to buy a pH testing kit and to check the levels of the water you make.

There are some methods you can use to create it.

Baking Soda

Add to water in a ratio of 1/8th of a tablespoon to every 8 fluid ounces of water. Shake or stir the mixture, making sure that the powder has dissolved completely.

Avoid this if you are on a low sodium diet, as baking soda as a high sodium content.

pH Drops

These drops are easily available online or at your local health food shop. Different brands have different strengths, so you’ll need to check the bottle for the right amount to put in your water. They’re highly concentrated though, so it’ll just be a matter of a few drops. Again, a testing kit could be useful here.

Buy an Ionizing Water Filter Jug

It takes a few minutes for the water to filter through this kind of jug, and the filter needs to be regularly replaced. It is available online and in many home stores.

Install a Water Ionizer

If you want to commit to alkalizing your water, you can have a water ionizer directly attached to your home’s plumbing. The water that passes through the ionizer will be electrolyzed by passing it over positive and negative electrodes, and then separated by the ionizer.

Wow, You’re So Basic!

Alkaline water is making a big splash among dieters, celebrities, and lifestyle gurus. Many of the health benefit claims aren’t yet proven. But now that you know how to make alkaline water for yourself and your family, you can try it and make up your own mind.

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22844861
http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-SHYI200112005.htm
https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-016-0153-8
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18773120

Click to access nutrientschap12.pdf


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4670772/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20308999
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27089527
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4906185/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2652893

Space

History Of Space Exploration

Written By: editor
admin

Space exploration is the exploration and discovery of outer space by use of space technology and is conducted by both robotic spacecraft and humans. Astronomy, which is the viewing of objects in space from Earth, is thought to predate recorded history, but it was the inspiration to modern space exploration. Humans explore space for many reasons including the survival of humankind if Earth cannot sustain life, uniting nations, and scientific research.

Physical space exploration began in Germany, where scientists developed and tested a V-2 rocket during World War II. This rocket became the first man-made object to enter space, alongside the launch of the A-4 in October of 1942. After the war ended, the United States used rockets captured from the Germans and their scientists to research and study rockets for military and civilian purposes. Although the Germans launched the first man-made object into space, the first exploration of space occurred in May of 1946, when the United States launched a V-2 for an experiment to analyze cosmic radiation.

In 1947, fruit flies became the first animals in space and the first pictures of Earth were taken. Both of these experiments were conducted using American V-2s. The Soviets also launched animal and radiation experiments in 1947, with the help of German scientists. These experiments were conducted using a variant of the V-2 known as the R-1. All of these early space exploration experiments were limited to short flights in sub-orbital space.

The Soviets conducted the first successful orbital mission in October of 1957 after launching the unmanned space vehicle Sputnik 1. This satellite weighed around 184 pounds and transmitted beeps down to radios across the earth, which scientists analyzed to measure the electron density in the ionosphere. The beeps also contained encoded information about the temperature and pressure of Sputnik, which helped researchers know its safety status. Sputnik eventually burned up upon re-entering the atmosphere, but its launch and success paved the way for other missions, including the successful launch of Explorer 1 by America in 1958. The first human flight was launched by Russia in 1961, successfully sending cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space for one Earth orbit aboard Vostok 1. America launched Mercury-Redstone 3 about a month later with Alan Shepard on board, but this flight was suborbital.

The next step in space exploration was successfully landing an object on a planetary body. This was accomplished in 1959 when Russia’s Luna 2 landed on the moon. America’s Apollo 11 was the first manned spacecraft to reach the moon. Venera 7 was the first spacecraft to land on another planet, landing in 1970, but this mission lasted less than thirty minutes. Important figures in space exploration include Kerim Kerimov, who was one of the leaders in the Vostok 1 mission, and Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., who was NASA’s first flight director.

Through the 1970s NASA ramped up its space exploration with the launches of several space orbiters, including one would much later make history. NASA launched Voyager 1 on September 5, 1977, an orbiter that was expected to last several years, exploring the outer planets. It visited Jupiter in 1979 and Saturn in 1980. The spacecraft’s primary mission ended on November 20, 1980, however, Voyager 1 is still going strong today, 36 years later.

Space Exploration got a huge lift when NASA launched the first Space Shuttle mission on April 12, 1981. That launch touched off a 30-year manned space program that saw 135 crewed missions into space. In 2000, the International Space Station paved a way for a continuing human presence in space. The Space Shuttle then became utilized as a vehicle to transport humans to and from the orbiting lab. After 11 years of supplying humans and cargo to the ISS, the Shuttle program was retired, leaving Russia as the only space agency capable of launching humans to and from the ISS — aboard its Soyuz spacecraft.

During the 2000s, many plans were announced for space exploration, including China’s plan to build and launch a 60-ton multi-module space station by 2020. NASA announced in the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 that it would build the Space Launch System (SLS), which would carry important equipment for experiments, the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, and other needed cargo. This station would also provide international and commercial transportation services to the International Space Station.

The focus of space exploration has shifted to using automated vehicles because these make missions less expensive to operate and allows researchers to gather information from areas where humans cannot reach. Optimal automated vehicles should be able to operate if something fails, should be able to attain a goal with a given set of actions, and should be able to sense its environment and make choices based on its findings. These types of vehicles would provide space programs throughout the world the ability to explore deep space with great efficiency.

After the retiring of the Space Shuttle program in 2011, NASA began looking for large corporations to fund the future of space travel. Several companies had already been working on space vehicles and were looking to secure contracts with NASA and other agencies to launch vehicles into space.

SpaceX was the first company to move in this direction when it successfully launched its Dragon capsule in 2012 and successfully docked with the ISS. Orbital Sciences has also shown commercial success after launching its Cygnus resupply ship to the orbiting lab in 2013.

Among the most historic feats accomplished in the space exploration field is the deep space exploration that has occurred with NASA’s Voyager 1, which has traveled more than 11 billion miles since its launch in 1977. NASA reported in September 2013 that the orbiter has made history when it left the heliopause, moving out of the Solar System and into interstellar space.


Image Caption: Artistic illustration of Cassini orbiter in Saturnian system. Credit: NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Health

Eating Like a Caveman – What Is A Paleo Diet?

Written By: Arch
Arch

From fast food and instant coffee to candy that never goes off, food is different than it used to be. We use processes, methods, and additives that weren’t available to our grandparents, let alone to people from even earlier times.

Some people believe that all these processed foods are unhealthy, as they are so far removed from the more ‘natural’ diet of our ancestors. They maintain that the modern diet contains many substances that the human body has not evolved to handle, which they believe can cause various health conditions. This inspired the creation of the Paleo diet.

Proponents of this approach hold up ancient hunter-gatherer societies as their favored example of how humans should be choosing what they eat. They claim that eating like hunter-gatherers can help with weight loss, blood pressure reduction, and more.

Scientists and doctors have brought up many concerns about this diet. These experts object to the somewhat simplistic interpretation of how human evolution works. They also stress the fact that there has been very little research to see whether the claims made by Paleo diet enthusiasts are true. It’s not clear yet whether the diet works and whether it might be harmful.

What Is a Paleo Diet?

The name of the diet refers to the Paleolithic era, also known as the Old Stone Age, which was the period in which humans learned to use stone tools. It covers a period of about 3.3 million years, so nailing down an exact diet to match what people ate during this time frame is understandably tricky.

This is why it is also known as the caveman, hunter-gatherer, or Stone Age diet. There has been some research that suggests that our less technologically advanced ancestors ate a diet that consisted mostly of whole foods, and things that they could either catch or find. So, a combination of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish and lean meat encompasses the Paleo diet, and you’re supposed to avoid anything that necessitates agriculture or processing.

It’s hard to narrow it down more than that because the rather unhistorical approach to what we used to eat has led to a wide range of different interpretations. Paleo recipe recommendations vary quite a bit, depending on who you ask.

Foods You Can Eat on a Paleo Diet

The first thing you should consider when trying to follow a Paleo diet is whether a food requires any farming or processing. If it could be caught or found growing in the wild, then the diet’s proponents would say that you’re good to go.

Here are some foods that are allowed:

  • Non-starchy vegetables – onions, peppers, gourds, leafy greens
  • Fruits – bananas, apples, pears, strawberries, mangos
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Fish and shellfish
  • Lean cuts of beef, pork, and poultry
  • Meat from game animals – turkey, duck, hare, rabbit, boar
  • Up to six eggs a week
  • Fruit or nut oils
  • Herbs and spices

Paleo diet proponents often suggest that if you are going to have meat in your diet, you should be aiming for free-range and grass-fed meats, as they will have fewer chemicals and processing as part of the packaging process.

Foods You Should Avoid on a Paleo Diet

The diet requires you to avoid anything that wouldn’t have been readily available to cave-dwelling ancestors. This includes foods like dairy (as cavemen didn’t have cows), processed grains, and legumes. Here’s an idea of the sorts of foods you’ll need to cross off the grocery list:

  • Sugar, honey, and artificial sweeteners
  • Candy and sweets
  • Soft drinks or juice with added sugar
  • Processed or cured meats – salami, bacon, bologna sausage, hot dogs
  • Legumes – peanuts, beans, peas, lentils, soy
  • Grains – wheat, barley, oats, rice, rye
  • Starchy vegetables – corn, potato, parsnips
  • Dairy – milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, cream

But not all versions of the diet are so strict, as there isn’t one unified Paleo diet. You might find some versions that allow for dairy or legumes.

Many supporters of the diet suggest that you should get regular exercise as part of the regime, which makes sense if you’re emulating the “hunter” part of hunter-gatherer.

Possible Paleo Health Benefits

At the moment, there’s not much evidence to prove the numerous health benefit claims associated with the diet plan. Let’s have a look at what science says.

Weight loss

There are a couple of small studies that have shown that there are links between the Paleo diet and improvements in weight loss. However, larger and more recent studies have indicated that the smaller waistlines produced by Paleo are similar to other diets that introduce a caloric restriction, and that the effects are relatively short-term as a result.

In terms of weight loss, there isn’t enough evidence to show that the Paleo diet is more effective than other diets that restrict your food intake and encourage exercise.

Reduces Risk and Effects of Diabetes

This is one of the main proposed benefits, and there are some indications that there is truth to it. Again, the studies are small, but there are two sets of data that show a connection between the diet and improvements in insulin sensitivity. This means that it can potentially help people avoid developing the condition, as well as help sufferers improve their control over their blood sugar levels.

Lowers Blood Pressure

Many Paleo supporters say that it can help to reduce blood pressure. Having high blood pressure puts you at a greater risk of developing heart disease, so finding ways to reduce it is a good idea. The early evidence suggests that the Paleo diet help reduce blood pressure, but again the studies were all small. Some didn’t even have a control group, which calls into question the results.

If You Can Smack It Over the Head with a Club, You Can Eat It

The takeaway from the science side of things is that, while there are some signs that it might have real benefits, there’s very little proof that the Paleo diet is exceptional in any way. As with any fashionable food fad, take it with a pinch of pink Himalayan rock salt…

So, what is a Paleo diet in a few words? If you can imagine a caveman eating it, you’re probably good to go. Just remember that cavemen didn’t have farms, ranches, or McDonald’s.

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17522610
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724493/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4216932/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29124370
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19209185
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25828624
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17522610
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4210559/

Health

Skin Rashes That Itch

Written By: Arch
Arch

We’ve all experienced itchy skin caused by mosquito bites or poison ivy, but there are many more reasons why you may want to scratch yourself all the time. Itching can be caused by patches of dry skin or various skin conditions. Sometimes, the issue might come from much more severe problems. Learn what causes itchy skin rashes and what you can do to keep them from reoccurring.

Causes of Itchy Skin Rashes

There are many different causes that lead to itchy skin rashes. They could be caused by something simple like dry skin. However, they can also point to serious conditions like kidney or liver damage. Here are some of the common forms of skin rash, as well as what you can do about them.

Dry Skin

Dry skin is the most significant cause of itchy skin. If there are no visible and sudden changes in your skin, but it is still itchy, you probably have a dry skin problem.

All sorts of different factors can cause the issue. The weather can be responsible for dry skin, as extreme temperatures and low humidity create a perfect setting for your skin to become dehydrated. You can also dry your skin out by excessive washing.

The skin becomes thinner and drier as we age, so that can be the cause of this change as well. You can live for decades with perfectly soft skin and suffer from dry skin later on in your life.

When it starts to itch a great deal, it’s time for you to get a good moisturizer that can help you repair your skin. If your skin is extremely dry to the point where it starts to peel, you could be suffering from dermatitis. If that’s the case, make sure to visit your dermatologist before things get any worse.

The symptoms of dry skin are the following:

  • Scaly, flaking skin
  • Itching
  • Cracks in the skin that bleed easily
  • Cracked skin or lips
  • Grayish skin in people with a darker skin tone

You could experience all kinds of complications due to this issue. When your skin cracks, microscopic germs and bacteria can make their way inside, and they can cause an infection. The sore spots and red skin you could be experiencing are early signs of a skin infection.

Visit your dermatologist, who will prescribe you a medical moisturizer that should make your skin soft and elastic once again.

Eczema

Also known as atopic dermatitis, eczema is one of the common reasons for skin rashes that itch in children. It can happen to grown-ups too, but the chances are ten times lower in adulthood.

The exact cause is still not known, but it’s linked to the leakiness of the skin barrier. It lets too much moisture escape the skin, and that leads to dry patches that are prone to inflammation and irritation. It tends to get better with time, but people who suffer from this condition have to be very careful because they can get a skin infection quickly.

Allergies

Allergies are another widespread reason for skin rashes that itch. They can be caused by direct skin contact with an allergen, but drug and food allergies are common as well.

Allergic reactions will turn the skin red, which is then followed by itchy sensations. Blisters and bumps can also show up in some severe cases. The skin will become red when it comes into contact with the allergen because your immune system is trying to fight it off. The reaction usually occurs sometime after you come in contact with the allergen. You could be allergic to pollen, soaps, cosmetics, pet dander, clothing, food, and so on.

Nickel is a common allergen too, and most people find out that they’re allergic to it after trying on jewelry that contains this metal. The skin turns red, itchy, and bumpy almost immediately. Food allergies can cause symptoms all over your skin.

Hives

A natural chemical called histamine can cause the small blood vessels under your skin to leak. This leads to tiny swelling points on the skin, which are called hives. There are two types of hives – acute and chronic hives, and both cause skin rashes that itch.

Acute hives are usually triggered by an allergic reaction to a specific food type or extreme weather. Excessive exercise and prolonged sun exposure could also trigger the formation of hives.

It’s still unclear what causes chronic hives. They can show up and stay on your skin for months and even years. They are often itchy and can also be painful to touch.

Psychological

Sometimes, stress can cause an itching sensation on the skin. Unfortunately, psychosomatic diseases can be difficult to treat, as many different states of mind cause them and the mechanism is not always clear. Some psychological problems can cause a feeling like your skin is crawling, and patients can even scratch themselves until they cause skin damage and bleeding. Compulsive scratching can be caused by depression, anxiety, OCD, etc.

Other Causes

Many other causes can lead to itchy skin and rashes, and here’s a list of conditions you may want to look into:

  • Flea bites
  • Fifth disease
  • Rosacea
  • Impetigo
  • Ringworm
  • Contact dermatitis
  • Allergic eczema
  • Hand, foot, and mouth disease
  • Diaper rash
  • Psoriasis
  • Chickenpox
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Shingles
  • Cellulitis
  • Drug allergy
  • Scabies
  • Measles
  • Seborrheic eczema
  • Scarlet fever
  • Kawasaki disease
  • Lice
  • Dermatographia

There are many more possible causes for itchy skin rashes, but these are the most common ones.

What Can You Do?

If you ever get an itchy rash that doesn’t go away in a few days, you should do everything you can to stop it. If the problem is not severe, you can try using some home remedies to make things better.

But if the issue persists, the only solution is to go to the doctor and explain your symptoms. Your doctor will prescribe a lotion or drugs to make it go away. If that doesn’t fix things, you may need to go to a dermatologist for further testing.

Does Cracking Your Knuckles Give Arthritis?

Written By: Arch
Arch

Many people are against cracking your knuckles because they claim that it causes arthritis. But what does science say? Does cracking your knuckles give arthritis, or is this a misconception?

The urban myth is still spread all over the world, even though most people don’t really know if the habit is genuinely unhealthy or not. The short answer is that cracking your knuckles doesn’t cause arthritis, but it can cause some other issues you should know about.

How Do Knuckle Joints Work and Why Can You Crack Them?

Joints connect the ends of two bones. The ends of the bones are covered with articular cartilage that is then surrounded by a joint capsule. The capsule is filled with a synovial fluid which lubricates the joints and provides nutrients for the cells that are in charge of maintaining the joint cartilage.

The synovial fluid found in the joints contains oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen gases that are formed by the cells in the fluid. The cracking sound you hear when cracking your knuckles is partly caused by a release of those gases. They make a sound as they escape the synovial fluid into the cavities that form in the joints. As you crack your knuckles, the joint capsule expands, dropping the pressure inside enough for the gas to escape out of the fluid.

This process shouldn’t be painful, and it happens often. In fact, we know that there are three ways you can crack your knuckles:

  • Bending your fingers backward or forwards
  • Pulling the bones in the joint apart
  • Turning your fingers sideways

But what are the risks? Does cracking your knuckles give arthritis?

Cavity Formation

A few different groups of scientists have tried to find out if there is a relation between knuckle cracking and arthritis.

One elaborate study used magnetic resonance imaging or MRI to see what exactly happens when you crack your joints. The researchers here concluded that the sound is related to cavity formation and not just the release of the gases.

They used the MRI to take real-time images (at 3.2 frames per second), as 10 volunteers cracked their joints in a special flexible tube that applied traction to the joints. They could see that cavities form due to joint separation, which is what causes the sounds.

The studies concluded that gas bubbles do contribute to the cracking sound, but the sound can also occur without any gas bubbles in the joints.

But the research also found that there’s no relation between cracking knuckles and arthritis. Let’s look at some more results.

A Direct Approach to Research

Dr. Donald Unger did extensive research on the topic because of the warnings he got from his family whenever he cracked his knuckles.

He wanted to prove that there’s nothing to be afraid of, so he cracked the knuckles on his left hand at least two times a day for 50 years, and left his right hand untouched. Since there was no difference between his left hand and right hand, he concluded that cracking joints doesn’t cause arthritis.

Another study was performed by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences on 215 people. 20% of those people cracked their knuckles regularly. It turned out that 18% of the participants who cracked their knuckles got arthritis, while 21.5% of the people that didn’t crack their knuckles also got arthritis.

That means that you have almost the same chances of getting arthritis, no matter if you crack your knuckles or not. However, cracking knuckles can cause some other medical problems you should keep in mind.

Other Medical Concerns

Even though you don’t have to worry about arthritis if you crack your joints all the time, you should know that the habit can contribute to inflammation and a weaker grip in the hands.

A study done in 1990 included 300 people, all of them over the age of 45. The group was divided into 74 people that crack their knuckles and 226 that don’t. Again, the conclusion was that the chances of developing arthritis are the same for both groups.

However, the group that cracked their knuckles had a higher rate of inflammation and a weaker grip with their hands. So, the cracking does impact your joints and contributes to swelling, soft tissue damage, and weakened muscles.

Why Do People Do It?

Cracking your joints stimulates something called the Golgi tendon organ. The motion relaxes the muscles, giving you a feeling of increased mobility. It’s a normal sensation we all experience, but doing it often can cause issues in the long run.

Treatment

There is no treatment for cracking joints, and it is usually nothing to worry about. Some doctors even joked that cracking joints causes more problems for those who hear the sound than to the person who is doing the cracking. There’s nothing you can do to stop your knuckles and joints from cracking other than not do it intentionally.

Is There a Way to Minimize Knuckle Cracking?

Cracking knuckles and joints happens naturally, but it happens more to people with excess weight. That’s because they have more pressure on the joints.

You probably already know that you have to exercise to keep your joints in ideal working order. Low-impact exercise will keep your joints flexible, and your muscles will become stronger, keeping the joints in place, and reducing the likelihood of them popping and cracking all the time.

To Crack or Not to Crack, That Is the Question

You can stop asking the question “Does cracking your knuckles give arthritis?” – quite simply, it doesn’t. Your chances of developing arthritis will not be impacted by this habit.

With that said, you could experience other problems, including a weaker grip in your hands, swelling, and inflammation. So, it’s not a good idea to crack your knuckles deliberately.

The best thing you can do to make sure that your joints and knuckles are healthy is to work out regularly. Strengthening your muscles will keep your joins in place, so you’ll reduce the chances of them cracking.

Health

Can I Get Pregnant from Precum?

Written By: Arch
Arch

There’s a ton of different ways to avoid pregnancy, like condoms, the pill, IUDs (intrauterine devices), and others. But because most of these options cost money, plenty of people try the free, but risky, pull-out method.

If you’re not using a condom and relying on ‘coitus interruptus,’ then you probably have some questions about how to manage the risks. So, you may ask, “Can I get pregnant from precum?”

Priming the Pump

First off, what is precum? Before a man reaches orgasm, a clear and somewhat sticky fluid is released in order to prepare the penis for the ejaculatory fluid that’s about to be released. Precum, or pre-ejaculate, is produced by two pea-sized glands that are just below the prostate, near the root of the penis.

These are called the Cowper’s glands, and they release alkaline mucus into the urethra, which is the tube through the middle of the penis that men pee through. Pee is somewhat acidic, which isn’t great for sperm as they’re pretty sensitive to pH levels. So, the precum is used to line the urethra to help the little swimmers survive the journey.

It may also have the same effect on the vagina, which is also naturally somewhat acidic. This generally helps prevent vaginal infections but it isn’t conducive to the survival of sperm.

The other reason for precum is that it works as lubrication for the act of sex itself. Women also have a similar set of glands that sit on either side of the entrance to the vagina. These are called the Bartholin’s glands, and they also produce an alkaline lubricating mucus, which serves a similar purpose.

So, No Sperm Then?

Unfortunately, things aren’t quite that simple. For a long time, because the Cowper’s glands don’t produce or contain any sperm cells themselves, it was believed that precum couldn’t contain any sperm.

The thing is, that just as precum makes it possible for sperm to survive the passage through the urethra, it also makes conditions more favorable for them to survive in there afterward. So, say that you’ve already had sex with your partner once that day. There’s a reasonable chance that there will be some sperm still pottering about in the urethra, especially if you’ve not peed and made things acidic again.

In the right conditions, sperm can survive for around five days. That’s why two studies, conducted in 2016 and 2011, found active, mobile sperm in the precum of 17 percent and 37 percent (respectively) of the men that they tested.

The exact reasons aren’t fully understood, as there hasn’t been a lot of research yet. If it’s not because of sperm left over in the urethra, then scientists theorize that for whatever reason some men just leak sperm cells into their precum.

OK, but Can I Get Pregnant from Precum?

The basic answer is: maybe, but probably not. The odds are very slim, but you still can’t rule it out. An average ejaculation contains around 200 to 300 million sperm, while one of the precum samples tested in the 2011 study had more than 23 million.

While this still sounds like quite a lot, it’s worth keeping in mind that only 25 to 30 percent of couples in their 20s and 30s successfully get pregnant per menstrual cycle when they’re actively trying to, which means intentionally finishing inside multiple times. Considering those odds, precum seems quite safe.

On the other hand, all it takes is one particularly hardy (and lucky) sperm to cause a pregnancy. That’s why the pull-out method, when used perfectly, still has a 4 percent chance of resulting in pregnancy over the course of a year (and most people don’t use it perfectly, which is why the ‘normal’ usage failure rate is 22 percent.)

What If I’m Not Ovulating?

Remember how we said that sperm can survive for five days? That’s not just inside the guy’s urethra. They can survive inside the female partner’s reproductive system too. That means that if the woman releases an egg within that time frame, then there is still a chance that the Chuck Norris of sperms will be able to fertilize it.

Normally, ovulation occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle, which is around 14 days before your next period. If you’re having regular sex up to five days before or on the same day as you ovulate, then you have a higher chance of getting pregnant. And because there could be sperm in your partner’s precum, there’s a chance of pregnancy, lower but not non-existent.

What Can I Do If My Partner Doesn’t Pull Out in Time?

There are a couple of emergency contraceptive options that you can use if you and your partner accidentally take things too far.

The first is a hormonal emergency contraceptive pill. They can work up to five days after unprotected sex, as they delay or even prevent the egg from being released. The pill is most effective when used within 72 hours of having unprotected sex.

They can cost between $20 to $60 from your local pharmacy, depending on whether you choose a generic version or a branded product. They can also often be procured through your doctor via a prescription. Because they are classed as preventative care, you’re usually free if you have health insurance.

They also have a number of potential side effects, including:

  • headache
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • stomach pain
  • dizziness
  • breast tenderness
  • fatigue

Your other option is having an intrauterine device inserted by your doctor. It can reduce your chances of pregnancy by over 99 percent, which is pretty good odds, and it can be used up to five days after sex as an emergency contraceptive. It’ll also work to keep you from getting pregnant in the future for up to 10 to 12 years if you leave it in. They’re not cheap though, costing between $500 to $1000 if you’re not insured.

Pull Away from Pulling Out

The long and the short of it is that pulling out isn’t really the best way to avoid getting pregnant. Even if he manages it perfectly, there’s still a 4 percent chance that you’ll get pregnant thanks to the lingering sperm in his urethra, or just sheer unlucky timing.

There’s even a very slim – but not ignorable – chance that getting precum on the entrance of your vagina could cause you to end up pregnant. All this considered, skipping out on condoms is too risky to be worth it.

 

References:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269604759_International_Journal_of_Medicine_and_Biomedical_Research
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27266214
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3564677/?_escaped_fragment_=po=1.13636

Click to access nihms458000.pdf

Health

Blood Clots During Your Period – What It Means

Written By: Arch
Arch

Humanity has had a mixed relationship with menstruation throughout the centuries. Some scholars have theorized that the monthly bleeding that women go through was the basis for the earliest religions we created. Depending on which faith you followed in the intervening years, you might have thought that a woman on her period was sacred (Ancient Rome), ritually unclean (Judaism and Islam) or just a woman on her period and nothing more or less (Buddhism and Sikhism).

With all the cultural taboos swirling around, not to mention the usual discomfort, having a period once a month can be a trial in itself. But when something happens differently than usual, it is natural to feel concerned.

Here is a look at the experience of forming blood clots during your period, what it means, and whether it is dangerous.

Why Do Clots Form?

First of all, you should know that blood clots are a normal and natural part of menstruation. Every 28 to 35 days, most women of childbearing age will shed the endometrium or the uterine lining. This layer grows throughout the month, as estrogen encourages it to thicken to prepare for the arrival of a fertilized egg.

If a fertilized egg doesn’t implant in the wall of the uterus, the body starts to absorb about two-thirds of the lining, and the other third begins to shed. As the lining is shedding, it becomes mixed with blood, mucus, and other tissue, and begins to pool at the bottom of the uterus, in preparation for the cervix contracting and expelling it into the vagina.

As it is pooling, the body produces anticoagulant hormones to thin the mixture. Sometimes, however, the blood flow is greater than the body’s capacity to produce these hormones, which causes clots to form. This is why clots are more common in the first days of a period, which is usually when the flow is heaviest.

How Do You Know If It’s Heavy Bleeding?

During the heaviest flow, blood clots may be dark red, brown, or black, as there has been more blood than your body has been able to thin. But most of the time, they will be a brighter red color.

As long as they’re not particularly large, there’s likely nothing to worry about. They may also appear darker again towards the end of your period, as the blood flow slows down and so the blood being expelled is older.

A normal flow should last for four or five days, and it should produce around two or three tablespoons’ worth of blood. The medical term for heavy menstrual bleeding is menorrhagia, which refers to bleeding that lasts for more than seven days, or which exceeds a total loss of 80ml (around five and a half teaspoons worth).

Of course, you can hardly be expected to stand there holding a spoon under yourself all day, so how can you tell if your bleeding is normal? Other than your own awareness of what is normal for you, there are a few signs that you can check for.

If any of the following are the case, then it’s a decent indication that you are experiencing a heavy period:

  • Bleeding through your clothes or bedding
  • Having to change your sanitary products every hour or two
  • Passing blood clots larger than 2.5cm (around the size of a quarter)
  • Needing two sanitary products at the same time, such as a pad and a tampon
  • More pain than usual

Potential Health Issues

If you noticed that you’re having a heavier flow than normal, either through your own understanding or from the list above, it could be an indication of a health condition such as one of the following.

Uterine Fibroids/Polyps

The most common cause of heavier flows, uterine fibroids and polyps are non-cancerous growths of endometrial or muscular tissue in the wall of your uterus. They can cause a blockage that prevents the uterus from properly contracting, and so they can reduce the flow of blood being expelled by the cervix. Then the blood pools for longer and forms larger clots.

While common and not generally dangerous, these growths can cause other health issues if not managed properly, including:

  • Irregular spotting
  • Feeling bloated
  • Constant lower back pain
  • Pain during sex
  • Fertility issues

Endometriosis

Endometriosis means that the endometrium grows somewhere other than your uterus, often in the fallopian tubes and ovaries. This can cause heavy periods, though it more often results in painful ones.

This condition occurs over the course of each menstrual cycle, though the symptoms can grow worse as you start your period. The symptoms can include:

  • Painful periods
  • Heavy periods
  • Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea during your period
  • Cramping and pain in the lower back and pelvis
  • Pain or discomfort during sex
  • Fertility issues

Adenomyosis

This condition is when the uterine lining grows into the muscular wall of the uterus itself. This can cause both the endometrium and the uterus to grow larger and thicker, which can cause a heavier flow, and also more and larger clots.

Hormonal Imbalances

The growth of the endometrium over the course of each cycle is governed by a balance of estrogen and progesterone. If these hormones are out of balance, then it can cause a heavy period. This can be caused by being in or about to begin menopause. Stress or a significant gain or loss of weight are frequent triggers too. The most noticeable symptom is irregular or missing periods.

Miscarriage

Up to half of all pregnancies result in a miscarriage, often before the woman is even aware that she has conceived. A failed pregnancy normally results in a heavier period, as well as more clotting and cramping.

An Enlarged Uterus

After a pregnancy has come to term, the extra space made to accommodate the little one can often stick around. This gives more room for blood to pool, and so increases the amount of clotting that happens before it is expelled.

Bleeding Disorders

If you suffer from a bleeding disorder such as von Willebrand’s disease (VWD), or a platelet function disorder, this could be the cause of frequent heavy periods. While VWD is a rare condition, it affects between 5 and 24 percent of women who have chronically heavy menstruation.

Waiting for the Painters to Leave

While it’s probably not the most pleasant part of an already trying time, you generally shouldn’t be worried if you have blood clots during your period. What it means most of the time is just that you are in the first few days of your flow. However, if you are regularly getting unusually large clots, along with more pain than usual, you should have a word with your doctor so they can check that it’s not caused by an underlying condition.

 

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/blooddisorders/women/menorrhagia.html
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heavy-periods/
https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Adolescent-Health-Care/Von-Willebrand-Disease-in-Women

Health

What Is Nature vs. Nurture? What Makes You… You?

Written By: Arch
Arch

If you’ve ever thought “I blame the parents,” or “it’s no surprise, considering where they come from,” how right were you? It’s one of the oldest debates in philosophy and psychology, and it’s still causing controversy today. Nature versus nurture has been around as a concept for a long time, and the debate can get quite heated.

But what is nature vs. nurture? Can you really assign responsibility to either a person’s genes or solely to their upbringing?

Nature

When people refer to ‘nature’ in this context, they are referring to the hereditary traits and genetics inherited from our parents, and our parents’ parents, and so on. An example of nature in action would be the child of two parents with dark hair being born with dark hair, or two tall parents producing a tall offspring.

Philosophers like Plato and René Descartes had their own takes on this side of the issue. They believed that people are born with certain traits and modes of behavior ingrained in them, and that this happens regardless of what they may experience during the course of their life. This concept is known as nativism.

According to this approach, geniuses were born as geniuses, and criminals are destined to be criminals. If your parent was an artist, then better grab a paintbrush, essentially.

This can be seen in the animal kingdom, with dogs as a good example. Wolves that were more friendly towards humans were nurtured by them, and interbred with other similar wolves, so that their puppies would be more naturally inclined to friendliness. Racehorse breeding is another example, where traits like speed and endurance are valuable, and breeding pairs are selected to increase these traits.

Nurture

The other side of the debate refers to the concept that nothing about a person is set in stone. that the idea is that we are all a product of our environment and what we have learned.

John Locke was one of the earlier proponents of this concept. He suggested a fairly extreme form, which he termed ‘tabula rasa,’ Latin for ‘blank slate.’ He suggested that every person is born essentially formless, and that who they become is purely the result of their experiences after birth. This approach is known as empiricism, which states that most if not all of a person’s behaviors and characteristics are a result of sensory experience.

Things that would play into this are your upbringing and childhood experiences, your social interactions, and the culture in which you were raised.

Behaviorism is an empiricist theory that suggests that people’s responses, behaviors, and actions are rooted in conditioning. As an example, consider Pavlov’s dogs, who were trained to start salivating when a bell was rung, in anticipation of being fed.

Nature vs. Nurture – FIGHT!

So, which one has more of an influence? Are we just a product of our genes, destined to be what our parents brewed up between them? Or are we liable to be anything at all, just needing a push in the right, or wrong, direction?

The idea has been around for thousands of years, and philosophers have been wrangling over the answer for much of that time. Even today, most researchers tend to fall more firmly on one side or the other.

A behavioral psychologist might study how children can learn aggressive behaviors from observing them in others, such as in Albert Bandura’s Bobo doll experiments. The idea here was to study the effect that violent imagery had on children. The experiments showed that children became more aggressive after witnessing an adult treat a doll aggressively. This supports the nurture side of the debate.

A biologist, meanwhile, could be looking into the genetic heritability of low levels of neurotransmitters, which causes depression in the children of depressed people. The results here support the nature side of things.

However, the generally accepted approach these days, when removed from the biases of various scientific disciplines, is that both nature and nurture have parts to play in who we are and who we become. In other words, they are inextricably linked to one another, and to downplay either reduces the scope for potential understanding.

Nature and Nurture, Sitting in a Tree

There are numerous examples of how nature and nurture interact to form a personality.

Even inherited physical traits get impacted by your environment. Take, for example, a person’s height. While you are certainly more likely to end up being tall if your parents are both beanpoles, it has been established that this is only part of the equation. Without adequate nutrition and exercise, this genetic potential will not be realized, as the child’s body won’t get what it needs to grow tall.

There are also somewhat more contentious aspects of the debate that are disarmed by this more balanced approach. Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution popularized the idea that traits can be inherited, and then his half-cousin, Francis Galton, took it a step further.

Galton invented both the term ‘nature versus nature’, and the concept of eugenics – the idea that the human race can be improved by selectively breeding for desirable traits, like we do with animals. He suggested that intelligent people should be encouraged to have more children, while less intelligent people should be prevented from reproducing.

However, we now have the understanding that genetics only play a part in this, and that environment and upbringing can make all the difference. This means that disallowing a person to have children on the basis of one genetic factor is no guarantee that you will only get the desirable traits being aimed for.

A Little Bit of Both

So, what is nature vs. nurture? It’s a debate about the process that made you the person that you are today.

The modern understanding is that both nurture and nature have their parts to play. Even when one seems to be the main cause of a trait, the other is still an influence. A child will inherit the potential for some traits, but the way they are raised will impact them too. So next time you’re blaming the parents, don’t just focus on nurture or on nature – you can blame them for both!

 

References:

https://www.simplypsychology.org/naturevsnurture.html
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajpy.12240
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3119494/

Click to access Weaver%20Epigenetics%202004.pdf

Health

What Is the Average Height for a Woman?

Written By: Arch
Arch

Being tall has long had advantages associated with it. There is evidence to show that it conferred an evolutionary advantage when our ancestors came down from the trees and became endurance hunters on the plains of Africa, as it helped us see farther and run faster. Cultures all around the world see having extra height on your peers as a sign of overall health and economic well-being.

Considering that being tall can net you up to $800 more per year than diminutive colleagues, it’s easy to see that this idea persists to the present day. Taller people are more likely to have a higher socio-economic status, are more likely to be paid more and promoted in the workplace, are more likely to be self-employed, and they have been shown to be more intelligent and healthier on average. There is only a minor difference in these effects on men and women.

So, what is the average height for a woman? The answer to this commonly asked question depends on where you were raised. For now, there is no verified worldwide average, mainly because of the differences in measuring standards and procedures.

We’re Bigger Than We Used to Be, but Some Are Even Bigger

Over the last 250 years, records have been kept of how tall people were in the US, Europe, and Japan. Soldiers, slaves, and convicts have all contributed to the body of data, and historical records tend to be more abundant for men than for women.

A 2016 study managed to make estimates of how the average height has changed from country to country over the past century.

The greatest gains were seen in countries that had relatively high incomes, although the gains have begun to plateau over the last few decades. Interestingly, the US was one of the first countries to stop gaining in height.

One hundred years ago, Americans were among some of the tallest people in the world, but over the intervening years, the US had the smallest increase in height of all the high-income nations. One potential cause for this is the relatively poor nutritional standards in comparison to the countries that saw the greatest gains, such as much of Europe, as well as South Korea, and Iran. Declining healthcare standards have also been suggested as a possible cause.

What’s the Average Height for a Woman?

There is no reliable way of determining a worldwide average for women’s height, as each country gathers its information in different ways, and so there isn’t a standardized measure to go by. However, a number of unconfirmed and unofficial sources place it at either 5’3” or 5’4”, though where they got this number from has never been convincingly stated.

In the US, the average height is just under 5’4”, coming to 63.7 inches, according to a National Health and Nutrition Examination survey conducted between 2011 and 2013. There is some variation depending on your racial background, with black women coming out the tallest at 64.2 inches, followed by white women at 64.1 inches, then Hispanic women at 62 inches, and finally Asian women at 61.8 inches.

Meanwhile, in Europe the average height for women is 5’6”, while in various countries in Asia, Central and South American, as well as India, the average is 5’0” or less.

While American women are certainly taller than they were 100 years ago, it’s worth noting that the increase is lesser than in any other high-income nation. At the same time, the average BMI in the US has grown significantly more than in almost any other country in this time frame.

What Determines Your Height?

There are many factors that play into how tall a person will grow. While the primary influence is your genes, quite a few lifestyle-based factors can play an important part in determining how many inches you end up racking up.

Genetics

As mentioned, your family history and genetic makeup have the greatest potential effect on height. It makes up for between 60 to 80 percent of the differences in height, depending on your racial background. So, if your parents and grandparents are short, then you will probably be short too. Genetic conditions can also play a role, causing either excessive or reduced levels of growth.

Nutrition

After your genes, what you eat plays a major role in how tall you will grow. As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. Proper nutrition during childhood encourages more growth, whereas malnutrition results in less. Ensuring your children are eating healthily, and getting all the essential nutrients and vitamins that their growing bodies need, will help them to reach their highest potential.

Location

As mentioned above, where you were born and raised can potentially play a large part in your overall height, especially in the first 12 years of a person’s life. Factors related to location include:

  • nutrition
  • access to quality healthcare, especially during childhood and pregnancy
  • clean water
  • sanitation
  • access to necessary vaccinations
  • climate

Family Environment

Research has shown clear links between adequate growth levels, and living in a supportive and nurturing environment. This has a greater effect on girls, and it is especially important during pre-adolescence. Experiencing trauma and negative experiences can directly result in less growth and more illnesses.

Hormones

Human growth hormone (HGH) is one of the driving biological determinants of height, among other factors. This is related to your genes, as well as your lifestyle. Research has suggested that children that are abnormally shorter than the average can have their height normalized by a course of HGH supplements.

Sleep

Sleep helps to increase the release of HGH, and so encourages adequate growth. Children should be getting between eight to ten hours of sleep each night in order to promote normal growth.

The Bigger They Are…

The average height has increased worldwide over the last few centuries. The average American woman is around three and a half inches taller than her pilgrim ancestors, though Americans have grown less in the last century than people from other affluent countries. What’s the average height for a woman? In the US, the average is 63.7 inches, just under 5’4”, which is around the same as the unofficial and unconfirmed worldwide average.

 

References:

Click to access sr03_039.pdf


https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm

Click to access ad347.pdf


https://elifesciences.org/articles/13410
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0030153
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1570677X15000143
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10519-014-9644-z

Health

How to Know If My Water Broke

Written By: Arch
Arch

As you approach the final weeks of your pregnancy, you’re probably on high alert for any signs that your labor is starting. Your water breaking is potentially one of the most noticeable indicators, and it’s understandable if you’re worried about recognizing it.

It doesn’t necessarily happen as it does in movies and TV. While some mothers-to-be do experience a large gush of amniotic fluid, it’s just as likely to happen as a trickle, or as something in between. It’s also quite unlikely for your water to break before you’re already in labor – that only happens in about 13 percent of pregnancies.

Seeing as you might not have a big splash to go by, it’s fair if you’re asking yourself, “How to know if my water broke?” By following our simple recommendations, you may be able to work out if your water has actually broken. It might be something else that occurs towards the end of your pregnancy, such as urine leaking due to pregnancy incontinence.

I’ll Get My C.O.A.T.

When you think that your water might have broken, it is helpful to take note of a few things, so that you can tell your doctor or other healthcare professional. This can help them to work out what you should do next. You can remember this by using the mnemonic C.O.A.T.:

  • Color – what is the color of the fluid? Is it clear, straw colored, white, green, or brown?
  • Odor – does it smell like urine, bleach, or something else?
  • Amount – how much fluid came out?
  • Time – when did it happen?

Stand Up

An easy way to check is to stand up. The release of amniotic fluid can feel similar to urination that you can’t stop. If you notice the fluid comes out more when you stand up compared to sitting, this can be a good indicator that your water has broken. The increased pressure placed on the amniotic sac by standing can force more fluid out.

… Or Lie Down

One of the other simplest ways for you to work out if your water has broken is to put on fresh underwear, and a sanitary pad or panty liner. Lie down for around half an hour, and then stand up and head to the bathroom to see if the pad is wet or dry.

If your water has broken, then the fluid will gather in your vagina as you lie down, and will make the pad wet. If your pad is wet, then it’s quite likely, though not definite, that your water has broken.

While you are lying down, it can be helpful to pay attention to your baby’s movements. If all is well, whether or not your waters have broken, then your baby should be moving the same as usual.

If the Pad Is Dry

If you lie down for thirty minutes, and then find that your pad is dry when you go to check it, then it’s unlikely that your water has broken yet. What you felt could have been urine leaking from your bladder, or the mucus plug being released in preparation for labor.

If the Pad Is Wet

If the pad is wet, then there’s a good chance that your water has broken, but it’s still not a definite.

First, check the color of the fluid. Amniotic fluid is around 99 percent water, so it should be either clear, slightly straw colored (lighter than urine), or possibly a little pink. If it is a darker yellow, it’s probably urine. If it is whiter or thicker, then it’s quite likely to be mucus.

Next, try smelling the fluid. If your water has broken, then it should smell slightly sweet, or a bit like bleach – these are the normal smells for amniotic fluid. If it smells like pee, then chances are that that’s all it is.

If you are approaching or have passed your due date, then there’s a chance that the fluid will have some of your baby’s first poo, or meconium, in it. This can make the fluid go somewhat green. But if you notice a lot of green or brown lumps of meconium, or if you notice a lot of blood, this could be a sign that your baby is in distress. You should contact your healthcare professional immediately.

If You’re Still Not Sure

If in doubt, the best course of action is always the safest one. Contact your doctor or midwife. They may have some other suggestions for how to test if your water broke or if it’s something else. Once you’ve taken note of the color, odor, amount, and when it happened, it will help them to determine whether or not you should make your way to the hospital.

Once you’re at the hospital, there are a couple of common tests that they can perform to see if your water has broken. The first is a vaginal exam using a piece of litmus paper. If the paper changes to the correct color (usually blue), this is a sign that it is amniotic fluid rather than urine or something else. They may also use a speculum in order to see more clearly if your cervix has dilated, as most women’s water doesn’t break until they are around 9 inches dilated.

The other test they may perform will be to take a sample of the fluid and examine it under a microscope. The amniotic fluid will be mixed with estrogen, and when it dries, it will show a distinctive fern-like pattern, and so is called ‘ferning’. If they find ferning, then your water has broken.

How to Know If My Water Broke

While it’s relatively uncommon, there’s a reasonable chance that your water may break before you have gone into labor, and it can sometimes be hard to tell whether or not that is what has actually happened. If the liquid is clear or a light straw color, smells sweet or bleachy, or it comes out in a noticeable gush, it’s quite likely that your water has broken. In this case, you should grab your partner or doula, contact your healthcare provider, and make your way to the hospital.

 

References:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/labour-signs-what-happens/
https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a1053562/when-your-waters-break
https://www.thh.nhs.uk/services/women_babies/signs.php

Health

How to Make a Swollen Eyelid Go Down

Written By: Arch
Arch

As the old proverb goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul. But what can you do when the shutters won’t open properly?

There are many reasons that your eyelid can become swollen, from the relatively benign like a bad night’s sleep, all the way up to potentially sight-threatening causes such as eye cancer. How to make a swollen eyelid go down depends on what the underlying problem is. Below we’ll cover the main causes, how to treat them yourself, and when you should see a doctor.

Causes of Swollen Eyelids

Your eyelids become swollen when there is an excess of fluid in the tissues around the eye, known as edema, or if there is inflammation. The main causes of swelling include:

  • Allergies
  • Injury or trauma
  • Exhaustion
  • Crying
  • Stress
  • Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
  • Stye
  • Chalazion (cyst)

More serious conditions include ocular herpes, Graves’ disease, orbital cellulitis, and eye cancer.

How to Treat Swollen Eyelids

Allergies

If your eye is watery, itchy, and red, this could be a sign that an allergy is causing the swelling. Dust, pollen, pet dander, cosmetics, and other common allergens can all cause irritation and allergic reactions. When your eye is irritated by one of these allergens, your body releases chemicals to protect your eyes, most often histamine. This makes the blood vessels swell. The mucous membranes become itchy, which can make your eyes water and appear red.

Suggested Treatment: If you are unable to avoid the source of the allergen, then your best bet is to try either antihistamines or over-the-counter eye drops. Antihistamines will reduce the cause of the symptoms, while the drops will help reduce dryness and itching.

Exhaustion/Crying/Stress

If you’ve not been getting enough sleep, been awake too long, working too hard, or crying (especially for an extended period of time), you may experience swelling and discomfort around your eyes.

Suggested Treatment: Other than addressing the underlying cause, there are a few things you can do to help reduce the swelling:

  • If you wear contacts, take them out.
  • Place a cool compress, such as a washcloth soaked in cold water, over your eyes.
  • If there is discharge, rinse your eyes with saline solution.
  • Use an extra pillow to elevate your head as you sleep, which will help to reduce fluid retention.

Stye

A stye occurs when you have an infection in one of the meibomian glands on your eyelid. This results in a red, swollen lump near or on the edge of your eyelid, often filled with pus, and it is usually sore to the touch.

Suggested Treatment: Pressing a clean cloth soaked in warm water to your eye can help to promote healing and relieve your symptoms. Hold it against your eye for five to ten minutes, three or four times a day. It usually takes a few weeks for a stye to heal. Painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can help to reduce any pain. Don’t use makeup on that eye, as it can cause reinfection and irritation.

Chalazion (Cyst)

A chalazion is similar to a stye, but normally happens in the middle of the upper or lower eyelid rather than at the edge. It looks like a stye at first but will then develop into a hard lump.

Suggested Treatment: As with a stye, press a clean cloth soaked in warm water against your eye for five to ten minutes, three to five times a day. If the chalazion remains after a few weeks, you should consult your doctor, who may decide to drain it for you.

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

Conjunctivitis is the collective term given to infections from various causes, either viral, bacterial, or allergic. The infection results in inflammation of the surface of your eye, which can cause a sticky coating or pus to be visible in the corners of your eye and on your eyelashes. This can turn crusty overnight, making it difficult to open your eye in the morning. It can also easily spread from one eye to the other.

Suggested Treatment: You can use cotton pads and warm water to clean the gunk away from your eye. It will often heal on its own over time. To avoid spreading the infection, try not to touch your eyes, don’t use eye makeup or wear contacts, and regularly change your pillowcases.

Ocular Herpes

Ocular herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus, which also causes common ailments like shingles and cold sores. Its effects can be mild, but may also result in scarring of the cornea and loss of vision in that eye.

The symptoms are similar to conjunctivitis, but also include blurry vision, sores on your eyelid, and swollen eyes.

Suggested Treatment: You should visit your doctor to get the best possible treatment for this condition. They will likely prescribe antiviral eyedrops to stop the infection from spreading. Steroidal eyedrops might also be necessary to reduce the inflammation. Antiviral pills are sometimes required to treat serious infections, and to help reduce the chances of it returning.

When You Should Go Straight to the Doctor

While a swollen eyelid is often not a cause for major concern, if you exhibit any of the following symptoms along with the swelling, you should consult a doctor straight away:

  • pain in your eye
  • blurry or distorted vision
  • double vision
  • vision that gets worse
  • floaters in your vision
  • feeling like there is something stuck in your eye
  • not being able to move your eye
  • drooping eyelids
  • dizziness
  • shaking
  • high temperature
  • nausea
  • confusion

Any of these, coupled with a swollen eyelid, could be a sign of a more serious condition.

The Eyes Have It

Swollen eyelids are not a condition in and of themselves, but rather a symptom of an underlying health issue. Determining the cause of the swelling is important in working out how to make a swollen eyelid go down. In most cases, it’s nothing serious, and it will go away within days to weeks. However, if you have any concerns at all, or if your symptoms linger or worsen, you should talk to your doctor right away. Some of the more serious conditions can result in loss of sight if left untreated.

 

References:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/eyelid-problems/
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/conditions/eyelid-problems

How Is Alzheimer’s Different from Dementia?

Written By: Arch
Arch

The slow process of losing oneself or a loved one to dementia can be a terrifying and saddening experience. Learning everything you can about what is happening can at least give you a basis to build an understanding. It can perhaps help you to come to terms with it. Plus, knowing what symptoms to look out for can help doctors make an accurate diagnosis.

Despite the overlap in the symptoms and signs, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are not the same. How is Alzheimer’s different from dementia? The simplest answer is that dementia is a syndrome (in other words, a group of symptoms), while Alzheimer’s is one of the conditions that can cause dementia. The full answer is somewhat more nuanced, and knowing the difference is important.

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is a collection of symptoms that are grouped under one name, rather than a specific disease in and of itself. It negatively affects the proper functioning of the brain, and it impacts cognitive functions like reasoning, memory, and judgment. It is an umbrella term that includes Alzheimer’s, along with a number of other potential causes.

It’s possible to have more than one form of dementia, and this is called mixed dementia. It is usually caused by having more than one condition that can result in dementia.

As dementia progresses, it can have increasingly worse effects on cognitive function. It can limit the sufferer’s ability to live independently, making it one of the leading causes of disability in old age.

Causes of Dementia

According to the World Health Organization, there are 47.5 million people worldwide suffering from dementia. Alzheimer’s is the leading cause, accounting for 50-70% of all the people living with dementia. Vascular dementia is the second most common cause, affecting around 10% of dementia sufferers. This is caused by strokes or a restriction to the blood flow in the brain, which results in the death of brain cells.

Other potential causes include:

  • Huntington’s disease
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • HIV
  • stroke
  • chronic drug use
  • depression

Dementia Symptoms

The early symptoms of dementia can be mild, and so they are sometimes easy to miss. It affects memory, which can result in minor bouts of forgetfulness and confusion. For example, it can manifest as the person repeating questions or getting lost in a normally familiar place. However, dementia is a progressive syndrome, which means the symptoms will worsen over time.

As time passes, dementia’s effects on memory and judgment get worse. The sufferer may start to forget the names and faces of friends and family, and they can start to struggle with maintaining personal hygiene. Looking after themselves will become more difficult, and decision-making will start to worsen, leading to a situation where they may need to have supervised care. Keeping track of time can become harder, and behavioral changes can cause aggression and depression.

While the different types of dementia can have some varying symptoms, dementia sufferers will have difficulties with at least two of the following:

  • Memory
  • Reasoning and judgment
  • Communication and speech
  • Focus and concentration
  • Visual perception (such as visual hallucinations, or trouble seeing movement or the difference between colors)

Differences Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia Symptoms

The symptoms of Alzheimer’s can overlap with other forms and causes of dementia. While difficulties with memory, communication, and thinking clearly are common to both Alzheimer’s and other types, some of the symptoms specific to Alzheimer’s include:

  • behavioral changes
  • apathy
  • depression
  • impaired judgment
  • trouble recalling conversations or recent events
  • disorientation
  • confusion
  • difficulty walking, swallowing, or speaking in later stages of the condition

Some other types of dementia also include these symptoms, but they will also have other, distinctive symptoms. For example, people with either Huntington’s or Parkinson’s disease will manifest uncontrolled movement, like their hands shaking, which won’t happen in people with Alzheimer’s.

Causes and Effects of Alzheimer’s

Scientists are yet to discover what triggers Alzheimer’s disease, but they do have some understanding of the mechanism by which it affects the brain. This can start to occur years before symptoms become noticeable.

Two proteins, amyloid and tau, form abnormal deposits known as plaques and tangles respectively. This, along with reductions in neurotransmitter levels in the brain, causes the connections between brain cells to deteriorate. The result is that brain cells begin to die, and in advanced cases of the disease, the brain shows a marked reduction in size.

Treating Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Alzheimer’s

Because Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia, some of the treatments will overlap, though the treatments for dementia can also include methods that aren’t helpful for Alzheimer’s sufferers. This depends on the type and underlying cause of the condition.

There is not yet a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, though there are many avenues of research being explored. Treatment is currently limited to managing the symptoms, and it can include:

  • medications to help with memory loss, such as cholinesterase inhibitors (these prevent the breakdown of neurotransmitter chemical acetylcholine in the brain)
  • antipsychotic medications to help manage behavioral changes
  • antidepressants
  • medicines to help with changes to sleep patterns

Dementia

Certain causes of dementia can be treated directly, which will also potentially help with treating dementia itself. These conditions include dementia caused by:

  • metabolic disorders
  • tumors
  • hypoglycemia
  • chronic drug use

Unfortunately, in most cases, the effects of dementia can’t be reversed, but they are often treatable using the right medication. This will depend on the cause of the syndrome, and it can sometimes be the same as the treatments for Alzheimer’s. As the symptoms progress, in-home care or relocation to a nursing home may become necessary.

Prognosis

For everyone who has dementia, the symptoms will worsen over time. Alzheimer’s is considered a terminal illness, and the average sufferer will have an estimated lifespan of between four and eight years after diagnosis. However, people have been known to live for decades with the condition. People diagnosed over the age of 80 are unlikely to survive for more than three years, but younger people can live for many more.

Overview – How Is Alzheimer’s Different from Dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term for a collection of symptoms, which include memory loss, trouble thinking, and speech difficulties, among others. It is caused by a number of different conditions, one of which is Alzheimer’s disease. Essentially, the difference is that Alzheimer’s is a disease, and dementia is one of the symptoms of that disease, as well as of other conditions.

 

References:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alzheimers-disease/
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/what-difference-between-dementia-and-alzheimers-disease

What Does It Mean to Detox?

Written By: Arch
Arch

We live in a world of fads – you can’t avoid hearing about the next big diet, the miracle pill that will make you immediately skinny, or skincare creams that magically make you look ten years younger.

It can get hard to differentiate the truth from the scams. People use the latest craze to sell their products and treatments. Whether it has any basis in science or medicine is often not even part of the conversation.

Detoxing (short for detoxification or detoxifying) is on the lips of dieticians, doctors, and homeopathic practitioners everywhere. It has a number of different meanings, depending on who you ask and what you’re trying to achieve. It’s hard to walk through a pharmacy these days without seeing products purporting to singlehandedly remove all the toxins from your system. But what does it mean to detox?

You’re Detoxing Right Now – Metabolic Detoxification

In fact, you’re detoxing all day every day. At least, as long as your liver and kidneys are working properly. This is the actual, general meaning of ‘detoxing,’ and it is a constant process that your organs are performing all the time.

As the blood circulates around your body, it delivers oxygen and picks up waste products, in order to transport them to the part of your body that deals with them. Carbon dioxide ends up in your lungs, where you breathe it out and replace it with more oxygen. Other toxins, like heavy metals, pollutants, pesticides, and the waste products from your metabolic processes, end up passing through the liver and kidneys in a two-stage process.

The first part works to neutralize the harmful chemicals and byproducts, using a mixture of organic reduction and oxidation (together known as redox reactions) to add oxygen, remove hydrogen, or both. Next, your body adds certain chemicals to the mix to make it soluble, which means you can get rid of it. Every time you breathe out, sweat, or go to the toilet, your body is doing its thing to detoxify your system.

They Tried to Make Me Go to Rehab – Medical Detoxing

The original, and more technical, use for the term detoxification is a clinical one. It is the process that the body goes through when recovering from an extended period of drug use, though it refers only to the physiological process, not the psychological one. In other words, detoxing can help your body to return to a normal state. Fixing the underlying cause for the addiction or over-use is a separate part of the process.

When Sterling Archer, from FX’s Archer, jokes that he can’t stop drinking all at once, because he’s afraid that the cumulative hangover will kill him – he’s not actually wrong. After an extended period of constant use, the body becomes habituated to having alcohol in it and going cold turkey can have severe, and sometimes fatal, consequences.

Detoxification is part of the recovery process for both alcohol and various drugs, including opiates like heroin and morphine, as well as sedatives like benzodiazepines and barbiturates. It is the first stage of breaking the addiction. Rehab centers will do what they can to help patients to avoid the symptoms of withdrawal, and this can happen with or without the aid of medications.

The New Kid on the Block – Detox Diets, Retreats, Etc.

This is where things get a little murky. In many circles, ‘detox’ has become the new word to replace the bogey-man: diet. Be it a juice cleanse, or a water fast, there are various ‘tried and tested,’ but not scientifically supported, methods out there.

The general aim of a detox diet is to try to support the body’s natural detoxification process by either supplying it with the nutrients it needs to do that job, or by supposedly giving the organs a break by ingesting fewer toxins. The former method can potentially be beneficial. However, there is little solid science to suggest that fasting and so on actually aids in the functioning of your liver and kidneys.

Companies sell ‘detoxifying’ products of every shade of the rainbow, but they don’t mention what toxins they actually are supposed to remove, and when the manufacturers are asked, they often don’t even have a proper definition for what they mean by detox. So, as with everything you read on the internet or hear from a friend, take any and all claims of a magical detox with a healthy pinch of cynical salt.

Fasting is more straightforward but it can be dangerous. You will definitely lose some weight by starving yourself. But at some point, the body will stop shedding pounds and will activate other ways of dealing with the lack of nutrients. This can have long-term negative effects on your health.

You Are What You Eat

After all this, then, what does it mean to detox?

In the trendy sense of the word, detoxing refers to using products and methods that get rid of ‘toxins.’ The idea behind it is that the body is unable to deal with these toxins by itself.

But this is fundamentally untrue. The thing to note is that many (if not all) of the people who try to persuade you that you need to detox are trying to sell you something, one way or the other.

The best route to health is through eating well, getting regular exercise, and a proper night’s sleep. If you spend the entire year drinking heavily every weekend, eating fast food, and sitting around in front of your computer, you can’t fix it all in one week of detoxing.

Better to implement changes that you can maintain year-round, and that will support your body’s natural functioning.

Green foods are good for your gut, even a small increase in exercise can dramatically reduce your chances of heart disease and other nasty complications. The blue light from your phone or laptop tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime and makes it hard to settle down, so try to avoid using tech before bed. These small changes will have better results than any detox ever could.

 

References:

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/detoxes-cleanses
https://drugabuse.com/detox/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25912765
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29124370
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25522674

Click to access PNF019-02-07.pdf

Are Vaginal Douches Safe?

Written By: Arch
Arch

In ancient times, women would squirt olive oil, honey, or wine inside themselves as an ineffective method of birth control. Vaginal douches because widely used in the 1830s, when an American doctor widely recommended them as a way to prevent pregnancy. From then, they became a popular commercial product, with women using a mixture of water and vinegar, or even toxic household cleaning products to try and avoid unwanted pregnancies.

These days, between 20-40% of American women aged between 15 to 44 say that they use a vaginal douche. The main use nowadays is professed to be hygiene, to remove unpleasant odors, and to wash away blood after a period. Some also say they use douching to avoid sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as well as the old favorite – contraception.

But are vaginal douches safe? Despite what you may have heard, there is no scientific evidence to show that douching works effectively for any of these uses. In fact, this practice can do the exact opposite of what its intended purpose is, and it can lead to some rather nasty complications.

What Is Douching?

“Douche” is a loan word from 18th century France, and in this context means to “wash” or “soak”. In modern French and many other European languages, the word just means “shower” these days.

Douching is primarily a method of washing out a woman’s vagina, using a mixture of water and vinegar, or other antiseptic chemicals and fragrances. Douches normally come in the form of a squeezable bottle or bag, attached to a tube which is inserted into the vagina. The liquid container is squeezed, which sprays the mixture into the vagina. The mixture then comes back out again, supposedly cleaning the vagina in the process.

Does It Work?

The short answer is no. Vaginal douching does not work for the intended purpose, and doctors recommend that you don’t do it unless directed to by a healthcare professional for medical reasons.

Rather than reducing the risks of STIs, for example, it can actually provide a vector for infection, as it can push the harmful microbes deeper into your reproductive system. It has also been linked with cervical cancer, an increased likelihood of infections, and reduced fertility, among other complications.

Bacterial Vaginosis (Vaginal Infections)

The vagina has a natural microbiome of helpful and harmful bacteria called vaginal flora, as well as a naturally acidic pH balance. The bacteria help to keep the vaginal environment acidic, which in turn protects the vagina from infections.

Using a douche disturbs this natural balance, which makes the conditions more favorable for the harmful bacteria to grow. This can lead to vaginal infections. Bacterial vaginosis can increase the chances of the woman catching an STI, as well as the chances of preterm labor in pregnant women.Studies have indicated that women who stopped using douches became less likely to get a vaginal infection.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

A number of STIs don’t show symptoms in many of the people who contract them. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two such infections that are especially linked with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancies, and cancer.

Studies have shown that women who use vaginal douches are significantly more likely to be infected with cervical chlamydia. The more often they douched, the higher the likelihood of their having an infection. There is also some evidence that suggests that women who alter their vaginal flora and acidity by douching are more susceptible to infection by HIV.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

PID is the term for when you have an infection in your uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or your ovaries. It has been linked with tubal infertility, sterility, tuboovarian abscess, endometritiss, chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy, and cancer. It affects over one million women in the USA every year, and it costs over $9 billion in healthcare annually.

Studies have shown that using a douche can increase the chances of PID between 30-70%, depending on your age, race, and how often you use the douche. It is posited that the increased chance of infection is due to two factors. For one, the water mixture pushes vaginal bacteria or existing infections into the normally sterile upper reproductive system. But the infection also comes from changes in the vaginal environment, which allow for the growth of bacteria that cause PID.

Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide. It is closely linked with infection by human papillomavirus (HPV), a disease that can be transmitted sexually or even just by skin contact.

Multiple studies have shown a link between douching once a week, and an increased likelihood of contracting cervical cancer. The more frequent the douching, the higher the risk of cancer.

What You Can Do Instead

The weight of the evidence shows that squirting water and chemicals up your vagina is not only ineffective, it also increases your risks of infection, infertility, and cancer. So, what can you do instead?

Well, it’s worth keeping in mind that your vagina is very much capable of keeping itself clean. It produces mucus, which then washes away any blood, semen, and vaginal discharges. Putting chemicals or scents up there can disturb this process and increase the chances of infection.

Washing the outside of your vagina with warm water while bathing will help to keep you healthy downstairs. You can use a mild, unscented soap, though if you have sensitive skin or current vaginal infection, this might cause dryness and irritation. If you have concerns about odor, it helps to know that a mild odor is perfectly normal, and that physical activity can make this stronger and muskier.

Don’t Be a Douche – Stop Using a Douche

Are vaginal douches safe? There is a wealth of scientific studies and research that shows that it is not only unsafe, but potentially quite dangerous to keep using douches. It doesn’t work as a contraceptive, it doesn’t make you cleaner or help you smell better, and it makes STIs more likely rather than less. Potentially, douching could even lead to you contracting a host of diseases or even cancer. Much better to trust in your body’s natural ability to clean itself.

 

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg/key_statistics/d.htm#douching
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2567125/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12383547
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1380405/
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/keeping-your-vagina-clean-and-healthy/
https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/douching

How to Last Longer in Bed

Written By: Arch
Arch

Everybody loves a good session between the sheets, but sometimes things end a little more quickly than anticipated. It’s more common than you might think, with one study suggesting that nearly half of all men are finished within two minutes.

Most guys see this as not long enough, and so they cast about the internet trying to find out how to last longer in bed. You need to look no further, gents, as we’ve got some of the best tips and tricks right here.

Kegel Exercises

You might have heard of these as something the ladies do. It turns out that they can be just as helpful for guys. One study found that 75% of men who did Kegels improved erectile function, and another showed that 61% of men doing them were cured of premature ejaculation. In other words, Kegels will help keep you stay harder for longer.

Kegels work out the pubococcygeal (pelvic floor) muscles, which are the ones you tense to cut off the flow of urine when you’re peeing. Clench the muscles for ten seconds at a time, and try to do three sets of 10 reps per day. One bonus is that you can do them pretty much anywhere, so if you find yourself with a bit of downtime, get flexing.

Try Different Positions

Variety is the spice of life, and it also might well help you last longer. Sticking to the same old routine can condition your body to expect the same result. Mixing things up will not only stop you from settling into a rut, but the effort and attention it takes to try new things can help you last longer. If you’re focused on holding your partner’s ankles around your ears as she dangles off the side of the bed, you’re probably going to be a bit distracted from the sprint to the finish line.

One position to steer away from is doggy style, as it encourages fast and deep sex, and so a quicker end. You could go with the old faithful missionary or let your partner take the reins by having her on top. If she’s taking the lead, you’re not going to be able to pound your way to a swift conclusion.

Edging

Practice makes perfect, and sex is no different. Knowing how to use your instrument properly is always a good idea, and practicing the technique known as edging while masturbating can help you to improve your control over when you come. This is a form of biofeedback, where you learn to control your bodily functions.

The idea is to bring yourself to the edge of orgasm, before pulling back from the brink by stopping until you’ve got yourself back under control. By repeatedly doing this, you can train your mind and body to have greater control, plus you can learn the signs that you’re about to finish so that you can take a breather when things are getting too hot and heavy to handle.

Don’t Just Thrust

Sex isn’t all about the penetration, and there’re loads of other things that you can do in bed with your partner that isn’t just the old in-and-out.

The majority of women need more than just vaginal sex in order to reach orgasm, so why not give her clitoris the attention it needs and deserves? You can use your hands, your mouth, toys, or you can massage the tip of your penis on her clitoris, and up and down the outside of her vagina. There’s plenty of nerve endings around the entrance as well as deep inside, so deeper isn’t the only way to go to get your partner’s toes curling.

Plus, when you’re inside her, you don’t have to just thump away like a jackhammer. Try to press your penis against her G-spot, and maybe throw in a few of those Kegels you’ve been practicing at the same time. Or let her get on top and grind away, as that will increase both vaginal and clitoral stimulation for her, and leave your hands free to give her some extra attention.

Bag Up

Don’t try blaming your sexual woes on the condoms you use. A study has shown that men who complain of erectile dysfunction because they are using condoms are very likely to have trouble with or without the intervention of a rubber.

In fact, condoms inherently reduce how much sensation you will feel during sex. Most manufacturers have extra-thick versions that will desensitize you even more, which means that you should be able to last longer.

Plus, unless you’re in a monogamous, long-term, and trustworthy relationship, you should really be using a condom anyway. Safe sex is never a bad idea, and the responsibility rests equally on both partners’ shoulders.

Medication

While there are a number of drugs available worldwide that supposedly improve sexual stamina, you won’t find them on shelves in the USA thanks to the high standards demanded by the FDA. While some of these drugs do have proven benefits, if they’re not legal where you are, you’ll have to try something else.

One last ditch option could be certain antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac, Zoloft, and especially Paxil, may help to delay your orgasm. But they also have quite a few other side effects, including mood changes and even erectile dysfunction, which is going a bit too far in the opposite direction. Don’t try these unless directed to by your doctor.

Come as You Are

Unfortunately, we can’t all be a Sixty Minute Man like the one sung of by Billy Ward and his Dominoes. How to last longer in bed is a question on many guys’ minds, and through a combination of exercises, variety, and practice, you can increase your chances of beating the average (which is around 7 minutes, by the way).

In addition to the suggestions above, it’s always helpful to eat healthily and to get regular exercise other than just tensing your pelvic floor muscles. A healthy mind and body will always be a good thing, and may well help with your stamina.

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15497058
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16422843
http://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(15)34199-0/abstract
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331145115.htm

Health

Green Poop – What Does It Mean?

Written By: Arch
Arch

Looking down into the toilet bowl to be confronted by poop that is any other color than brown can be a disconcerting experience. It’s more common than you might think, and it seems that green poop is perhaps the most common of all. That would explain the question “Why is my poop green?” being the fourth most-asked “why” question on Google, with nearly 75,000 people asking each month.

If you’ve got green poop, what does it mean? The likelihood is that it’s related to what you’ve been eating, although there are several other reasons that could be the cause.

Poop is one of the main methods your body uses to get rid of waste products and indigestible matter that you’ve eaten. Its distinctive brown coloration comes from a combination of dead red blood cells and the leftovers from the bacteria that extract nutrients from your food, as well as from the yellow-green of the bile that is added by your gall bladder. So, anything that interferes with this process can have an effect on the color of what comes out the other end.

You Are What You Eat

Seeing as most of your poop is what’s leftover from what you ate, it should hardly be surprising that what you eat changes what your poop looks like. If you’ve just started a new diet or supplement, that could well be the cause.

Dark green vegetables like broccoli, chard, kale, and spinach are all high in chlorophyll, which is the green chemical that plants use to harvest the sun’s energy for their own use. If you’ve recently added some or all of these to your diet, then you’ve got nothing to worry about. It’s just your body getting rid of the parts that it can’t use, and it’s not likely to be a sign of illness.

The other thing that you might have eaten that can change your poop color is food coloring. This could have been from something that was dyed green artificially, but it’s not just green dyes that break down in your intestine to make green poop. Black, blue, and purple can all end up turning green. And it’s not just eating – if you’ve been chugging down cheap, colorful beverages, don’t be surprised if the next day your poop matches the drink.

Medication

As previously mentioned, the bacteria in your stomach and intestine are part of what gives your poop its normal brown hue – the color is thanks to their waste products. If you’ve recently been on a course of antibiotics, especially strong ones, then there’s a good chance that the drugs have killed off much of the helpful parts of your microbiome. Having fewer bacteria means your poop becomes less brown.

Eating prebiotics such as chicory root or Jerusalem artichoke can provide your bacteria with the food that they need to re-establish their numbers, as well as giving you all the dietary fiber you need to ensure regular bowel movements. Probiotic foods like natural yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha can all help reintroduce helpful bacteria into your gut. Using both together will return your microbiome to its best, and will likely return your poop to the right shade.

A few medicines can also cause green poop, including:

  • indomethacin (Tivorbex) – a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
  • iron supplements
  • medroxyprogesterone (Depo-Provera) – a contraceptive medicine

Bile

Bile is produced by your liver and then stored in the gallbladder. Its color can range from a dark green to a brownish-yellow, sometimes described as having the color of freshly cut grass. Bile is added in at the start of your intestines after you eat. It’s vital in breaking down fats that you’ve eaten into a form that your body can use, and then it is itself broken down by the intestine.

If your intestine doesn’t have the time to break the bile down, that can lead to it tinting your poop green. This can happen if you have diarrhea or stomach cramps.

Infection

Be it a parasite, bacterium, or virus, any illness that can cause you to experience diarrhea can cause green poop. As mentioned, this is thanks to both the bile not having time to break down and the beneficial bacteria not having time to absorb nutrients from your food.

Gastrointestinal Issues

Similarly to having an infection, if you suffer from a gastrointestinal condition like IBS, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or celiac disease, these can cause your stools to travel too quickly through your intestines, and so they don’t have time to pick up their traditional brown color. This could also be as a result of overusing laxatives.

Medical Procedures

If you’ve had a transplant operation recently, such as a bone marrow transplant, then there is a chance of developing graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). This is caused by genetic differences between the donor and the host, and it attacks the gastrointestinal tract, along with the liver and other bodily functions. This can cause diarrhea, which as we’ve seen is one of the main causes of green poop.

Should I See a Doctor?

If this isn’t a regular thing, you’re probably fine. It’s most likely to be caused by the food you’ve been eating, be it healthy greens or less healthy colored foods.

If you’ve been suffering from diarrhea for over three days, you should talk to your doctor. It can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, anal fissures, and a host of other complications.

If your green poop comes with other symptoms, like an upset stomach or nausea – or if black, red, and tarry brown colors also present in the poop – that’s also a sign that you should consult your doctor.

Going Green Isn’t Always a Good Thing

When you’ve got green poop, what does it mean? Most likely, that you’ve been eating your veggies. Otherwise, it’s probably from that green-dyed treat that you spoiled yourself with.

The other likeliest possibility is that you’ve been experiencing a bout of diarrhea. In this case, the green is caused by the natural color of the bile present in your poop, which has not had time to break down yet. It can also come from the lack of by-products created by your intestinal bacteria as they extract nutrients from your food.

If you’ve been suffering for a few days, you might want to talk to your doctor. But normally, don’t worry – green poop happens.

 

References:

https://www.drugs.com/mcs/green-stool
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/stomach-liver-and-gastrointestinal-tract/diarrhoea

Click to access Healthy_Bowel-_Patient_Information_leaflet.pdf

Health

How Often Should You Have When Trying to Induce Labor

Written By: Arch
Arch

When you’re approaching the end of your pregnancy, you’ll probably start to look forward to having your baby in your arms. Some parents want to try finding ways to encourage labor to begin. In some cases, your doctor also might suggest inducing labor, assuming that it would be better for you and your baby.

Despite the fact that only around 2% of women end up having a post-term pregnancy, there are many natural methods that people swear by that can help bring on labor. One of the most popularly suggested methods is to have sex. So, how often should you have sex when trying to induce labor? Does it even work, and how can you maximize your chances of it helping you if it does?

Can Sex Bring on Labor?

The short answer is that there is no conclusive scientific evidence to prove whether or not sex can increase the likelihood of spontaneous labor. There have been only a few studies on the subject, and they have returned contradicting evidence. So according to the known facts, at least, the only number of times you really need to have sex to make labor possible is once – the time that you conceived.

A small-scale study conducted in 2006 observed low-risk women in their 41st week of pregnancy. It showed a link between having sex and increased rates of spontaneous labor. However, when a similar study was conducted in 2009, the results showed that women who reported having sex were actually less likely to go into labor before their due date.

That having been said, there is still much research to be done to show one way or the other if sex actually does encourage labor. There are some indications that having sex when you are at full term can potentially reduce the likelihood of the pregnancy carrying on to the 42nd week. Scientists have a few ideas about how sex might work to induce labor.

Sperm

A man’s sperm is the most concentrated source of naturally occurring prostaglandins. Doctors use a synthetic version of these hormone-like fatty acids in the medicines they use to induce labor in a hospital. They encourage the ripening of the cervix, making it dilate and thin, as well as being an important part of enabling contractions. So exposing the female reproductive system to sperm might help promote these changes.

Orgasm

Orgasms have been shown to increase uterine activity in pregnant women. The contractions that occur after an orgasm can carry on for up to 30 minutes. Potentially, they could help to speed up the onset of labor by stimulating further contractions.

Oxytocin

Sometimes called the love hormone, this chemical is released by the body during sex, as well as during labor. Nipple stimulation, whether during sex or due to using a breast pump, is one of the causes for it to be released. Doctors again use a form of oxytocin as part of the medications used to induce labor. So, doing something that naturally adds it to your bloodstream may well help to induce labor.

How to Improve Your Chances (If It Does Work)

The important thing to aim for is that you both achieve orgasm. Additionally, your partner needs to finish while still inside you. This will ensure both that you get all the prostaglandins from his sperm, and that you have the contractions that come during and after orgasm.

Woman on top is a good choice of position, as it will avoid putting pressure on your stomach. Doggy style and spooning are two other enjoyable options. You should avoid missionary, as lying on your back for too long risks cutting off the blood flow to your lower body.

Can Sex Bring on Early Labor?

From the limited data currently available, it appears that sex won’t have any effect on your chances of having labor before you reach your full term. It only makes a potential difference when the conditions are already favorable for labor to begin.

In other words, having sex shouldn’t affect your pregnancy until you’re in your 41st week. But there are some exceptions to this.

Reasons to Avoid Having Sex During Pregnancy

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, including those on the following list, then your doctor or Ob-Gyn might suggest that you shouldn’t have sex:

  • If you’re pregnant with twins, triplets, or more.
  • If you have had previous miscarriages, or are at risk of one currently.
  • If you are at risk of preterm labor.
  • If your amniotic sac has ruptured or is leaking.
  • If you’re experiencing cramping, vaginal bleeding, or discharge for unknown reasons.
  • If your cervix has opened prematurely.
  • If you have placenta previa.
  • If your partner has tested positive for a sexually transmitted infection.

There’s No Harm in Trying

As long as you have a low-risk pregnancy, and your healthcare provider has given you the all clear, then there’s no reason to not have sex. If you’re at full term, it is possible that it could help to induce labor. Although science hasn’t confirmed this yet, there are a number of reasons why it could help induce labor.

Make sure that both you and your partner orgasm, and that your partner finishes inside your vagina, so that you get all the potential benefits. The prostaglandins in his sperm, the contractions of during and after your orgasm, and the hormones released thanks to the sex itself, could all help to start the process.

How often should you have sex to induce labor? There’s no specific answer to give to that question because scientists and doctors don’t yet agree on whether or not it will even make a difference.

But considering the potential benefits, many healthcare providers are happy to suggest that you give it a try. Have sex as many times as feels natural, and don’t overexert yourself trying to speed things up in this way. Only around 2% of women end up carrying on into a post-term pregnancy longer than 42 weeks. If there is a troubling delay, there are more effective ways to induce labor.

 

References:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/induction-labour/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16816067
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19960160
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3610357
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25763253
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8665768
https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-using-sex-for-natural-labor-induction/

 

Health

What Are the Signs of Ovulation?

Written By: Arch
Arch

Whether you are trying to get pregnant or to avoid it, knowing where you are in your menstrual cycle can make a huge difference. You are at your most fertile just before you ovulate, and so knowing when that happens can be instrumental in ensuring or dodging a pregnancy. So, what are the signs of ovulation?

How Does Ovulation Work?

Ovulation is the term used to describe when an egg is released from a woman’s ovaries. Over the course of a normal menstrual cycle, one egg develops and is released. It then travels through the fallopian tubes towards the uterus. The egg usually lives for around 24 hours after it is released.

The first day of your cycle is the day on which you get your period, and the average cycle is said to be 28 days. A woman with regular cycles will ovulate on average between the 11th and 21st day of her cycle, and the day of the ovulation is when she is the most fertile.

While some people say that you are most likely to ovulate on the 14th day, this isn’t always the case. If your menstrual cycles are shorter, ovulation is more likely to happen closer to the 11th day. Women with long cycles tend to ovulate closer to the 21st day of their cycle.

What Are the Signs of Ovulation?

Every woman’s body is different, and so the signs can vary from person to person. While some women will show all the signs, some will only experience one or two, and it’s entirely possible to not experience any noticeable signs at all. Plus, while some women’s cycles are as reliable as clockwork and occur on the same day each month, many live with irregular and unpredictable cycles.

Common Signs

Narrowing down the window of time when ovulation may occur is the first step to identifying and tracking your ovulation symptoms. Your next step is to pay attention to signs that may indicate that you are ovulating.

  • Changes in basal body temperature – Basal body temperature is the lowest temperature your body reaches during periods of rest, and so it is normally tested immediately after waking, before you start doing any physical activity. Most of the time, it should be consistent, and as your ovulation approaches, you may notice a slight decrease. It will then increase greatly shortly after the ovulation has occurred. This sign is therefore mainly useful for determining that ovulation has actually happened, rather than for predicting one.
  • Change in cervical mucus – When you are about to ovulate, your body increases its production of estrogen. This causes your cervical mucus to become clear and stretchy, like egg whites. However, the amount of mucus varies from woman to woman, so it helps to know what to look for. To test for ovulation, insert a clean finger into your vagina, collect some mucus, then stretch the fluid between your finger and thumb. If it’s very slippery and wet, or stretchy and sticky, it is likely that you are about to ovulate, or that you already have.
  • Changes in the position and firmness of the cervix – The cervix changes in a number of ways over the course of a menstrual cycle, to better accommodate the various stages your reproductive system goes through. During ovulation, your cervix will be higher, softer, more wet, and open. This sign can be more difficult to check for, and it helps to know what your cervix feels like the rest of the time (it will generally feel somewhat like touching the tip of your nose, while it feels more like touching your lip during ovulation).

Using these three signs of fertility and ovulation to encourage or avoid pregnancy is known as the fertility awareness method, or natural family planning. It takes between three to six cycles to learn the signs and processes necessary, though it is 99% effective and so can be worth the extra effort.

Secondary Signs

While the first three mentioned are the most common and (usually) the most accurate methods of establishing when and if you are ovulating, there are a quite a few other symptoms that can help you determine when your eggs are released. These are generally not consistent, and may not occur at all, so don’t rely on them for contraception.

These less-common signs include:

  • Abdominal bloating
  • Light spotting
  • Slight pain or cramping in your lower abdomen
  • Increased sex drive
  • Breast tenderness
  • Heightened senses

How to Use the Signs

Generally, the main reason to be aware of when you ovulate is so that you know when you are most likely to be able to get pregnant. If you know when the egg is about to be, or has been released, you can increase your chances of conception, or you can tell when to use a contraceptive to avoid it.

Sperm will generally last around four days inside the fallopian tubes, though they can last up to seven. As mentioned, the egg lasts between 12 and 24 hours after release. If you’re trying to get pregnant, the ideal thing to do is to have sperm in your tubes ready and waiting for the egg to be released. This means having sex every day or two from around the 8th day of your cycle until the 21st to ensure your man’s swimmers are in position.

On the other side of the coin, this means that you are in theory the least fertile between days 1-7 and 22-28 of your cycle, though this very much depends on the length and regularity of your cycles.

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

Knowing when you are ovulating can make the difference between a wonderful new addition to the family, and an unpleasant surprise (one way or the other). Using the three main signs that your body has released an egg, along with the various secondary signs, can help you to understand what your body is doing when, and so allow you to plan for your future accordingly. However, if you want to avoid pregnancy, it’s best not to rely only on natural family planning.

Reference:

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/womens-health/how-can-i-tell-when-i-am-ovulating/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/periods/fertility-in-the-menstrual-cycle/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/natural-family-planning/

Sports

What Is a Good Time for a 5k?

Written By: Arch
Arch

Running is one of the most popular sports in the world. It has pretty low entry requirements: you just need a pair of shoes (and sometimes not even that!). Around 56 million people in the US went running, jogging, and trail running in 2017, with improving fitness and entering races two of the main motivators.

There were over 30,000 races in the US in 2016, and 17,000 of them were 5k runs. It’s a good target to work towards for both beginners and more experienced runners. So, what is a good time for a 5k run? That depends on a lot of things, such as your skill level, age, height, and gender.

You Are Your Own Competition

Comparing yourself to other people can sometimes be a route to misery. Especially for novices, it can be better to focus on your own performance, rather than stacking up with the competition.

Completing a 5k at all is an impressive feat, whether you walk it or spring to the finish with the fastest of them. When running your first race, try to focus on the experience itself, and the exhilaration that comes with completing it. Most running communities are very supportive, and while being competitive can give you the drive to excel, you’re just as likely to be happy if you’re a part of the pack.

Once you’ve run a timed race or a practice run, you can establish what your personal record is. This will give you a target to beat that is all of your own. You’ll have a positive motivator as you strive to improve your own abilities, and working on improving this time can be a very satisfying process.

Average 5k Pace

While the table below is separated by age and gender, it doesn’t take into account two of the most important factors – experience, and fitness. That said, a few broad understandings can be taken from it: firstly, that younger people are normally faster than older people; and men are usually faster than women.

Of course, these are generalizations. An experienced older woman could well beat the time of an inexperienced younger man.

Age Group Men   Women  
  1 mile 5k 1 mile 5k
0 – 15 11:12:20 37:16:22 12:14:57 40:44:38
16 – 19 09:34:42 31:51:36 12:09:50 40:27:37
20 – 24 09:30:36 31:37:58 11:44:47 39:04:18
25 – 29 10:03:22 33:26:57 11:42:37 38:57:05
30 – 34 10:09:33 33:47:32 12:29:29 41:32:59
35 – 39 10:53:45 36:14:33 12:03:33 40:06:43
40 – 44 10:28:26 34:50:20 12:24:47 41:17:21
45 – 49 10:43:19 35:39:51 12:41:48 42:13:57
50 – 54 11:08:16 37:02:50 13:20:52 44:23:54
55 – 59 12:07:58 40:21:25 14:37:34 48:39:01
60 – 64 13:05:47 43:33:44 14:47:48 49:13:04
65 – 99 13:52:03 46:07:37 16:12:01 53:53:11

 

This table was made by taking the average times of over 10,000 5k race runners over one mile, and then the 5k times were calculated using the following formula: T2 [predicted time] = T1 [original time] x (D2 [new distance]/D1 [original distance]).

You can use this formula yourself to predict how you will perform over 5k by timing yourself by running one mile, and then using 3.1 miles (the mile equivalent of 5 kilometers) as the new distance (D2). It should also be mentioned that the times in the table were adjusted for the distance, so you may find that your calculations will come up with a shorter time. But it is still a good way of working out how fast you will be.

As you may be able to tell from the table, there’s quite a difference between age groups and sexes. If you are hitting somewhere around these times when running a 5k, then you’re already doing well. Even so, you might feel that average isn’t enough. So, what is a good time for a 5k?

Good 5K Finish Times

What is considered ‘good’ is rather subjective, but most experienced runners agree that completing 5k in 20 to 25 minutes is a respectable time for anyone. Here’s a list of roughly what times different skill groups can be looking to achieve:

  • First place men: 12 to 15 minutes
  • First place women: 16 to 19 minutes
  • Experienced runners: 20 to 25 minutes
  • Average runners: 30 to 40 minutes
  • Walkers: 45 to 60 minutes

Gotta Go Fast

If you’re not satisfied with your time, then you should focus on your training routine, and keep up your practice runs. Run/walk plans, like the “Couch to 5k” plan, can help beginners build the endurance necessary to keep up a steady level of effort over the course of the race. Hill sprints can help to improve your ability to run at top speed, as well as reduce the likelihood of injury after the first few sessions are under your belt.

Improving your running form can also be the difference between average and good. These tips can help to get you moving even quicker:

  • Keep your head up and your spine straight, making sure your ears are in line with your shoulders.
  • Look to the horizon rather than at your feet.
  • Keep your shoulders relaxed.
  • Keep your arms at a 90-degree angle to your body. Keep your elbows in, rather than letting your arms cross your body.
  • Keep your hands relaxed – making a fist or flexing wastes energy that could be driving you forward.
  • Lean slightly forward from your hips as you run.
  • Try to ensure that your shin is perpendicular to the floor when your foot lands.
  • Land on the ball of your foot rather than the toes or heel.
  • When running uphill, shorten your stride, and run more on your toes. Lift your knees higher, and pump your arms more. Aim for a standard level of effort rather than a constant speed.
  • When running downhill, lean a bit more from your hips into the run, allowing gravity to help you.

Times Are Relative

What is a good time for a 5k? It depends on you, your age, experience, and level of fitness. An experienced male runner in his 20s should expect to achieve better speed than a woman in her 50s who just started training.

Competing against your personal best can help to keep you motivated rather than disappointed that you’re not as fast as those around you. That said, if you’re managing 20 to 25 minutes, most people would agree that you are making a good pace.

 

References:

https://www.statista.com/topics/1743/running-and-jogging/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/280485/number-of-running-events-united-states/
http://www.pace-calculator.com/5k-pace-comparison.php
http://www.pace-calculator.com/average-5k-pace-by-age-sex.php
https://www.chicagoendurancesports.com/racepredict.htm