Category: Health

{If you’re the type of person that likes to do certain things after eating, then you should take a close look at the following list, to see those things that are unhealthy, and must be avoided by you. Because the truth is not every after-meal habit is good for your health.}

{{1. DO NOT DRINK COLD WATER}}

Drinking very cold water after a meal is not healthy because it causes the food to clump together, and that is not good for digestion. Drinking hot or warm water is advised.

{{2. DO NOT WORK OUT}}

If you must work out to keep fit, do it before, not after you eat. Hitting the gym to work out after a meal would have a negative effect on you, and can result in vomiting, and nausea.

{{3. AVOID DANCING}}

Dancing involves moving the body usually in an intense manner, and that isn’t something you should do after a meal, as that would only make it difficult for your body to absorb the nutrients of the food properly. After eating, wait for a while before dancing.

{{4. DO NOT GO TO SLEEP OR LIE DOWN AFTER A MEAL}}

Lying down after a meal only puts a lot of pressure on the diaphragm due to the fact that there’s still food in the stomach, and that may lead to snoring or sleep Apnea.

Also, due to the body posture, some acidic digestive juices from the stomach flow back into the esophagus, and burns the inner layer…and it could lead to obesity too, so try to always stay up for a bit after a meal before going to sleep.

{{5. DO NOT SMOKE}}

It’s bad enough to smoke at all, and doing it after a meal is even worse. Smoking just one stick of cigarette after a meal is like smoking ten, and that would increase your chances of getting cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, emphysema, etc. It also isn’t good for your colon.

{{6. AVOID TEA/COFFEE}}

Taking tea or coffee after a meal isn’t good for you because they contain substances that can absorb the essence of your food. Polyphenols and tannins found in tea/coffee can inhibit iron absorption by binding the iron in the foods, which can lead to iron deficiency or anemia. Tea/coffee also has high acidic content which will cause the protein in the food to be hardened and make it difficult to digest.

{{7. DO NOT RUSH OFF TO THE SHOWER}}

Bathing in hot or warm water after a meal is not such a good thing because the stomach often requires a good amount of blood for digestion to properly take place. A warm bath reduces the amount of blood available to the stomach because it raises the temperature of our body, and in order to cool the body there is more blood flow near the skin to allow the heat to be released. it’s better to wait for at least half an hour before getting a bath after eating.

{{8. DO NOT TAKE A WALK}}

It’s good to take a walk after eating but it’s important to be conscious of how early you do it. Taking a walk less than half an hour after eating may result in indigestion and stomach upsets.

Now that you’ve seen what not to do after eating, try to live by them to maintain a long, healthy life.

{According to scientists of the Mediterranean Neurological Institute in Italy, drinking moderate amounts of beer daily could reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 25%.}

The researchers reviewed more than 150 studies and concluded that drinking up to two 600ml glasses of beer a day for men, and half that for women, could have a beneficial effect on heart health.

They also found that drinking those amounts daily made no difference to people’s chances of getting dementia, cancer or other diseases.

However, Britain’s chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies, disagrees with the research. She recently issued new guidelines that recommended limiting alcohol consumption to 14 units a week. A unit is 25ml of whisky or 250ml of beer.

Davies said: “Do as I do when I reach for my glass of wine – I think: ‘Do I want the wine or do I want to raise my risk of breast cancer?’ I take a decision each time I have a glass.”

The study was published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease.

{A new step in cancer immunotherapy: researchers from the Netherlands Cancer Institute and University of Oslo/Oslo University Hospital show that even if one’s own immune cells cannot recognize and fight their tumors, someone else’s immune cells might. Their proof of principle study is published in the journal Science on May 19th.}

The study shows that adding mutated DNA from cancer cells into immune stimulating cells from healthy donors create an immune response in the healthy immune cells. Inserting the targeted components from the donor immune cells back into the immune cells of the cancer patients, the researchers were able to make cancer patients’ own immune cells recognize cancer cells.

The extremely rapidly developing field of cancer immunotherapy aims to create technologies that help the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. There are a number of possible causes that can prevent the immune system from controlling cancer cells. First, the activity of immune cells is controlled by many ‘brakes’ that can interfere with their function, and therapies that inactivate these brakes are now being tested in many human cancers. As a second reason, in some patients the immune system may not recognize the cancer cells as aberrant in the first place. As such, helping the immune system to better recognize cancer cells is one of the main focuses in cancer immunotherapy.

Ton Schumacher of the Netherlands Cancer Institute and Johanna Olweus of the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital decided to test whether a ‘borrowed immune system’ could “see” the cancer cells of the patient as aberrant. The recognition of aberrant cells is carried out by immune cells called T cells. All T cells in our body scan the surface of other cells, including cancer cells, to check whether they display any protein fragments on their surface that should not be there. Upon recognition of such foreign protein fragments, T cells kill the aberrant cells. As cancer cells harbor faulty proteins, they can also display foreign protein fragments — also known as neo-antigens — on their surface, much in the way virus-infected cells express fragments of viral proteins.

To address whether the T cells of a patient react to all the foreign protein fragments on cancer cells, the research teams first mapped all possible neo-antigens on the surface of melanoma cells from three different patients. In all 3 patients, the cancer cells seemed to display a large number of different neo-antigens. But when the researchers tried to match these to the T cells derived from within the patient’s tumors, most of these aberrant protein fragments on the tumor cells went unnoticed.

Next, they tested whether the same neo-antigens could be seen by T-cells derived from healthy volunteers. Strikingly, these donor-derived T cells could detect a significant number of neo-antigens that had not been seen by the patients’ T cells.

“In a way, our findings show that the immune response in cancer patients can be strengthened; there is more on the cancer cells that makes them foreign that we can exploit. One way we consider doing this is finding the right donor T cells to match these neo-antigens.,” says Ton Schumacher. “The receptor that is used by these donor T-cells can then be used to genetically modify the patient’s own T cells so these will be able to detect the cancer cells.”

“Our study shows that the principle of outsourcing cancer immunity to a donor is sound. However, more work needs to be done before patients can benefit from this discovery. Thus, we need to find ways to enhance the throughput. We are currently exploring high-throughput methods to identify the neo-antigens that the T cells can “see” on the cancer and isolate the responding cells. But the results showing that we can obtain cancer-specific immunity from the blood of healthy individuals are already very promising,” says Johanna Olweus.

This research was performed within the K.G.Jebsen Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, at the University of Oslo/ Oslo University Hospital and The Netherlands Cancer Institute.

{A large worldwide study has found that, contrary to popular thought, low-salt diets may not be beneficial and may actually increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death compared to average salt consumption.}

In fact, the study suggests that the only people who need to worry about reducing sodium in their diet are those with hypertension (high blood pressure) and have high salt consumption.

The study, involving more than 130,000 people from 49 countries, was led by investigators of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences.

They looked specifically at whether the relationship between sodium (salt) intake and death, heart disease and stroke differs in people with high blood pressure compared to those with normal blood pressure.

The researchers showed that regardless of whether people have high blood pressure, low-sodium intake is associated with more heart attacks, strokes, and deaths compared to average intake.

“These are extremely important findings for those who are suffering from high blood pressure,” said Andrew Mente, lead author of the study, a principal investigator of PHRI and an associate professor of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics at McMaster’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine.

“While our data highlights the importance of reducing high salt intake in people with hypertension, it does not support reducing salt intake to low levels.

“Our findings are important because they show that lowering sodium is best targeted at those with hypertension who also consume high sodium diets.”

Current intake of sodium in Canada is typically between 3.5 and 4 grams per day and some guidelines have recommended that the entire population lower sodium intake to below 2.3 grams per day, a level that fewer than five per cent of Canadians and people around the world consume.

Previous studies have shown that low-sodium, compared to average sodium intake, is related to increased cardiovascular risk and mortality, even though low sodium intake is associated with lower blood pressure.

This new study shows that the risks associated with low-sodium intake — less than three grams per day — are consistent regardless of a patient’s hypertension status.

Further, the findings show that while there is a limit below which sodium intake may be unsafe, the harm associated with high sodium consumption appears to be confined to only those with hypertension.

Only about 10 per cent of the population in the global study had both hypertension and high sodium consumption (greater than 6 grams per day).

Mente said that this suggests that the majority of individuals in Canada and most countries are consuming the right amount of salt.

He added that targeted salt reduction in those who are most susceptible because of hypertension and high salt consumption may be preferable to a population-wide approach to reducing sodium intake in most countries except those where the average sodium intake is very high, such as parts of central Asia or China.

He added that what is now generally recommended as a healthy daily ceiling for sodium consumption appears to be set too low, regardless of a person’s blood pressure level.

“Low sodium intake reduces blood pressure modestly, compared to average intake, but low sodium intake also has other effects, including adverse elevations of certain hormones which may outweigh any benefits. The key question is not whether blood pressure is lower with very low salt intake, instead it is whether it improves health,” Mente said

Dr. Martin O’Donnell, a co-author on the study and an associate clinical professor at McMaster University and National University of Ireland Galway, said: “This study adds to our understanding of the relationship between salt intake and health, and questions the appropriateness of current guidelines that recommend low sodium intake in the entire population.”

“An approach that recommends salt in moderation, particularly focused on those with hypertension, appears more in-line with current evidence.” The study was funded from more than 50 sources, including the PHRI, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

{The number of people with visual impairment or blindness in the United States is expected to double to more than 8 million by 2050, according to projections based on the most recent census data. Another 16.4 million Americans are expected to have difficulty seeing due to uncorrected refractive errors.}

With the youngest of the baby boomers hitting 65 by 2029, the number of people with visual impairment or blindness in the United States is expected to double to more than 8 million by 2050, according to projections based on the most recent census data and from studies funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Another 16.4 million Americans are expected to have difficulty seeing due to correctable refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness) that can be fixed with glasses, contacts or surgery.

The researchers were led by Rohit Varma, M.D., director of the University of Southern California’s Roski Eye Institute, Los Angeles, and published their analysis May 19th in JAMA Ophthalmology. They estimate that 1 million Americans were legally blind (20/200 vision or worse) in 2015. Having 20/200 vision means that for clear vision, you would have to be 20 feet or closer to an object that a person with normal vision could see from 200 feet away.

Meanwhile, 3.2 million Americans had visual impairment in 2015–meaning they had 20/40 or worse vision with best possible correction. Another 8.2 million had vision problems due to uncorrected refractive error.

“These findings are an important forewarning of the magnitude of vision loss to come. They suggest that there is a huge opportunity for screening efforts to identify people with correctable vision problems and early signs of eye diseases. Early detection and intervention-possibly as simple as prescribing corrective lenses-could go a long way toward preventing a significant proportion of avoidable vision loss,” said NEI Director Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D.

Over the next 35 years, Varma and his colleagues project that the number of people with legal blindness will increase by 21 percent each decade to 2 million by 2050. Likewise, best-corrected visual impairment will grow by 25 percent each decade, doubling to 6.95 million. The greatest burden of visual impairment and blindness will affect those 80 years or older as advanced age is a key risk factor for diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataract.

The researchers analyzed data on visual impairment and blindness from six large studies: the Beaver Dam Eye Study (Beaver Dam, Wisconsin), Baltimore Eye Survey and Salisbury Eye Evaluation Study (Maryland), the Chinese American Eye Study (Monterey Park, California), Los Angeles Latino Eye Study, and Proyecto VER (Nogales and Tucson, Arizona). They used the 2014 census and population growth projections to estimate the nationwide prevalence of vision impairment and blindness now and in 2050.

In terms of absolute numbers, non-Hispanic whites, particularly white women, represent the largest proportion of people affected by visual impairment and blindness, and their numbers will nearly double. By 2050, 2.15 million non-Hispanic white women are expected to be visually impaired and 610,000 will be blind. “Based on these data, there is a need for increased screening and interventions across all population, and especially among non-Hispanic white women,” Varma said.

African Americans currently account for the second highest proportion of visual impairment, but that is expected to shift to Hispanics around 2040, as the Hispanic population–and particularly the number of older Hispanics–continues to grow. Hispanics have particularly high rates of diabetes, which is associated with diabetic eye disease, a treatable cause of visual impairment.

African Americans, meanwhile, are expected to continue to account for the second highest proportion of blindness. “African Americans are at disproportionately high risk for developing glaucoma, a potentially blinding eye disease that typically causes the loss of peripheral, but not central vision, so people tend to not realize that they are losing their vision and do not seek treatment,” he said.

{A good smell is a turn on for everyone, but a bad smell is a turn off. When you smell good always, you have an added feeling of class and confidence.}

These tips below would help you smell good always.

{{1. BATH WELL}}

Bathing well is an important part of smelling well. Wash areas that are prone to sweat very well and make sure you bath after a sweaty day.

Areas like your armpit, behind your neck and your genitals should be properly washed.

{{2. YOUR BREATH}}

After your body, the next most important place is your mouth. Oral hygiene shouldn’t be taken lightly; make sure you brush daily. Click here to know more about having good oral hygiene.

{{3. YOUR CLOTHES}}

Always wear neat clothes and never repeat a cloth that you sweated in. Make your wardrobe airy, so your clothes can have a fresh scent.

{{4. YOUR FEET}}

The feet are a part of the body that’s so easy to neglect but one that could have an awful smell if not properly taken care of.

Wear only neat socks, wash your feet properly when bathing and always air your shoes. You could even use hand sanitizers on your feet to fight against infection.

{{5. DEODORANTS/ BODY SPRAY / PERFUMES}}

Using cologne, deodorants, body spray and perfume is another way to keep your scent intact.

{{6. BODY SOAP}}

The soap you use can also leave you feeling fresh. Your body soap can leave you with a nice smell that everyone would love. Invest wisely in the kind of soap you use.

Having a nice smell is a beautiful thing, and it would even make your partner want you the more.

{A lot of people pay attention to every part of their body except the feet.The foot is so easy to forget, but it’s very easy to maintain, and it’s easy to know if one takes proper care of their feet or not. When your feet has tears and cracks or probably smells, you should know you’ve done a bad job.}

These eight tips would show you how to take care of your feet.

1. Always wash your feet with soap and wash in-between your toes when bathing. It’s so easy for that part to retain dirt and smell.

2. If you wear socks, always make sure you wear a clean pair and change it daily.

3. If you don’t bath at night, make sure you at least wash your feet to keep it clean and free from dirt.

4. Air your shoes regularly so they have a fresh smell and bacteria wouldn’t build up in them.

5. Try not to have the same shoes on for consecutive days, it could make your feet begin to smell.

6. If you can afford it, pedicure would also help maintain a decent and hygienic feet. Who says pedicure is only for women?

7. You can use hand sanitizer on your feet to prevent fungal infection.

8. Apply moisturizing lotion regularly if you have dry feet. But do not apply lots of lotion in-between your feet to avoid fungal infection.

{A growing body of research is revealing associations between birth defects and a father’s age, alcohol use and environmental factors, say researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center. They say these defects result from epigenetic alterations that can potentially affect multiple generations.}

The study, published in the American Journal of Stem Cells, suggest both parents contribute to the health status of their offspring — a common sense conclusion which science is only now beginning to demonstrate, says the study’s senior investigator, Joanna Kitlinska, PhD, an associate professor in biochemistry, and molecular and cellular biology.

“We know the nutritional, hormonal and psychological environment provided by the mother permanently alters organ structure, cellular response and gene expression in her offspring,” she says.

“But our study shows the same thing to be true with fathers — his lifestyle, and how old he is, can be reflected in molecules that control gene function,” she says. “In this way, a father can affect not only his immediate offspring, but future generations as well.”

For example, a newborn can be diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), even though the mother has never consumed alcohol, Kitlinska says. “Up to 75 percent of children with FASD have biological fathers who are alcoholics, suggesting that preconceptual paternal alcohol consumption negatively impacts their offspring.”

The report is a review of evidence, human and animal, published to date on the link between fathers and heritable epigenetic programming.

Among the studies reviewed are ones that find:

Advanced age of a father is correlated with elevated rates of schizophrenia, autism, and birth defects in his children;

A limited diet during a father’s pre-adolescence has been linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular death in his children and grandchildren;

Paternal obesity is linked to enlarged fat cells, changes in metabolic regulation, diabetes, obesity and development of brain cancer;

Psychosocial stress on the father is linked to defective behavioral traits in his offspring; and

Paternal alcohol use leads to decreased newborn birth weight, marked reduction in overall brain size and impaired cognitive function.

“This new field of inherited paternal epigenetics needs to be organized into clinically applicable recommendations and lifestyle alternations,” Kitlinska says. “And to really understand the epigenetic influences of a child, we need to study the interplay between maternal and paternal effects, as opposed to considering each in isolation.”

{We all know that water is important to the overall well-being of humans; it’s important for digestion, blood circulation, and a host of other things, but that’s not all there is to the story. Very few persons know that water also helps our sexual health. By drinking a lot of water, you can add great value to your sexual health in the following ways…}

{{1. IT BOOSTS LIBIDO}}

You may have seen one or two persons trying to get their hands on medication as a way of trying to increase their libido levels, but that’s probably because they do not drink enough water.

Water is natural and has a lot of elements in it that can help you get all the sex drive you need. When you drink enough water, you do not have to worry about poor libido because it’ll always be at the perfect level.

{{2. GIVES YOU MORE BODY FLUID}}

Some couples find it difficult to enjoy sex because wetness is an issue. By drinking enough water, you can save yourself this obstacle, and enjoy sex with your partner. Drinking a lot of water will help your body produce all the fluid you need in all the right places, and this ensures that you have a healthy and happy sex life.

{{3. IT HELPS ELIMINATE BAD ODOUR}}

Sex is an exercise, and like any other exercise, sweating is guaranteed. Now, when you don’t drink sufficient water, the smell from your body might turn out to be unfriendly, which is not good for great sex, and on the other hand, drinking enough water helps reduce the possibility of smelling bad.

{{4. IT REPAIRS MUSCLE TISSUES AND INCREASES BLOOD FLOW}}

Do I even need to talk about this? Sex is an exercise, so you need your muscles to be in good shape always. Secondly, unless you have a good blood flow in your system, you cannot enjoy sex because you wouldn’t even get a good erection as a man, and your sperm depends on blood to form. Having enough water in your body goes a long way in ensuring that the story is a positive one.