Happy World Heart Day!!!

29th September'11 @ 2045

How many of you are actually aware of World Heart Day which falls on the 29th September,annually?This day was commemorated officially in 2000 and has been celebrated ever since.

This year,World Heart Day comes with its new theme and vision " One World,One Home,One Heart".

Undeniably,Cardiovascular diseases maim the most number of lives each year.Therefore,I'm going to share with you an extract from World Heart Federation on how you and your family can take charge of your hearts' health.

1.Ban smoking from your home.
~stop smoking tobacco in the home to improve your own and your children's heart health.
~implement a new rule in your home: for every cigarette someone smokes,an extra household chore is waiting.
*tobacco causes one fifth of Cardiovascular Diseases(CVD) worldwide.The risk of Coronary Heart Disease is cut by half one year after quitting.15 years after quiting,the risk is nearly the same as someone who never smoked.*

2.Stock your home with healthy food options.
~start the day with a piece of fruit or prepare your own lunch at home to ensure healthy options are taken to work or school.
~make sure every meal contains at least two to three servings of vegetables per person.
*a healthy diet low in saturated fats and salt but rich in fruit and vegetables helps prevent CVD.*

3.Be active.
~Families should limit the amount of time spent in front of the tv to less than 2 hours/day.
~organise outdoor activities for the family,such as cycling or hiking trips or simply playing in the garden.
~when possible,instead of using the car,take your bicycle or walk from home to your destination
* Just 30 minutes on most,if not all all days of the week can help to prevent heart attacks and strokes.*

4.Know your numbers.
~visit a healthcare professional who can measure your blood pressure,cholesterol,and glucose levels,together with waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index(BMI).
~once you know your overall CVD risk,you can develop a specific plan of action to improve your heart health.Make this action plan clearly visible in your homes as a reminder!

drinking myths revealed.

*long term effects of alcohol*
18th September'11 @ 0201

FALSE FACTS.

1.Drinking coffee will sober you up
-the theory is based on opposites-alcohol,the depressant and coffee the stimulant-cancelling each other out is not true.coffee will only makes you hyperactive and you won't be able to sleep afterwards. * even the cold shower trick is also unapplicable*

2.Beer bellies are caused by drinking beer
-it's a myth.beer belly is also known as visceral(gut) fat build up around the middle of the body. Scientists aren't sure why this happens to some people..as it is still an idiopathic cause,sitting around and eating could be the factors but standing up and eating won't make it any better,too. * I think,all you need is some workout here!*

3.Drinking destroys your brain cells.
-too much or too little of something,certainly not advisable.Moderate consumption of alcohol can improve brain function.

4.Men and women of the same size can drink the same amount.
-women have less alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes,which is responsible to break down alcohol in their blood.so girls,watch out ya!

5.Never mix the grape and the grain
-mixing drinks won't make you any better or worse than sticking to one drink;nor will avoiding dark drinks in favour of lighter ones.Underline this: the solution is : don;'t drink to excess in the first place.

6.The custom of clincking glasses was to avoid poisoning.
-it is said,clincking is to avoid from being drugged when you meet new people,as it is believed when you bang our glasses,slopping some of your drink into his.others were;to ward off evil spirirts.And some experts believe,it became popular because of the pleasant noise it makes.

7.Alcohol makes you a better lover.
-it doesn't.It just has a big impact on your inhibitions making you feel more confident and more confortable.You might end up doing things you'd probably never do when sober.Alcohol's major side effects-it slows down the communications across your synapses and making you less able to control your physical actions.

8.Taking painkillers before drinking will stop a hangover.
-aspirin actually slows the rate at which your body breaks down alcohol,prolonging both the effects of being drunk and getting over it.The effect of aspirin only last a few hours,not all night.

9.You can beat a breathalyser.
- if you think you can by sucking pennies, eating sweets,or even eating underpants (as one American driver)..it won't cut it,you just can't beat breathalyser.

10.Exercising on a hangover is a bad idea.
-mild exercise 'raise the metabolic rate and dispose the poisons(alcohol) more quickly.Keep yourself hydrated with water.The headache with a hangover is reduced blood flow and spasm around your head,but mostly what makes you feel awful is your body trying to metabolise the poisons.

From medical point of view,drinking is very injurious to health(this is not a news,known by many however as a taboo,the warning sign is overlooked) mainly to the liver as it can cause liver cirrhosis.Drinkers will usually succumb to this condition namely affecting the general structure of the liver,regeneration of nodules and portal hypertension which will later lead to ascites(accumulation of fluid in the abdomen),encephalopathy which can lead to coma and death,spontaneous bacterial peritonitis(which can be fatal),and to a the extent of hepatic renal snydrome (with affection of kidney resulting in kidney failure). 0245

I <3 my brain.And you?

I read an interesting article entitled Brain Foods.Here's the article which i'd love to share with you guys.

*more reasons to consume chocs after it has been named one of the Brain Foods*

What are “brain foods”?

Brain foods are foods that help improve functioning within the brain.

A list of “50 Good Brain Foods“:
Acai berries
Almonds
Avocados
Bananas
Blackberries
Blueberries
Brewer’s yeast
Broccoli
Brown rice
Brussels sprouts
Cantaloupe
Cashews
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cheese
Chicken
Collard greens
Cranberries
Dark chocolate
Eggs
Eggplant
Fish
Flaxseed oil
Green Tea
Lean beef
Legumes
Milk
Oatmeal
Oranges
Peanut butter
Peas
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkin seeds
Raspberries
Red cabbage
Red grapes
Romaine lettuce
Salmon
Soybeans
Spinach

Stabilized rice bran
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Tuna
Turkey
Walnuts
Water
Wheat germ
Yogurt

Understanding “Good Brain Foods”:

Foods in the complex carbohydrates family are amongst the best type of brain foods. In complex carbohydrates, the molecules are longer. Because the molecular structure is longer, it takes a longer period of time for our intestines to digest and break-down the complex carbohydrates into simple sugars that our body is able to use. Why is a longer digestion or breaking-down process optimal? Because they don’t provide us with a large surge of energy and then die down. They provide our bodies and brain with optimal amounts of balanced energy for our body and brain to access.

What is the glycemic index?

The speed and intensity to which sugars from foods impact our brain cells is measured directly by the “glycemic index” also known as the “G.I.” Foods that are ranked with a high-glycemic index are likely to make our bodies create a lot of insulin.

Eating foods with high glycemic indexes

Eating foods high on the glycemic-index will put lots of stress on the pancreas and will directly affect the body, brain, and our hormone levels. Because the pancreas becomes over-stressed and overworked, the body may feel sluggish and the brain may feel initially energized, but will likely crash within a short period of time. That is why eating foods with a low-glycemic index are recommended.
They don’t put pressure on the pancreas to excrete much insulin and our blood sugar levels remain steady. When our blood sugar levels are steady, our brain is being fed a constant, steady supply of energy to work with; rather than excess energy for 20 minutes followed by a mental burnout for several hours.

5 Supercharged Brain Foods

1.Fish

- in Eskimo’s and countries that are high in fish consumption tend to have slower aging rates, significantly lower percentages of “mental diseases” and “disorders” and an overall healthier population.

-low rates of depression & neurosis and a stabilized mood.
- fights aging in the brain and significantly reduces cognitive decline in the elderly.

2. Avocados
-its monounsaturated; promoting increased circulation and bloodflow to the brain and the body.

- lower blood pressure levels — which is known to benefit the brain. Lower blood pressure is linked to an increase in cognitive abilities and I.Q.

3. Blueberries
-Compounds in blueberries “reverse” short-term memory loss.

- increase the number of cells in the hippocampus - the region of the brain which is responsible for memory.
- prevent brain aging and actually trigger specific neural-pathways in the brain to enhance cognition and mental processing speed.

4. Spinach
-prevent dementia in women.

- strengthen synapses and produce healthy levels of neurotransmitters.

-keeps up Folic acid - low levels of Folic acid have been linked to memory decline and heart disease.
-helps control the amount of water your body retains and helps eliminate bloating. *Neurologists recommend eating spinach at least 3 times a week as brain food.

5. Eggs
-nutrient “cholin” in eggs plays an essential role in the development of brain motor functioning and memory.

At the University of North Carolina, research conducted by Steven H. Zeisel found that the brains of babies whose mothers were given “cholin supplements” showed increased memory functioning and capacity.

Like I had noted earlier..a worthy article..let's start courting after these foods!!