Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women over the age of 25?  According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease kills nearly twice as many women in the United States than all types of cancer, including breast cancer.  This threat to all women’s health can be identified by specific symptoms if we pay attention.

For women, early warning signs include nausea, an overwhelming fatigue, and dizziness.  Sometimes these things can be chalked up to stress but keep tabs on them and mention them to your doctor. The AMA did a recent study that tagged unusual fatigue, trouble sleeping, shortness of breath, indigestion, and anxiety as the top five symptoms that were reported by both black and white women.  However, black women had more intense episodes of these symptoms and reported them more often.  Assess the trouble, but don’t forget to take action.

If you are healthy it is still good to know if you’re doing the right things to avoid getting to the symptom stages.  If you don’t already have a healthy lifestyle, make changes to prevent a heart attack. The AMA suggests the following guidelines:

- Do not smoke or use tobacco.

- Exercise to maintain a healthy weight. Women who need to lose or keep off weight should get at least 60 - 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most days. To maintain your weight, get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, preferably at least 5 days a week.

- Eat a heart healthy diet including a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, fish, legumes, and sources of protein low in saturated fat.

- Watch your weight. Women should strive for a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 24.9 and a waist smaller than 35 inches.  Click on this link to find out your body mass index:
       www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

- Get checked and treatment, if necessary, for depression.

- High-risk women should consult a doctor about taking Omega-3 fatty acids and other supplements.

- Be aware of your cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
 
Commit to preventing heart disease and know the warning signs.  If you think you’re having a heart attack always call 911 within 5 minutes of the onset of symptoms. By acting quickly, a heart attack victim is less likely to experience cardiac arrest (where the heart stops beating).

Posted under Health

A lot of women’s health articles remind you again and again to pay attention to the same issues that are always in the headlines. Some doctor somewhere did another study and offers the latest on what to do for your heart. We know we need regular blood pressure checks and we know we should look out for the signs that we may have diabetes.

The reality is that we’re all targets for any given disease because of the many different factors that exist in our lifestyle and environment.   So instead of another article encouraging you to take a friend to get her blood pressure checked, let’s talk about a less newsworthy topic that often gets overlooked (no pun intended).

Most of us sit daily in front of a computer monitor, under the glare of fluorescent lighting. By midday we walk out into a different kind of light - sunny, if the season calls for it - and our eyes adjust accordingly. How about those headlights that reflect back into your eyes from the vehicle behind you that happens to be taller than yours? Television screens, table lamps, reading small print, stress and oh, let me not forget aging, are just some of the things that can cause or contribute to eye strain.  There is actually a lot going on as our eyes are challenged to focus in on the changing visual landscape every time we move into a different environment. 

But since you’re reading this now on a computer, I’ll focus on what happens to our eyes as we stare into the monitor.  Dr. Jerry Weaver, director of the American Optometric Association, says that nine out of ten people who use computer terminals deal with screen-related eye strain, blurred vision, double vision, dry eyes, excessive tears and blinking or squinting. Nine out of ten?  That means most of us are dealing with some sort of visual strain that may or may not be addressed.  Weaver also says that people are concerned with ultraviolet radiation as well, although it is minimal, from the computer screen. “If no one’s getting a tan from using his computer, then it’s not a matter for concern.” Whew…I wonder about microwave ovens though? 

If you’re experiencing eye strain from using the computer, there are things you can do in addition to seeing a doctor that will help relieve the symptoms. 

* Glasses may help.  Check with your doctor.

* Take short breaks by turning your eyes away from the screen frequently, for a minute or two at a time. Look across the room, fix your gaze on a distant object, or look out a window.  This helps to relax your focus.

* Adjust the brightness and contrast of the monitor. The images and words on the screen should not be too hard to read. Make it comfortable for yourself. 

* Tone down the light. “Most offices tend to be way too bright for computer use,” Weaver says. So be sure that your monitor doesn’t have a bright light source hitting the screen. This causes more glare and more strain on your eyes.  (Glare reduction filters can also help).

* Blink!  Staring into a computer monitor can cause dryness in the eyes; so flutter those lashes to keep your eyes moist. Pharmacies also sell products that replicate artificial tears. Or you can recall one of those sappy Hallmark cards commercials that gets your eyes brimming with water just before the spilling point. 

* Eat for good eye health. A healthy diet affects every bodily function and eyesight is no exception.  Beans, fruits, vegetables and even garlic can have a positive impact on good eye health.  Learn more about Feeding Your Eyes - Foods That Provide Good Eye Health:  http://www.protect-your-eyesight.com/feeding-your-eyes.html

Eye health is one of those things that we don’t spend a lot of time thinking about unless you already wear glasses or experience some irritation like pink eye.  We tend to take an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ stance when it comes to caring for each of our amazing body parts.  But a good machine requires many parts functioning to their capacity in order to make the whole thing work.  What would your life be like without sight?

Chances are you will continue to spend a great deal of time in front of a computer monitor or in varied light situations.  Make the effort to preserve and improve what you have now. It’s too important to neglect.

Posted under Health

By Janet Grier

In the beginning, there was water.  And lots of it!  In the Bible you will find divided waters, gathered waters, flowing water and water that brings forth and sustains life.  The consumption of water is a topic that you will hear about constantly because human life cannot survive without it.

Water makes up approximately 60-75% of our weight and every system in our body depends on it. So, what else is new?  What would happen in your body if you didn’t get enough water?
 Here are some examples:

- Vital organs would not function properly because they require water to flush out toxins.
 
- Cells would not operate at full capacity if they didn’t receive the nutrients carried to them through water.

- Ears, noses and throats would have problems from the lack of a moist environment in which to function.

- Bodily functions would be impaired.  Water acts as the transportation system for the body, removing waste, delivering nutrients and it helps to keep blood flowing throughout the body.

- Body tissues lacking water would not be able to prevent the body from shock. Water acts as a lubricant in and around tissues, thus providing a cushion for the inside of the body. 

- Digestion would be seriously flawed.  Constipation, dry mucous and inadequate saliva result from not having enough water.  Difficulty swallowing and a noticeable difference in how food tastes could also happen.

- Bone joint movement could be hindered when there isn’t enough water in the body causing stiff joints.

Without water, our health suffers tremendously. But before you panic and think that you need to drink down a gallon of water, there is comfort in knowing that if you eat a balanced diet containing fruit, vegetables, grains and protein rich foods such as meat (or beans, for vegetarians), you may be getting at least the minimal amount the body needs to function.  Crisp vegetables like lettuce and celery contain at least 90% water. Protein rich meats may have as much as half to two thirds their weight in water.  And grains, though usually dry, may be composed of one-third water. Water finds it way into a lot of things we already eat, but remember it may not always remain in the liquid form. 

Now that you know what could happen if you don’t drink enough water, how is your daily water intake?  Is it right for your body’s optimal health?  Do you really need that soda, even though it contains water, or would you be better off with pure fruit juice or plain water?  Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re getting what your body needs by making unwise choices. The water you take in from soda or by drinking too much caffeine-laden coffee is not as healthy as plain water.  Remember, your body has to digest all the sugar and other chemicals found in soda, causing it to work harder and lessening the potency of the water. Make better choices to be healthier. Drink up!

Posted under Health

It’s that cliche time of year when people have made declarations to change.  Starting something new or ending what isn’t working is relevant to those new beginnings you keep hearing about.  It doesn’t take a new year or even a Monday to get going on change.  Imagine how many diets have been started, how many exercise programs have begun, and how many baby carrots have been snatched off grocery shelves just because a calendar got tossed and replaced by a new one!

 Being healthy is more than monitoring endless calories and fat grams.  It’s a process that takes commitment, dedication and effort in all areas of life.  Take the subject of rest, for example.  If you don’t get enough of it the sags taking residence under your eyes could begin to head further south and you won’t be able to complete those marathon days that a lot of us suit up for.  It’s a grand scheme of cause and effect.  Sapped energy means you’re more likely to sit around when you finally get the chance, instead of maintaining movement.  After all, you’re tired, right?  Have you ever sabotaged your own efforts by saying things like, “Sit? I deserve to lie down!”  Be careful not to let the Lazy Boy consume you.  The chair is named that for a reason. 
Proper rest should give you enough energy to do what you need to do.  Getting caught up in a vicious cycle of sleep deprivation could set you on a course of constantly playing catch up while burning out at the same time.  It’s like trying to light a used matchstick.  We can only give light (and advice, and hugs, and checks for school lunches, and time) if we are rejuvenated daily. 

Now, back to the process.   Commit to change because once you know better, you should want to do better (and feel better!)  Plan to start, and then start your plan!  Take your quality time back from the TV and give serious thought to your desire to improve your health.  Some of us spend half the morning on any given weekday thinking about whose drive-thru we’ll grace at lunch time; screaming our high calorie, cholesterol laden, heart breaker meal orders into a metal box!  Doesn’t your overall health deserve some attention to preserve what’s right, and to conquer what’s wrong? 
Be dedicated to the change.  Find creative ways to deal with temptations as they come.  Ask others for advice, especially those who had success at achieving similar goals.  Don’t let little failures stop you.  Turn them around immediately and let them inspire you to try harder or tweak the method.  Put your best effort into it.  This is your life we’re talking about; your well-being.  Find the balance to good health and be good stewards over your temple. Every single day IS a new beginning.  Forgive yourself for old, damaging habits.  Adopt and apply new habits now.  It’s not going to be easy, but you can do it.  Speak life and conduct your ways towards truly living. You’re worth it!

Posted under Health

Next to Valentine’s Day and possibly Easter, Christmas is one of the sweetest times of the year.  As you pull out your favorite tried and true recipes and feast your eyes on all the mouthwatering deserts, think about how you’ll sweeten your treats.  If you’ve decided to drop some sugar out of your life there are alternatives that will sweeten the deal in a much healthier way.  However, beware of sweeter than sweet and potentially dangerous sugar alternatives that line the grocery store shelves in single packs and bulk packages.  They are not always a good deal.  It’s true that you’re not gaining any calories, (zero calories, in most cases), but the tradeoff is you’re gaining a wild array of chemicals that get ingested into your body.  Man-made chemicals are the boulders (not building blocks) in the false sugars that could eventually crush your health. 
As with any change in your diet, take into consideration the current state of your health and consult your physician, especially if you are taking medications.  The common sense that God gave us should guide us to keep things as natural as possible concerning what we put on and into our bodies.  There weren’t any little pink, blue or yellow packets in the Garden, were there?  Remember, naturally occurring sugars found in fruits, honey, molasses, turbinado (raw sugar) and stevia are reasonable alternatives for most people, especially in moderation.  Do your research first!
A suggested ingredient to identify, then avoid, in alternative sweeteners and sweet things that claim to be ‘sugar free’, is aspartame.  Do your own research online or at your local library.  Ask a trusted doctor and find the hard facts that exist about this and another chemicals associated with aspartame.  Browsing many sites online has resulted in a mixed message on whether or not aspartame is safe.  I kept finding articles that talked about possible side effects such as seizures, tremors, headaches, skin problems, joint stiffness and muscle pains, fatigue and breathing problems, depression, insomnia, and numbness or tingling of extremities to name a few.  I’ve also read claims that aspartame is associated with formaldehyde.  It’s important to also understand the source of the information.  As you browse articles, consider who is making positive promotional claims and who is discrediting the chemical in question. Obviously, an industry or company that manufactures a product is going to promote it, due to a vested interest. Other sources simply report scientific facts and provide personal testimonials in some cases, so that you can decide for yourself if a product is right for you or not.  You will see arguments for and against this chemical, but decide for yourself if you want to use it to sweeten your holiday treats. 
Keep on looking for those hidden sugars in everyday foods, including chewing gum, prepared foods and beverages.  Reducing sugar intake could not only extend your life; it could preserve or improve your overall health.  Once you wean yourself off an abundance of sugar, consuming just a little will go a long way.

Posted under Health

Excessive sugar consumption has become a growing national problem invading the American diet.  Most prepared foods found in the local grocery store contain sugar from salad dressings and sauces, to breads and beans. Sugar is also found naturally occurring in foods such as complex carbohydrates like vegetables, pastas, and fruits.  These are good for you.  The undesirable simple sugar is added to foods such as sodas, sweetened beverages, icings, candies and packaged snacks, foods that a lot of us, unfortunately, enjoy.  Your health suffers when you eat these things in excess, even if the effects aren’t obvious, like weight gain or bad skin.

As flu and cold season approaches, it’s important to know that while you’re enjoying another Twinkie or your third Pepsi for the day, your body’s immune system is fighting to stay in top form.  According to Dr. Jim Sears*, excess sugar is one culprit in a lineup of things that depress the body’s immunity.  Remember back in high school when you learned that white blood cells fought off foreign bacteria in the body?   Eating even simple sugars like honey, the table sugar you pour on your cereal, and fructose and glucose, which can be found in prepared foods, causes a fifty-percent drop in the white blood cells’ ability to eliminate bacteria. However, eating complex carbs, like starches, didn’t reduce the effectiveness of the white blood cells.   Less than a half hour after you take in a sugary food or beverage, your body’s ability to fight off bacteria is suppressed.  This effect could last up to five hours. We wash our hands religiously, cough into our sleeves politely and wipe our noses with disposable tissues but not many people think about the negative effects¯aside from weight gain¯ that food can have our bodies.   We like sugar.  It gives us a jolt when we need it, plays a part in rewarding us for doing a good job, and basically satisfies certain cravings.  Consume a product that has added caffeine paired with too much sugar and you set yourself up for a flight that ends up crashing.  Is it worth it?
Would you ever eat 10 teaspoons of sugar right out of the container?  According to Webmd.com, a typical 12-ounce can of soda has 10.7 grams of sugar.  In the typical 2,000 calorie a day diet, the United Nations and the World Health Organization recommended guidelines in 2003 that sugar should only make up 10% of our daily calories.  That’s equivalent to 8 teaspoons of sugar a day.  How much sugar are you consuming? Is it proportional to other foods you eat that are more nutritious and life-sustaining? Are you aware of ‘hidden’ sugars found in foods such as high-fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners? How much of the energy that you take in from sugar do you rely on to get through your day?   Our next article will discuss the different types of sugar found in foods and alternatives.

*askdrsears.com

Posted under Health

Scan through any electronic or print news source and you can almost guarantee that you’ll get bombarded with the latest health concerns.  It can get confusing trying to distinguish which of the expert medical reports to follow.  Pharmaceutical companies are creating medical remedies to treat a myriad of complex sounding conditions that often end up being not so serious.

Women have always had to deal with premenstrual symptoms.  Grandma used to say to get a hot water bottle for your stomach, a cold cloth for your head and lie down.  But in our quick-fast-in-a-hurry world we don’t have time to get sick, or to tolerate discomfort.  When over the counter medications began appearing on pharmacy shelves, we realized that we didn’t have to deal with those pains as much.  How many illnesses or conditions are real genuine problems?  Are we seduced into recognizing them as such? Take a look at any commercial on television and you’ll see a smiling person who finally found relief from an ailment just by taking the medicine featured in the ad.  It could be something as absurd as ‘hangnail syndrome,’ and the next thing you know we’re all studying every crevice of our nails to find that particular problem.  I thought PMS was enough to describe discomfort that women experience prior to the start of their menstrual cycles.  Now they’ve identified another level of PMS where it’s even more intense and so intolerable that we couldn’t possibly get through it without whatever super-med has recently been created.  Whatever happened to getting to the true root of the problem and then seeking treatment?  Why are we so quick to run to the store or medicine cabinet to seek instant relief? Do we even consider seeking relief through prayer or meditation and asking God what’s really going on?

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a condition that produces an urge to move the leg, usually while you are trying to sleep, which can result in severe fatigue throughout the day.   Webmd.com reports that the cause of the syndrome is unknown but could possibly be attributed to genetics or other existing health conditions. To relieve mild symptoms, the basic remedy is regular moderate exercise and avoiding caffeine and smoking.  Jerking or other involuntary movements are called periodic limb movements, and are said to interfere with sleep. Medication is available for this syndrome.  Now ask yourself, how many times does the average person move around in sleep, sometimes with jerking movements while dreaming, or experience other sleep disturbances? This comparison is not to minimize the seriousness of RLS, but to raise questions about whether medications are needed for every flaw or imperfection in our bodies.  Is there an official scientific name for snoring, sleep walking or talking in sleep?  These are also things that could disrupt sleep, cause fatigue and impair daily functioning for the sufferer (or anyone else that shares the same room).

Let’s be more aware of our health and our bodies.  There is a ton of information available on almost every subject you can imagine.  With all of that information we must discern the source and be careful about what we believe. Be wary of health care providers that don’t want to answer your questions and are too quick to prescribe medications.  Do research, and ask lots of questions. Tune in to how you’re really feeling, both physically and emotionally. Is it true pain and discomfort or just something that comes and goes? Could stress be one of your symptoms? Pay attention and get to know your body.   Use common sense.  And as always, ask God for continued guidance on your path to good health.

Posted under Health