Tag: health

Smartphone App Reaches Out for the Chronically Ill

Chronic medical conditions such as pain, depression or diabetes, often leave people feeling helpless, eventually leading them to withdraw from society. Doctors or specialists may not see or treat them at all until they show up in an emergency room.

Technology has many uses these days; some of which may save lives. A new app that tracks activity and movement may help patients when they begin to draw inward by alerting the appropriate doctor or caregiver. According to the New York Times, the app tracks how often calls and texts are made, as well as movement and activities.

The United States military, insurance companies and several medical chains have begun backing these digital flares. Hospitals and medical centers throughout the country have already begun testing this technology.

Michael Seid, a professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, explained:

“It’s a potential human early-warning system, the body’s check-engine light.

“When your pain increases, you’re less likely to be at the park or the mall. It could be early indicators of a flare-up or worsening of the disease,” he added, explaining that the technology “measures social behavior at a scale and depth you just didn’t have before.”

The Advantages of Being a Working Mother

Though many women believe that a long maternity leave and lots of rest are essential to the process of bringing a baby home, recent studies have shown that returning to work shortly after the change may in fact be better for a woman’s health. The research implies that working women have better physical and psychological health than stay-at-home moms.

According to specialists from the University of Akron and Penn State University, women involved in both careers and family lives have been found to have higher energy levels and mobility, as well as confidence and contentment. They are also less likely to go through depression.

The study states that the results are especially accurate among first-time parents. The financial independence and social interaction at the workplace reduce stress, sadness and worry, experts explain.

Adrianne Frech, lead researcher and professor, said:

“Work is good for your health, both mentally and physically. It gives women a sense of purpose, self-efficacy, control and autonomy. They have a place where they are an expert on something, and they’re paid a wage.”


The study’s results reveal that 28% of unemployed mothers consider themselves depressed, while only 17% of working mothers feel similarly. Housewives are apparently more likely to be overweight, and women with inconsistent job situations were found to be the unhealthiest.

“Struggling to hold on to a job or being in constant job-search mode wears on their health, especially mentally, but also physically,” Frech explained. “It is harder to enter the workforce if you don’t have a solid work history. Don’t give up on work and education.”

She encouraged women to establish a stable work history before starting a family, so that they can easily return to the lifestyle later on.

 

The Widespread Health Benefits of Yogurt

Despite it’s incomparable health benefits, yogurt is often overlooked by today’s dieters and health fanatics.

First and foremost, yogurt is rich in easy-to-absorb calcium. One cup of yogurt can provide the body with the nutrients needed to build, strengthen maintain the bones each day. The fact that low-fat dairy products minimize the risk of bone disease and fractures has been recognized for many years.

Yogurt is also loaded with complete proteins, providing the body with all the different amino acids it needs to function. In addition, yogurt contains numerous vitamins and minerals, as well as low fat content.

Lactose intolerance is a common issue, one that leads many people to believe that they must live without milk products. Not so for yogurt, since the bacteria it contains breaks down the lactose into more tolerable components.

The bacteria in the food have other advantages as well. They are capable of restoring the proper balance of ‘good’ bacteria within the body, especially in the case of antibiotics. Healthy bacteria populations strengthen the immune system, and also improve digestion and the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body.

 

Strawberries- The New Sunscreen?

Sunscreens and other sun-related products are considered some of the most important in skin care. A recent study has discovered a natural, less oily substance that possesses similar qualities: the strawberry.

The research team, comprised of both Italian and Spanish scientists, tested the effect of strawberry extract on human cell structures in concentrations of 0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 milligrams per milliliter. The study’s results proved that the anthocyanins, which are responsible for the red coloring in strawberries and other plants, protect the skin from UVA rays and reduce long-term skin damage from the sun.

“We have verified the protecting effect of strawberry extract against damage to skin cells caused by UVA rays,” said Maurizio Battino of the Universita Politecnia delle Marche.

“These aspects are of great importance as they provide protection for cell lines subject to conditions that can provoke cancer and other skin-related inflammatory and degenerative illnesses.”

Though the findings are undoubtedly significant, their everyday practicality is still under debate.

Sara Tulipani of the University of Barcelona explained:

“These compounds have important anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor properties. At the moment the results act as the basis for future studies evaluating the ‘bioavailability’ and ‘bioactivity’ of anthocyanins in the dermis and epidermis layers of the human skin, whether by adding them to formulations  for external use of by ingesting the fruit itself.”

 

HIIT Exercise and Fitting Fitness Into a Busy Schedule

Many people recognize the necessity of exercise and its significant impact on an entire lifestyle, but have difficulty integrating it into their daily routine. One of the most common excuses is lack of time; how can a working mother, for example, fit a sufficient amount of exercise into her busy week?

Gretchen Reynolds, a physical education expert, addresses the issue. She recommends HIIT workouts,or high impact interval training, to solve this issue.

This approach to fitness requires a total of 20 minutes, three times a week. By focusing the body on quick, short bursts of intense training, it keeps energy levels high and calories burning for hours after the fact.


Here, Sean Patrick Farrell and Gretchen Reynolds present the method, and provide tips for beginners.

 

The Many Benefits of Honey

Everyone knows that honey is a healthy ingredient to add to your tea or salad…. What most people don’t understand is just how beneficial the substance really is.

Rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids, honey is very good for the skin. It also retains moisture thanks to its humectant properties, while remaining completely oil-free.

Interestingly, honey is also a highly effective acne fighter. When mixed with water, its components break down and react to form hydrogen peroxide, a natural antiseptic that increases the skin’s immunity and fights acne-causing bacteria. In addition, the substance contains strong anti-inflammatories, which can reduce the appearance of blemishes as they heal, and even minimize scars.


Honey can also be used to prevent skin issues, not only to treat them. Probiotics, the healthy bacteria found both in the body and outside it in foods like yogurt and miso, provide stiff competition for harmful bacteria. Honey contains prebiotics, complex carbohydrates that boost probiotic growth in the digestive system when eaten, and on the skin when applied directly. The skin’s probiotics are under constant stress from varying temperatures, moisture, invading bacteria, dirt and clogged pores. The prebiotic complex found in honey nurtures their growth and maintains a healthy balance of bacteria in the skin.

Lastly, honey, like green tea and argan oil, contains potent antioxidants such as caffeic acid and catechins. These help protect the body’s cells, boost healing and rejuvenation, and significantly slow down the aging process.