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Healthy Tips

Hangovers: Prevention, Intervention and Cures

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Prevention:    For those who are really worried about a hangover, the best piece of advice is don’t get drunk. But, here’s some tips on drinking…..….click & see

1. Don’t keep up with the boys. Women do not have the tolerance for alcohol that men do, even when they are the same size. For men the standard is two drinks per evening. For women a better limit should be one drink for smaller women (less than 120 lbs.) and one and a half for all others. A drink is defined as one mixed drink, 4 oz of wine, or 12 oz of beer. A “half drink” is a light beer, or a wine cooler.

2. Drink clear alcohol. Dark alcohol tends to contain a substance called cogeners. These types of alcohols are more likely to cause hangover symptoms. White wine, vodkas, light rum are examples of clear alcohols. Red wine, dark rum, sherry, brandy are high in cogeners. Beer is in between, mostly depending on how dark it is. This difference has no effect on how drunk a woman can get, only the liklihood and severity of hang-overs.

3. The food thing. Everyone knows this already. Eat something before and during alcohol consumption. This slows the absorption of alcohol. Fats and carbohydrates are best for slowing absorption. Sugars intake prevents hang-overs. Cakes and pastries are the party food that has lots of all three.

4. The water thing. Dehydration is a big part of hang-overs. Combat it while you are drinking. Intersperse the measily ration of drinks a woman has, with water-based drinks. Try to avoid ones with caffeine and acids. Carbonation? Depends on how easily upset the woman’s stomach gets. If she has a weak stomach, skips the bubbles. Get some more sugar in here too.

5. Think about how fattening getting drunk and preventing the hangover is. Six alcohol drinks, 2 brownies, and 4 sugar-based drinks–a whopping 2100 calories. Will a woman’s social life improve by becoming a fat, drunk woman?

Post-Drunk, Pre-Sleep Intervention

1. More Water. The dehydration of getting drunk actually stimulates the body to absorb water from the brain, which in fact shrinks a bit. This causes the headaches, dry mouth, and part of the general malaise of the hangover. By drinking water prior to going to sleep a person helps prevent dehydration, and speeds up the flushing of alcohol from the body. Some people even suggest drinking Gatorade or a sports drink before going to bed. Sugar based drinks can help too. Again, no caffeine, such as coffee should be avoided as they only act to further dehydrate a person and sleep will be the best escape anyway. Avoid carbonation and acidic drinks (like orange juice) if the stomach is upset. Apple juice, Hawaiian Punch, and Gatorade are good drinks. Milk can be hard to digest at this point. If nauseated, clear water at room temperature, taken in small sips will be the easiest to hold down.

2. More Sugar. This helps because alcohol breaks down sugar stores in the liver that need to be replaced. Without these sugar stores we often feel lightheaded and weak.

3. Pepto Bismol or Antacid.If you are suffering from an upset stomach, brand names such as Pepto-Bismol, Tums or Maalox can help counter the discomfort. – click & see 

4. Maybe Some Ibuprofen. If stomach is not upset and there is no history of ulcers or bleeding problems, and the woman is NOT a regular, heavy drinker, a couple of ibuprofen or similar pain-relievers can help. Be careful. Both alcohol and these medications irritate the stomach and increase the tendency to bleed. It isn’t worth adding to the problem. Advil, Aleve are acceptable alternatives.

5.Tylenol or aspirin probably won’t touch it. In addition, Tylenol (actominophen) can cause liver damage and should be avoided if the woman is a regular, heavy drinker. This is defined as 3 or more drinks a day. Asprin can also contribute to stomach bleeding.

6. Put extras of all the above next to the mattress, which should be put on the floor. Put a solid sided wastebasket or bucket nearby too. Unhook the phone.

The Treatments:

Usually your body will crave just what it needs.
A method that combines all of these helpful hints:
Step 1. Start with Pepto Bismol
Step 2. A large glass of water (16-32 oz a standardized-size canned drink is 12 oz) OR A large glass of orange juice, if the stomach is OK (with or without extra sugar added)
Step 3. A big chocolate chip cookie or brownie
Step 4. Followed by 2 ibuprofen (if meet the above criteria)
Step 5. Remember this moment
Step 6. Repent
Step 7. Unhook the phone, go back to bed.

Source:     /www.estronaut.com

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News on Health & Science

Midlife Weight Gain

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As you progress through mid-life you will find your metabolism does slow down. You will need fewer calories to maintain the same weight–about 400-500 less by the time you are eighty. This and the tendency to decrease physical activity in mid-life contributes to weight gain. In addition, weight gain will tend to be concentrated more in the lower body–the lower abdomen, hips, buttocks and thighs. The average woman will gain one to two pounds per year……....click & see

But, weight gain is not inevitable. You can maintain a constant weight with an appropriate plan of diet and exercise. This is important, especially for women, as one study found that increased weight between the ages of thirty and fifty was the single greatest risk factor for breast cancer, later on in life.
In mid-life, how and when you eat may be as important as how much. One study showed that mid-life women who consumed their calories in about six small meals had faster metabolisms and lower weights than their counterparts who ate three large meals. Eating earlier in the day as opposed to later also allows you to consume the same amount of calories with less stored as fat. And, as always, if less of your calories are from fat, then you will tend to be thinner.

Regular aerobic exercise or yoga under the guidance of an expart is a way to boost your metabolic rate and counteract the slowing due to aging. It lowers your risk of heart disease, breast cancer, and osteoporosis, as well. Even if you haven’t had an exercise program up to now, you can benefit. While cardiovascular fitness will improve with as little as twenty minutes of aerobic exercise or yoga three times a week, forty-five minutes per day is necessary to make an impact on weight.

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Positive thinking

The Pursuit Of Conscious Wholeness

Striking the right balance between our physical and spiritual aspects is one of the most challenging aspects of existence. We are dual beings by nature, spiritual entities bound to earth by physical bodies. In our lifetimes, we are charged with the duty of nurturing and tending both with equal devotion and love. Yet while both aspects of the self are deserving of honor and respect, there is a tendency for people who are more spiritually focused to ignore, avoid, or dismiss their bodies. Similarly, many individuals are entirely ensconced in the carnal realm and pay no attention to the needs of the soul. In both cases, an adjustment is essential and in order. We are whole only to the degree that we embrace both sides of our beings……...click & see

If the soul is the inward manifestation of our consciousness, the body is the living, breathing expression of that consciousness. The physical self provides the home in which the spiritual self takes root and flourishes. Just as we must tend to the seed of the soul to ensure that it grows strong, so, too, must we care for the protective shell that is the body to make certain it is capable of playing its role in our development. Though there will no doubt be times in our lives when we feel more comfortable focusing on the spiritual self or the physical self, denying the fundamental importance of one or the other can lead to ill health, emotional distress, and a sense of incompleteness. Both facets of the human experience play a vital role in our well-being.

The body and the soul are the yin and yang of our current reality. They are, at this point of human evolution, irreparably bound together, and many spiritual teachers agree that the body is one of the greatest vehicles through which to access the soul. In fact, many believe that our spirit has chosen to be embodied as an essential part of our spiritual development. Consequently, it is the responsibility of each person on the planet to forge a marriage between the two, so that these disparate aspects bring out the best in each other, creating a vibrant, dynamic, and workable whole.

Source:Daily Om

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News on Health & Science

Insecurity may impact your immune system

Feeling insecure in close relationships may take a toll on the immune system, preliminary Italian research suggests………...click & see 

A team led by Angelo Picardi from the Italian National Institute of Health in Rome reports its findings in Psychosomatic Medicine.

In a study of 61 healthy women the researchers found that those who had difficulty establishing close, trusting relationships showed signs of weaker immune function.

Specifically, lab experiments showed that the women’s “natural killer”immune system cells were less lethal compared with those from other study participants.

Whether this means they’re more susceptible to disease is unknown, and for now the answer to that question is a “very prudent maybe”, says Picardi.

The findings are in line with research showing that chronic stress can impair immunity, and the extent of the impact may depend on how an individual perceives and responds to stress.

In short, personality traits may affect immune function. The researchers looked at the trait known as “attachment insecurity,”characterised by difficulty trusting and depending on others, feeling uncomfortable with emotional intimacy or worrying about being abandoned by loved ones.

A person’s “attachment style”forms in childhood, based on a child’s relationship with his or her parents, says Picardi. And it affects and is further shaped by romantic relationships later in life. So attachment style can be seen as a fairly stable trait that affects a person’s response to stressful events.

Picardi says attachment insecurity affects people’s ability to regulate emotions, including how they perceive and deal with stress—which may affect the body’s physiological response to stress.

For their study, Picardi and team recruited a random sample of female nurses, who were younger than 60 years old, had no chronic illnesses and no history of major psychiatric disorders.

The researchers measured the women’s attachment style using standard questionnaires and collected blood samples to study the function of their immune system cells.

The study found, women with greater attachment insecurity had lower activity in their natural killer cells, key defenders against illness.

Picardi noted that in other research, his team found associations between insecurity and certain skin diseases related to immune dysfunction.

These include plaque psoriasis, a condition where scaly patches form on the skin, and alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss.

Source:The Times Of India

Categories
Ayurvedic Healthy Tips

Herbal Power of Ashwagandha

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Herbal Power  of  Ashwagandha is standardized to contain the highest percentage of Withanolides (8%), the active compounds in Withania Somnifera that is responsible for the adaptogenic & tonic effects. Most Ashwagandha in the market contains <5% Withanolides.

Ashwagandha–Rejuvenating Tonifier

The name Ashwagandha is from the Sanskrit language and is a combination of the word ashva, meaning horse, and gandha, meaning smell. The root has a strong aroma that is described as “horse-like”. In Ayurvedic, Indian, and Unani medicine, ashwagandha is described as “Indian ginseng“.

Traditional Use of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has been used throughout India for thousands of years as a rejuvenating tonifier (rasayana in Ayurvedic herbalism). It was widely used to support vitality in people of all ages, including children, and to enhance reproductive function in both men and women. Traditionally, this herb has been used as an aphrodisiac, liver tonic, anti-inflammatory agent, and astringent. The results of clinical trials indicate that ashwagandha has anti-aging, immunomodulatory, antidepressive, and other therapeutic effects.

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Pharmacological Effects of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha contains several active constituents including alkaloids (isopelletierine, anaferine), steroidal lactones (withanolides, withaferins), and saponins. Withanolides serve as hormone precursors that can convert into human physiologic hormones as necessary. Preliminary animal evidence suggests ashwagandha may have a variety of pharmacological effects including analgesic, antipyretic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects.

Ashwagandha– Powerful Adaptogen
The high stress levels of our society have a profound impact on well-being, impacting our bodies and health in ways that are continually being revealed by new research. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is widely used in modern Western herbalism as an adaptogen—a substance that can help our bodies healthfully adapt to physiological and psychological stress, thus increasing resistance to stressors. Adaptogenic botanicals are increasingly important in today’s society, where high stress levels negatively impact many different body systems. Many health practitioners believe adaptogens are just as important to our health as better-known nutrients and botanicals, such as antioxidants. Research suggests the mechanism of action of adaptogens may include modulation of the pituitary-hypothalamus-adrenal gland axis. They increase resistance against external stressors, have a balancing effect and stabilize normal body functions.

Ashwagandha: Anti-Stressor

Ashwagandha has been shown to increase stress resistance, improve memory-related performance, and protect against stress induced responses such as anxiety, and physiological imbalances, according to numerous animal studies and several human studies. Some researchers think ashwagandha has a so-called “anti-stressor” effect. Preliminary evidence suggests ashwagandha might suppress stress-induced increases of dopamine receptors in the corpus striatum of the brain. A comparison of the anxiety-reducing and antidepressive actions of ashwagandha with those of the benzodiazepine lorazepam was made in mice. Mice treated with both agents exhibited a reduction in brain concentrations of a marker of clinical anxiety. In addition, ashwagandha exhibited an antidepressive effect. The results of similar studies support the use of ashwagandha as an anti-stress adaptogen. In a rat model of chronic stress, the stress-reducing activities of extracts from ashwagandha were compared with those of Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng). Both agents reduced the number and severity of chronic stress–induced ulcers, reversed the chronic stress–induced inhibition of male sexual behavior, and inhibited the adverse effects of chronic stress on the retention of learned tasks. Well-controlled clinical studies are needed to further confirm ashwagandha’s benefits for humans.

Ashwagandha: Anti-Aging herb

The anti-aging effects of Ashwagandha were shown in a double-blind clinical trial in which 101 healthy men aged 50–59 years received a dosage of 3 grams Ashwagandha for 1 year. Specifically, significant improvements in hemoglobin, red blood cell counts, hair melanin concentrations, and serum cholesterol concentrations were observed.

Click to learn more about Ashwagandha

Source:/www.ayurvediccure.com

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