TheWellnessLiving Health Tips

Acai berry is a tropical fruit picked from the Amazonian palm tree Acai. For ages, this fruits has been collected and consumed by native Brazilians as food and especially for its rejuvenating and detoxifying properties. Recently discovered by the Western media, Acai berries are being talked about in popular television programs like 0prah and the Today show to name a few, and thousands of people all over the world recognize how Acai berry products help them live a healthier life.

Acai is a great source of antioxidants thanks to their elevated content of anthocyanins (a molecule that is typical of purple-skinned fruit and vegetables). These compounds help eliminate free radicals that cause damage throughout the body. This is especially important during periods of sustained exercise and heavy dieting, as these activities increase the metabolic processes that generate free radicals. Anthocyanins may also help promote cardiovascular health and cellular integrity.

Acai Berry Select: Acai berry with added value!

Acai Berry Select is a product that offers all the netural benefits of Acai berry as an antioxidant plus an exclusive combination of nutrients including Chromium, Green Tea and L-Theanine that makes Acai Berry Select a strong allied in your fight on overweight.

Try Acai Berry Select and receive valuable gifts

The manufacturers of Acai Berry Select have launched an ambitious promotion campaign. For a limited time, placing an order will get you a free book 71 Proven Weight Loss Tips and a free Weight Loss Visualization Audio Download. In addition, you will receive two free bottles of Acai Berry Select.

Click here for more info and offers

Share This

Asthma is a highly prevalent condition that affects one in four people on average. Its symptoms can be triggered by many factors, such as allergies, emotions or stress. Asthma attacks are usually treated with prescription medications such as Albuterol and other corticoids.

This disease leads people to change their way of life to avoid or reduce attacks, but complete avoidance of stress, dust or allergens is virtually impossible to achieve 100% of the time. Even though asthma is not curable, the good news is that some children grow out of it. But those that don’t are usually on the hunt for anything that can help.

Many profesionals take very seriously the help coming from certain natural products. For example, studies found that 57% of the asthmatics find more relief from a combination of conventional and natural treatments, than prescription medicines alone. Aloe vera is one of the natural treatments being used. In fact, there are published studies on the benefits of aloe vera for asthma, and this relationship has been known since 1951, and more recent studies shed more light on this issue.

Aloe vera is rich in natural steroids and other compounds with the ability to reduce or even block inflammation. Moreover, studies done in Japan in the eighties showed that some compounds present in aloe vera leaves seem to help in the removal of particles that trigger asthma attacks. Since Aloe vera has only been shown to be beneficial as a preventive measure, it should not be used to treat an ongoing asthma attack. Asthma patients should still keep their prescribed inhalers nearby for attacks.

Even though it is listed as one of the beneficial effects of aloe vera, some people find the laxative effect of aloe a nuisance and are reluctant to take Aloe vera. A recently launched brand of aloe vera pills, Aloeride® aloe vera capsules, has eliminated the problem completely. This product does not contain the plant compound responsible for the laxative effect. In addition, Aloeride® is pharmaceutical grade, which assures maximum purity and safety. Click here to learn more about Aloeride®.

Share This

What is back pain?
Back pain is a pain which is felt in the back of the body. It originates from the nerves, bones, muscles, joints and other structures of the spine. Back pain is also known as ‘dorsalgia’. The pain may be occurring in the neck, which in turn can radiate to the arm and hand. In U.S the back pain is the fifth common reason for a patient to visit a doctor. Studies have shown that about 9 out of 10 adults experience back pain.
What are the causes of back pain?
The spine is considered to be one of the most complex interconnecting networks. It connects the nerves, muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons in which all are capable of producing pain. This network also connects to the legs and arms through a nerve. S, the pain can radiate to the extremities. The back pain may be a sign of serious problems.
The back pain is caused due to the muscle strains on the back. There exists a muscle imbalance and in which the pain remains as long as this condition or imbalance exists. This causes a serious of mechanical problems with the skeletal system, which results in pain. Another cause for the back pain is a condition called occlusion. Here the mobile regions of the entire spine, which has cushioning set ups are supplied with blood and nerves. When these become pinched sudden pain occurs. This pain is caused because pinching causes those membrane to become inflamed, causing pressure. When you have over load works, this may also cause back pain. Factors such as stress, anger or depression can cause back pain. Other causes may also include trauma, cancer, infection, inflammatory disease and fracture.
The symptoms of back pain may include sever illness accompanied with muscle spasm, pain while walking, pain on one side. These symptoms when not treated properly may lead to severe consequences such as spine fracture and may even lead to coma.
What are the treatment methods for back pain?
First of all, reduce the stresses that you think is the cause for your back pain. Bach pain may also due to the bad posture when you sleep, giving pressure at some point. You can change the position of sleeping. If you get back pain, have bed rest for a whole two days. You can also apply ice pack on the pain areas. You can keep your pillow near the stomach and lie down.
Massaging can also be done at massaging centres or at home. If even after practising all these measures and you still continue to get back pain, then you must consult a doctor for specific treatment.

Share This

Onagra oil comes from onagra or primrose (Oenothera biennis and Oenothera lamarkiana), a plant from North America with medicinal properties. The oil is obtained from their seeds put under pressure in cold. This oil has a very good nutritional profile, it is very rich in poliinsaturated essential fatty acids: linoleic acid (70 %) and gamma-linolenic acid (10 %), both of the series of Omega 6 fatty acids, important precursors of diverse cellular mediators that are indispensable for the correct operation and stability of cellular membranes in our organism. They are also essential for the proper development of the nervous system, hormonal system and the regulation of the coagulation processes.

They are also precursors of the eicosanoids (prostaglandins, tromboxanes, leucotrienes and hidroxiacids), which regulate a myriad if important biological processes during all our life. In addition, onagra oil contains oleic acid in smaller proportion (a monoinsaturated fatty acid).

The essential fatty acids, the ones that can not be synthesized by our organism, must be gotten up with the diet. When the diet lacks these essential fatty acids, affections in the heart, circulatory system, skin, the immune system, the reproductive apparatus and the nervous system are likely to appear.

Some properties and benefits of the onagra oil

• Regularizes anomalies or deficit of essential fatty acids
• Alleviates the symptoms of eccema
• Improves the prostate upheavals
• Reduces the cholesterol levels, without causing side effects, reducing the advance of atherosclerosis
• Reduces problems of arthritis and arthrosis by inhibiting the inflammatory processes
• Improves the responses of the immune system
• Eliminates the mucous dryness of eyes and mouth
• Balances the behavior in hyperactive children
• Regulates the liberation and action of the neurotransmitters of the nervous system
• Improves acne, dandruff, nails and hairloss
• Alleviates to the symptoms of the premenstrual syndrome (breast pain, mood, irritability, headache and retention of liquids) thanks to the stimulation of prostaglandins
• Alleviates the symptoms of the menopause (retention of liquids, hot flashes, dryness, etc.)
• Prevents cutaneous aging, hydrating the skin and favoring elasticity
• Reduces the arterial hypertension through vasodilator action and prevents blood clots

Presentation and dose

Comes in capsules that also contains vitamins to avoids its oxidation. The capsules usually contain 500 and 1000 mg. Their dose depends on each patient and is recommended by the doctor or nutritionist.

Share This

The word testosterone is a well-known symbol of malehood and even though everyone is aware of its association with male sex drive and reproduction, few know about why it is so important. Testosterone is a hormone (a kind of molecule that travels through the body and has specific effects on certain organs or tissues) which is chemically known as an anabolic steroid. Testosterone is responsible for a number of important functions, such as sex drive, energy levels, immunity, and amount of cellular tissue (which is related to volume and strength of muscles).

Testosterone levels in men are about ten times greater than in women. The amounts of testosterone that are produced and circulated through the body varies with age. It experiences a large increase in adolescence but it starts declining by the twenties and normal levels drop about 10% for every decade after 30. If a man’s testosterone levels are much lower than normal, it results in andropause, which is how male menopause is known.

Pharmaceutical industry offers some products to help slow down the decrease in testosterone levels as we age. Provacyl is a proprietary blend of compounds specifically designed to increase testosterone levels by stimulating testosterone production.

The increase in testosterone levels has noticeable effects in many aspects of health and well-being. Users report increased alert and focus as well as a sharper mind. Memory is also significantly improved. Being testosterone primarily a sexual hormone one of the effects of its stimulation is the restoration of a normal sex life, even after having lost the libido. Provacyl can also help with age-related erectile dysfunctions, helping to get or maintain a natural erection.

Share This

Besides computers of impressive power and small but cool electronic gadgets, technology has provided us with great tools to improve our quality of life and enhance our chances for a longer and better life. Once restricted to hospitals and other care centres because of their complexity and elevated cost, electronic devices for monitoring and diagnosing various medical parameters are now available in small, portable and affordable home versions.

The benefits of having our own monitoring devices such as blood pressure monitors or ECG machines at home are obvious for those suffering from high blood pressure or heart problems: one can easily monitor and keep detailed records at different moments of the day, including just before bed! How often would one do it otherwise?

Healthscape is an all-in-one solution to acquire our own, top quality personal medical equipment including devices like body fat monitors, ECG machines, blood pressure monitors, stethoscopes, digital thermometers, nebulisers and many more. In addition to quality and excellent prices,  Healthscape offers a great variety of free information and health resources making it a good resource to put in our browser’s bookmarks bar.

Share This

Gout, or crystal induced synovitis is a condition that results from deposition of urate crystals especially in the surface of some joints. The body responds by sending neutrophils (a kind of white blood cell) to get rid of the crystals by phagocytizing them, but this also results in a severe inflammation. This condition is usualy painful, and pain is caused by the inflammation and the crystal deposition itself, as the urate crystals are very sharp and rigid.

The big toe is commonly affected in gout and the problem begins when there is a sustained excess of uric acid in blood. If untreated, this hyperuricemia progresses into acute arthritis that ultimately becomes chronic arthritis. Gout is more prevalent among the obese people, and is also associated to a high protein diet and excessive fat and alcohol consumption.

Painful attacks of gout are treated in firstplace by trying to reduce the pain. Indomethacin, NSAIDS, oral glucocorticoids, are usually indicated, and in some cases glucocorticoids are administered by an injection in the joint. Ibuprofen is also used, and preferred over aspirin as this can worsen the problem. Cryotherapy is another safe option, by applying ice over the affected region for 20 to 30 minutes daily, This is effective and has no side effects. A useful option for the short term is a diuretic (specifically acetazolamide).

Share This

Humans love the taste of sugar so much that the word “sweet” refers not only to this basic taste quality but also something that is highly desirable or pleasurable. This attraction goes so far that sugar (and sugar-rich foods) overconsumption is probably the main factor driving the current obesity epidemic.

But why are we so fond of sugar, when other animals appear to be so ’self-restrained’ when it comes to diet and nutrition? The answer seems to lie on our evolutionary history. Refined sugars (e.g., sucrose, fructose) were absent in the diet of most people until very recently in human history. Biologists speculate that the human attraction for intense sweetness results from an inborn hypersensitivity to sweet tastants (molecules that taste sweet). In most mammals, including rats and humans, sweet receptors evolved in ancestral environments poor in sugars. Being able to detect carbohydrate-rich nutrients constituted an advantage that was selected favourably as it allowed to choose foods more effective in providing energy. However, natural foods are usually sugar-poor, so our ancestors were not not adapted to the high concentrations of sweet tastants present in our present-day products that contain refined sugar or corn syrup.

Overconsumption of sugar-dense foods or beverages is initially motivated by the pleasure of sweet taste and is often compared to drug addiction. French investigators attempted to explore this relationship by using rats that were offered either sweetened water or highly addictive doses of cocaine. The results were stunning: the vast majority of the rats (94%) preferred the sweet treat over the drug, demonstrating that intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward, even in drug-sensitized and -addicted individuals.

A plausible explanation for the addictive power of sugar is that the supranormal stimulation of the sweet receptors by sugar-rich diets, such as those now widely available in modern societies, would generate a supranormal reward signal in the brain, with the potential to override self-control mechanisms and thus to lead to addiction.

Share This

Thanks to her teacher’s efforts, my daughter is very interested in learning what foods or beverages are healthy for her and which ones are not. She usually asks whether this snack or that drink are good or bad. Even though I’m usually pretty sure I’m telling the right answer, it’s only common sense, but a little of actual knowledge would be fine to support my advice.

The National Institute of Public Health of Mexico has recently put together “Beverage Consumption  Recommendations” aimed to serve as a guideline for consumers, health professionals, and government officials. One of the main reasons that encouraged this work is the alarming increase in overweight, obesity and diabetes in Mexico. It is thought that beverages contribute a fifth of all calories consumed by Mexicans, and many studies found that caloric beverages increase the risk of obesity. After considering all these evidences, it is clear that educating people and professionals on the benefits and risks associated to the most common drinks is of prime importance to improve the public health conditions.

The committee classified beverages into six levels regarding their health benefits and risks. Some aspects taken into account were caloric content, nutritional value, and health risks associated with the consumption of each type of beverage. The beverages were ranked from the healthier (level 1) to least healthy (level 6):

Level 1: water

Level 2: skim or low fat (1%) milk and sugar free soy beverages

Level 3: coffee and tea without sugar

Level 4: non-caloric beverages with artificial sweeteners

Level 5: beverages with high caloric content and limited health benefits (fruit juices, whole milk, and fruit smoothies with sugar or honey; alcoholic and sports drinks)

Level 6: beverages high in sugar and with low nutritional value (soft drinks and other beverages with significant amounts of added sugar like juices, flavored waters, coffee and tea).

As a conclusion, the panel advices that water should constitute the first choice, followed by no or low-calorie drinks, and skim milk. People should prefer these beverages over others with high caloric value or sweetened beverages, including those containing artificial sweeteners.

Some parts of this ranking agree more or less with our perception, water is obviously a ‘healthy’ option, but it may surprise many people to find out that some beverages, heavily advertised as healthy stuff go quite low in the list, such as fruit juices and fruit smoothies. Time to reconsider what we take in our lunch-bags!

Share This

The goal of a behavioral management of obesity is to train an individual with the skills that will allow him/her to promote a healthy weight level. The concept involves a number of strategies which are conducted in a way to help obese patients in making gradual but steady changes that can be incorporated into their everyday habits in a realistic way.

The effectivity of behavioral programs in curing obesity is promising. Results from several studies demonstrate an 8% to 10% reduction in initial weight during the first 6 months to 1 year of treatment. The long-term effectivity of these treatments are more difficult to assess and still remains unclear. It appears that many individuals tend to regain weight lost over time but the causes are still obscure and it is unknown whether they are related to the method.

In spite of the uncertainty, an effective behavioral approach will constitute a very god option as it lacks many of the drawbacks from other weightloss methods. Efforts such as the Diabetes Prevention Program and the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) trials are starting to provide strong data on the long-term results of intensive behavioral management interventions.

Share This