Daily Knowledge Tree » Prevention

Do I Need To Check My Blood Pressure?

MGDAILY — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:10:19 +0000

Do You Have High blood Pressure or Hypertension? One of the riskiest medical conditions that often goes unnecessarily undiagnosed is high blood pressure. Testing for high blood pressure and treating it if this disease is diagnosed is relatively simple, but many people just do not regularly schedule check-ups or otherwise test their blood pressure. Unfortunately, high blood pressure is the precursor to many serious diseases and medical conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. It can also lead to heart failure, heart attack, and stroke if not treated. By being sure to regulate your blood pressure closely, you can prevent something more serious from happening to your body.

High blood pressure causes an excess amount of stress on the artery walls. This causes the heart to have to pump harder, which promotes unhealthy tissue growth and a weakening of the heart muscle. When the heart muscle is weak, you can inadvertently cause it to stop if you overexert yourself. High blood pressure is also a symptom that points to over potential problems for your heart. For example, when high blood pressure is caused by plaque build-up in the artery walls, you should understand that the most major risk of this is heart attack. If too much plaque builds up at a specific section of the blood vessel, it could close off completely, causing heart attack. Similarly, even if it does not close completely, a piece of the plaque could break off from the wall, travel down the blood vessel, and get lodges in a smaller vessel or in the heart itself, also causing a heart attack.

Beyond the heart, a similar thing can happen to the brain. If a piece of plaque cuts off a blood vessel in the brain, you suffer from a stroke. While you can eventually regain heart-health again after a mild heart attack, the effects of a stroke can be long lasting or permanent, depending on where in your brain the effected blood vessel is located. Because blood is cut off from your brain, oxygen cannot travel to this area, and so pieces of the brain die. Some cannot be rebuilt, and some, if they die, result in death.

If that’s not scary enough, high blood pressure can cause or be an indicator of many other small health problems that can add up to a very sickly body. For example, high blood pressure is often an indicator of too much glucose in the blood stream, causing or caused by diabetes. Even if you do not have diabetes, you are still at risk for chronic renal (kidney) failure if you have high blood pressure.

It is unfortunate that so many people needlessly suffer from these diseases. High blood pressure is easy to diagnose at your doctor’s office, but even if you do not wish to make an appointment to have your blood pressure checked, you can still regulate yourself. Many home testing kits are available on the market to do just this, and if you follow the directions carefully, they can be quite accurate. There is really no excuse for going undiagnosed, so take care of your body by checking your blood pressure today.

Salt Free Diets – Drop That Salt Shaker!

MGDAILY — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:12:54 +0000

In my opinion salt free diets are among the worst type of diets there are. Personally, I like my food to be slightly salted and spiced before I eat. This doesn’t mean that I liberally shake the salt shaker over my food every time I sit down to a meal. It just means that when I cook I add the correct amount of salt for my food to taste good. If I go to a restaurant I taste my food first to see whether I need to add salt, I don’t go and start shaking the salt over my dish the minute it’s put in front of me. Now that’s a bad habit and will ruin even the most impressive dishes.

Unfortunately, for people who suffer from certain medical conditions they have no choice but to stick with these salt free diets. These conditions can include high blood pressure or hypertension as it can be called, kidney disease, impaired liver functions, and also people with heart problems. People who are overweight should also stay away from too much salt intake. But if you suffer from something like a hypothyroid condition, or cystic fibrosis should not reduce your salt intake and therefore salt reduced diets would not be good for you. In the case of people with a hypothyroid condition iodized salt may be their only form of iodine and should not be stopped. If you sweat a lot, or live in a hot and humid place then you shouldn’t really reduce your salt intake as your body will lose salt through your sweat. In actuality you really shouldn’t go on any salt free diets unless you’re instructed to do so by your doctor. However, if you are required to begin a salt free diet there is still some hope left as it is mainly table salts that are bad for you.

Salts, also known as sodium, which don’t contain chlorides like MSG, or baking soda are good for you. You should also be able to include in your diet such foods as pastas, rice, oats, fresh fruits and vegetables, in moderation. However, you should avoid from pre-packaged and processed foods, if thats not possible you can select the brands that are labeled “salt free”, or “low sodium”. These can fit very nicely into your salt free diets although you should always ask your doctor first before changing your diet. Bottom line, if you are on a low salt diet there are some foods that you should really avoid and these can include processed meats, butter, most processed and pre-packaged foods, along with cereals, ketchup and cheese.

Herbal Medicine Plants

MGDAILY — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:11:17 +0000

For those who do not trust the pharmaceutical business, herbal medicine plants can provide a safe, healthy way to treat various aliments and diseases. However, there are a few things that you should consider before you invest in these herbs and use them. Herbal medicine plants, just like products from pharmacueticals, are drugs that should be treated with care and respect. While they are more natural than the processed drugs you can purchase in the drug stores, they still share many of the compounds found in over the counter medications

Growing your own herbal medicine plants is as simple as caring for any other plant. Many common plants, such as oregano, can be used for medicinal purposes as well as for cooking. This can transform your garden into a multipurpose venture, allowing you to make the most out of the plants you keep.

When you are selecting herbal medicine plants to keep, there are a few things that you should make a note of. First, you should label each plant, so there is no mistaking what the plant is in your garden. If the plant may have toxic components, these should be labeled and kept out of the reach of children. There are many useful herbs that do have poisonous components, so this is very important.

In addition to this, you should keep careful notes on how the herbal medicine plants should be processed for use. Most plants of this nature cannot simply have their leaves pulled from the plant and eaten to get benefit from them. At the very least, you will need to dry the leaves or steep them as teas in order to release the medicinal properties of the plant.

In the case of some herbal medicine plants, the flowers and berries are what you will preserve and use for medicinal purposes. It is especially vital that you handle these types of plants with care, as these types of plants tend to be coupled with poisonous components.

There are many ailments and diseases that herbal medicine plants can help treat. Ranging from the common cold, negating pregnancy symptoms and treating more lethal diseases such as cancers, these herbs can help improve the quality of life. These herbs can also be used to promote healthier weights as well as assist your body’s ability to digest food and rid itself of weights.

If you have any concerns over the use of herbal medicine plants, please consult your health care provider or local herbalist.

For More Information Try: modernherbalist.com

Toenail Fungus Home Remedy

MGDAILY — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:43:41 +0000

Fungal infections are common on both fingernails and toenails. Toenails are more prone to be affected by fungus, as these living organisms thrive in dark damp environments available on the foot than on hand.

When inflicted with toenail fungus, the nails can turn yellowish or have brownish discoloration. They may become thick or brittle over time and break or shed on their own. Toenail fungus can happen to any one. It is a contagious disease that spreads on contact too…

Abnormal pH level of the skin, trauma to the nail, unhygienic feet and decreased immunity of the body permit this disease.

Avoiding toenail fungus:

- The fungus thrives in warm moist areas like spas, swimming pools, showers or locker rooms. If you step on a warm puddle or wet floor, you can pick up the infection. After using such public places, it is ideal to wash your feet thoroughly and dry them well.

- Wear cotton socks to absorb moisture from the feet that happens from sweating.

- If your socks are damp, take them off and dry your feet before wearing a fresh pair of dry socks.

- Wear shoes that have a comfortable fit and allow plenty of air and moisture to pass through.

- Avoid sharing towels, washcloths, shoes or any other personal items of those people who have already contracted this disease.

- Wash and dry your feet thoroughly every time. Use a towel vigorously to remove any dead skin and improve circulation.

- Keep your nails cut short, and don’t use nail polish.

- Trim your toenails regularly.

- Trim your toenails in a straight line and then smooth the edges with a nail file.

Toenail fungus home remedy:

- Tea tree oil is a potent natural antiseptic and fungicide that will help fight your fungus. Apply undiluted tea tree oil with olive oil to the affected toe nail. Alternatively you can put few drops of tea tree oil on toenails and rub it thoroughly every day.

- Soak your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toe nails looking healthy.

- Soak your toenails for 15 – 20 minutes in basin full of warm water and natural apple cider vinegar mixed in equal proportion. When done, dry your toenails thoroughly. Use a hair dryer on warm setting to absorb all the moisture in and around the toes.

- Put equal amount of tea tree oil and lavender oil on a cotton ball or swab. Dab it under the top edge of the toe nail and surrounding area 2 or 3 times a day. Tea tree oil is natural antibiotic and lavender will help fight the infection and prevent skin irritation.

- Blend 2 drops of oregano essential oil with a tsp of olive oil. Apply this mixture on the affected area daily for NOT more than three weeks. Oregano essential oil has antiseptic, antibacterial, antiparasitical, antiviral, analgesic and antifungal properties.

- Until the growth of the new nail is complete, apply apple cider vinegar 2 or 3 times a day.

- Lather AHA creams onto your feet before going to bed. This will flush the rough scaly skin from your feet that is more prone to growing fungus.

Ways To Lose Weight Fast

MGDAILY — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:42:09 +0000

Here are ways to lose weight fast submitted by regular people as comments on various blogs or articles on line, one of these is bound to work for you too.

Avoid fried meat, eat only grilled or boiled meat like steak and chicken Use a lot of spices to make it even better.

Give up the soda. If you drink a soda or two every day you are adding empty calories. If you find it hard to stop completely, cut back at first and drink water instead. (Note that the average person adds 90,000 calories a year from drinking juice or soda. WOW! That’s a great tip.)

Don’t buy junk food. Shop according to a list. If you don’t have junk food at home you won’t eat it.

Give yourself a treat. When you can’t eat something you end up craving it more, and eventually binging. Enjoy a treat once a week, or even once a day in smaller quantities. Don’t go crazy, keep it in moderation.

Use a smaller plate to trick yourself into thinking you’re eating more than you really are. (Not only are you tricking yourself, even if the trick doesn’t work it’s easier to stop eating when the plate is empty and there’s no more food available.)

Get poor. Gamble away your money so you can’t afford food. (Um, no. That’s a bad idea.)

Stay away from fad diets. They starve you and then you eat more when the diet is over.

Do exercise many times a day. If you’re watching television, do some push ups or crunches. (That’s a great idea to increase caloric burn.)

Measure your food. If you have junk food make sure to measure and control the portion. (Portion control is a big part of a healthy diet. Most restaurants and even people at home serve portions that are too large.)

Get really sick. After a month in the hospital I had lost 25 pounds. (Another bad idea. It’s best to stick to ways to lose weight while remaining healthy. After all, the ultimate goal is better health.)

Create good eating habits through repetition. (It’s said that if we repeat something 21 times it becomes a habit. Sometimes the number is different, but the idea is the same. Will power is only needed to repeat something enough times for it to become a habit.)

Eat slower. The body doesn’t feel full as fast as you can eat, so people tend to eat beyond full.

These are all great tips from regular people just like us. Most of them also happen to be common advice given by experts in safe weight loss. So ways to lose weight fast do exist, and they’re not something only doctors can know.

Here’s some other weight loss tips from Youtube – Keep in mind that this is not “expert” advice.

How To Lose Weight Fast Because I'm Fat -This Simple Tip Will Help