Month: January 2021

Information on Bipolar Disorder – Relevant Hints That Can Help You

Have you come into contact with a person suffering from bipolar disorder? If not then you have to know that the person displays some mood swings that alternate between mania and depressive moods. This condition could be confusing for the individuals because the mood displayed by the sufferers can be related to psychosis and clinical depression as the case may be.

Bipolar type of disorder is a psychological syndrome that you want to treat in a hurry before it proves fatal to you. You had better believe that some of the best minds in this country’s history have lost their lives to it. You may not be in their league – you may even be above it – but you don’t want to go without the treatment of it because you could die too.

It is no strange thing to have patients of bipolar disorder end up committed in a psychiatric hospital because they did not get proper treatment. As matter of fact, it is not strange thing to have them end up dead by their own hands because they did not get treated. You don’t want that to happen to you, do you? You want to get treated already for it. So get right to it.

Undiagnosed bipolar type of disorder is one of the chief causes of deaths by the syndrome. You know how it is; without the diagnosis, there is no way you can get the much-needed treatment that will help you; you don’t even know that you should. In the end, you will find things get out of hand a bit too often, and the very next time may be the last.…

10 Sure Ways to Prevent Hypertension

Hypertension is a condition nobody desires to have because of the attendant complications or problems that come with it. Hypertension is really dangerous and could shorten one’s life span by as much as 20 years if nothing concrete is done to control it.

There are a lot of things you can really do to help prevent this condition from developing in your life, or prevent the complications if you already have it. Certain factors known as ‘Triggering factors’ like the trigger of a pistol help to launch the condition if the predisposing factors (especially heredity) are already there in you. Here are some steps you can take to avoid developing hypertension:

1. Reduce salt intake: Your dietary salt (sodium chloride) intake should be reduced to about 4grams per day. You must avoid the temptation to add more salt to your food or soup after it is prepared because salt retains fluid in your system and therefore would elevate your blood pressure.

2. Avoid stimulants: Foods which stimulate the system should be avoided. Some of them include coffee, tea, alcohol, kola nuts and some drugs with caffeine. They increase heart rate and discharge adrenaline thereby raising further the blood pressure.

3. Have enough rest: You should have adequate rest; this includes both physical and mental rest. Avoid excess workload or watching movies late into the night. You should have time to sleep in the night and also take naps during the day. Excessive physical exertion should be avoided.

4. Reduce weight: If you are obese or you are gaining more weight than is necessary you should try and reduce your weight because obesity increases the body surface area and increases the oxygen demand on the heart thereby making the heart work harder than necessary.

5. Medical check-up: Always visit the clinic at least once in three months to have your blood pressure checked. But if you are hypertensive already you should check your blood pressure at least once every two weeks. Regular medical examination should be conducted to detect complications.

6. Avoid saturated fats: Saturated fats are those fats or oils that become congealed at room temperature. They contain cholesterol which can become deposited on the walls of your arteries thereby elevating your blood pressure.

7. Avoid constipation: Frequent constipation should be avoided by taking enough water and by adding fibres to your food because straining on defecation increases your blood pressure. You can also reduce constipation and hypertension by eating more fruits and vegetables.

8. Regular exercises: You should exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes per day and several times a week. This improves blood circulation and proper functioning of the heart and blood vessels. The exercise should however be done moderately each time.

9. Treat illnesses: Diseases of the kidney and other organs should be treated promptly by visiting the hospital or clinic. Early treatment helps to prevent complications that would lead to hypertension in the long run.

10. Find out the …

How to Avoid a Heart Attack?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Heart diseases occur when the heart blood vessels (also called coronary arteries) becomes narrow due to fat deposits also called plaques. The plaques also attract blood components, which stick to the artery wall lining (called atherosclerosis). This process develops gradually, over many years. It often begins early in life, even in childhood.

The fatty buildup or plaque can break open and lead to the formation of a blood clot that seals the break. The clot reduces blood flow. When too little blood reaches the heart, the condition is called ischemia which is a reversible process. During ischemia, chest pain, or angina, may occur. The pain can vary in occurrence and be mild and intermittent, or more pronounced and steady. It can be severe enough to make normal everyday activities difficult. The same inadequate blood supply also may cause no symptoms, a condition called silent ischemia.

If a blood clot suddenly cuts off most or all blood supply to the heart, a heart attack results which if not treat immediately can lead of death of heart muscles that does not get the oxygen-carrying blood. The more time that passes without treatment to restore blood flow, the greater the damage to the heart.

Each year, about 1.1 million Americans suffer a heart attack. About 460,000 of those heart attacks are fatal.

Fortunately, we can prevent many of these heart attack from occurring. But this requires some proactive approach to improve health and wellbeing. We first need to understand all those risk factors. Some of the risk factors for heart attack are beyond your control, but most can be modified to help you lower your risk of having a first-or repeat-heart attack.

Factors you cannot control

Pre-existing coronary heart diseases, including a previous heart attack, a prior angioplasty or bypass surgery, or angina

Age-In men, the risk increases after age 45; in women, the risk increases after age 55.

Family history of early heart disease-a father or brother diagnosed before age 55; or a mother or sister diagnosed before age 65.

Factors you can control

Smoking.

High blood pressure.

High blood cholesterol.

Overweight and obesity.

Physical inactivity.

Diabetes.

What should I do to prevent the heart attack? (Checklist)

Get your blood work done periodically because this is the only way to know if you have high cholesterol or high sugars.

Get your blood pressure check periodically because people usually does not have have any pain when you have high blood pressure. If you don’t get it checked, you may never know that you have high blood pressure.

If you don’t already know, then find out if you parents had any history of heart disease or heart attack at an young age.

Stop smoking if you have not already done so.

Limit your intake of salt, fatty foods, concentrated sweets and sweetened beverages

Eat breakfast daily which should consists of soluble …

Looking Closer at the Silent Enemy – Hypertension

Hypertension is more commonly known as high blood pressure, but is nonetheless a silent enemy of many of us. Eating habits and lifestyles can bring this silent enemy to us; we aren’t born with hypertension. Although it might be a fact that hypertension alone will not kill you, it does lead to much more complicated illnesses. Thus the silent killer can lead to strokes, kidney failure, heart attacks and other serious conditions over a long period of time.

Our main goal here is to help educate you on how to prevent and control hypertension, as well as educate you in the causes of high blood pressure or hypertension. Awareness is the key.

Exactly what is high blood pressure or hypertension? It’s best described as a serious medical condition that causes your arterial blood pressure to rise significantly. If your blood pressure’s very high, your heart will have to work much harder in order to pump blood through the arteries. When the heart is overworked it can cause you to have organ damage or other illnesses.

Hypertension has two classifications: essential and secondary. Having no known causes the essential hypertension accounts for about 90% or more of the documented cases. While secondary hypertension has been reported from such causes as tumors, kidney disease and using birth control pills for an excessive amount of time.

Possible Causes of Hypertension

It can be hereditary, it can be age related or passed through family genes.

Another disease can give you hypertension; cure the other disease and the hypertension will go away.

Being obese will bring it on.

Some medications and the birth control pill, when used excessively can cause you to develop hypertension.

Excessive alcohol and smoking.

Diabetes

Inactivity

Deficiency in Vitamin D

Stress (in excess)

Chronic kidney issues, tumors or thyroid.

Generally, hypertension does not show any real dramatic signs; you will have, nausea or dizziness. Although other symptoms can occur like vision issues, breathing problems, chest pains, irregular heartbeats, blood in your urine and fatigue.

The Good News Is: You can prevent hypertension:

A regular daily intake of vegetables and fruit juices in your diet

Avoid too many meats in your diet, drinking alcohol and smoking

Eat baked over fried foods

Watch your salt intake

Exercise, taking a daily walk is even a good way to start

Losing weight actually reduces stress, so losing weight to help control hypertension is a key factor.

Remember that someone having hypertension does not always show any signs of it. It should be advised that you go for periodic tests for your blood pressure even if you are not showing any signs at present.

Depending on the diastolic and systolic pressures in your reading, once you’ve tested high you might be treated for the problem medically. Along with this, there are other ways to treat hypertension that can include: a change in your lifestyle, exercise, reduce alcohol and caffeine intake, eat a healthy diet that includes more vegetables …

3 Ways That Can Increase Your Risk of Hypertension

Hypertension which can also be called high blood pressure is a medical condition that is affecting more and more people. Often referred to as the silent killer, nearly 30 percent of people in the United States have hypertension and more than 30 percent of them do not even know that they have it.

Many people who do know they have high blood pressure are not taking the proper care to control it. This condition can be very dangerous as it can lead to host of health complications and problems later on in life if it is not properly treated.

Hypertension means that your blood pressure is above the normal levels on a regular and consistent basis. This does not mean that you are hyper or tense all the time as even the most relaxed people can have high blood pressure.

The condition can be caused by factors that are outside of your control such as genetics. If your parents or grandparents had this condition then, this can increase your risk of having it as well. High blood pressure can also be caused by underlying factors such as the narrowing of the arteries, kidney disease or pregnancy.

However, there are factors that you can control to help reduce your risk of hypertension and here are 3 of these factors:

Overweight: If you are overweight or obese then you will increase your risk. Obesity can be defined as your body weighing 20 % or more above your normal natural weight. Not everybody who is overweight will have hypertension however, nearly half of those who do have high blood pressure are overweight.

Alcohol: Many people today drink well over the recommended daily intake of alcohol. Although the limits differ between men and women on average you should not drink more than 2 bottles of beer or 2 small glasses of wine a day. Anything over that and you are increasing your risk. Drinking too much alcohol not only increases your blood pressure it also increases your risk of liver and heart disease.

Smoking: Unless you have been living in a cave and been devoid of any human contact you should be well aware that smoking is dangerous to your health. It is linked to a host of diseases that can kill you including cancer and heart disease. The nicotine in cigarette tobacco and in kind of tobacco has the effect of constricting the arteries. This narrowing builds up pressure in the arteries which raises your blood pressure. Over time this will eventually lead to hypertension and other serious conditions as just mentioned.…

The Dangers Of Fructose Consumption

Fructose and its other version, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) have been widely used as cheaper alternatives for sugar. This sweetener has applications as a sweetener in the preparation of a variety of foods. Fructose has been widely implicated in a large number of disorders like metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Glucose and fructose are similar in a number of ways. Both of them share the same molecular formula. Yet, the brain looks at glucose and fructose differently. Glucose is essential for the brain while fructose is not.

The MRI scans of people infused with glucose and fructose separately, showed some interesting results. Fructose inhibited the activity in the cortical region of the brain. At the same time, glucose increased the activity in this region. When the cortical region undergoes activation, it decides how people react to the taste and the smell of the food. When glucose is consumed, it produces a satiety response in the brain and therefore, also elicits a ‘stop eating’ response. In contrast, this feedback is absent when fructose is consumed. Therefore, there is no ‘stop eating’ signal produced in the brain. This leads to overeating. Thus, the consumption of fructose-containing foods can lead to obesity.

Decades back, fructose consumption was very low in the US, but right now, fructose is the major supplier of calories. It is an alarming situation. While obesity may be the major outcome arising out of fructose consumption, there are other concerns as well. The greatest threat is the rising level of uric acid. For example, in the early half of the twentieth century, the average uric aid levels in the US were around 3.5mgs/100 ml. In 1980, this rose to around 6.5mgs/100 ml, an almost doubling of the uric acid levels. When uric acid levels rise, there is increased risk for kidney disease, hypertension, insulin resistance, fatty liver, obesity, diabetes and a number of other conditions.

Uric acid is having low solubility and thus, when its blood levels rise, it tends to precipitate, particularly at the joints. This leads to the erosion of the joint structures and can lead to painful arthritis. Fructose also elevates the angiotensin levels and lowers the nitric oxide levels. This combination is deadly. Elevated angiotensin causes the blood pressure to rise and this in turn can produce stroke and heart disease. Nitric oxide has the ability to relax the blood vessels and this keeps them flexible, allowing for the smooth flow of the blood. When nitric oxide is lowered, the arteries become hardened and lose their elasticity. This also can promote heart disease. Another danger also lurks nearby and this is the link between fructose consumption and cancer. Insulin resistance has been implicated in several forms of cancer and one of the consequences of excessive fructose consumption is insulin resistance.

It should be understood that only fructose from the processed foods is dangerous. Fructose obtained from fruits is not having these deleterious consequences because this fructose is always accompanied …

Anxiety and Blood Pressure – Hypertension

Today I heard an interesting story that had to do with a patient claiming her severe anxiety about doctor visits was responsible for her abnormally high blood pressure readings. This doesn’t sound all that unrealistic right? The interesting part of the story had to do with research studies that suggest escalating blood pressure that occurs consistently is a precursor to problematic blood pressure issues in the future. In this informational article titled “Anxiety and Blood Pressure” we will briefly discuss blood pressure and anxiety along with some helpful ideas to help you reduce your chances of serious problems in the future.

Hypertension is often referred to as the silent killer because in its early stages it produces very few if any symptoms. It is contributes to the deaths of a quarter of a million individuals in the United States annually and is the primary cause of heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness.

Anxiety is common, normal, and sometimes useful when struggling to overcome daily challenges and dangers. It is in fact on of the most important survival mechanisms that the body can produce. On the other hand sometimes anxiety reels out of control. This leads to anxiety disorders that are persistent and/or recurrent and impedes ones ability to function in a normal healthy way.

But the question is how does anxiety contribute to blood pressure?

At first blush it might seem like that anxiety and hypertension are as different as night and day but upon closer examination we might find this is not necessarily the case. The truth is anxiety, stress, or anger can raise hypertension by triggering the hormones the constrict blood vessels. Three hormones (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and aldosterol) all raise a person’s blood pressure. Ironically norepinephrine is one of the hormones thought to be linked to anxiety disorders and depression. The other two being dopamine and serotonin. So there definitely is a common link between the two and when you throw in the fact that no specific cause can be identified in over 95% of patients with high blood pressure one could easily conclude that there could be a biological link between anxiety and hypertension.

In summary, if you are being terrorized by one or both of these conditions you should seek professional help and find the appropriate form of treatment for your unique situation. 

Additionally, many natural health minded people are choosing to address their anxiety with the help of natural alternative therapies such as yoga, behavior therapy and/or herbal remedies. Certain herbs such as Saw Palmetto and Passion Flower have proven to be a helpful tool in the difficult battle against overcoming anxiety and/or depression and are a safe and effective anxiety treatment option worth considering.…

Fitness entails so much more for your body than looking good. Fitness also improve and lengthen the quality of your life. You must manifest the attitude that let you make positive changes that help you to better care for yourself. The advice in this article will lead you with inspiration for your fitness journey.

If a person is used to exercising on a treadmill, he could switch things up by taking a run around the block. The body will experience different results than similar exercise on the indoor track.

The best fitness routines target your body but also include exercises designed to increase flexibility.Search for classes in your surrounding area.

You need not worry if the case. You can also opt for cycling as a bike ride. Biking can be a great way to increase your fitness level as you go to work each day.

You can reduce your chance of injury which walking by making sure you are in order to prevent injuries.Try walking upright as you draw back your shoulders are drawn back. Let your elbows fall at a right angle. Make sure your arms are opposite pattern to your foot movements.

The basic strategy of increasing muscle mass is to lift heavier weights for shorter times. Start by choosing a muscle group like the chest.Start with weights that are lighter weight to warm up your muscles. Your warm-up weight should be light enough that you can lift it 15 to 20 reps. The second set should be 6 to 8 reps at a heavier weights with half the amount of repetitions. Add about five more pounds to the weight and repeat.

Make a concerted effort to do exercises you don’t like and they will seem less daunting. This will get you into the mindset of doing exercises you are particularly weak in. Add this exercise to your regular routine and overcome them.

Your goal is to stay between 80 and 110 rpm. This means that you will be able to ride for a longer distances at greater speeds without straining your knees. This rpm that you should aim to hit.

Make sure to stretch between sets in your muscles between sets of exercises. Make sure to hold each stretch for at least 20 or 30 seconds. Research has shown that people who stretch built their strength around 20 percent by stretching between sets. Stretching can also reduce your chance of getting injured.

Dips are great for your fitness regimen. Dips are a wonder exercise that focuses on your upper body, but your chest and shoulders, chest and triceps. They can be done in a variety of ways. You can place two benches and do the dips between them. You can also add a bit of weight to make it tougher.

Box squats can help you bulk up your quads. Box squats are efficient exercises that will allow you perform regular squats. You just need to put a box behind yourself.

Not giving fitness a try means you …

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally Using Herbs

In order to lower your blood pressure naturally the best option is to check with your doctor first to see if you can start taking herbs instead of chemical medication. The herbs to lower pressure naturally are a very safe and effective way to return your body to a state of balance. If you need to take medication all you will be doing is controlling the blood pressure instead of actually lowering it.

Garlic has been highly ranked for some time as being the best herb for lowering high blood pressure. The best garlic to use is organic garlic with a strong white color that contains eight to twelve cloves. The lesser or inferior garlic is of a yellow color and can contain up to fifty cloves. A good beginning dosage would be 3-5 cloves every day. Garlic can also be excellent for cardiovascular health.

The hawthorn berry is similar that of garlic in that it has been used for centuries for high blood pressure treatment. Hawthorn is excellent for opening the coronary arteries, reducing hardening of the arteries, improves the flow of blood and strengthens the heart muscle.

Another herb for lowering hypertension is lime blossom. This herb calms the nervous system along with the circulatory system which helps in lowering tension and stress. You can also steep the blossoms into a tea and enjoy a cup each day.

Cayenne is good for your circulation and lowering pressure. In order for cayenne to work properly it needs to be hot as in hot Mexican peppers and Thai peppers.

Turmeric is an herb that contains curcumin which is a powerful anti-inflammatory that helps lower cholesterol and prevent blood clots. It is an herb from East India that is used in curry dishes. The antioxidants that are contained in this herb build up blood vessels and improve blood flow.

Ginkgo Biloba improves blood circulation and dilates the arteries in reducing pressure. This herb improves the memory and mental alertness because the blood flow to the brain has been increased.

In order to maintain good quality blood and circulation your body needs to have at least eight cups of water every day. Having the proper amount of water flowing through your body will flush out any excessive minerals and inorganic salts from the body. Too much salt will have bad effect on the blood pressure. Natural sea salt helps to flush away any of the bad salts that are left in the body.

You not only need to start using some of these herbs for hypertension but you will need to make lifestyle changes in order to stick to a low blood pressure diet. If you are unable to do that, you doctor is will need to help by prescribing medications that you may need to take the rest of your life.

I personally would rather try to lower blood pressure naturally and make a few changes in my life instead of taking pills every day.…

Dark Chocolate Shown to Benefit a Variety of Health Conditions

Raw, dark chocolate has been known to have significant health benefits.  Research studies continue to reveal that chocolate may hold clues to fighting more and more types of diseases.  It is great news that the enjoyment and satisfaction of chocolate can be linked to healthiness and well-being.   Here’s how research involving chocolate consumption has been shown to benefit conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression and more.

Cancer and Heart Disease

Raw cacao and dark chocolate contain even greater amounts of the antioxidant compounds found in red wine or green tea.  In protecting cells from toxins, as well as damaging and slowing the growth of cancer cells, antioxidants help reduce cancer risks and heart disease.   The more cacao contained in chocolate, the more antioxidants it contains.  Keep in mind that white chocolate does not contain antioxidants. 

High Cholesterol

Despite being high in fats, studies have shown that chocolate consumption does not raise cholesterol, due to the type of saturated fat it contains.   Less harmful saturated fats mean less harmful cholesterol and artery-clogging plaque.  In fact, dark chocolate may help boost good cholesterol. 

Mood

Consuming chocolate is thought to have an opiate effect on the body, possibly helping ease mood disorders. In addition, the fat contained in chocolate helps provide a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure, releasing endorphins that positively affect mood.  Chocolate also may help cases of depression and soothe anxiety.  Certain research study participants diagnosed with depression found relief from their depression when given dark chocolate.

High Blood Pressure and Circulation

Dark chocolate has been shown to help prevent blood platelets from aggregating, thus minimizing blood clots.  In fact, one research study showed that consuming a small amount of dark chocolate each day slightly lowered blood pressure.   This effect is due to the level of flavonoids in cacao that improve the level of protection against heart disease and encourage good circulation.  Flavonoids tend to be lower in milk chocolate so stick with the dark.  In addition, the Dutching process used in making cocoa powder also reduces flavanols, so look for naturally processed cocoa.

How Much Chocolate To Consume 

To reap the possible health benefits, try adding 1 ounce of dark chocolate per day to your diet.  Make sure there are no refined sugars or hydrogenated oils used in making the chocolate.  There should also be a high cocoa percentage (70% or above) in the chocolate bar.  Keep in mind that chocolate will add calories, so make dietary adjustments accordingly.…