Thyroid

hyroid hormones and ovarian functions so intertwined with each other that the presence of ovarian function in the event of problems with thyroid gland function is evaluated at the beginning of the first stage of diagnosis. Which is a chronic disorder polycystic ovary ovulation (PKO) to understand better about each woman's thyroid gland function is extremely important to have basic knowledge. Governing body's most basic functions of issues belonging to the thyroid gland (thyroid hormones at work, more work, or cloth that occurred during the masses), seen in more women than men. Thyroid gland problems, often tabiyattadır autoimmune (autoimmune diseases, the body's own tissue to one of the unknown reasons, alienation, and this "foreign" tissue immune system from the body to remove attempts to make a result which is a disease. The immune system of the body actually belonging to him, this tissue destruction as the tap function disruption and it related problems are emerging). In women, thyroid gland problems often due to hormonal imbalances are thought to be described in almost every case, and even as the woman does not have any complaints, even thyroid hormone measurement at regular intervals is recommended. Today, still occur even without signs and symptoms of thyroid gland problems may reveal sensitive laboratory measurement methods have been developed.

Healthy Foods to Eat

Healthy Foods to Eat
The closer a food is to its natural state, the better it is for you. Fresh fruits and berries are great and will satisfy a craving for sweets. Whole vegetables have lots of vitamins and minerals, so eat more green, orange and yellow vegetables. Steam them to retain the most nutritional value and be careful with sauces, they may be high in calories and fats that aren't good for you.
Any pasta or baked goods should be made from whole grains. Avoid sugary snacks and pastries as well. An apple is good for you, an apple pie really isn't.
Shop for lean meats and don't forget the fish. The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in ocean fish are often deficient in our diets, so serve seafood two or three times per week. Baked fish and chicken are healthier than fried, and lean meats like bison or venison may be healthier than higher fat beef.
Processed lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, and sausages have a lot of saturated fat and nitrates in them you don't want in your body. If you love these meats, you can find healthier versions sold at health food stores.
Remember to eat a variety of foods to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy.
Stick to water, milk and 100% fruit and vegetable juices as your main beverages and limit sugary soft drinks. If you get tired of plain water, add a slice of lemon or lime to add a touch of flavor. For kids, try some fruit juice jazzed up with carbonated water.

Asthma

Asthma is a predisposition to chronic inflammation of the lungs in which the airways (bronchi) are reversibly narrowed. Asthma affects 7% of the population of the United States,[1][2] 6.5% of British people and a total of 300 million worldwide.[3] During asthma attacks (exacerbations of asthma), the smooth muscle cells in the bronchi constrict, the airways become inflamed and swollen, and breathing becomes difficult. This is often referred to as a tight chest and is a sign to immediately take medication.
Asthma causes 4,000 deaths a year in the United States. Medicines such as inhaled short-acting beta-2 agonists may be used to treat acute attacks. Attacks can also be prevented by avoiding triggering factors such as allergens or rapid temperature changes and through drug treatment such as inhaled corticosteroids and then long-acting beta-2 agonists if necessary.[4][5] Leukotriene antagonists are less effective than corticosteroids[citation needed], but have no side effects.[citation needed] Monoclonal antibodies, such as mepolizumab and omalizumab, are sometimes effective. Prognosis is good with treatment.
Although asthma is a chronic obstructive condition, it is not usually considered as a part of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as this term refers specifically to combinations of bronchiectasis, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Unlike these diseases, the airway obstruction in asthma is usually reversible; however, if left untreated, asthma can result in chronic inflammation of the lungs and irreversible obstruction. In contrast to emphysema and bronchiectasis, asthma affects the bronchi, not the alveoli.[6] The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute defines asthma as a common chronic disorder of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, airflow obstruction, bronchial hyperresponsiveness (bronchospasm), and an underlying inflammation.[7]
Public attention in the developed world has recently focused on the predisposition because of its rapidly increasing prevalence, affecting up to one quarter of urban children.[8]

Menopause

Menopause is the permanent cessation of reproductive fertility occurring some time before the end of the natural lifespan. The term was originally coined to describe this reproductive change in human females, where the end of fertility is traditionally indicated by the permanent stopping of monthly menstruation or "menses." The word "menopause" literally means the "end of monthly cycles" from the Greek words pausis (cessation) and the word root men from mensis meaning (month).
In humans, the ending of the reproductive cycles is a biological process that most women first notice in their mid-forties. During this transition, the ovaries start producing lower levels of natural sex hormones—estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen promotes the normal development of a woman’s breasts and uterus, controls the cycle of ovulation (when an ovary releases an egg into a fallopian tube), and affects many aspects of a woman’s physical and emotional health. Progesterone controls menstruation and prepares the lining of the uterus to receive the fertilized egg.[1]
The meaning of the word menopause has in more recent times been expanded to indicate the permanent but naturally occurring discontinuation of female fertility in many other species, even if the females of those species do not have menstrual cycles.

Slow Metabolism Is More Common Than You Think

A few months ago, after being on my 1,700-calorie diet for a while and hitting a weight-loss plateau, my boyfriend said, “You really don’t eat that much. Have you ever had your metabolism checked?”
Google “slow metabolism” and you get language like, “There is such a thing as slow metabolism…but it’s rare.” (Code for: “Not you, couch potato!”) And this was what I’ve always assumed. I never thought to have my metabolism checked. It’s too taboo. If you say you have a slow metabolism, you’d better be joking, or expect people around you to roll their eyes.
Most people—even some health professionals who are charged with providing care to overweight and obese people—assume dieters blaming slow metabolism or some other genetic problem just want to have an excuse.
However, I decided to follow through with my boyfriend’s suggestion. I learned I could have my metabolism checked using an indirect calorimeter for $90 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) EatRight Weight Management Services. (Around the country, a similar test will cost anywhere from $40 to $100. Some fitness clubs now offer it as part of the package when you join.) Taking the test is simple: You relax for about 10–15 minutes, then you clip your nose and breathe through a tube, still relaxed, for another 10 minutes.
I didn’t expect the test to tell me anything other than “normal.” But in the weeks leading up to my appointment, my boyfriend’s suggestion started to work on my mind. It brought up a question I’ve had for a long time, a question I’ve conditioned myself to sweep to the dusty corners of my mind: Why have I been so seriously overweight since age 6? Is there something else going on?
After my 10-minute test was over, the registered dietitian brought a printout and sat across from me to explain the results: My resting metabolic rate is 33% slower than normal for a woman my age, height, and weight.
33% slower!
So here’s how that translates in calories: A woman my age, height, and weight with a normal metabolism has a predicted resting metabolic rate of about 1,812 calories. Add in regular daily activities and exercise, and that woman would burn about 2,100 to 2,400 calories a day (depending on what exercise she does and how active she is).

(Getty Images)
My resting metabolic rate is 1,224 calories. Add in activity and assume a half hour of moderately paced exercise, and I burn about 1,717 calories a day. No wonder I wasn’t seeing results with my 1,700 calorie diet—that’s what my body needs to maintain. And if I followed U.S. dietary guidelines for a weight-maintenance diet (and ate between 2,000 and 2,300 calories a day), I’d gain as much as a pound a week! According to the results from my test, my weight-loss zone is 1,000 to 1,224 calories a day.
My journalism brain clicked on and questions zoomed through my head (that is, after I got over the initial shock of the test results). First question: We always hear a slow metabolism is rare, but how rare? Is there a percentage? I started looking, researching, and contacting weight-loss professionals.

Healthy living tips

Are you a busy entrepreneur or employee who is usually on the go and doesn’t have a lot of time, but still wants to make 2008 the year that you get more healthy?Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Most people want to get healthy, more fitter and look younger yet they can’t seem to find the time for it. In fact, I have seen advertisements on TV since the new year for at least 7 different fitness workouts by various celebrities and actresses, but I wonder how many people will actually stick to the plans when they purchase it.Listen, if 2008 is going to be different for you, your body and your family, then it’s time to buckle up and find new habits that will serve you better. Don’t you agree? Healthy living doesn’t have to be hard, it was never created to be. But it does require a small amount of commitment and a big love for being refreshed.Here are eight tips for healthy living on the go:;1. Enjoy a pint of water first thing in the morning.If you haven’t got time for anything else in the morning, make time to drink a big glass of water. We lose a lot of oxygen through the night and to rejuvenate our cells, we need to supply them with water and oxygen. Drink a glass of water and within a week you’ll begin to feel less tired. I like the taste of water, but I know some people do not so if you’re one of them, squeeze some fresh lime into your water to give it taste and drink up.2. Grab a few fresh fruits on your way out.Wherever you’re going – whether it’s a walk or drive to the supermarket or on your way to a meeting – pick up one or two fruits and eat them. If you leave for work in the morning and don’t return ’til evening, take a few fruits and eat them throughout the day. Fruits are great for their nutrients, vitamins and sugars that are required in our body.3. Avoid going to junk food shops with your work mates.If your work mates are going and you want to go along, go ahead but don’t order the burger or french fries. Go for a nice salad instead. Or any other healthy meal that takes your fancy. Junk food is full of “empty calories” that do nothing for your body but put on extra unneeded and unhealthy fat.4. Exercise on the go.If you work in an office, get up every 30 minutes and go for a walk. If you have an office with stairs, run up and down the stairs every couple of hours. Get your blood flowing and your muscles moving.5. Drink herbal teas.When at work or home, many people love to get a cup of tea or coffee. Decide that you’ll be more healthy and get a warm cup of herbal tea. The selection available today is absolutely massive, so you’re guaranteed to find one you enjoy. I like mandarin and ginseng tea as well as fennel seed tea.6. Eat a handful of nuts.Get your favorite selection of nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.) and raisins and have a big handful of them at around 3pm. This has been shown to increase afternoon energy and productivity.7. Say yes to freshly squeezed juice.One of the biggest and most exciting changes I made in my health about 7 months ago was when I said “yes” to having my own freshly squeezed juice every morning. Since then, my energy, body health and vitality has increased ten-fold. I create the time to squeeze my own carrot-apple-ginger juice; however if you don’t have the time, ask someone if they can make it for you in exchange for something you can help them with, or get yourself to a local juice bar and get your share of the juice!8. Deep breathing.When you’ve got time – at your desk, driving the car, cooking food – do some deep breathing. Inhale and count up to 5 seconds, hold it for a few seconds, and release slowly. Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is one of the best things we can do for

Allergy

An Allergy is a disorder of the immune system often also referred to as atopy. Allergic reactions occur to normally harmless environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid. Strictly, allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is called type I (or immediate) hypersensitivity. It is characterized by excessive activation of certain white blood cells called mast cells and basophils by a type of antibody known as IgE, resulting in an extreme inflammatory response. Common allergic reactions include eczema, hives, hay fever, asthma attacks, food allergies, and reactions to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and bees.[1]
Mild allergies like hay fever are highly prevalent in the human population and cause symptoms such as allergic conjunctivitis, itchiness, and runny nose. Allergies can play a major role in conditions such as asthma. In some people, severe allergies to environmental or dietary allergens or to medication may result in life-threatening anaphylactic reactions and potentially death.
A variety of tests now exist to diagnose allergic conditions; these include testing the skin for responses to known allergens or analyzing the blood for the presence and levels of allergen-specific IgE. Treatments for allergies include allergen avoidance, use of anti-histamines, steroids or other oral medications, immunotherapy to desensitize the response to allergen, and targeted therapy.