Daily Health Tips: Trusted Medical Information, Health Tips and Advices

According to studies, people do eat more during the winter months, and there are a few potential factors that may contribute to this increased hunger. Most people would agree that winter is the season for rich, hearty foods. Heavy, carb-laden dishes, sugary treats and creamy sauces are all staples of the cold weather diet. Many people also report being hungrier in winter, with stronger cravings and an increased urge to snack. Is this winter appetite all in our heads, or is there a reason why we may want to eat more in cold weather and what can we do to avoid overdoing it? The human body functions at an optimum temperature of 98.6 deg. Fahrenheit or 37 deg. Celsius. In winters the surrounding temperature is much lower than that, as a result of which our body, esp our limbs get very cold. The blood in our body has the function of providing nutrients and heat to the body. The body has its own mechanism to warm itself up when it senses that it's getting cold, i.e shivering, wh

Most of the sugar consumed around the world is refined sugar derived from sugar cane. Sugar extracted from sugar cane can be white or brown. What Makes Brown Sugar Brown? Sugar is brown due to the addition of molasses at time of processing or may be brown in the first phase of processing prior the refining process take place Calories In Brown Sugar Brown sugar containing molasses has a high water content than white sugar. The calories of brown sugar per gram is 3.73. Calories In White Sugar White sugar has a low water content than brown sugar and it contains 3.96 calories per gram. One Teaspoon Of White Sugar The granule size of white sugar is very uniform in size. Using a standard measuring teaspoon, one teaspoon contain about 4 grams of sugar and about 16 calories. One Teaspoon of Brown Sugar The granule size of brown sugar is tend to be a little in size. The additional water content from the molasses m

Stress basics Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. A small amount of stress can be good, motivating you to perform well. But multiple challenges daily, such as sitting in traffic, meeting deadlines and paying bills, can push you beyond your ability to cope. Your brain comes hard-wired with an alarm system for your protection. When your brain perceives a threat, it signals your body to release a burst of hormones that increase your heart rate and raise your blood pressure. This "fight-or-flight" response fuels you to deal with the threat. Once the threat is gone, your body is meant to return to a normal, relaxed state. Unfortunately, the nonstop complications of modern life mean that some people's alarm systems rarely shut off. Stress management gives you a range of tools to reset your alarm system. It can help your mind and body adapt (resilience). Without it, your body might always be on high alert. Over time,

It can be hard sometimes to figure out whether you really need to go in and see the doctor. Most of us probably know that if you have chest pain or sudden weakness, dizziness, or vision changes, you need to get to the emergency room ASAP. But how do you distinguish signs and symptoms that could be just a normal part of aging versus a condition which might be much more serious? Delaying treatment could, in many cases, have a significant impact on your health and wellness. Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of patients that waited too long – often because they didn’t think what they were experiencing was a big deal. Here are 6 symptoms that you should not ignore: 1. Unexpected weight loss. You read that correctly. If you are losing weight, and not trying to do so, it needs to be investigated, especially as the weight loss gets to be 10 or 15 pounds. We typically gain weight as we get older, so unintentional weight loss could be a sign of a serious problem. Cancer can often

Are you among the 37 million Americans who have sinus problems each year? If so, there's a lot you can do at home that can make a difference. Even better, many of these things are simple and inexpensive. First, it's crucial to figure out why you have sinus problems, allergies are a fairly common reason for sinus problems. The kinds that affect the nose include hay fever and indoor allergies. A dry nose leads to more sinus problems, nasal dryness leads to congestion, thickened mucus, and worsened sinusitis. Whatever the trigger, you can pick and choose from these five tips, or try all of them. 1. Keep Your Cool When the heat is on, the inside of your nose gets dry, mucus isn't cleared as well as usual, which makes sinus problems more likely. We can't recommend a specific indoor temperature range as ideal, but we offers this guide: "You are better off wearing a sweater and keeping

Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends. This helps to regulate your body's clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.  Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid naps, especially in the afternoon. Power napping may help you get through the day, but if you find that you can't fall asleep at bedtime, eliminating even short catnaps may help. Exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity. Exercise at any time of day, but not at the expense of your sleep. Evaluate your room. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep. Y

1. Playing games and solving puzzles: Any activity that requires us to use the brain to find solutions to problems have been proven to be a great way of sparking creativity. This does not only me an classic games such as chess and sudoku puzzles but also video games that include puzzle solving. 2. Develop your concentration abilities. Learn a meditation technique and build your ability to remain focused like a laser. Smart people can concentrate for longer periods of time than dummies! 3. Think positively. This sounds like a right old chestnut, doesn’t it? But thinking positively enables you to access your higher thinking abilities. When you are positive and feeling good your mind functions smoothly. Ask yourself emotion-leading questions like, “What am I grateful for right now?” and “Who do I love and who loves me?” 4. Go for variety: Why do you always order the same dish when you go out to a restaurant? People like routine. We feel comfortable doing things we kno

1. No Breakfast  People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.  2. Overeating  It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leadingto a decrease in mental power.  3. Smoking   It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.   4. High Sugar Consumption  Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.   5. Air Pollution  The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decreasein brain efficiency.  6 . Sleep Deprivation  Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.   7. Head Covered  While Sleeping Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of

Parents ever tell you that eating carrots would save you from wearing glasses? Or that sitting too close to the TV could make you go blind? Their advice may sound rather mixed to you as an adult. But what exactly is  good or bad for your eyes? Read on to find out whether any of the offbeat stuff you've heard is truly legitimate or the stuff of urban eye-health legends. Myth:   Eating carrots will improve your vision. The truth:  No studies to date show that your eyesight will get sharper just by eating more carrots. Carrots do, however, contain vitamin A -- a nutrient your eyes need to function properly -- so a deficiency would be bad news for your eyes. Keep the rabbit food on the menu. Just don't bother with vitamin A supplements, because your body doesn't need a ton of the stuff, and getting more than you need of the supplement form can be harmful to your health.  Myth:   Working on a computer is bad for your eyes. The truth:  Computer eyestrain has less to do with co

No one likes to have (or smell) bad breath. Fortunately, it's simple to prevent. A foul smell coming from your mouth is usually caused by bacteria, so keeping your teeth (and tongue) clean and eating certain foods will do the trick. Follow these simple tips for better breath. 1.   Stay On Top Of Your Teeth  Your first and easiest line of defense is good oral care. Cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease can all be underlying causes of odor, says Sally Cram, DDS, a Washington DC based periodontist and a consumer advocate for the American Dental Association. Brush twice a day and floss at least once daily to remove the plaque and bacteria that accumulates on your teeth and under your gumline. And be sure to visit your dentist twice a year for a checkup and professional cleaning. 2.  Clean Your Tongue   The fleshy surface of the tongue is a prime breeding ground for harmful bacteria and accounts for a large percentage of halitosis cases; but most people neglect this c

Spring has sprung and the number of bicycles out on the streets is amazing. It's great to see families out for rides together and children getting exercise. However, it is disheartening to see the low level of bike safety that many of these families are practicing while they ride. Here are some tips to bear in mind for keeping your whole family safe while riding bikes. Make your child wear a helmet on  every  bike ride.  I can't tell you how many people only make their child wear a helmet on "long" bike rides, or say "Well, she only rides in the driveway." The helmet protects the child's head if she falls, and falls can happen just as easily on your driveway as in any other place. Falls happen anywhere and everywhere, and the concrete is always just as inflexible. Wear a helmet yourself.  This is one of my biggest pet peeves. I see families coasting along all the time where the children are wearing helmets but the parents are not. I've seen some hor

When you’re shopping for kid stuff, you might assume that everything for sale in those baby stores is safe. The products are made for children, after all—and they must be government-regulated, right? Not necessarily. Some widely sold baby products have been associated with injuries and even deaths. In fact, 40 percent of all recalls last year were for kids’ products. So before you buy anything (or accept hand-me-downs), check our guide to learn which products are hazardous and find out what the safe alternatives are. Drop-side cribs Unsafe bedding 1. Drop-side cribs. 2. Bumpers. 3. Sleep positioners. 4. Blankets and pillows. Why they’re dangerous:  The moveable drop side can drop, suffocating or strangling a baby. The cribs were associated with at least 32 deaths since 2000, plus hundreds of other reported incidents, before they were banned by the CPSC in 2011 (before that, millions were recalled). What to use instead:  A new crib with fixed sides and a simple design (infants can str