There are many natural ingredients that can help reduce cholesterol levels and thus reduce the risk of various diseases associated with elevated cholesterol: arteriosclerosis, heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, etc. However, until recently medical scientists believed that diet alone couldn’t substantially reduce cholesterol levels in persons confronted with high cholesterol problems. Compared to cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins (medications that block the enzyme that stimulates the production of cholesterol at the level of the liver), most diets were considered to be inefficient in dealing with cholesterol. However, a newly published diet has clearly contradicted such beliefs, proving to be as efficient as many existing cholesterol-lowering medications.

Combining a series of natural ingredients renowned for their efficiency in reducing cholesterol levels, the special diet can cut down cholesterol by up to 30 percent. Thanks to its remarkable efficiency, the diet is considered to be a good replacement for synthetic cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins, which are known to produce a series of pronounced side-effects on long-term use. The diet limits the intake of foods rich in saturated fat and simple carbohydrates and encourages the consumption of soy proteins, nuts, viscous fibers (found in barley and oats) and plant sterols – substance with beneficial action, contained by non-starch and leafy green vegetables, as well as most vegetable oils.

A recently conducted clinical study has clearly revealed that the special diet is actually very efficient in reducing cholesterol levels and preventing the occurrence of multiple diseases associated with elevated cholesterol. The study involved the participation of 13 people, who were asked to follow the dietary plan over a period of one month. The subjects’ regime consisted solely of the following foods: carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, beans, cauliflower, red peppers, eggplant, oats, barley, almonds, fresh fruits, vegetal margarine and soy products (soy milk, tofu, soy substitutes for meat). The study participants had the liberty to choose the amount of foods consumed with each meal and combine the ingredients any way they wanted. However, all study participants were asked to only stick with the ingredients included in the diet.

By the end of the study, all subjects had substantially reduced their bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and had increased good cholesterol (HDL) levels. The average reduction in cholesterol levels registered in all 13 participants was around 30 percent, very similar to the effects of statins and other commonly used cholesterol-lowering medications. Considering the fact that it produces very efficient results, the special diet can actually be regarded as a suitable replacement for treatments with cholesterol-lowering drugs.

The causes of high cholesterol are multiple and they often include inherited genetic dysfunctions, which determine both an overproduction of cholesterol inside the body and inefficient elimination of the substance out of the system. Although most people think that high cholesterol is entirely the consequence of inappropriate diet, inactive lifestyle and obesity, genetic heritage is also a very common cause of excessive accumulation of cholesterol inside the body. This is a pertinent explanation for the fact that even persons who keep strict diets, exercise regularly and struggle to maintain a normal BMI (body mass index) may eventually develop heart disease or other disorders associated with cholesterol deposition inside the body.

High cholesterol can be the consequence of one or more of the following risk factors: physical inactivity, bad diet, obesity, age, gender and genetic heritage.

Sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet and obesity are nowadays the most common causes of high cholesterol and consequently, heart disease and stroke. Lots of people these days suffer from weight problems due to inappropriate diet (excessive consumption of foods rich in saturated fat, carbohydrates and salts) and lack of physical exercise (regular exercise not only helps maintaining a normal BMI, but is also a very efficient way of preventing heart disease and many other conditions; only 15 minutes of physical exercise a day can help reduce cholesterol levels and strengthen the organism). In order to efficiently prevent the development of serious complications associated with high cholesterol, overweight patients with cholesterol problems are advised to exercise daily and to respect an adequate, healthy diet.

Age and gender are also factors that considerably influence cholesterol levels. Although persons can be faced with cholesterol problems at any age (children as young as 10 have been recently diagnosed with heart disease due to high cholesterol), cholesterol levels gradually increase with age. Despite the fact that men are more likely to be faced with high cholesterol levels at a certain point in life (the male body generally produces larger quantities of cholesterol), women can also suffer from heart disease and other conditions as a consequence of high cholesterol. While men are more exposed to developing heart disease due to high cholesterol after the age of 40, women rarely develop such problems before menopause (usually prior to the age of 50).

Genetic heritage is another very important factor that contributes to cholesterol problems. Persons confronted with high cholesterol levels due to genetic dysfunctions either produce excessive quantities of the substance or are unable to properly eliminate the substance from the body. On these premises, cholesterol levels are very difficult to control and even the most efficient cholesterol-lowering medications may sometimes fail to normalize cholesterol values in such categories of people. Persons with high cholesterol levels who also have a family history of heart disease should corroborate medication treatments with proper diet and regular physical exercise in order to efficiently prevent the occurrence of serious complications.

Everyone has 'blood pressure'. It is a measure of how hard your heart has to work in order to pump blood around your body.

NORMAL BLOOD PRESSURE LEVELS:

The 'normal' level is usually said to be 120 (systolic) over 80 (diastolic), although this varies with age, stress and activity. If your blood pressure is higher than 140/90, you should have a chat with your doctor.

HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS HIGH:

A person with high blood pressure can look and feel perfectly fine. There are usually very few obvious symptoms. The only way to know your blood pressure level is to have it measured.

If you have not had it checked in the last couple of years, get it checked. If you are over the age of 40, you should get it checked about once a year, especially if you smoke or suffer from obesity or drink to excess.

IF YOU HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:

The most important thing is, DO NOT PANIC! High blood pressure is relatively common and is caused by a variety of factors. Fortunately, it usually responds very well to proper treatment.

CAUSES OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:

Usually, there is no single cause. A variety of factors are involved:

*Family history

*Being overweight

*High alcohol intake

*High sodium diet (too much salt!)

*Low potassium diet (not enough fruits & vegetables!)

*Aging

THE EFFECTS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:

High blood pressure adds to the workload of the heart and arteries. Over time, this can lead to an increased likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.

GUIDELINES FOR REDUCING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE:

*Family history of high blood pressure:

If you have a family history of high blood pressure and your own blood pressure is high, your doctor may recommend drug treatment. This will usually be for life, although the risk of a stroke or heart attack is usually greatly reduced.

*No family history:

If your blood pressure is high but you do not have a history of high blood pressure in your family, your doctor may still recommend drug treatment. However, in most cases, your doctor will advise you to adopt a healthier lifestyle along the following line:

*Quit smoking:

Smoking and high blood pressure are two serious factors for heart disease and stroke. Smoking 20 cigarettes a day gives you twice the normal risk of a heart attack and five times the risk of a stroke.

*Avoid being overweight:

High blood pressure and strokes are twice as common in obese people. Diabetes is four times more common in middle-aged obese people.

*Eat less salt:

Switch to low-sodium brands of salt. Do not add too much salt to food, especially processed food (processed food often contains high levels of salt). Season your food with other ingredients like spices.

*Eat more fruits and vegetables:

Regular amounts of fresh fruit & vegetables (at least five servings a day) help to maintain a normal blood pressure and also help protect you against heart disease and cancer. Make lots of home-made soup (It disguises the taste of green vegetables!) and eat lots of chopped fruit. (Chopped fruit is less frightening than whole pieces of fruit!) If you like smoothies, learn how to make your own in the blender with lots of fruit.

*Get more active:

Long-term regular physical activity can lower your blood pressure. Provided you take it slowly to begin with and gradually build up to about 20-30 minutes a day, exercise has enormous benefit. Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

*Learn to relax:

Stress is a major contributory factor to disease. Exactly how it affects blood pressure is not known, but anything that helps to ease your mind and reduce worry is GOOD. Therefore, go with the flow and start relaxing. Meditate, take a walk, read, listen to music. Whatever works for you, do it!

Making simple changes in your diet and lifestyle can be a huge factor in reducing your high blood pressure. Eating a healthy, nutritious diet and getting regular physical activity can mean the difference between good health and disease. Remember, high blood pressure is TWICE as common in obese people!

Gout is a very painful form of arthritis, that causes severe attacks that affect the joint from the big toe usually. Many men and women that have reached menopause are suffering from gout, and if it's not treated in time it can cause more problems.

Gout appears when you have too much uric acid in your blood. Uric acid comes from certain types of food that contain purines, a substance that turns into uric acid after digestion.

There are several methods to treat gout, but there is no better way to prevent a gout attack than to have purine-free diet, which means to eat less red meat, consume less alcohol and tobacco, and drink less coffee.

In the case of an acute gout the patient experiences severe pain, so the goal of the treatment is to try to reduce the inflammation of the joints and to calm the pain down. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are known to be the best solution to treat an acute gout, because they block the flow of the substances that cause the inflammations. These drugs are taken orally.

A non-NSAID drug is sometimes used to treat acute gout. This drug is called colchicine, but many patients prefer NSAIDS because colchicine has bad side-effects.

If the patient suffers from chronic gout NSAID's don't help that much. The purpose of the chronic gout treatment is to prevent acute gout attacks by eliminating as much uric acid from the body as it's possible. The best medication for this are Uricosuric agents. These act directly in the kidneys and they make them work more effectively and eliminate the acid.

When somebody is suffering from a severe gout attack the doctors inject cortisone directly in the affected joint. Cortisone can immediately relieve pain and swelling, but it's not recommended to use it too often because it can weaken the bones.

But the best gout treatment method remains a healthy diet. This will help both to cure and to prevent this illness. It is also important to know that the levels of uric acid in the blood can also be raised by stress, injuries, obesity and high blood pressure. A healthy fat-free and red-meat free will significantly reduce the risk of a gout attack and not only, it can help in the treatment of many other affections, so try loosing weight, drink less alcohol and eat healthy and you'll never have gout problems!

Imagine a garden hose. If there is little water pressure as you are trying to wash your car, the hose is flimsy and kinks easily. However, if there is high water pressure, the hose is firm, the water sprays out in greater amounts, and the hose may even burst. Your body’s arteries and veins work in the same way. Blood pressure is basically the force exerted on the walls of your blood vessels. Typically, blood pressure is measure in your larger arteries, and it is measure in millimetres of mercury (mm Hg).

When you measure your blood pressure, you will get two different numbers, known as systolic and diastolic. The systolic number records your blood presure at its peak in the cycle (remember, your heart pumps in a beat, so blood flow is not consistant every single moment), while diastolic blood pressure measures your blood flow at its lowest moment in the cycle. A healthy adult’s blood pressure is usually around 120/80 mm Hg. Blood pressure varies slightly from beat to beat and can vary greatly over the course of the day, so to get an accurate estimate, you should measure your blood pressure at the same point in the day every day. Adults are considered normal if they fall in the 90 to 135 mm Hg range for systolic blood pressure and the 50 to 110 mm HG range for diastolic blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a common disease among adults. There are many causes of high blood pressure, but overall, long-term high blood pressure can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and diabetes. Because this is a serious disease, doctors and other health care professionals (or simply people worried about the health of themselves and their families) are taking great steps to prevent high blood pressure. However, it is important to remember that the first step to lowering your high blood pressure is to understand it in the first place.

To go back to the garden hose example, high pressure can occur in a number of ways. First, the pump could start pumping water through the hose at a higher rate. This will cause more water to flow through the hose, and put extra strain on the pump, or, in your body’s case, the heart. However, imagine trying to pumping honey through the hose instead of water. Even if you pump at a slower rate, you still need to have extra effort exerted from the pump. This occurs in the blood if your blood thickens, which can happen if you have high blood sugar or a higher than normal red blood cell count.

Now, imagine you hook up a skinner hose to the same pump—water pressure would be greater in this case as well. The same thing happens if your blood vessels are smaller than normal, which can be the case if you have fatty build-up in your arteries. Finally, the amount of blood flowing through your system effects blood pressure. Unlike with a graden hose, you blood is part of a closed system moset of the time—that is, it doesn’t leave the body, at least not in large amounts. When it does, the body quickly produces more to counteract the loss. However, if your body produces too much, this can also lead to high blood presure.

Blood pressure is extremely important to regulating the overall health of our bodies. By understanding this concept, we can grasp how to better take care of our health. Although confusing at first, blood pressure is actually as simple as using a garden hose, so anyone can learn how to measure blood pressure to better take care of their body.

What is an infrared sauna and how does it work? Firstly the main appeal for me in regards to a sauna is the health benefits. I mean who wants to sit in an oven for nothing? So how does the infrared sauna differ from the traditional sauna? Firstly it does not feel like an oven, the infrared sauna uses and infrared heater it does not use wood or electric stoves.

This heater heats the occupants not the surroundings. The infrared heater uses far infrared light. Far Infrared light emits far infrared radiation. Infrared radiation is known as heat. Infrared light form the sun accounts for around 50% of the heat on our planet. The infrared radiation or better known as heat is safe and beneficial

So once again the difference between the traditional sauna and the infrared Sauna is that the sauna itself is not hot. Those in the sauna will get hot as they absorb the infrared light. This infrared light penetrates the skin to debt of up to an inch and a half hence giving it the ability to stimulate and heal tissue.

Seemingly it can do this to a greater extent than the traditional sauna. In actual fact proponents of the infrared sauna say it will even make you sweat more than a conventional sauna. Learn more about the infrared sauna and it s health benefits.

Embarrassed by a health problem and not sure who you can talk to about it? Millions of people suffer from common health conditions in silence because they are too ashamed to ask for help. Sound like someone you know? The human body is truly a miraculous thing but sometimes things go wrong and problems arise. Fortunately, medicine has advanced in leaps and bounds since the old days. No longer do people have to just live with their poor health, they can actually do something about it. The important part is seeking treatment before it’s too late.

Some health problems can escalate rather quickly from something that is routine and treatable to something that can lead to a lifetime of pain or scars. Don’t let that happen to you. If you aren’t sure what is wrong with you the internet can be an amazing resource of knowledge and information, even showing you pictures of conditions when the description isn’t enough to help. In many cases, germs or viruses can be healed or cured at home with simple remedies. Other problems are more serious and require the care of a doctor or prescription medicines to heal them.

If there is a problem plaguing you, don’t suffer in silence or wait until it has escalated beyond your control, help is available. It’s important to learn as much as you can about whatever health problem you have so that you can face it head on. Use the tools at your disposal to be proactive and take better care of yourself.

Headache accompanied with dizziness is a very common health condition. In fact when you receive the combination of headache and dizziness, the diagnosis becomes even more important. Herein, you need to find out if the symptoms of headaches and dizziness are independent or interrelated in you. In many cases they could be well related to migraine as well. So it is a must to reach the root cause of the problem.

Dizziness headache could be due to many factors. Take for instance a daily activity of exercising. Those concerned with health and fitness know that exercising is good for health viewed from any angle. But if you are doing the right thing at the wrong time, take for example- exercising in the heat, you may experience difficulty in breathing and will surely feel dizziness along with headache. This may even lead to total exhaustion and heat stroke.

In such a situation the cure for your dizziness headache is not medication, but taking proper rest and diet that will cool down the body from within.

But there are many of the painkillers which are regularly prescribed for treating headaches of all kinds. NSAIDs are the first-line of drugs recommended to treat the mild to moderate migraine headaches. But this could be damaging at times. For, some or the other side effects are sure to affect you when you treat your headache from these medicines.

Ibuprofen for example, could be the cause of gastrointestinal irritation and increased blood pressure. In the aged people, it is likely to cause dizziness, drowsiness or blurred vision. When taken with lithium, sodium and white willow, Ibuprofen has even adverse of the effects.

In this context, it is essential for you to know what the function of lithium is. It is a mineral that is usually prescribed to manic depression.

Those who are addicted to alcohol have the possibility of their warfarin being affected. This condition has again several other side effects including severe dizziness or headache.

Diazepam is another prescribed drug for migraine. But it can severely harm unborn babies, as it can pass through breast milk. Its side effects are drowsiness and headache. So it is very difficult to decide about the basic or root causes of the dizziness headache.

Caffeine- the harbinger of tea and coffee gives an inspiring kick for activities throughout the day. Try to give up these drinks for a week to start with. You will experience headache. You will suffer from headache, and drowsiness.

Headaches are a part of everyone's life. It's fairly uncommon for someone to go through his life and not have some type of a headache, it's almost inevitable. In this article, we will discuss the causes of and treatments for cluster headaches. Symptoms of cluster headaches are easy to identify but only if you know what to look for.

Some of us may not be aware of all the different types of headaches, but what we do know is that headaches are not very pleasant. Pain is pain, no matter which way you look at it. That is why when we get headaches, we do not concern ourselves too much with which type of headache we have. Almost immediately, we seek treatment. We either reach for the Tylenol, Advil or some other form of pain reliever. When you get a headache, you just want it to go away. By knowing which type of headache you have, it will help you decide on the best type of treatment for it. Some of you may find popular brand name pain relievers ineffective. This isn't because one pain reliever is more effective than another; it is because there are different treatments for all the different types of headaches.

To begin we are going to discuss what a cluster headache is and how to get the correct treatment for it. Cluster headaches are unilateral, meaning they usually only effect one side of your head, near the temple or the eyes. Occasionally they will change sides, but they only affect one side at a time. These types of headaches are quite severe and can be debilitating. Debilitation with cluster headaches means that the pain is so severe that it saps the strength and energy out of you. It will stop you in your tracks! Cluster headaches can last anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 hours. The amount of pain is hard to measure, but those who have experienced other painful headache conditions such as migraines, say that cluster headaches are far more painful. The pain is easily comparable to being stabbed in the eye or temple, with a sharp object. Medical journals describe the pain as being the most severe pain suffered by humans.

The symptoms of cluster headaches are very evident. Often the person will become restless and will be unable to stay still. Pacing and being agitated is a very common symptom as well. Other symptoms may include sweating only on the side of the face that the cluster headache is affecting, red and watery eyes, drooping eyelids and a runny nose. Your neck will become stiff or tender when the 'attack' is over. Jaw and teeth pain will usually follow as well.

Cluster headaches are usually reoccurring and strike almost at the same time each day. It has earned a nickname for itself, "alarm clock headache". Not only because of the timing of the headaches but also because their ability to wake people from sleep. One of the strangest things about cluster headaches is that you may experience them during the same time each day for a year straight. Then you will not have another for several years.

There are several things that can trigger cluster headaches and it varies from person to person. For some people the consumption of alcohol can trigger them. Being exposed to perfumes or industrial smells, such as petroleum can also trigger them. Some people are even so sensitive that taking naps will trigger a cluster headache. Whatever the case, be sure that you can identify what triggers your headaches and let your doctor know about it.

Getting treatment for this type of headache will depend on the doctor you see. Some doctors will treat cluster headaches as medical emergencies while others will neglect the sufferer. Finding the right doctor to help you get the right treatment will be the most important factor in getting treatment as fast as possible. Over the counter pain medicines will have no effect on cluster headaches. It has even been said that morphine helps little to ease the pain. There are other medicines that you may want to look into, such as Fentanyl, that are stronger and actually will help with the pain. In order to get effectively treated for this type of headache, it will require the expertise of doctors. Find a good doctor that considers cluster headaches a medical emergency. This will ensure that you get the treatment you so desperately need as soon as possible.

While many people have snoring problems, they usually laugh it off and don't think that it affects their health at all. In all reality, they could be no further from the truth. Snoring can be a precursor to a dreaded sleep disorder known as sleep apnea.

Few people realize exactly what sleep apnea is. It is a condition in which there is an obstruction of the airway while a person is asleep. Consequently, snoring is a sign that the airway is at least partially obstructed, and the noise snoring is known for is the body's unconscious attempt to gasp for air. In sleep apnea, the airway can be totally obstructed, causing a person to not breathe while sleeping for 10 seconds or longer at a time. This can cause the victim to wake up throughout the night, gasping for air, and often being left with a sore throat and a headache due to the lack of oxygen and the friction in their airway. These breathless periods are known as ‘apneas' and obstructive sleep apnea sufferers may experience them hundreds of times throughout the night.

The sore throat and headaches are actually some of the least problematic symptoms caused by sleep apnea. Since the sufferer tends to wake up multiple times throughout the night, their body's regular sleep schedule is undeniably altered. Those with apnea often wake up feeling like they got no sleep at all, causing them to be drowsy, inattentive, and aggravated throughout the day. Sleep apnea often does not let up, either, causing the person to get less sleep than they need every night until the problem is treated. Long-term untreated apnea sufferers often experience higher blood pressure from the condition, as well as an increased risk of stroke or heart attack. Sufferers also face an exponentially higher risk of being in an automobile accident due to their constant drowsiness and lack of concentration.

If you think that you may have sleep apnea, you can participate in an overnight sleep study at a hospital to accurately diagnose the condition. Known as a polysomnography test, doctors monitor your breathing patterns throughout the night to ensure that the problem that you face is in fact sleep apnea. If you have sleep apnea, a number of solutions may be employed, most commonly via the use of a CPAP machine. Standing for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, the machine forces air into your airway, allowing you to get the oxygen you need to stay asleep throughout the night.

If you think you have sleep apnea, you need to act on it immediately; waiting can only prolong the problems that you face.