Aspirin: The 2,000-Year-Old Wonder Drug | Yahoo! Health

ASPIRIN

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/aspirin-2000-year-old-wonder-drug#.UMoiL7ZPeAc.email

Move over apples, there’s a new sheriff in town. It seems that aspirin—the pain reliever relied on to ease a throbbing headache or aching back—taken once a day could be what actually keeps the doctor away.

Multiple studies have shown that 75 mg a day of aspirin can cut a person’s risk of colon cancer by anywhere from 17 to 28 percent. It also reduces the odds of dying after a colon cancer diagnosis by 30 to 40 percent.

Popping one baby aspirin a day has also been shown to protect memory and cognitive function in older adults, according to a study recently published in BMJ Open. The growing amount of research is finding that a regular dose of aspirin does offer some protection against the development of dementia. According to the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, the cheap over-the-counter remedy could cut the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by a whopping 55 percent.

As Americans search for options to trim the costs of healthcare, many are looking to this affordable, ancient remedy as a wonder drug. 

Aspirin May Reduce Cognitive Decline

Aspirin Through the Ages

Officially known as acetylsalicylic acid (or ASA), aspirin’s origins date back 2,000 years. References to medicine (made from salicylate-rich plants such as willow) being used to treat fevers have been found on Egyptian papyri. In 400 BC, Hippocrates, the “father of medicine,” recommended willow bark—which is rich in salicylic acid—to treat aches and pains and as an analgesic for women in labor.

Willow bark’s popularity stood the test of time. Legend says Lewis and Clark relied on it to treat fevers suffered during their famous expedition. In the 19th century pharmacists began experimenting with and prescribing chemicals related to salicylic acid, the active component of willow extract.

Modern day’s version of aspirin is the result of German chemist Felix Hoffman’s work in 1897.

Is Aspirin for Cats Safe?

Aspirin and Your Heart

In addition to being beneficial for brain and colon health, aspirin is also good for your heart.

According to the Mayo Clinic, an aspirin a day ups your heart health by interfering with your blood's clotting action. When you bleed, cells in your blood called platelets build up at the site of a cut or wound to help form a plug that stops the bleeding. This clotting can also occur in the blood vessels that supply blood to your heart, leading to a blood clot that can block the artery or prevent proper blood flow.

While it doesn’t completely prohibit clotting altogether, aspirin helps by reducing platelets' ability to clot.

Cholesterol: The Good, The Bad, and The Essential

Is an aspirin a day for you?

Despite its popularity, doctors don’t readily recommend aspirin to their patients or see aspirin as voluntary.

However the mounting body of research pointing to aspirin’s ability to protect against a host of diseases begs the question: Should Americans ask their doctor about incorporating an aspirin a day?

Many doctors do suggest daily aspirin therapy to patients who:

• have had a heart attack or stroke
• have a family history of colon cancer
• had a stent placed in a coronary artery, have had coronary bypass surgery, or have chest pain due to coronary artery disease (angina)
• never have had a heart attack but are at high risk of having one
• are a man with diabetes older than 50 or a woman with diabetes older than 60

Ask the Expert: Chemotherapy

Consult Your Physician

The typical dosage of aspirin as a preventive is 75 mg, fewer than a standard baby aspirin. However, many doctors will prescribe 81 mg (the dose of a typical baby aspirin) up to 325 mg, which is a regular strength aspirin.

There are downsides to aspirin, including aspirin allergy that can trigger an asthma attack, bleeding stomach ulcers, and clotting disorders. Before starting a daily aspirin regimen, it’s best to talk to your doctor about your specific benefits and risks.

Life and Chemistry / Large Molecules or Macromolecules

Life and Chemistry / Large Molecules or Macromolecules

 

            In this section I’ve learned many different things like for an example, what make up tissues as well as what makes up the four major components of macromolecules. We also learned how DNA and RNA compare and contrast and how they are formed.  The formation of polymers and polymers to monomers were also on the topic of discussion as well as the bonds or linkages that are formed between peptides in a protein structure. 

 The four major components of macromolecules are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.  The first component, carbohydrates are the CHO functions.  They are divided in to three major groups which are monosaccharide, disaccharide, and polysaccharide.  These groups are form by simple carbohydrate linking together to form a more complex structure of carbohydrates.  Monomers are simply composed of one carbohydrate.  There are many types of monomers for example DNA and RNA or other wise known as ribose and deoxyribose are the two five-carbon sugars that we learned about.  Fructose and galactose is just a couple of the six-carbon sugar examples we learned about. Then we learned about the disaccharides which are form by glysidic linkages between two monomers.  For instance two glucose monomers bind together by releasing H2O or also known as condensation, then as stated it forms maltose.  Then finally we became familiar with polysaccharides which just mean that more than one carbohydrate connects.  There are two basic types of linkages or bond which are condensation which is the release of water and hydrolysis which is when a bond breaks because of the addition of H2O.  As for protein we learned in this class the four levels of protein structure.   Primary structure is a single chain of peptide linkage where as the secondary structure is a double bond chain like DNA.  This double bonded form can exist in two forms which are (alpha) Helix and (beta) pleated sheet.  Then there is the tertiary structure which is more structure compact and connected hydrogen and disulfide bonds.  The quaternary structure is form when four subunits combine one big enzyme which is called the Holo enzyme.  The primary structure is bonded by peptide linkage while the secondary structure is bonded by hydrogen bonds.  Then the nucleic acids like DNA and RNA are polymers specialized for the storage, transmission, and use of genetic information.  The simple way you helped me remember how nucleotides are made is from the picture diagram on the lecture notes that explain the concept.  First one needs a base then they add a ribose or deoxyribose which makes a nucleoside then to make a nucleotide one adds a phosphate.  One major concept I was extremely shocked to find out is how ninety eight percent of DNA is just junk to protect us from mutation from hostile environment.  How our bodies work to protect us is unbelievable.  Finally the last major component of large macromolecules that I learned about was lipids. Lipids are basically hydrocarbons that are water insoluble because of the non-polar molecules and different covalent bonds.  One of the most common lipid most people heard about is the phospholipids, or triglyceride which is a glycerol bonding two three fatty acid molecules through condensation. In this section of study I have learned the four major components of a large molecule, which was very interesting and I hope as we progress we find out more about the nature and magic of life.

addiction to drugs, sex, and alcohol

Richard DeLa Garza, II, Ph. D.

In this lecture about addiction to drugs, sex, and alcohol I learn a
number of different things about how addiction works and how scientist
study the pattern to find what causes it and prevents it. Most of the
myths that Dr. Garza proved to be false was exactly what I always
assumed to be true.

One of the major myths that I thought to be true was that drugs, sex,
and alcohol affect everyone in the same way. As in high school there is
a very divers group of kids who are known to be addicted to different
things. Like for example the group of kids who do drugs, I know many
people who go threw that phase and come out like nothing happened, while
other get stuck with no way out weaken by the addiction. For example
cigarette smokers, my older sister is practically a chain smoker, she
has tried everything one can think of to quit but it never worked. Where
as my boyfriend, Jesse, was a social smoker ever since he joined the
military three years ago; I refused to go out with him because he drank
and smoked and he quit on the spot. As one may see how I quickly came to
the conclusion that my sister wasn't trying hard enough, and probably
just waiting for the medicine do all the work. On a more personal
observation, people who drink I always thought were liars. I transferred
from a very strict private school in Dallas, to a very small, barely a
3A, country school in the middle of nowhere, straight in to high school.
I became friends with the more outgoing crowd the partiers and I went to
a party of there's. Even though it tasted disgusting, I drank just as
much as the girls I went with and I wasn't making out with every guy I
saw, stripping on table tops, or throwing up on everything, and I
defiantly remembered everything the next day. So when the girls came to
me saying they couldn't control them self because they were drunk, I
didn't believed them, and I found new friends with better morals. I'm
still not completely sure 'how much' drinking really effects someone
actions. I now believe as Dr. Garza proved with the different test done
to monitor the brain activity that things like drugs and alcohol effect
people different. He also proved this concept again with the different
kinds of rats Dr. Garza test on; which reveal it took different amounts
of myth to keep the rats in that satisfied high. This explains why I
never got drunk and girls that drank just as much as I was way passed
what I would call drunk. It also explains why my sister has such a
problem with trying to quit smoking and Jesse quit without haven a
second thought about it.

Another major thing that I learn more about is how scientist studies
diseases as in addiction to different things. I guess I never put much
thought in how they do their research and get their data. I heard of mad
scientists who do test on humans before, which are how they say all the
different blood types evolved. Although I don't believe that Dr. Garza
is a mad scientist, I guess if people are willing to participate to find
a cure for their disease, its okay. I mean people do the same thing all
the time when they risk their life getting an organ transplant, even
though there is a chance their body could reject it, to find a way to
get through their disease. It was also interesting as well as shocking
to hear that methamphetamine addicts chose money over myth, even as low
as seven to sixteen dollars, even though there concealed in a hospital
for weeks with no other way to get what they were supposedly addicted
to. Another fascinating fact Dr. Garza stated was how the genetic makeup
of a person effects how prone to addiction a person could be. This
statement makes me wonder if I can control in a sense the genetic makeup
of my children. For an example if I marry someone who tried and found
some kind of displeasure in drugs and alcohol and never tried it again
just as I have, will that make our children dislike it and never want to
do it as well? Dr. Garza gave a fascinating lecture that left many minds
continuously thinking about the different concepts and how they connect
in a bigger picture. I truly appreciate this chance to listen in on what
scientists today are studying; I don't believe that students get enough
great opportunities such as these. There for I want to thank you for
letting us sit in.

Cell Structure and Function

Cell Structure and Function

In this section of Cell Structure and Function I learned about all the
different kinds of cells, everything that makes up a cell and their
functions. I also learned a little history first, about where the cell
was first described and named.

First I want to talk about the two major types of cells we learned
about, which are the Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells. The Prokaryotic
cells are found in bacteria, while the Eukaryotic cells are found all
other forms of life, like animals, plants, and fungi. The Prokaryotic
cells are very different in structure from the Eukaryotic cells. For
instance, in Prokaryotic cells the DNA is not enclosed by a
double-walled nuclear membrane, which means they don't have a true
nucleus. In the Prokaryotic cells the DNA is concentrated in a nuclear
dense zone called the nucleoid and there is no defined it membrane to
separate the nuclear material. Most Prokaryotic cells have tough
external cell wall, as in plants and fungi which are made up of
Eukaryotic cells. The compositions of the cell wall differ from each
other kind of cell. In a plant cell wall there is three parts, primary,
secondary, and middle lamella. Animal cells do not have a cell wall. The
Prokaryotic cells are a lot simpler compared to the Eukaryotic cells.
Eukaryotic cells contain organelles that are separated by membranes.
These organelles form different departments which include the
mitochondria, chloroplasts, peroxisomes, nucleus endoplasmic reticulum
and golgi. The major differences in Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells is
that in Eukaryotic cells there is a true nucleus, and the soup that lies
between the nucleus and plasma membrane is the cytoplasm called cytosol,
which suspends the membrane- bound organelles.

There are three types of cells made from Eukaryotic cells which are
plant, animal, and fungi cells. Within the three different types of
Eukaryotic cells there are many different components that make up an
animal cell, that differ from plant and fungi. This basically means that
even though there are three different types of cells classified under a
Eukaryotic cell, each cell differs from each other because there not all
made up of the same organelles. For example although plants do, animals
don't have a central vacuole, tonoplast, chloroplasts, plasmodesmata, or
even a cell wall; likewise, plant cells don't contain lysosomes,
centrioles, or flagella.

In contrast to learning the differences between Prokaryotic and
Eukaryotic cells or even the difference between animal and plants cells
we learned how they contain many of the same comparable organelles. For
example every cell has an plasma membrane or cell envelope, which is
also known as the 'plasmalemma', which is a definite boundary that's
picky what it lets in, like molecules. Then we learned about the
nucleus, another organelle that animals and plants like both has, which
is the control room of the cell. The nucleus is where the 23 paired
chromosomes are enclosed, which transcribes a section into RNA, which in
turn uses ribosome's as the site of protein synthesis where RNA is
translated. Then there is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is the
largest membrane in the cell; this organelle splits into two distinct
regions, rough ER-its not functioning properly if you get sick, and
smooth ER. We also learned about the Golgi apparatus, which is just like
a post office, everything is sent to it first to then be sent out to
different places. Then there is the garbage man who is played by
lysosomes in animals and the central vacuole in plants, which gets rid
of the bad and even destroys it-self as a cell if malfunctions. Then
there the mitochondria, the power house, which is the chloroplast in
plants. So even though animals and plants or Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic
cells may differ in many ways, they are very much alike in a number of
common organelles, and even the organelles they differ in they have a
common function.

Panic Disorder Case Definition, Symptoms, Methods of diagnosis, Causes, Method of prevention and control.

new homework UNTHSC FORT WORTH,  TEXAS.

Panic Disorder Case Definition

            Panic disorders are an anxiety disorder characterized by recurring severe panic attacks. Panic attacks are a type of anxiety disorders that can cause sudden overwhelming fear and extreme nervousness for 10 minutes or more, a response that is out of proportion for the situation.  Panic disorders are most often mistaken for a heart attack by the patient.  They can happen without warning or reason and affect about 40 million American adults age 18 years and older every year. Panic disorders occur are twice often in women than men.

Symptoms

Some physical symptoms include: Difficulty breathing, sensation of choking, racing heart, rapid pulse, intense feeling of terror, dizziness or feeling faint, sweating, trembling or shaking, chills or hot flashes, nausea or stomachache, tingling or numbness in fingers and toes, a fear that you are losing control or about to die, and a sense of "going crazy."  Repeated attacks over time can cause the patient to have a constant fear of another panic attack. This fear causes the patient to avoid places and situations that have caused the attacks before this affect their overall quality of life.  

Methods of diagnosis

If a patient has the symptoms, a physician begins the diagnosis process by performing a physical exam as well as obtaining their complete medical history.   The physician looks for other possible causes by doing various other tests.  The doctor refers the patient to a psychiatrist or psychologist who use specially designed interview and assessment tools to determine if the symptoms and degree of dysfunctions suggest panic disorder.  Treatment is prescribed based on the intensity, duration, and frequency of the attacks, as well as the patient’s behavior and attitude.

Causes

Studies have shown that a mixture of factors, both environmental and biological, could be involved in the causes of panic disorders.  Some possible biological factors include abnormalities in the development of the brain and panic disorders have been shown to run in families.  Some environmental factors include the occurrence of panic attacks along with other serious conditions most commonly, depression, alcoholism, or drug abuse.  Stressful events and major life transition can also trigger a panic disorder.  Stress hormones that are involved in chronic stress are cortisol and corticotropin releasing hormone, which can boost anxiety and cause a panic disorder. 

Method of Cure

Treatment for panic disorders include psychotherapy, cognitive, or biofeedback therapy can all change the way the patient response to the stimuli.  There are also many prescription medications available to treat many different types of anxiety disorders. These medications act directly on the central nervous system of the patient. Antidepressants particularly Selective serotonin & norepinephrine inhibitors (SSRIs), beta-blockers, and anti-anxiety drugs including benzodiazepines can all help reduce the reoccurrence of the attacks.

Method of prevention and control

There are many different ways to help prevent and control panic disorders. One way is thru certain lifestyle changes including changes in diet and exercise. Reducing the amount of caffeine intake in your diet and having regularly scheduled meals may help. Daily exercise and meditation can help reduce the occurrence of panic disorders.  Relaxation, staying stress-free, and getting adequate sleep is also very important in reducing anxiety which cause the panic attacks.

Works Cited

"NIMH · Panic Disorder." NIMH · Home. 30 Apr. 2010. Web. 01 May 2010. <http://www.mentalhealth.gov/health/topics/panic-disorder/index.shtml>.

"Panic Disorder." Google Health. A.D.A.M., 2010. Web. 02 May 2010. <https://health.google.com/health/ref/Panic+disorder>.

"WebMD Anxiety and Panic Disorders Guide - Better Information for Better Health." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. WebMD. Web. 02 May 2010. <http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/default.htm>.

 

مشكله جنسية في الاردن

عمان - أقر 49.9 % من الأردنيين بوجود مشكلة أو خلل جنسي لديهم، بحسب دراسة عملية وعلمية متخصصة أجراها اختصاصي جراحة الكلى والمسالك البولية في جامعة العلوم والتكنولوجيا الدكتور إبراهيم الغلاييني.

وبحسب الدراسة التي حصلت "الغد" على نسخة منها، شكل العمر أهم عامل للضعف أو الخلل الجنسي، إذ أثبتت أن 53 % من الرجال في الأربعينيات، لديهم مشكلة جنسية مقارنة بـ 72 % من الرجال في الستينيات و89 % من الرجال الذين هم فوق سن 70 عاماً.

وبينت الدراسة ذاتها، والتي أجريت على عينة قوامها 1000 رجل أن أكثر من 47.7 % منهم، يعانون من زيادة في الوزن و19 % يعانون من سمنة مفرطة، بحسب القراءات العالمية المعتمدة لاحتساب عامل الكتلة البدني (BMI)، وهم بذلك أكثر خطرا لحدوث الضعف الجنسي، مقارنة بالرجال أصحاب الوزن الطبيعي.

وكشفت الدراسة، أن نسبة الضعف الجنسي عالية جداً عند "المدخنين" مقارنة بغير المدخنين.

كما أثبتت أنه كلما قلَّ الدخل الشهري وساء الوضع الاقتصادي للرجل، كان أكثر عرضة للإصابة بالضعف الجنسي، مرجعة السبب في ذلك إلى أن التدهور الاقتصادي للرجل يزيد من نسبة حدوث القلق النفسي، حيث إنه من المعروف أن القلق النفسي أحد أهم المسببات للضعف الجنسي عند الرجال وخصوصاً ذوي الأعمار الصغيرة. فضلا عن كون ذلك يؤثر سلباً في قدرة الرجل على العلاج لهذه الحالة ومعالجة الأمراض المسببة لها ثانوياً، إذ إن كلفة العلاجات والفحوصات الطبية لمختلف الأمراض، تكون عالية في بعض الحالات.

وكشفت الدراسة، أنه كلما قل التحصيل العلمي عند الرجل، كان أكثر عرضة للإصابة بالضعف الجنسي، موضحة أن الرجل المتعلم والمثقف، يعي أهمية العناية بصحته وعلاج ما يصيبه من أمراض تؤثر ثانوياً على الناحية الجنسية وعلى حياته على نحو عام.

وأوضحت الدراسة أن الرجال الذين يمارسون الرياضة ويبذلون جهداً بدنياً منتظما، أقل عرضة للإصابة بالضعف الجنسي، مشيرة إلى أن "هناك كثيراً من الناس الذين تحسن الأداء الجنسي عندهم بعد ممارسة الرياضة بانتظام".

وبينت أن الأشخاص المصابين بأمراض متنوعة مثل: السكري وارتفاع ضغط الدم وتصلب الشرايين، أكثر عرضة للإصابة بالضعف الجنسي من غيرهم، وخصوصاً الذين لا يلتزمون بالعلاج.

وأشارت إلى أن مرض السكري من الأسباب الرئيسية المسببة للضعف الجنسي، وأن كثيراً من الأدوية المستخدمة لعلاج الأمراض المنتشرة، تؤثر على الحالة الجنسية للرجل، ولكن الخطر يكون أكثر بكثير عندما لا يتم علاج هذه الأمراض بالطريقة الصحيحة.

ولفتت الدراسة الى أن أقل من 30 % من الرجال الذين يعانون من الضعف الجنسي، استشاروا الأطباء لهذه الحالة، و39 % منهم استخدموا أحياناً أدوية مخصصة لعلاج الضعف الجنسي، بينما حال الحياء وقلة الموارد المادية دون لجوء مرضى إلى أطباء للعلاج، إذ إن 8.5 % ممن يعانون من الضعف الجنسي استخدموا أدوية بانتظام.

وأشارت الدراسة، إلى أن نسبة الضعف الجنسي في: الولايات المتحدة 52 %، والدنمارك 52 % وسنغافوره
51.3 %واليابان 39 %.

جريدة الغد

Bacterial Meningitis and college Students

Bacterial Meningitis


Information Regarding Bacterial Meningitis

The following information is provided to all incoming college students in the state of Texas. Bacterial Meningitis is a serious, potentially deadly disease that can progress quickly. Meningitis causes inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord and can also infect the blood. Each year approximately 3,000 Americans contract this disease. Of these, 100-125 cases occur on college campuses with anywhere from 5-15 resulting in death. While there is a treatment for this disease, those who survive may develop severe health problems or disabilities. To avoid this risk, every precaution should be observed.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

High Fever Rash or purpose patches on skin Light sensitivity Confusion and sleepiness
Lethargy Severe headache Vomiting Stiff Neck
Nausea Seizures

There may be a rash of tiny, red-purple spots caused by bleeding under the skin. These can occur anywhere on the body. Additional symptoms can be indicative of higher risk. If these symptoms appear seek immediate medical attention.

HOW IS BACTERIAL MENINGITIS DIAGNOSED?

Diagnosis is made by a medical provider and is usually based on a combination of clinical symptoms and laboratory results from spinal fluid and blood tests. Early diagnosis and treatment can greatly improve the likelihood of recovery.
HOW IS THE DISEASE TRANSMITTED?

The disease is transmitted when people exchange saliva (such as by kissing, or by sharing drinking containers, utensils, cigarettes, toothbrushes, etc.) or come in contact with respiratory or throat secretions.
HOW DO YOU INCREASE YOUR RISK OF GETTING BACTERIAL MENINGITIS?

•Exposure to saliva by sharing cigarettes, water bottles, eating utensils, food, kissing, etc.
•Living in close conditions (such as sharing a room/suite in a dorm or group home).
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DISEASE?

Death (in 8 to 24 hours from perfectly well to dead) Convulsions Hearing loss, blindness
Limb damage (fingers, toes, arms, legs) that requires amputation Coma Learning disability
Kidney failure Permanent brain damage Gangrene

CAN THE DISEASE BE TREATED?

•Antibiotic treatment, if received early, can save lives and chances of recovery are increased. However, permanent disability or death can still occur.
•Vaccinations are available and should be considered for: Those living in close quarters and College students 25 years old or younger
•Vaccinations are effective against 4 of the 5 most common bacterial types that cause 70% of the disease in the U.S. (but does not protect against all types of meningitis).
•Vaccinations take 7-10 days to become effective, with protection lasting 3-5 years.
•The cost of vaccine varies so check with your health provider.
•Vaccination is very safe; most common side effects are redness and minor pain at injection site for up to two days.
•Vaccination is available through Texas A&M University-Commerce Department of Student Health Services in Henderson Hall.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION?

•Contact your own health care provider.
•Contact your Texas A&M University-Commerce Student Health Services at 903-886-5853.
•Hunt County Health Department Office at 903-408-4140. They are located in Greenville, TX.
•Contact web sites: www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo; www.acha.org

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:أحدث أبحاث السرطان

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

أحدث أبحاث السرطان من جامعة جان هوبكنز

الداء والدواء في الشراب والطعامCancer Update from Johns Hopkins:أحدث أبحاث السرطان

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

بعد سنوات طويلة من القول للناس بأنَّ العلاج الكيماوي هو الطريقة الوحيدة لمحاولة (لمحاولة- هي كلمة السرِّ) التخُّلص من السرطان، بدأت جامعة جان هوبكنز أخيرًا تقول لك: هناك حلٌّ بديلٌ.

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

1- توجد في جسم كلُّ شخص خلايا سرطانيَّة. هذه الخلايا لا تظهر فى التحاليل والاختبارات المعمليَّة الاعتياديَّة إلاَّ بعد أن تتكاثر، ويصل عددها إلى بضعة بلايين. عندما يخبر الأطبَّاء مرضاهم المصابين بالسرطان بعد العلاج بأنَّ أجسامهم لم يبق فيها خلايا سرطانيَّة، فهذا يعني فقط أنَّ الاختبارات لم تكتشف الخلايا السرطانيَّة لأنَّها لم تصل إلى الحجم الذي يمكن معه اكتشافها

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

2- الخلايا السرطانيَّة تظهر ما بين 6 الى 10 مرَّات فى حياة الفرد.

3 When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

3- عندما يكون الجهاز المناعي للشخص قويًّا، يتمُّ تدمير الخلايا السرطانية، وتُمنع من التكاثر وتكوين الأورام.

4 When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

4- عندما يُصاب الشخص بالسرطان، يشير ذلك إلى وجود أوجه نقص غذائيَّة متعِّددة، نتيجة عوامل جينيَّة أو بيئيَّة أو غذائيَّة أو بسبب نمط الحياة الذى يعيشه الإنسان.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

5- للتغُّلب على أوجه النقص الغذائية المتعدِّدة، يجب تغيير نوعيَّة الطعام، وتناول المكمِّلات الغذائيَّة لتقوية الجهاز المناعي.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

6- العلاج الكيماوي يشمل تسميم الخلايا السرطانيَّة سريعة النموِّ، ويؤدِّي أيضًا إلى تدمير الخلايا السليمة سريعة النموِّ فى النخاع الشوكي والجهاز الهضمي وقد يسبِّب ضرارًا لأعضاء، مثل الكبد والكلى والقلب والرئتين وغيرها.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

7- العلاج بالإشعاع، وهو يدمِّرالخلايا السرطانيَّة، يحرق أيضًا الخلايا السليمة والأنسجة والأعضاء أو يشوِّهها أو يضرُّ بها.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

8- العلاج المبدئي الأوَّلي بالكيماوي والإشعاع، يؤدِّي غالبًا إلى تقليل حجم الورم، لكن الاستخدام المطوَّل للكيماوي والإشعاع لا يسفر عن أيِّ تدمير إضافى للورم.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

9- عندما يحتوي الجسم كمًّا هائلاً من السموم نتيجة العلاج الكيماوي والإشعاع، ينتج عنه إمَّا عرقلة عمل الجهاز المناعي أو تدميره. لذا، يصبح الإنسان فريسة أنواع عديدة من العدوى والمضاعفات.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

10- العلاج الكيماوي والإشعاع يدفع الخلايا السرطانيَّة إلى التحوُّر وزيادة مقاومتها ويصبح من الصعب التخُّلص منها. الجراحة أيضًا من شأنها أن تجعل الخلايا السرطانيَّة تنتشر في أماكن أخرى.


11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply

11- الطريقة الفعَّالة لمحاربة السرطان، هي تجويع الخلايا السرطانيَّة بحرمانها من الأطعمة التى تحتاجها للتكاثر.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

تتغذَّى الخلايا السرطانيَّة على:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's amino or sea salt.

ا- السكَّر مغذٍّ للخلايا السرطانيَّة. الامتناع عن تناول السكَّر، يقطع على الخلايا السرطانيَّة مصدرًا غذائيًّا هامًّا. بدائل السكَّر مثل النيوتراسويت، وإيكوال وسبونفُل إلخ.. تُصنع من مادة الأسبرتِم المضرَّة. بديل طبيعيٌّ أفضل، هو العسل الأبيض أو الدبس، ولكن بكمِّيَّات قليلة جدًّا.

ملح الطعام يُضاف إليه مادَّة كيماويَّة لتجعل لونه أبيض. البديل الأفضل، ملح البحر.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

بـ - الحليب (اللبن)، يدفع الجسم لتكوين المخاط، ولا سيَّما فى الجهاز الهضمي. والسرطان يتغذَّى على المخاط. بالامتناع عن الحليب، واستبداله بحليب الصويا غير المحلَّى فإنَّ هذا يؤدِّي إلى تجويع الخلايا السرطانيَّة.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

جـ - الخلايا السرطانيَّة تنتعش فى البيئة الحمضيَّة. النظام الغذائي الذي يحتوي اللحوم هو نظام حمضي، من الأفضل أكل السمك وقليل من الدجاج بدلاً من اللحم البقرى أو لحم الخنزير. اللحم أيضًا يحتوي مضادَّات ماشية حيويَّة، مثل هرمونات النموِّ والطُّفيليَّات، وهذه مضرَّة، ولا سيَّما لمرضى السرطان.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

د - النظام الغذائي الذي يحتوي 80% من الخضروات الطازجة والعصائر والحبوب كاملة البذور والمكسَّرات وقليل من الفواكه يساعد على وضع الجسم فى بيئة قلويَّة. 20% منها قد تتأتَّى من الطعام المطهي بما فيه البقوليَّات. وتمدُّ عصائر الخضروات الطازجة الجسم بالأنزيمات الحيَّة التي من السهل امتصاصها وتصل إلى مستويات الخلايا خلال 15 دقيقة لتغذِّي الخلايا السليمة وتقوِّي نموُّها. للحصول على الأنزيمات الحيَّة لبناء الخلايا السليمة، حاول أن تشرب عصير الخضروات الطازجة (أغلب الخضروات، ونباتات البقول)، وداوم على أكل الخضروات النيئة مرَّتين إلى ثلاث مرَّات يوميًّا. الأنزيمات يتمُّ تدميرها عند درجة حرارة 104 فهرنهايت أو 40 درجة مئوي.

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

هـ - تجنَّب القهوة والشاي والشيكولاتة التي تحتوي نسبة عالية من الكافيِّين. الشاي الأخضر أفضل بديل، يحتوي خصائص مقاومة للسرطان. الماء، (من الأفضل شرب الماء النقي أو المصفَّى وذلك لتجنُّب السموم والمعادن الثقيلة التي توجد فى ماء الصنبور.) الماء المقطَّر حمضى، فتجنَّبه.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

12- بروتينات اللحوم صعبة الهضم وتتطلَّب الكثير من الأنزيمات الهاضمة. اللحم غير المهضوم الذي يبقى فى الأمعاء يتعفَّن ويؤدِّي إلى مزيد من تراكم السموم.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

13- خلايا السرطان تكون محاطة بغشاء بروتينى صلب. بالامتناع عن أكل اللحوم أو التقليل منها، يساعد على تحرير كمِّيَّة أكبر من الأنزيمات لمهاجمة الجدران البروتينيَّة للخلايا السرطانيَّة ويمكِّن خلايا الجسم المقاتلة من تدمير الخلايا السرطانيَّة.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP 6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

14- بعض من المكمِّلات (الغذائيَّة) تبني الجهاز المناعي، مثل( آي بى 6, الفلورسنس, إيزايك، ومضادَّات الأكسدة والفيتامينات والمعادن، و إيفاز وخلافه ) لتمكين خلايا الجسم المقاتلة من تدمير الخلايا السرطانيَّة. مكمِّلات غذائيَّة أخرى مثل فيتامين (E) معروف بإحداث ما يسمَّى: برمجة موت الخلايا، أي طريقة الجسم الطبيعيَّة فى التخلُّص من الخلايا التالفة غير المرغوب، أو التي لا يحتاجها الجسم.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

15- السرطان مرض العقل والجسم والروح. والروح الفاعلة الإيجابيَّة، تساعد مقاوم (مريض) السرطان على النجاة. بينما الغضب وعدم التسامح والشعور بالأسى، تضع الجسم في بيئة انفعاليَّة وحمضيَّة.

تعلَّم الاسترخاء والاستمتاع بالحياة.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

16- الخلايا السرطانيَّة لا يمكنها الانتعاش فى بيئة أوكسيجينيَّة. ممارسة الرياضة يوميًّا والتنفُّس بعمق يساعدان على إدخال مزيد من الأوكسجين إلى المستوى الخلوي. العلاج بالأوكسجين، وسيلة أخرى تستخدم لتدمير الخلايا السرطانيَّة.

1. No plastic containers in micro.

1- عدم وضع الأواني البلاستيكيَّة داخل الميكرويف.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

2- عدم وضع زجاجات الماء البلاستيك داخل مجمِّد (فريزر) الثلاَّجة.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

3- عدم استخدام الأغطية البلاستيكيَّة فى الميكرويف.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

جامعة جان هوبكنز نشرت هذا البحث مؤخًّرًا فى دوريَّتها العلميَّة. هذا المعلومات يتمُّ تناقلها داخل مركز والتر ريد الطبِّي العسكري (ولاية تكساس) أيضًا. كيماويَّات الدايوكسين تسبِّب السرطان، ولا سيَّما سرطان الثدي. الدايوكسينات شديدة السمِّيَّة على خلايا الجسم. لا تجمَّد الماء في زجاجات بلاستيكيَّة، حيث أنَّ هذا يحرِّر الدايوكسينات ويطلقها من البلاستيك. تحدَّث الدكتور إدوارد فوجيموتو، مدير برنامج الصحَّة في مستشفى كاسل في برنامج تليفزيونيٍّ مؤخَّرًا لشرح أخطار هذا الأمر على الصحَّة. تكلَّم عن الدايوكسينات، وكم هي مضرَّة لصحَّتنا. ونصح بألاَّ نسخِّن طعامنا فى أوعية بلاستيكيَّة في الميكرويف، ولا سيَّما إذا كان هذا الطعام يحتوي دهونًا. وأضاف بأنَّ الدهون والحرارة العالية والبلاستيك تساعد على إطلاق الدايوكسينات فى الطعام ومنه إلى خلايا الجسم. وبدلاً من ذلك، يقترح استخدام الزجاج أو الأواني السيراميكيَّة لتسخين الطعام، وهذا يعطينا النتائج نفسها، ولكن بدون الدايوكسينات. وأشار إلى أنَّ الأطعمة والأحسية مسبقة الصنع، يجب أزالتها من أوعيتها البلاستيكيَّة ووضعها في أوانٍ أخرى عند تسخينها. لا بأس من استعمال الورق، ولكن لا نعلم ماذا يحتوي الورق. من الآمن استعمال أوانٍ مقاومة الحرارة للتسخين.

وبيِّن أنَّه منذ وقت مضى، بسبب مشاكل الدايوكسينات، تخلَّت بعض مطاعم الوجبات السريعة عن استعمال الأوعيَّة الرغويَّة (البلاستيكيَّة) واستبدلتها بالورقيَّة.

وبيَّن كذلك أنَّ اللفائف البلاستيكيَّة، مُل الـ "سيران راب"، لها الضررنفسه إذا استعملت لتغطية الطعام عند تسخينه في الميكرويف. فعندما يتعرَّض الطعام لأشعَّة نوويَّة، تذيب الحرارة العالية الأحمضة السامَّة الموجودة في اللفائف البلاستيكيَّة ممَّا يجعلها تنقِّط على الطعام. من
الأفضل تغطية الطعام إمَّا بورقة أو بفوطة.

الداء والدواء في الشراب والطعامCancer Update from Johns Hopkins:أحدث أبحاث السرطان

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HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD YOU DRINK A DAY

HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD YOU DRINK A DAY

One of the most common questions people ask at hospitals and medical clinics is how much water should I drink every day. It is not an easy task to give a straight answer to this question. Mainly because people are different, some skinny some over weight and some tall and some short. If you asked a medical doctor he would probably hand you a small cup to give him a sample of your urine. The urine tells the doctor a lot about you. Dark yellow urine means your kidneys are suffering while doing their job and that they are not getting enough water to flush the system. check your own urine color and see for yourself. If your urine a dark yellow color, ask yourself this question do you go to the bathroom during the day? How about the night time. If your answer is rarely you definitely need to drink more water. If you’ve followed all that, there are other rules to follow…
• Never drink standing up.
• Always drink water before each meal.
• Do not drink after meals immediately because that would dilute the chemicals
your stomach adds to digest the food.
• If you started eating always save a space for your liquids later.
• Making soda drinks replace your liquid intake will make your kidneys work harder
than it would if all your liquids were just water.
• Regardless of how much you adore your stupid dog, never share a cup, bottle or
any anything with your animal. Assign a different container for your wife.

HOW TO CURE HEMORRHOIDS

HOW TO CURE HEMORRHOIDS

Hemorrhoids are a problem suffered by millions. Don’t strain the longer you sit in the bathroom the more pressure you are putting on your hemorrhoids, making them worse. When you first have the urge to go, do it. Waiting can cause the urge to go away making you strain more when you got. Give yourself 5 minutes no longer.
When you are sitting always put your feet up these relieves the pressure on your blood vessels in your legs and your hemorrhoids. Even when sitting on the toilet putting your feet up will help relive the pain.
Alternating hot and cold for 20 minutes each session helps relieve any pain including hemorrhoid pain. Take a hot sitz bath by filling your tub with a few inches of water sit for 20 minutes. Then get out and apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel for 20 minutes. Alternating the hot and cold improves circulation and relieves swelling as well as pain.
Add fiber to your diet but not too fast it can cause diarrhea. Eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and high fiber cereal like bran cereal helps to soften the stool.
If you have a work day that involves lots of sitting and standing chances are you may be having problems with constipation and straining. You need to break up you day with several short walks. Instead of e-mail to a co-worker get up and deliver the message.
Watch what you eat that could be making hemorrhoids worse. Spicy food can be irritating. Also watch what you drink cut back on soda, and avoid beer, wine and caffeinated drinks. Citrus fruits and juices can be a problem. By decreasing these products you lower the acid base balance or ph of your stools which helps calm the sensitivity. You can also apply a coat of petroleum jelly directly to the anal area to calm the irritation.

How to cure headaches!

Do you have a headache!
All of us must have had an experience with a headache at one time or another, and it felt so bad that you could not stand talking to anybody not to your spouse, children or anybody else, and was so painful that you wanted it to stop at once. A lot of us just reach for a bottle of over the counter pain pills. The medical approach for headaches is “why” what is the cause before you just medicate it away. It is extremely important to make sure you don’t have a medical reason for your headache.
Two populations are at risk the elderly and pregnant women. As we age our bodies are less efficient resulting in a higher blood pressure. High blood pressure can be a precursor to stroke. Thankfully, our bodies can alert us to the problem with a headache. So first if you have a headache especially recurrent headaches not related to stress and lack of sleep, check your blood pressure. When I went to nursing school in 1975 the rules for blood pressure were different than they are now. We were taught that 120/80 was the perfect blood pressure and that 140/90 was the blood pressure to treat. In this millennium we have discovered that a blood pressure of 100/70 is probably even better. This will of course, depend on a lot of risk factors and recommendations of your doctor. But anyone consistently having a blood pressure of 140/90 needs to check it out and talk to their doctor.
The next population is the pregnant woman elevated blood pressure in a pregnant woman can lead to seizures and even death to the woman or her fetus. The first sign of elevated blood pressure in a pregnant woman is also a headache. So everybody needs to make sure a medical reason is not the cause of their headache.
But have you ever wondered are their other things I can do for a headache besides over the counter medications. Yes, you can.
A lot of lay people do not realize there are dangers in over the counter medications. People think because the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) allows these medications to be sold without a prescription that they are safe. But they are only safe if used as directed. For instance acetaminophen (Tylenol, brand name) 500mg two tablets can be taken every 4 hours but you can only take 4 doses in a day, more than that can cause liver damage. The United States has had a tremendous increase in people needing a liver transplant; a lot of this could be due to alcohol abuse but it could also be due to the innocent overuse of over the counter medications. Also other medications may contain acetaminophen all doses must be added together to not go over 4 grams in a day or 4000 mg.
Another over the counter medication abused for headaches and other pain is ibuprophen (commonly sold as Motrin or Advil), our bodies need time to clear this medication out of our system. It comes in 200mg as an over the counter medication. If you take 2 tablets then your kidneys need 4 hours to clear it out. If you take 3 tablets your kidneys need 6 hours to clear it out. By taking larger and more frequent doses we are doing great damage to our kidneys. Again as a nation we have a tremendous number of people waiting for kidney transplants.
Back to “why” you came to read this article. What can we do to cure headaches without possibly causing more permanent damage to ourselves? Check out your lifestyle are you getting enough sleep? These are stressful times in this economy, what are you doing about stress? Just a few slow deep breaths in to a count of three and out to a count of three, can really slow down that “fight or flight” response to stress. It can not only relieve pain but make you live longer. You can do this up to 20 minutes for pain relief but its recommended you get in a comfortable position for this long a session. Another really effective but almost silly sounding thing to do for a session of deep breathing lasting more than a few seconds; try to imagine that you are lying in the sun on the beach. Don’t laugh until you try it.
Commonly a headache can be brought on by dehydration. It is recommended that most people need about 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. Drinking caffeine does not make up for the amount of water needed but actually increases the amount needed. Some studies say larger people need even more water. After all our cells are predominantly made up of water. When we don’t drink enough water our bodies will hang on to what we have causing us (especially it seems women) to be puffy. Often our bodies will signal we need water by a headache. When we give our bodies the water we need a lot of good things happen. If we having been eating too much salt the extra water flushes this out lowering our blood pressure and decreasing swelling as well as relieving our headache.
Another trick for headache relief that I have learned from chiropractors is sitting up straight. Chronic headaches can be from our neck and shoulders. Poor posture and misalignment can greatly increase in the tension in your neck and shoulders. Sitting and standing slumped over is a common problem especially as we age. Also so many of us use computers throughout much of our day; such work is very conducive to slumping. We need to get up and stretch several times a day, squeeze your shoulders backwards together this pulls us up into proper alignment. Another great benefit is people who stand up straighter are perceived to be 10 years younger!
Most people have no idea how slumped they are, try practicing in front of a mirror. My mom who was also a nurse retired at 76 years old; she was shocked to hear a patient referring to her as the hunch back nurse. Now at 87 years young, as she passes a mirror she checks her posture. So should you.
To check your posture look at the details Are your shoulders level? Is your head straight, not tilted to either side. Check your chin is it parallel to the floor? What about your arms are they the same distance? Check out those sexy hips are they level not sloped? Last but not least how about your knees and ankles are they straight. Also look at the bottom of your shoes if they are wearing unevenly your posture especially when walking is off.
Another headache cure which used to only be for women, is watch how you carry things. Always carrying your purse or the strap for your computer bag over the same shoulder creates an imbalance. One fix is to change shoulders frequently or to lighten your load. Another idea is how about carrying it in your hand then you use all the muscles in your arms and not just putting weight on your shoulders. We exercise and strengthen our biceps and forearms but not so much our shoulders.
Headaches are a pain even in an economic way. Lets all do our best to live better and cheaper lives in these hard economic times. Go to the doctor when you need to but lets try to make our lives better so we can save in this area. Try to go to bed at the same time every night. Preferably 8 hours before you have to get up. Plan you day for a healthy lifestyle. We all need 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 days a week but try to get it 3 hours before a planned bedtime. If you have TV shows you don’t want to miss tape them or watch them on the internet at your leisure. Plan your life don’t let it plan you.

FOOD THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

Foods That Make You Happy
Posted Tue, Feb 05, 2008, 4:09 pm PST
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Don't you sometimes wish there were a happy pill to spritz up your spirits when you're out of sorts? To make you laugh when you're grumpy? Or to warm your heart when you're about to bite someone's head off? Well, there are probably several things in your kitchen that could do the trick, and they taste a lot better than a pill. These foods tweak your brain in ways that help you feel happy.

A Little Dessert Sugar soothes us when we're stressed--or at least it calms down stressed-out rats, which are good models for stress in people. But before you race to the vending machine with a license to binge, know that a little sugar may soothe rattled nerves, but too much will backfire, playing moody havoc with your blood sugar. Here's how to get just enough:

■A small slice of angel food cake with 1/2 cup strawberries
■2 Fig Newman cookies and a 6-ounce glass of juice
■Fruit and Chocolate Fondue
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 peeled, sliced kiwi
1/4 cup fat-free chocolate syrup
>Dunk fruit into syrup, lean back, and smile.
Toast and Jam "Of course we crave bread and other carbohydrates when we're down!," laughs Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Food & Mood. "Carbs raise levels of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, which lifts our spirits." But think whole-wheat bread and other whole-grain carbs, because they also stabilize blood sugar levels--unlike refined grains (white bread, pasta, rice, and pretty much anything white). They send blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride, leaving you jittery, grumpy, and hungry. Get a happy serotonin boost from the following snacks:

■Half a toasted whole-wheat English muffin or bagel with jam or honey
■A small bowl of oatmeal with some dried cranberries and a bit of brown sugar
■Comforting, creamy peach open-face sandwich
2 Tbsp. fat-free cream cheese
1 tsp. honey
1 peach, peeled and chopped
1 slice 100% whole-grain bread
1/2 tsp. chopped walnuts
>Blend cheese, honey, and chopped peaches; spread mixture on bread and sprinkle with nuts. Yum.
Yogurt and Eggs Numerous studies show that getting more of the omega-3 fatty acid called DHA in your diet makes you happier and smarter. Even people battling tough-to-treat depression feel as much as 50% better when they get lots of DHA. To keep your chin cheerfully up, aim for 200 mg of DHA a day. Mix and match DHA-fortified foods like these...

■1 container Rachel's Wickedly Delicious Yogurt (32 mg of DHA)
■1 Gold Circle Farm egg (150 mg)
■1 Oh Mama nutrition bar (115 mg)
■1 cup of Horizon Organic reduced-fat milk plus DHA (32 mg)
■18-oz. Odwalla Soy Smart drink (32 mg)
Popeye's Fave No wonder he was always in such a high-energy mood. Spinach is full of folate, a B vitamin that's a must for making feel-good serotonin. Like DHA, folate is potent enough to ease clinical depression, say researchers. If you're trying to stay on the sunny side of life, make chowing down Popeye-style a habit. To get plenty of this happy green (about two cups of cooked spinach is perfect)...

■Add a 10-ounce packet of frozen, chopped spinach to soups, stews, and casseroles, homemade or not.
■Use spinach instead of lettuce in sandwiches and wraps.
■Whip steamed, chopped spinach into mashed potatoes.
■Make a salad meal of it
Pile your plate high with baby spinach leaves
Top it off with a grilled chicken breast or broiled salmon fillet (another great DHA source, BTW)
Black Bean Dip Black beans, like most legumes, are a nifty source of iron. And if you're low on iron--as many active women are--you can be tired and have trouble sleeping, turning you into Major Grouch. Here's how to help keep your iron levels, and your mood, up:

■Mix black beans with chopped spinach, roasted red peppers, and salsa as a dip for a toasted whole-wheat tortilla.
■Heat black beans with onions, garlic, and cumin, and serve over brown rice.
■Toss black beans and turkey cubes into a salad (the "heme" iron in poultry and meat helps you absorb more of the "non-heme" iron in beans).
■Add extra black beans to chili and soups.
Two quick tips for iron intake: To help your body absorb max amounts of this mineral, do combine iron-rich foods with foods that are high in vitamin C (tomatoes, broccoli, red peppers, OJ). But don't wash them down with coffee, tea, or milk; all three can block iron absorption.

Happy foods have another big, big payoff besides brightening your outlook on life: Taking care of your emotional health and well-being can make your RealAge up to 16 (!) years younger.

Get a Flat Belly Without Diet or Exercise

DON'T LIKE TO DIET...?
DON'T LIKE TO EXCERSISE...?
NOW, THERE IS NO EXCUSE.





Perfect your posture

"Straighten up," advises former "Biggest Loser" trainer Kim Lyons, and your figure will look better. "When your posture is good, you're automatically engaging and toning your stomach muscles." If you need to remind yourself to stand tall, she says, a few strategically placed Post-it Notes should do the trick.

Drink up!

Keep those fluids coming! "Being dehydrated causes the body to hoard water," says Lyons, which can lead you to carry up to four excess pounds around your midsection. Try for six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water or other fluids daily.

Have a seat!

"Most women don't want to talk about it, but you really have to set aside a specific time each day to use the bathroom," notes Judith Reichman, M.D., a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Los Angeles. If you don't, it's too easy to give in to feeling rushed, and ignore the urge to go." Once you've trained your brain to dismiss your body's signals, you set the stage for bloat-inducing constipation.


Masticate mindfully

Rather than scarfing down meals, make a point of chewing each bite at least 10 times before swallowing. "The body has to work overtime to break down food in the stomach and intestines, which can lead to major gas and indigestion," Dr. Reichman says. Plus, when you eat fast, you're more prone to swallowing air, which can ratchet up your risk of developing a potbelly.

Turn to the "pros" "Probiotics are 'good' bacteria that help your digestive system break down food, preventing the gastrointestinal issues that can keep you from having a flat stomach," explains nutritionist Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., author of The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth. To ensure your plumbing is working at optimum capacity, Bowden suggests eating a daily serving of a probiotic-rich food like yogurt (or drinking a glass of buttermilk), or taking a supplement containing at least 50 milligrams of probiotics. (Look for versions that contain the strains acidophilus and bifidobacterium, and are produced by reputable vitamin companies, like Nature's Way.)



Walk it off

Try to squeeze in a 30-minute walk daily, says Lyons. The simple boost in metabolism will help you burn waistline fat more efficiently. And if you want to work out, skip those gadgets that promise "miraculous abs in minutes": A study from Kansas State University found most devices designed to target abs (think infomercials) don't live up to their promises. You'll see better results with traditional exercise.

Give up gum

Because chewing forces you to swallow more puff-producing air, it can also keep you from squeezing into your skinny jeans, explain researchers at the American College of Gastroenterology. If you need to freshen your breath, you're better off sucking on a mint.

Supplement!

Consider adding calcium D-glucarate (1,000 mg) and B-complex supplements to your regular vitamin regime, recommends C.W. Randolph, M.D., author of From Belly Fat to Belly Flat. "Excess estrogen causes the body to retain fat around the waist, but both supplements have been shown to help you excrete the hormone, which can lead to a smaller middle."



Relax already!

"When you're frazzled, your body increases its production of steroids and stress hormones, which negatively affect your digestive system, causing major constipation," says Dr. Reichman. And as if that weren't enough to leave you looking pouchy, stress also amps up the production of cortisol, a "fight or flight" hormone that sends excess fat directly to your midsection in its attempt to protect your vital organs. To minimize tension, Dr. Reichman advises, "take 20 minutes a day to do something that truly relaxes you."




A chuckle a day

Laughing is a quick way to tone the transverse abdominus, a muscle that most forms of exercise don't isolate—and one that, according to Lyons, "has a major effect on how flat your midriff looks." Try to find at least 10 minutes' worth of giggle-fodder daily!

Mediterranean diet

Health benefit #1:Strict followers of the Mediterranean diet not only had significantly lower rates of heart disease and cancer, but also lived longer than those who did not follow the diet (New England Journal of Medicine, June 26, 2003).
Health benefit #2:
The health benefits of a daily intake of peppers are well established. Eating peppers can:
• Reduce respiratory illnesses
• Help asthmatics breathe more easily
• Control and often cure sinus and nasal passage problems
• Reduce headaches
• Provide a major source of vitamin C
Peppers are found in salads and most daily food.
Health benefit #3:
Onions have significant health benefits. For instance, they can:
• Boost good-type HDL cholesterol (particularly when consumed raw)
• Reduce total cholesterol levels
• Increase blood-clot dissolving activity
• Reduce the risks of diabetes
• Attack bacteria that cause infection
• Reduce the risk of certain cancers
Onions are found in most of the dishes, warm & cold.
Health benefit #4:
The health benefits of garlic are no secret. Garlic can:
• Lower blood pressure.
• Lower LDL Cholesterol.
• Help reduce atherosclerotic buildup (plaque) within the arterial system.
• Lower or help to regulate blood sugar.
• Help to prevent blood clots from forming, thus reducing the possibility of strokes and thromboses.
Garlic is found in most of the dishes, warm & cold.
Health benefit #5:
Garlic can also:
• Help to prevent cancer, especially of the digestive system
• Help to remove heavy metals such as lead and mercury from the body.
• Be a potent natural antibiotic and, while far weaker than modern
antibiotics, can still kill some strains of bacteria that have become
immune or resistant to modern antibiotics.
• Have anti-fungal and anti-viral properties.
Cooked garlic is found in most of our dishes.
Health benefit #6:
Further still, garlic:
• Can be a potent natural antibiotic
• Contains Selenium, which is an excellent antioxidant
• Is best eaten raw.
• When consumed raw, contains the Allicin compound, which is responsible for its powerful healing.
Raw garlic is found in our Hummus, Babaghannoush, Moussaka and many other cold dishes. Cooked garlic is found in almost all of the hot dishes.
Health benefit #7:
A Swedish study suggests that a Mediterranean type of diet - one that emphasizes fish, olive oil, whole grains, legumes, and fruits and vegetables, and limits animal fats and processed foods - can help control the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis (annals of the Rheumatic Diseases). Legumes are found in Hummus, lentils and green beans. Vegetables are central in Babaghannoush and Moussaka. Shawarma is low in fats (it's drained off) and most of the dishes are made with olive oil.
Health benefit #8:
A recent study involving 22,043 adults who live in Greece was carried out by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens Medical School. This study proved that a Mediterranean diet which is as much as 40% fat actually reduced the chance of dying from heart disease or cancer by more than 25%. Many other studies of populations who eat a traditional Mediterranean Diet have shown a reduced incidence of heart disease, cancer, other chronic diseases, as well as a relatively long life-expectancy.
Health benefit #9:
There exists such a thing as "heart-healthy fat." The most striking difference between a Mediterranean diet and a North American or Northern European diet is the sources of fats that dominate the two diets. Even though 40% of the daily calories in the Mediterranean diet come from fat, this fat comes mainly from monounsaturated plant sources, which helps lower blood cholesterol and protect against heart disease. The fat sources in North American diets, however, come mainly from saturated animal-based fat sources, such as butter or red meat, which are not heart healthy. Most of the dishes are made with x-virgin olive oil.
Health benefit #10:
Grilled, not fried! Another aspect of the Mediterranean diet that distinguishes it from the American diet is that most foods in Mediterranean cuisine are grilled, charbroiled, or boiled, and not fried. the Chicken & Beef Shawarma, Chicken Taouk and Beef Kabobs are all grilled.

Health benefit #13:
Many dishes in Mediterranean cuisine are not complete until they've been sprinkled with chunks of feta cheese. Feta cheese, made from goat's milk, provides an excellent source of calcium, zinc, riboflavin, and vitamin B12, which help strengthen bones, teeth, and the immune system. Feta cheese is a main ingredient in the Greek salad.

EAT a Mediterranean diet, and live a longer, healthier life.

Breakfast

It seems to me as if the saying 'the most important meal of the day is breakfast' is being over used. You can hear that almost everyday non stop over and over again. But is Breakfast really that important. well, it must be, you know what they say there is a truth in numbers..don't they. if 'everybody' agrees, specially when 'everybody' here means doctors and dietitians and food experts.