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Menopause, Weight Gain and Solution

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MENOPAUSEWhen women reach a menopause age their bodies have a tendency to gain weight. Gaining 10-15 pounds during pre-menopause and menopause stage is very common. Some studies have pointed out that weight gain during this period of time can also be the cause of increased risk of breast cancer.

Several factors are playing a major role in weight gain during menopause. One of the factors is hormonal changes, such as increased level of estrogen in the body. Increased level of this hormone has been scientifically proven to have menopausal women gain weight and decrease the amount of testosterone in the body.

The second factor is the insulin resistance. During menopausal period calories should be seriously taken into consideration. Every extra calorie that is not metabolized will be converted into fat. Stay away from processed and refined foods. These foods will cause weight gain in women after the age of forty years of age.

A third factor is stress. During stressful time the hormones lead the body into thinking that it won’t be getting food again for a long time so that it shifts to storing every calorie it takes in, thus causing weight gain.

It is possible for women to keep their weight during menopause under control. Balanced diet is the key. As mentioned above stay away from refined sugars and processed foods and instead consume lots of fruits and vegetables.

Women undergoing menopause and weight gain should also try to avoid crash diets. It will only makes things even worse as starving the body will only cause one’s metabolism to slow down and cause even more weight to be gained in the process. In the same way women during this stage in their lives should avoid losing large amounts of weight.

Do not try to loose too much weight in a short period of time during menopause. It can lead to increased risk of osteoporosis later on in life. It is a must that women during this transition stay physically active. Exercise is the best way to burn extra calories.

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Iron and Why Human Body Needs It.

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IRONIron (Fe) is the most abundant element on the planet Earth. It can be found in outer and inner core. This element is playing very crucial role the human’s health. Our bodies require around 100 milligrams per day of Fe. This important element regulates DNA synthesis, growth, healing, immune function, reproduction and even metabolism. Without Iron our red blood cells would not be able to carry Oxygen. Hemoglobin and Myoglobin are the two proteins in red blood cells that are responsible for delivering oxygen via blood and muscles. This function makes Fe a very important element for athletic performance. Every time I ride my bike at a  fast pace or climbing a long hill, especially on my single speed bike, I wish I had more oxygen delivered to my muscles for better performance.

The body does amazing things by adopting to external environment. One of the attorneys that I work with on personal injury cases spent two weeks with his son in Mountainous region of India. He is in his mid 50s and is an avid surfer. When he has returned from his trip he informed me that he feels like he is 25 years of age. His energy level was over the roof and he was able to surf and play tennis much longer than before. What has happened here?  Body is trying to compensate for low levels of O2 in blood stream thus stimulating the production of more red blood cells and increasing the O2 carrying capacity. When an individual returns back to normal altitude and he or she has more then normal oxygen in blood stream thus is the reason for better sport performance and increase energy level.  This effect is not long lasting as the body will adopt to normal altitude very fast and will decrease the amount of red blood cells.

People who have Iron deficiency can have pale skin, brittle or grooved nails, hair loss, irritability and general weakness. Frequent blood donors, vegetarians, long-distance runners, pregnant women or women who just gave birth, and women who have heavy periods are usually at risk of having iron deficiency. Approximately 50 percent of pregnant women, 20 percent of women, and 3 percent of men have Fe deficiency.

Many foods in our diet have this very important element. The best food sources would be dried beans, dried fruits, eggs (especially yolks), red meat, oysters, tuna, salmon, whole grains, apples. Animal source of this element is absorbed better than plant source. Perhaps combination of both animal and plant diet will provide the sufficient amount of Iron for ones health. One can also get a supplement from a health store but I would advice to consult your primary care physician first.

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How Much Sleep Does Your Body Need?

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SLEEPING BUEATYYou may have this idea that you’re not getting enough sleep. Chances are, you’re not. There’s  a big difference on our performance when we have adequate sleep every night versus when we don’t have enough. So, how much sleep do we actually need? About some 15 years ago there was this theory that if you get about 4 to 5 hours of sleep a night then your body will just adapt and the brain can still be able to perform well. But that was because the studies conducted then were on participants who were only monitored during sleeping time at night. They were able  to go home by morning. They could  also have taken a nap during daytime or they could have been drinking coffee.

David Dinges who is the head of the Sleep & Chronobiology Lab in the University of Pennsylvania knows more about this than anyone else in the world. He and Hans Van Dongen who is his lead author had assigned several dozens of people into 3 groups. In 2003 these 3 groups were given the strict rule that one group sleeps for 4 hours, the other for 6 hours while the other for 8 hours for 2 weeks. Then every couple of hours at daytime they were being tested to monitor their ability for sustaining attention with PVT or psychomotor vigilance task. They were tested to see how much time their body requires to respond after they see a number flashed on the computer screen. Even just a half a second delay is already a good indication that they lack sleep and this short delay is called as microsleep.
Based on the PVT test that lasted for 2 weeks the result show that those who had 8 hours of sleep barely suffer from any attention lapse and there was no decline on their results. Those who had 6 hours of sleep a night showed signs of delay and this declined steadily and those that had 4 hours of sleep a night had the worst result from the 3 groups. Also, this test showed no difference on the result from people sleeping 8 hours a night to those sleeping for 9 hours. While those who had 7 hours of sleep show a slower response time than the 8 hour group though the trend was not decreasing but steady at slower speed.
Coffee and other countermeasures can help but these can only help temporarily. Lack of sleep won’t show signs right away but it will after about 5 days where performance level is decreasing. But Dinges also found out that a small percentage of population, about 5%, can actually handle less hours of sleep and still maintain good performance and this could be associated to their genes.
So, with this study it is safe to conclude that our body needs 8 hours of sleep a night. You may think your body already adjusted to lack of sleep because you don’t feel sleepy. But sleepiness is not the only factor to consider as your performance and memory sharpness and time of response may prove otherwise.
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Ginger Health Benefits

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GINGER AND HEALTH BENEFITSGinger is a popular spice plant that is widely cultivated and used around the world. It provides a rich taste on a number of popular dishes. Aside from this, it is also a source of good nutrients that make it as among the most popular herbal medicines in the world. This herb is a perennial plant, noticeable by its yellowish, white and greenish flower that it produces as well as the twisting and thick long rhizoid stem.

The Ginger is known to have originated from China and has spread across Asia, West Africa and the Caribbean. Ginger is famous for having a high level of spicy aroma which was the result of it having composed 3% of natural essential oils. From the many health benefits that it provides, here are the top 12:
  1. This plant provides anti spasmic due to its high carminative properties that can be applied to calm stomach pains and also provides relief of excess gas and bloating.
  2. Consuming ginger helps produce a natural stimulation of the mucus, therefore calming cases of cough and produces a soothing throat.
  3. It has been proven in numerous studies that it is highly effective in treating people with nausea and seasickness.
  4. It is also helpful in decreasing the levels of motion sickness and morning sickness as well as lessening the side effects of chemotherapy.
  5. Proven effective in treating the common cold because of its anti fungal properties, anti viral nutrients and anti toxic chemicals.
  6. Plays the role of an antihistamine and leads anti bodies in the prevention and treatment in cases of allergies.
  7. It has anti inflammatory properties that can battle out rheumatoid, osteoarthritis and arthritis making it very useful to the elderly population who are the usual bearer of muscular disorders.
  8. The ginger’s root has building blocks and chemical components that are instrumental in combating the occurrence of biosynthesis and prostaglandins that usually causes inflammation.
  9. The special enzymes produces by ginger are responsible for multiplying the proteins in the food you eat thereby aiding largely in the healthy digestion thus preventing the cases of cramps and other muscular pains.
  10. Helps protects against ulcers and the thinning of your stomach lining by providing nutrients that strengthens your stomach wall linings.
  11. Helps lower cholesterol levels and prevents the occurrence of blood clots that can be deadly if not averted.
  12. Ginger is a healthy anecdote to an upset stomach and other stomach based ailments such as diarrhea and dyspepsia.
These are just a few reminders that Ginger is a very important plant that not only brings richness to our foods, but also helps us attain a healthy and disease free life. Plant this herb anywhere you could and it will benefit you in a large way as it also brings a rich resource of health benefits that can help in an abundant of ways. The world has blessed us with many great things and ginger is just one of those that is just waiting to be used and consumed to our advantage.
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