Heath & Beauty - Free Fitness Library
Brain health
Down in the dumps ?
Neurotoxicity in humans might be slow and insidious and that problems
such as
major depression will appear only in several years' time," If you
find yourself down in the dumps, you should head for your bed because
there's nothing like a good night's sleep to chase away the blues, according
to a Swedish-English psychologist.
Too much dieting
Dieting can reduce your brain power, according to the latest research
reported in British Consumers' Association guide Which? Health. Slimmers
perform worse than those happy with their weight when tested for memory,
reaction speeds and ability to sustain high concentration level.
Fat and sociable
Scientists have found fatty foods slow down the brain and impair mental
function.
But they also found that they make people more sociable.
Check on Your vitamin intake
Nutritionists have said that the human brain was more susceptible to
diet than previously thought. On average 50 per cent of the nutrients
you take in go to drive the brain.. A chronic deficiency of vitamin
B3, which is found in mushrooms, fish, asparagus and vegetables, is
already known to cause dementia and skin problems and may be linked
to other illnesses.
Diets are out !
Dieters are so obsessed with following a strict regime that they endure
high levels of stress and anxiety, which soak up much of their mental
abilities.
Stress Beaters
Never stop laughing
Laughter really is the best medicine. Researchers seeking the answer
to why happy people seem to live longer have discovered how a group
of life-enhancing chemicals are triggered by pearls of mirth.
Women bosses exercise
Women bosses are beating stress by working out. Four out of five exercise
at least once a week. The same study found women believe they are healthier
than their male colleagues.
Wailing babies !
New fathers seldom prepare for the new addition to the family, loss
of sleep and attention from their partner. Scientists have found that
pumping him full of the hormone prolactin two weeks before helps him
to cope.
Stay relaxed ....
According to a new study, girls who are anxious may grow up to be as
much
as two inches (five centimetres) shorter than their more laid-back counterparts.
The results are findings of Dr Daniel Pine at the New York State Psychiatric
Institute who examined 700 children over nine years.
Drugs …
Positive testing
Drug taking in sport will never be stamped out as some athletes will
always seek competitive advantage. It can only be controlled if the
chances of detection are likely and the penalties sufficiently severe,
concludes a paper in the British Medical Journal.
Ecstasy abuse
Ecstasy could cause brain damage. Long-term users of Ecstasy
could be risking potential brain damage, according to an editorial in
the British Medical Journal tomorrow .Most of the long-term harmful
effects of Ecstasy are caused by its breakdown products. One of the
most worrying aspects of the evidence on long-term effects is that regular
users have lower levels of the chemical serotonin in the cerebrospinal
fluid (the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal chord). Serotonin
is known to play a part in controlling mood.
Women on drugs
Women are closing the substance gender gap by using almost as many drugs
as men, according to an American survey. Today 40% of all crack addicts
are women. Girls of 15 are now 15 times as likely to be using illegal
drugs than their mothers before them.
Nutrition
Seaweed or soyabeans ?
The Japanese are outliving the rest of the world largely due to a diet
heavy in fish, seaweed and soyabean curd, supplemented by Western food.
Eastern women who have a high daily intake do not suffer from PMT and
sail through menopause as soya naturally contains a group of chemicals
called isoflavones which are a form of estrogens.
Too much salt
Links between eating too much salt and brittle bones, asthma and stomach
cancer are highlighted by medical experts have concluded. The fresh
concerns follow overwhelming evidence that high-salt diets increase
the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.
Are you eating enough fibre ?
Thousand lives a year in Britain could be saved if people ate more fibre
as this can cut the risk of bowel cancer by almost a third, specialists
have concluded. Just one in 10 people eat enough fruit, vegetables and
cereals to reach recommended levels of fibre intake, yet there is growing
evidence that such dietary changes can reduce the risks of bowel cancer
within weeks of boosting fibre consumption.
Imagine French Fries Without Fat and Calories.....
Today there is a increasing demand for low-fat and healthier processed
foods. The industry is frantically competing to bring us, the consumer
our favourite foods minus the added fat and calories. Millions of dollars
have been spent by Proctor and Gamble to research and substantiate the
safety of Olestra. Olestra is the trade name for "sucrose polyester",
which is a man-made product that will be used in the place of fat in
baked and fried foods. It is being tested in one American state at the
moment. It all sounds too good to be true as it can cause severe stomach
cramps and diarrhoea.
Shellfish Capsules?
The new product out now called Fat Bider could be the natural way to
weight loss, it contains fibre extracts from shellfish, such as crabs
and shrimps. After two years of success in the US the product is now
available here in the UK. The capsules are completely natural, and don't
contain any stimulants, diuretics or laxatives!!
Boots home Cholesterol Test Kits
A recent survey revealed that when it comes to caring about our partner's
health- women do it better!! When a women expresses her worries, men
will normally complain they are nagging!! Of the 1000 adults questioned,
59% of women choose
low fat foods for their men, with 3% threatening to pack their bags
if he does not stop smoking. Of the men surveyed 37% admit they do absolutely
nothing to make their partner's life healthier. Boots have an easy to
use self testing kit. However, if you prefer your doctor can arrange
a test for you.
We have 30 Boots Home Test Kits to give away, plus an easy to follow
guide to a healthier heart. Send your details on a postcard to : Boots
Cholesterol/Get Active, PO Box 193, Nottingham, NG3 2HA. (The first
30 drawn will receive a Boots Home Cholesterol Test Kit).