Simple lifestyle tips for a healthier you

When it comes to good health, there are hardly any secrets. Some people appear to breeze through life without ever suffering major ailments, while others have trouble keeping their doctors away.

Granted, the constantly sick may have inherited bad genes or are just unlucky. But that’s not the whole story. The choices we make every day impact on our health.

Here are some tips you already knew about but choose to ignore daily, practice them and get back to better health.

Maintain a normal weight for your height, so called body mass index (BMI). A normal BMI is between 19 and 25; you can easily check yours with freely available online calculators or the next time you are in a doctor’s premises. The overweight and obese are more predisposed to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

Obesity is increasingly causing premature deaths, and is estimated to reduce life expectancy by about 9 years. Many reasons then to be wary of your weight.

And there are plenty of simple things you can do and keep your weight in check. You are what you eat, so keep a close watch on what fills your plate. Plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains should occupy most of the available space on your plate.Processed foods, fats and animal products should be taken in low quantities and less frequent. Washing it all down with plenty of water is the healthier thing to do, avoid all those caloric laden fizzy drinks.

The next thing is to burn all those excess calories with some physical activities. Even if you are slim, there are many benefits to gain from regular physical exercises. Your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes will come down by about 50%. And the risk of premature death will reduce by about a third. That cannot be a bad thing. You don’t have to spend hard earned cash and join a fancy gym.Small daily activities like walking and taking the stairs instead of the lift all add up. Find some physical activities that you enjoy, and create time for this regularly.

We all know about smoking and excessive alcohol, and what they do to our bodies. Quit smoking and drink less, you’ll add more enjoyable years to your life. Don’t take my word for it, research shows that quitting smoking has measurable health benefits within hours.And the toxic effects of excessive alcohol wane off with moderated drinking.

Improving our sleeping patterns, and trying to reduce stress levels have their benefits too. Anxiety, depression and poor relations are not any good for our well being. Seek appropriate help if you cannot sleep or your stress levels are building up.

Finally, keep all those recommended health checks up to date. Any serious disease detected early enough has more likelihood of being cured. Do not ignore unusual symptoms.

When fatherhood needs a helping hand

Many men harbor the natural desire to father a child. It becomes very distressing when a couple is unable to conceive, with no clear indication where the problem is. Men in fact are the sole contributory factors to problems with conception in about a third of the cases. And they have a contributory effect in a further third of cases where conception is a problem. The tendency to presume that women are the problem most of the times is a fallacy.When a young couple has been unable to conceive over a period of a year, both partners should attend a joint fertility consultation at the outset. Excluding potential problems in men tends to be pretty straight forward. A sperm test is all that is required for the majority. But a small number will have sperm abnormalities requiring further tests that include hormone tests, imaging and even genetic studies.

Men should resist the temptation to shy away from getting checked when there is a delay in conception. Marrying a younger wife, as some do, does not solve any problems, it just delays the inevitable. It’s better to come to terms with what the diagnosis is and deal with it. There is of course the choice not to bother, after all you call the shots. There are no brownie points for continuing to live in ignorance, and no point bombarding your wife with endless tests when you may be harboring the problem.

Several problems may be detected. Some are easily modifiable, like stopping smoking and use of other drugs, optimizing weight and avoiding sexual infections. Lifestyle changes may correct minor sperm abnormalities and lead to spontaneous conception. But some men will be found to have severe sperm abnormalities. Such abnormalities range from non-viable sperms to very low numbers, or even complete absence of sperms. Such men have very low conception rates, and usually require help to be able to father a child.

Current assisted conception techniques can help the majority of men, even with the severest forms of sperm abnormalities, to achieve a conception. True, some of the techniques are limited by availability and cost, but are nevertheless effective in helping many men. For some, just getting to understand what the problem is provides some measure of contentment, even when treatment itself is unaffordable. If acceptable, donated sperms can be used for relatively simple treatments, with the upfront realization that the resulting child will not have a genetic link to the named father. Adoption, or even choosing to live childless are sometimes forgotten alternatives.

Going up the road of medical assistance in order to achieve a conception may not be the most romantic way of starting fatherhood. For some men, it’s unfortunately the only way. Either that, or bury your head in the sand.

Headlines on declining male fertility, should men worry?

Over the recent past, there has been headlines about the global decline of male fertility. Scientific studies have tracked sperm quality over the years, confirming a worrying trend. The wider implications of this has undoubtedly caused some anxieties among couples.

But what’s really happening? Many factors have been linked with this observation. For starters, there have been changing lifestyles over the years, linked to industrialization, economics and affluence. Dietary habits have changed over time, combined with more sedentary lifestyles. Men have become more overweight, ending up with a negative effect on control mechanisms of sperm formation. Like for like, overweight men have poorer sperm quality compared with men of normal weight. Overuse of toxins has been a trendy habit. Think of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and other drugs. There hasn’t been any doubt about the negative effects of toxins on male fertility. One would hope that the current drive to eradicate tobacco smoking, and limit alcohol use will help out. But the clamor for legalizing other drugs may yet cancel out such benefits in the long run.

Pollution levels have risen with industrialization. Motor vehicle fumes, industrial waste and agricultural additives are a few examples. Such pollutants have been linked to what has scientifically been referred to as ‘endocrine disruptors’. Basically, there has been an ever increasing negative influence on the body’s hormonal fertility control mechanisms, leading to poorer sperm numbers.

There will be other factors that are at play within individuals. Increasing rates of some chronic medical conditions, and associated treatments, can interfere with male fertility. Increased rates of sexual infections, especially among young men hasn’t helped either. And then there is the observed trend of delaying child bearing till later ages. As men age, sperm quality naturally declines. Men wishing to start their families well beyond the fourth decade will struggle more and more.

So what’s the way out? It’s obvious that there is a lot that men can do to help preserve their fertility potential. Many of the risk factors above can be avoided, all that is required is a conscious effort to change behavior. Stopping smoking, drinking less, eating right and maintaining a healthy weight are no brainers. Appropriate use of condoms can prevent sexual infections. Governmental agencies and public health authorities must play their role in regulating pollution. And the scientific community must invest more in medical research to inform preventive and treatment strategies for male fertility.

Finally, if you find yourself with a fertility problem, be aware that help is available. All you need is an appropriate evaluation by a fertility expert. Most men will only have minor issues that can be easily addressed. Those with complex problems may end up with advanced fertility treatment. Rarely, the only way out may be donated sperms, or adoption, or choosing to live childless.

Which body Shape is Healthier?

Love handles or thunder thighs? No matter what you lovingly call your body fat, you probably experience one or the other. That’s because most women tend to gain weight in one of two places: Our waists or our hips. But what does this mean for your overall health? Pear-shaped women were long thought to have the health upper hand, but new research suggests apple-shaped women may not be out of luck. Read on for both sides of the story.

When it comes to our body shapes, women have long been metaphorically (and rather inexplicably), compared to fruit.

We’re “Apples” if we gain weight in our waists, and “Pears” if the pounds go straight to our hips and thighs.

These body shapes mean much more than deciding between an A-line or Empire wedding gown (the former works forApples, the latter, for Pears). They’re a signal of our general health: Our bodies store different types of fat in our stomachs versus our thighs.

Those proverbial Pear thunder thighs are a good thing: Fat in our thighs stores energy that’s used during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so it’s commonly believed to be healthier. Abdominal fat, stored by Apples, doesn’t have a clearcut purpose like thigh-fat, and releases chemicals that may increase inflammation in the body -- the root of many health and beauty-related evils, including heart disease.

For women, fat distribution actually shifts as we age. When we’re young, high levels of estrogen make us more likely to store our fat in our hips. After menopause, our levels of estrogen go down, and we start to store fat above the belt.

But are those of us born to store fat in our stomachs just plum out of luck for health? That’s where the research is debatable.

SIDE 1: Waist fat is bad for health.In 2008, Japan launched a national health campaign mandating that companies and local governments measure waistlines as part of regular health check-ups -- with limits on maximum waist size (35.4 inches for women). Those who exceed the limit (the average American woman would) have three months to lose weight before they get mandatory dietary guidance, and companies are penalized if their employees don’t measure up.

Most physicians in the U.S. also measure waistlines (though we have no legal limits), and there’s a lot of research to support why they do.A 2008 sixteen-year follow-up study published in Circulation found that waist fat was strongly associated with all cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer-related deaths. On top of that, they found that hip circumference was inversely associated with heart-related deaths, meaning that hefty hips may actually play a protective role.

Similarly, a study of almost 16,000 people with coronary artery disease found that central obesity (measured by waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio) doubled the risk of mortality, even in those with a normal BMI (a measure of body fat). Another study found that waist fat is three times more strongly associated with heart disease than BMI.

Plus, numerous studies have shown that waist fat significantly increases the risk for diabetes, dementia and various other diseases. The body of research stacked up against waist fat is daunting and doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

SIDE 2: Waist fat is no worse than any other fat (and sometimes might be good!).
A small but growing voice is starting to challenge traditional wisdom.

A major study recently published in the Lancet upturned previous research, finding that waist fat doesn’t significantlyincrease health risks.

The researchers analyzed data from 58 studies involving 221,934 people. The findings showed that waist fat, when compared to BMI, is a roughly equal predictor of heart disease -- no better, no worse.

Unlike many previous studies, this analysis included only prospective studies (meaning ones that followed participants over time), which may have afforded more accurate results.

“Any fat accumulation is bad for health,” says lead author and epidemiologist David Wormser, MPhi. “But for clinicians, our study shows that measuring waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio is no better for calculating a person’s cardiovascular risk than measuring BMI.” Instead, other measures like blood pressure, lipids and diabetes may be more accurate predictors.

A 2010 study from Northwestern University found that obesity is detrimental for memory and brain function, but that waist fat may actually be protective. Of the 8,745 post-menopausal women who participated in the study, those with pear-shaped bodies actually experienced more memory loss and cognitive decline, while women who stored weight in their waists stayed sharper.

Another study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that abdominal fat increased the risk of age-related macular degeneration, but only in men. The opposite was true for women -- abdominal fat actually reduced the risk of early macular degeneration by up to 11 percent.

Most likely, any protective effects may have something to do with the type of fat stored in the stomach -- and the chemicals it releases.

The research is new, but it suggests that waist fat may not matter quite as much as we once thought.

THE MIDDLE GROUND
Like any other issue, body shape is complicated. But here’s what we do know: Being overweight or obese is harmful no matter where you store your weight.Worrying about whether your body shape is better or worse isn’t worth your time -- the grass is always greener.Instead, focus on staying healthy. Tune in to how your body feels and how healthy it is inside, not just how it looks.Eat well to feel good; stay active to face your day with energy; and practice mindfulness to feel sated and content with the life you have now. Loving your looks will be a bonus.

Does a woman's body shape influence how good her memory is ?,
Although carrying excess weight anywhere appears to impair older women's brains, carrying it on the hips may make matters worse, they say.Research has found that "apple-shaped" women fared better than "pears" on cognitive tests.But depositing fat around the waist increases the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease, experts warn.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), once called shell shock or battle fatigue syndrome, is a serious condition that can develop after a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic or terrifying event in which serious physical harm occurred or was threatened.

PTSD is a lasting consequence of traumatic ordeals that cause intense fear, helplessness, or horror, such as a sexual or physical assault, the unexpected death of a loved one, an accident, war, or natural disaster. Families of victims can also develop post-traumatic stress disorder, as can emergency personnel and rescue workers.Most people who experience a traumatic event will have reactions that may include shock, anger, nervousness, fear, and even guilt. These reactions are common; and for most people, they go away over time. For a person with PTSD, however, these feelings continue and even increase, becoming so strong that they keep the person from living a normal life. People with PTSD have symptoms for longer than one month and cannot function as well as before the event occurred.

What Are the Symptoms of PTSD?

Symptoms of PTSD often are grouped into three main categories, including:
• Re-living: People with PTSD repeatedly re-live the ordeal through thoughts and memories of the trauma. These may include flashbacks, hallucinations, and nightmares. They also may feel great distress when certain things remind them of the trauma, such as the anniversary date of the event.
• Avoiding:The person may avoid people, places, thoughts, or situations that may remind him or her of the trauma. This can lead to feelings of detachment and isolation from family and friends, as well as a loss of interest in activities that the person once enjoyed.
• Increased arousal: These include excessive emotions; problems relating to others, including feeling or showing affection; difficulty falling or staying asleep; irritability; outbursts of anger; difficulty concentrating; and being "jumpy" or easily startled. The person may also suffer physical symptoms, such as increased blood pressure and heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension, nausea, and diarrhea.
Young children with PTSD may suffer from delayed development in areas such as toilet training, motor skills, and language.

Who Gets PTSD?

PTSD was first brought to the attention of the medical community by war veterans, hence the names shell shock and battle fatigue syndrome. However, PTSD can occur in anyone who has experienced a traumatic event. People who have been abused as children or who have been repeatedly exposed to life-threatening situations are at greater risk for developing PTSD. Victims of trauma related to physical and sexual assault face the greatest risk for PTSD.

How Common Is PTSD?

How Is PTSD Diagnosed?
If symptoms of PTSD are present, the doctor will begin an evaluation by performing a complete medical history and physical exam. Although there are no laboratory tests to specifically diagnose PTSD, the doctor may use various tests to rule out physical illness as the cause of the symptoms.

If no physical illness is found, you may be referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist, mental health professionals who are specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses. Psychiatrists and psychologists use specially designed interview and assessment tools to evaluate a person for an anxiety disorder. The doctor bases his or her diagnosis of PTSD on reported symptoms, including any problems with functioning caused by the symptoms. The doctor then determines if the symptoms and degree of dysfunction indicate PTSD. PTSD is diagnosed if the person has symptoms of PTSD that last for more than one month.

How Is PTSD Treated?

Medication
Doctors use antidepressant medications to treat PTSD and to control the feelings of anxiety and its associated symptoms, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Paxil, Celexa, Luvox, Prozac, and Zoloft; and tricyclic antidepressants such as Elavil and Doxepin. Tranquilizers such as Ativan and Klonopin; mood stabilizers such as Depakote and Lamictal; and neuroleptics such as Seroquel and Abilify are sometimes used.

Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy for PTSD involves helping the person learn skills to manage symptoms and develop ways of coping. Therapy also aims to teach the person and his or her family about the disorder, and help the person work through the fears associated with the traumatic event. A variety of psychotherapy approaches are used to treat people with PTSD, including:

• Cognitive-behavior therapy, which involves learning to recognize and change thought patterns that lead to troublesome emotions, feelings, and behavior.
• Exposure therapy, a type of cognitive-behavior therapy that involves having the person re-live the traumatic experience, or exposing the person to objects or situations that cause anxiety. This is done in a well-controlled and safe environment. Exposure therapy helps the person confront the fear and gradually become more comfortable with situations that are frightening and cause anxiety. This has been very successful at treating PTSD.
• Psychodynamic therapy focuses on helping the person examine personal values and the emotional conflicts caused by the traumatic event.
• Family therapy may be useful because the behavior of the person with PTSD can have an affect on other family members.
• Group therapy may be helpful by allowing the person to share thoughts, fears, and feelings with other people who have experienced traumatic events.
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a complex form of psychotherapy that was initially designed to alleviate distress associated with traumatic memories but is now also used to treat phobias.

What Is the Outlook for People With PTSD?

Recovery from PTSD is a gradual and ongoing process. Symptoms of PTSD seldom disappear completely, but treatment can help sufferers learn to cope more effectively. Treatment can lead to fewer and less intense symptoms, as well as a greater ability to cope by managing feelings related to the trauma.

Research is ongoing into the factors that lead to PTSD and into finding new treatments.

Can PTSD Be Prevented?

Some studies suggest that early intervention with people who have suffered a trauma may reduce some of the symptoms of PTSD or prevent it all together.