Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem, but it can lead to a lot of health problems and complications. The health problems associated with obesity are diabetes, heart diseases, arthritis, stroke, liver disease, gall stones etc.
Obesity is because of eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activities to burn those calories. Excess calories are deposited in the body as fat.
Obesity increases the risk of several health problems like high blood pressure, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, gout, gallstones, colon cancer, sleep apnea and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
High blood pressure: Blood vessels carry blood from heart to different organs of the body and back to heart. The blood vessels have thick but elastic walls for proper flow of blood. Decrease in elasticity of blood vessel wall increases pressure on blood passing through these vessels. Obesity decreases elasticity of blood vessels causing increase in blood pressure.
Diabetes in obesity: Insulin is required for entry of carbohydrate into cells from the blood. The carbohydrate in cell is utilized for energy production by the cells. Excess deposition of fat in the body causes insulin resistance, because of which, insulin cannot perform its function and sugar cannot enter into cells and remain in blood. This leads to diabetes or high blood sugar. High sugar in blood leads to complications in various organs like kidney, eyes, blood vessel, and heart.
Atherosclerosis or fatty deposits in blood vessels: Obesity is associated with increase in levels of bad cholesterol in blood. Increase cholesterol in blood causes atherosclerosis or deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels. Atherosclerosis reduces the elasticity of blood vessels, narrows blood vessels and decreases blood flow through these vessels. All these changes lead to increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
Heart diseases: Coronary arteries are the blood vessels that supply blood to heart muscles. Atherosclerosis or fatty deposits in coronary arteries in obesity decreases blood supply to heart muscles. Decreased oxygen supply and blood flow to heart can cause angina (chest pain) and complete blockage of blood flow to heart can cause heart attack.
Stroke or paralysis: Atherosclerosis in arteries of brain can reduce blood supply to the brain. This decrease in blood flow can result in stroke or paralysis.
Arthritis: Obesity and overweight increases the load on the joints such as the knee, hip and lower back, which can cause the breakdown of cartilage in the joint. Cartilage is a cushion like structure in a joint required for smooth movement of joints. Breakdown of cartilage in obesity results in joint pain and stiffness and other features of osteoarthritis.
Gout: A type of arthritis caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in joints. Obesity is associated with increased accumulation of these solid crystal-like masses in joints, which causes inflammation and pain.
Sleep apnea: Overweight and excess fat around neck causes narrowing of airways and leads to sleep apnea. In sleep apnea, person snores heavily and stops breathing for short periods, which results in frequent awakening at night.
Fatty liver disease: Obesity increases the risk of developing liver disease called fatty liver disease due to accumulation of fat in liver.
Gallbladder disease and gallstones: Obesity increases cholesterol deposition in gall bladder, which can lead to formation of gallstones.
So, obesity can lead to a lot of health problems and other complications.
Beauty care - 7 beauty tips
Let's talk about inner beauty care. True beauty begins from the inside out. Outer beauty will only appear when you’ve practiced beauty within.
Knowing how and what to eat, can make a huge difference in how you feel. Improper eating habits can cause depression, overweight, illness and an overall lethargy.
Change your eating and exercising habits. You can do this. Do not try to change everything at once, unless you are just one of those rare individuals that can do that.
Beauty care starts with our diet. Diet does not mean just losing weight. Diet means the food you put in your daily eating habits.
1)A rule of thumb for eating habits are...don't eat more calories than you consume. Don't go one single day without doing something extra and physical for at least 30 minutes per day. This can be three ten minute walks. Or 30 minutes of vigorous aerobics, or 12 minutes of weight lifting and 18 minutes of walking.
2) Water, you need water. Try to add at least 4 more glasses of water to your daily diet. The rule of thumb for water is 8 glasses per day; and one extra for every ten pounds overweight you are.
3) Fats, you need to know about fats. There are different kinds of fats. Some fats are better for you than others. A rule of thumb on fats is, stay away from hydrogenated fats. These are fats that solidify. They are in store bought cakes, cookies, crackers, chips and even in bran muffins. Read the labels.
Choose fats that are polyunsaturated or fats such as olive oil. And, eat some fish to get some omega-3 fats. Carbohydrates - Are your immediate fuel source. An average is about 55 percent of your diet in carbohydrates. So, a rule of thumb is, figure your protein grams, get around 25% fat per day, and the rest would be in carbohydrates. The heavier you are, the more protein you need the less carbohydrates you will need.
Fats - try not to exceed more than 25 percent fat in your daily diet. 30 is fine, too. That does not mean you can't have a junk food fast food hamburger... it just means that if you do eat that 55 percent fat burger that you are going to have to cut down on other fat filled foods for the rest of the day to balance it out.
4) Fiber - work up to getting 25 grams of Fiber per day
5) Protein - averages about 20 percent. Divide weight by 2.2 and multiply that by .8 to get the kilograms. For men it is averages as one gram per each kilogram of weight. So, a man would divide their weight in pounds 2.2 then multiply that by .10
7) Add bran to your cereals for extra fiber. Do add it in your baking. You need to balance your diet with vegetables and fruits, too. Try adding different colors to your plate. Maybe an orange yam, and some green beans, to add color. The more variety of food colors, bring more variety of vitamins. Eat more raw foods.
Remember, exchange things, add things, and do it gradually and remember, live all things in life in moderation and soon you will be bouncy and vibrant and well on your way to living BEAUTIFULLY!
Beauty care - 7 beauty tips
Let's talk about inner beauty care. True beauty begins from the inside out. Outer beauty will only appear when you’ve practiced beauty within.
Knowing how and what to eat, can make a huge difference in how you feel. Improper eating habits can cause depression, overweight, illness and an overall lethargy.
Change your eating and exercising habits. You can do this. Do not try to change everything at once, unless you are just one of those rare individuals that can do that.
Beauty care starts with our diet. Diet does not mean just losing weight. Diet means the food you put in your daily eating habits.
1)A rule of thumb for eating habits are...don't eat more calories than you consume. Don't go one single day without doing something extra and physical for at least 30 minutes per day. This can be three ten minute walks. Or 30 minutes of vigorous aerobics, or 12 minutes of weight lifting and 18 minutes of walking.
2) Water, you need water. Try to add at least 4 more glasses of water to your daily diet. The rule of thumb for water is 8 glasses per day; and one extra for every ten pounds overweight you are.
3) Fats, you need to know about fats. There are different kinds of fats. Some fats are better for you than others. A rule of thumb on fats is, stay away from hydrogenated fats. These are fats that solidify. They are in store bought cakes, cookies, crackers, chips and even in bran muffins. Read the labels.
Choose fats that are polyunsaturated or fats such as olive oil. And, eat some fish to get some omega-3 fats. Carbohydrates - Are your immediate fuel source. An average is about 55 percent of your diet in carbohydrates. So, a rule of thumb is, figure your protein grams, get around 25% fat per day, and the rest would be in carbohydrates. The heavier you are, the more protein you need the less carbohydrates you will need.
Fats - try not to exceed more than 25 percent fat in your daily diet. 30 is fine, too. That does not mean you can't have a junk food fast food hamburger... it just means that if you do eat that 55 percent fat burger that you are going to have to cut down on other fat filled foods for the rest of the day to balance it out.
4) Fiber - work up to getting 25 grams of Fiber per day
5) Protein - averages about 20 percent. Divide weight by 2.2 and multiply that by .8 to get the kilograms. For men it is averages as one gram per each kilogram of weight. So, a man would divide their weight in pounds 2.2 then multiply that by .10
7) Add bran to your cereals for extra fiber. Do add it in your baking. You need to balance your diet with vegetables and fruits, too. Try adding different colors to your plate. Maybe an orange yam, and some green beans, to add color. The more variety of food colors, bring more variety of vitamins. Eat more raw foods.
Remember, exchange things, add things, and do it gradually and remember, live all things in life in moderation and soon you will be bouncy and vibrant and well on your way to living BEAUTIFULLY!
Dietary supplements: Do you need them?
Do you need to take dietary supplements? The answer depends on your eating and lifestyle habits and some factors beyond your control, such as your age. Dietary supplements may be appropriate if:
- You don't eat well. If you eat less than five total servings of fruits and vegetables daily, it may be difficult to get all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Also, if you eat only one or two times a day, you may be limiting the number and variety of servings you eat from the various food groups.
- You're a vegetarian. If you're a vegetarian, you may not consume enough calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins B-12 and D. You can get these nutrients naturally from nonmeat sources, such as fortified soy products, green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole-grain products and nuts. If you aren't able to regularly consume these foods, dietary supplements may be necessary.
- You consume less than 1,200 calories a day. Low-calorie diets limit the types and amounts of foods you eat and, in turn, the types and amounts of nutrients you receive. Unless monitored by a doctor, a low-calorie diet isn't usually recommended.
- You have a medical condition that affects how your body absorbs, uses or excretes nutrients. If your diet has limited variety because of food allergies or intolerance to certain foods, such as dairy products, you may benefit from a dietary supplement. Also, if you have a disease of your liver, gallbladder, intestines or pancreas, or if you've had surgery on your digestive tract, you may not be able to digest and absorb nutrients properly. In such cases, your doctor may recommend that you take dietary supplements.
- You're a postmenopausal woman. After menopause, women experience a sudden drop in estrogen levels, which increases bone loss. To keep bones strong and to decrease bone loss, you need calcium as well as vitamin D — the vitamin essential for absorbing calcium. Women who don't obtain enough calcium and vitamin D through foods could benefit from taking a calcium supplement with vitamin D.
- You're a woman who has heavy menstrual bleeding. If you have heavy menstrual bleeding, you may need additional iron to replace the iron depleted by blood loss. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, a condition in which blood is low in hemoglobin, the substance which carries oxygen to tissues.
- You're pregnant or trying to become pregnant. During this time, you need more of certain nutrients, especially calcium, folate and iron. Folate is needed very early in pregnancy to help protect your baby against neural tube birth defects, such as incomplete closure of the spine (spina bifida). Iron helps prevent fatigue by helping you make the red blood cells necessary to deliver oxygen to you and your baby. Your doctor can recommend a dietary supplement. It's important to start taking a supplement before becoming pregnant.
- You smoke. Tobacco decreases the absorption of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, folate, magnesium and calcium. But dietary supplements won't make up for the major health risks caused by smoking. The safest option is to avoid all tobacco products.
- You drink excessively. Long-term excessive alcohol consumption can impair the digestion and absorption of several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B-1, iron, zinc, magnesium and folate. In addition, you may substitute alcohol for food, resulting in a diet lacking in essential nutrients. Excessive drinking is defined as more than two drinks a day for men under age 65 and more than one drink a day for men over 65 and women. Taking dietary supplements, however, won't make up for the major health risks caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
If you're generally healthy and eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lean meats, you don't likely need dietary supplements.
But if you seek assurance that you're getting all the vitamins and minerals you need and you don't mind the added expense and daily routine of taking a pill, taking a standard vitamin and mineral supplement with about 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for the various vitamins and minerals is generally fine. It's always a good idea, however, to talk with your doctor, as he or she knows your history and specific situation best.
A Look At The Children's Health Insurance Bill
Last week the House approved a major expansion of the children's health insurance program. The bill aims to expand the children's health program by $48 billion over the next five years. The proposed source of finance is an increase in tobacco taxes and cuts in payments to Medicare providers.
The bill was opposed by the Republicans as it seeks to cut subsidies to the private insurance companies who manage the Medicare plans. These Medicare plans are very popular in rural America.
The passage of the Bill has made both the Republicans and the Democrats happy. While for the Democrats it is a victory, being able to implement what they have been wanting to for a long time, the Republicans are grinning from ear to ear because they feel that a cut in the popular Medicare program will eventually cost the Democrats the control of the House. However, the Democrats have been quite smart. They plan to increase aid to poor Medicare beneficiaries and also put in place a plan for preventive health care that would make it less expensive for seniors.
While a tobacco tax is popular it has one major shortcoming. With the number of smokers declining the source of funding lacks stability and would ultimately shift the financial burden onto others. An increase in taxes is also likely to further increase the cost of smoking and cause a further decline in the number of smokers, and the downward spiral may accelerate.
But given the importance of the program the Government will simply have to find a sustainable way of funding it.
The bill was opposed by the Republicans as it seeks to cut subsidies to the private insurance companies who manage the Medicare plans. These Medicare plans are very popular in rural America.
The passage of the Bill has made both the Republicans and the Democrats happy. While for the Democrats it is a victory, being able to implement what they have been wanting to for a long time, the Republicans are grinning from ear to ear because they feel that a cut in the popular Medicare program will eventually cost the Democrats the control of the House. However, the Democrats have been quite smart. They plan to increase aid to poor Medicare beneficiaries and also put in place a plan for preventive health care that would make it less expensive for seniors.
While a tobacco tax is popular it has one major shortcoming. With the number of smokers declining the source of funding lacks stability and would ultimately shift the financial burden onto others. An increase in taxes is also likely to further increase the cost of smoking and cause a further decline in the number of smokers, and the downward spiral may accelerate.
But given the importance of the program the Government will simply have to find a sustainable way of funding it.
Tips for Acne Scar Skin Care
Like it or not, there are only a few fortunate people on the planet who have gone without acne their whole lives. For the rest of us mere mortals, acne has been a problem at one time or another; and for some of us, that same problematic acne left us with scars. Thanks to technology and research, however, there are now many different acne scar skin care techniques that can help us cover up and totally lose the scars.
Make no mistake: most acne scar skin care remedies and techniques are expensive, and they need to be undertaken for a long period of time before any results can emerge. Before you can understand how acne scar skin care works, however, you need to know about acne first and what can cause scarring.
Acne vulgaris
Acne vulgaris is caused by the clogging of skin pores by dirt, debris, or dried skin cells. This clogging causes pimples to form, creating the well-known cystic acne that is common in teenagers or persons with hormonal imbalances. The underlying cause of acne vulgaris has yet to be determined, however: some doctors and scientists propose that fluctuating hormonal levels contribute to acne, while others surmise that acne vulgaris is genetic in nature and can be inherited from one's parents.
Whatever the cause of acne, dermatologists will always caution you to refrain from touching your face, removing the pimples yourself, and, more crudely, "popping your zits". This is because any manual force not exerted by medically-approved means can cause acne scars to form.
Types of acne scars
In general, there are two types of acne scars, the pigmented scars and the pitted ones. Pigmented scars can be red or brown in color, and appear after the pimple has disappeared. Although they can be unseemly to look at, they can disappear after treatment, or they can vanish on their own after a few weeks or months.
On the other hand, pitted scars occur when damage is done to the skin tissue beneath the acne. Such scars look like indentations on the skin, and are often referred to as pockmarks. Both kinds of acne scars have their own methods for removal or concealment.
Acne scar skin care for pigmented scars involves using lotions or creams that have whitening compounds. Such compounds can remove the pigment from the scar and even out one's pigmentation. For instance, exfoliating agents such as glycolic acid or alpha-hydroxy acids can remove dead skin cells from the area so that new skin can immediately be regenerated.
Acne scar skin care is a little more complicated for pitted scars, as these scars are difficult to erase. Some dermatologists can inject protein stimulators that can induce skin cells to form the important proteins elastin and collagen. Once the cells surrounding the scars start producing these proteins, the skin can be plumper, and the depth of the scars can be made shallower, further reducing their pockmarked appearance.
Laser therapy
Laser treatments can also be used to combat acne scarring. Ablative laser treatment, for instance, burns scar tissue off from the surface of the skin, which stimulates the underlying skin to tighten. Such a technique injures the skin and exposes underlying tissue, so that people undergoing ablative laser treatment have to likewise be protected from infection. Moreover, because laser therapy can be painful, doctors apply anesthetics to the skin before undertaking any laser procedure.
On the other hand, non-ablative laser treatment can induce changes in the underlying skin tissue without doing injury to the epidermis, or the surface of the skin. Such laser therapy is relatively fast: this time, it heats up the oil glands in the skin, preventing acne from forming; it also tightens the underlying skin, so that scarring will be less visible. Another type of laser therapy makes use of the yellow pulse dye laser, a machine that operates using yellow light. Yellow light treats keloids, and can flatten or reduce inflammation of raised scars.
Fat transplant
There are other options for acne scar skin care. A dermatologist may offer to inject the scar, or plump it up, with filler substances such as bovine collagen. Fat can also be transplanted from other parts of the patient's body and into the acne scar. Some dermatologists may also recommend creams or lotions that can plump the skin temporarily and remove any sign of wrinkles, acne scar depressions, or age lines. There are also excision and incision techniques that can be carried out on irregularly-shaped acne scars.
There are still many methods of acne scar skin care. If you have acne scars, always consult with a dermatologist first and talk about what options are available for your case. With the right acne scar skin care, you can have smoother, fairer skin in no time at all.
Sugar is the key to the nicotine rush according to new research
Smoking and blood sugar levels are highly interrelated – nicotine causes the body to release satisfying levels of sugar into the bloodstream far faster than eating can, which explains its appetite-inhibiting effects. The results of low blood sugar levels in a quitting nicotine addict are also responsible for some of the most difficult withdrawal symptoms. Now it has been discovered that sugar is also a key element in the chemical reaction that causes a smoker to feel “high”. When nicotine molecules are received by neurotransmitter membranes, it’s sugar molecules that then act as a sort of hinge to open a gate in the cell membrane and send the "nicotine rush" nerve signal onward.
More on Interesting Life
When nicotine binds to a neuron, how does the cell know to send the signal that announces a smoker’s "high"? As with other questions involving good sensations, the answer appears to be sugar.
A USC study appearing with a commentary in Nature Neuroscience online proposes a role for sugar as the hinge that opens a gate in the cell membrane and brings news of nicotine’s arrival.
Structural biologist Raymond Stevens of The Scripps Research Institute, who was not involved in the study, called it “a landmark accomplishment for the fields of structural biology and neuronal cell signaling.”
Besides substance addiction, Stevens pointed to epilepsy, schizophrenia and depression as targets for improved drugs that could result from the study’s findings.
The study provides the first detailed look at part of the mouse nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), one in a large and important group of molecules, known as ion channel proteins, that allow signals to pass between neurons.
The results reveal an important role for the sugar molecules in such proteins.
“Our studies fill a major gap in the field and set a new paradigm,” said Lin Chen, associate professor of molecular and computational biology in USC College and co-corresponding author with Zuo-Zhong Wang, associate professor of cell and neurobiology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
Many existing theories, which do not consider sugar’s role, are probably incomplete, Chen said.
The debate over how signals pass from the outside of a cell to the inside is a long-standing one.
Some researchers had suggested that when a chemical such as nicotine binds to an ion channel protein on the cell surface, the protein starts a “conformational wave” that propagates a signal through the protein body to the cell membrane, Chen said.
But the molecular basis of such a wave in nAChR or any other protein has not been clearly established.
Instead, the Chen and Wang groups’ study of crystal structure suggested a simple mechanical role for sugar molecules attached to the surface of the receptor.
“They serve as the link between the neurotransmitter binding site and the membrane region where the gate is located,” Chen said.
“The sugar is kind of like a hinge. It’s pulling the door open and closed.”
Cutting the sugar chains stopped the gate’s operation: “The sugar is critical, in my opinion”, said Chen.
The researchers also found a water molecule deep in the receptor’s core – significant because proteins normally are filled with hydrophobic (water repellent) matter that helps the structure hold its shape according to Chen.
The water molecule may enable the receptor to alter its shape in counterbalance to the bending hinge.
Previously studied “homologs” of nAChR – proteins that share its structure but not its signaling function – are entirely hydrophobic, Chen said, supporting the theory that the buried water molecule plays a functional role.
Chen called the group’s Nature Neuroscience study “one of the few times that you felt that you connected the dots.”
The study also represents a tour de force of protein crystallography. Homologs of nAChR had been studied at the atomic scale, but not the receptor itself. One problem, solved by Wang’s laboratory, was the challenge of isolating large quantities of the nAChR protein in a suitable form.
“Many prestigious institutions and laboratories in the world have experienced tremendous difficulties for over two decades in getting a protein sample amenable for high-resolution studies of the structure,” Wang said.
Cosma Dellisanti, research associate in molecular and computational biology at USC, was first author. The other co-authors were Yun Yao of the Keck School and James Stroud of UCLA.
Funding for the research came from the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the National Institutes of Health.
More on Interesting Life
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)