Research at Stanford University found that when people slept only five hours a night, they had low levels of gherlin hormones that are involved in appetite regulation – compared to those who clocked eight hours of shut-eye per night. While proper levels of these hormones can help keep hunger and satiety in check, imbalances are likely to increase appetite and lead to weight gain, so make getting enough sleep a priority.

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The clear winner is Orange Juice. The calorie counts are virtually the same – 112 to 117 calories per cup – but an 8-ounce glass of orange juice has more than a day’s worth of Vitamin C, compared to about 2 percent for apple juice. Orange juice also has 20 percent of the recommended daily amount of folic acid, a key nutrient for preventing birth defects and possibly brain aging.

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There are about five and half quarts of blood circulating through the veins, arteries, and organs of your body. This rich red stream is kept in constant circulation by your heart. When things are going well you hardly need to think about this. But there are times when the blood volume may be altered so that the number of red cells in your  circulation may drop down a long way below the normal 5,000,000 per cubic millimeter of blood.

This is a serious conditions known as anemia.  There are several ways in which this may happen. For instance, there is a question of hemorrhage. A person whose blood level has normal may suddenly lose a lot of blood  because of a serious accident or illness. The body seeks to replace this sudden loss by pouring in more fluid or plasma. But the  red cells are not so easily replaced. The victim may have enough fluid in circulation,  but the red cell count may be so low that he feels weak and worn out from the slightest effort. This is the typical picture of anemia  following a rapid loss of blood.

However, slow bleeding from an ulcer in the stomach or intestine may also produce varying degrees of anemia. If the red blood cells are lost more rapidly than the body can replace them, the patient will naturally begin to feel the effects of anemia. A slow, steady loss of red blood cells through the urinary  tract will do the same thing. Anemia also occurs from heavy menstrual bleeding, and the woman will feel tired and weak from lack of blood.

In some cases, such as in hemolytic anemia, the blood cells are to fragile. They seem to be synthesized in some way, so that large numbers of them are destroyed in the spleen. The same is true of malaria in which the parasite enters the red blood cell, feed on the substance of the cell, and later divides into eight or sixteen new organism that in turn attack other red cells. Certain metals, such as lead, arsenic, silver, may also destroy red cells. The same is true of quinine and drugs in some patients.

In other types of anemia the red cells are not properly formed. Instead of being round and flat like a plate, they may be roughly spherical or irregular. They may then cause trouble in the spleen, and ulcers may develop in the legs, along with changes in the bones. There are even some rare types of anemia in which the hemoglobin itself may not be properly formed so that it cannot carry out its normal functions. Such cases are very difficult to treat.

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Whether you do it daily or weekly is up to you but stepping on the scale is a crucial part of succeding at losing weight. “It’s part of self-monitoring – it holds you accountable for what you’re doing and helps you stay focused,” Kirchenbaum says

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Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is wonderfully flavored as well as being extremely healthy and nourishing. Perfect for chasing away those nasty cold or flu bugs, or simply for lifting your spirits and brightening your mood. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of dried egg noodles from a 250 g pack
• 1 tbsp oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced
• 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cm piece fresh ginger root, finely chopped
• 850 ml chicken stock
• 20 ml coconut milk
• 3 tsp red Thai curry paste
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 small red pepper, chopped
• 60 g frozen peas
• salt and pepper

Preparations:

1. Put the noodles in a shallow dish and soak in boiling water following the instructions on the packet.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok, add the chicken, and fry for 5 minutes, stirring until lightly browned. Add the white part of the spring onions, the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the stock, coconut milk, curry paste, peanut butter and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, peas and green spring onion tops and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the drained noodles and heat through. Spoon into individual bowls and serve with a spoon and fork.

Serves 4 to 6

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Bueger’s disease is a painful disorder of the toes and feet. It is most common seen in younger adult males. Excessive smoking is the most frequent cause of this painful disease.

The patient usually complains of coldness, and tingling or burning in the feet or toes. In rare cases it may also occur in the fingers or hands. In the early stages this discomfort is usually relieved by a period of rest, but quickly returns with a mild exercise. The toes and feet appear red or dark, while the skin above may look more pale than normal. Gangrene and ulceration may then develop.

Elevating the legs relieves congestion in the legs of a patient with Buerger's disease.

Buerger’s Disease Treatment:

The patient must abstain  from the use of tobacco in any form for the rest of his life. He must also avoid extremes in temperature and any injury from poorly fitted shoes. Fungus infections of the feet should be treated, for they will always aggravate the condition. Complete rest in bed over a long enough period may allow ulcerated areas to heal.

These special exercises should be carried out as part of the patient’s general care: While he is lying down, elevate the legs about ten or fifteen degrees and keep them there for ten seconds, then lower them over the edge of the bed for three minutes. Rest for two minutes with the lying legs flat, then repeat at least ten times, after which allow the patient to rest. Do this at least four times a day.

Anticoagulant therapy may also be tried, the dosage being similar to that used for heart surgery. Again we must repeat – any patient with Buerger’s Disease pr the other leg pains should definitely give up smoking and never touch tobacco in any form for the rest of his days.

image courtest: [medscape.com]

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Otherwise, you’re not likely to stick with exercise or lose weight. New research from the Technical University of Lisbon in Portugal suggests that increase in intrinsic motivation to exercise – exercising because you enjoy it, not because you want to lose weight – is a powerful predictor of weights-loss success after 16 months.

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Stack of pancakes covered in syrup

French Toast covered with syrup and butter

You’re out to breakfast and the menu, of course, contains no nutritional information. What should you do?

“Go with the pancakes, but remember portion control,” Moloo says. French toast isn’t inherently a less healthy option – you can easily make a nutritious, low calorie version at home – but many restaurants used jumbo slices of bread dipped in whole milk and fried in shortening. At Denny’s, three slices of French toast sprinkled with powder sugar contains 1,261 calories, whereas three buttermilk pancakes with 3 tablespoons of syrups contains 336 calories. However, Denny’s portions are on small side. An investigation of 17 family restaurants around the country, conducted by nonprofit Center of Science in Public Interest, found that a typical restaurant pancakes serving contains 870 calories. Best bet: whole grain pancakes with fresh fruit.

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As the blood returns to the heart passes through special thin-walled channels called veins. Unlike strong, tough arteries, these vessels are easily distended. You can demonstrate this by pressing your finger on a vein on back of your hand and watching it swells as the blood builds up behind it. Blood  flowing from the head and upper chest flows downward toward the heart. On the other hand, blood coming from the lower extremities must flow upward. To make this possible, nature has provided valves in the veins so that the blood can only flow toward the heart, never in the other direction.

In your legs you have two main sets of veins. The deeper veins are located within the muscles where they are given good support. But the veins on the surface just under the skin have little support and are easily damaged. These surface veins often subject to inflammation or phlebitis.

In some people the veins in the legs are weak and may swell easily. This trouble seems to run in families. Then again anything that increase the pressure in the pelvis or abdomen may slow the flow of blood back to the heart from the lower extremities. One frequent cause of varicose veins is pregnancy, another is obesity. Anything that increase the pressure within the veins of the legs and thighs may weaken or break down the little valves, so that the veins become enlarged and the blood does not find it way back to the heart as it should.

Varicose veins are ugly, and sometimes they are dangerous. A blood clot forming within a greatly dilated vein may break off and travel to the heart and lungs. This serious condition, known as pulmonary embolism, may actually  cause death. Serious hemorrhage may occur  if a large varicose vein is torn open or cut. Some people have actually bled to death, not knowing what to do in such an emergency. Steady pressure over bleeding point, as usually control the bleeding but one should avoid such a danger by having the vein properly treated or removed.

Signs of Trouble:

A venous ulcer caused by Longstanding Varicose Veins

People with varicose veins first note swelling along the course of the veins, followed by muscle cramps and a tired feeling in the legs behind the knees. In some cases the skin over the lower part of the leg may break down, forming a large, ugly ulcer, which is often painful, especially when thrombophlebitis develops in the leg.

Varicose Veins Treatment:

In most cases surgery is the best treatment, especially when the larger veins of the legs and thighs are involved. Long, tortuous, winding vessels can easily be removed by vein ligation and stripping. Smaller veins can often be successfully treated by injections, but surgery is best for large varicose veins.

To avoid further trouble, one should not wear any elastic bands around the legs, for this will only increase the problem. Special stockings and elastic bondages are useful as a temporary treatment, but they are not comfortable enough for regular use over a long period.

Varicose ulcers need special care. The patient should rest in bed, with the legs elevated so that the heel is higher that the knees. Antibiotic ointments are useful in treating the local cellulitis or inflammation. Also the heating cradle will help to protect the leg from further injury, and the gentle heat will help heal the skin. Some ulcers do better with moist heat, others with dry. Both methods may be tried. Keeping the leg elevated will reduce swelling by helping the blood return to the heart. Large, deep ulcers and badly scarred areas may need a graft of fresh skin over the area before they will heal completely.

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Here are simple Tips for Burning Calories.

Always take the longest route. The longer it takes to get you where you’re going, the more calories you’ll burn.

Skip the drive-through windows for fast food, banking or dry cleaning. Park, walk and carry the load.

Hide your remote and switch channels the old-fashioned way – do you remember how to do that?

Do the work your self. Wash windows, rake, leaves, mow the grass – all the things you started having others do for you. You do the work, you burn the calories!

Get a dog. A study of the University of Missouri, Columbia, found that participants who walked their dog 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week, lost an average of 14 pounds over 50 weeks!

Pace while you’re chatting on the phone.

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