Month: June 2014

Revealed – how a father’s drinking habits can affect his son

alcohol-abuse

Do you regularly drink to excess? Even before conception, a son’s vulnerability for alcohol use disorders could be shaped by a father who chronically drinks to excess, a significant study indicates. ‘It is possible for alcohol to modify the dad’s otherwise normal genes and influence consumption in his sons, but surprisingly not his daughters,’ said senior investigator Gregg Homanics, a professor at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in the US.

In lab settings, male mice that were chronically exposed to alcohol before breeding had male offspring that were less likely to consume alcohol and were more sensitive to its effects. Previous human studies indicate that alcoholism can run in families, particularly father to son, but to date only a few gene variants have been associated with ‘Alcohol Use Disorder’ and they account for only a small fraction of the risk of inheriting the problem, Homanics said.

‘We examined whether a father’s exposure to alcohol could alter expression of the genes he passed down to his children,’ Homanics added. For the study, researchers chronically exposed male mice over five weeks to intermittent ethanol vapour, leading to blood alcohol levels slightly higher than the legal limit for human drivers. Then, they mated them to females who had not been exposed to alcohol.

Compared to those of ethanol-free sires, adult male offspring of ethanol-exposed mice consumed less alcohol when it was made available and were less likely to choose to drink it over water. The researchers plan to examine other drinking models such as binge drinking, identify how alcohol modifies the genes and explore why female offspring appear unaffected.

Source: health site

5 reasons why eating brinjals or baingan is good

brinjal

Brinjal or baingan as it is called in India, is a vegetable that is extremely high on nutrients and has many health benefits which makes it something you should try and eat at least once every week. A lot of people don’t like the taste, but if you cook it well, it can be extremely delicious too. Here are some of it’s top health benefits.

1. Brinjals prevent cancer
Fibre and antioxidants are just two of the nutrients that make brinjal a food that can keep cancer at bay. Fibre helps clear the toxins present in your digestive tract and has been found useful in the prevention of colon cancer. Additionally, the antioxidants help in fighting free radical damage to your cells which helps keep cancer at bay. Read more to find out the diet changes that can help keep cancer at bay.

2. Brinjals are great for weight loss
Brinjals are great for weight loss as they are low in calories with 100g of the vegetable containing just 25 calories. It is also rich in fibre which helps in promoting the feeling of satiety which means that eating a small serving will make you feel full and prevent you from overeating.

3. Brinjals prevent heart disease
Like most fruits and vegetables, brinjals too are great for your heart. Along with many nutrients, they contain bioflavonoids which controls hypertension and releases stress. Also, they have cholesterol busting properties thanks to a substance called chlorogenic acid.

4. Brinjals can keep your skin looking younger
As we age, our skin undergoes free radical damage which can cause the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on our faces. The antioxidants and vitamins present in brinjals can prevent this from happening. Additionally, it is also high in water which flushes toxins from your body and gives your skin a nice and healthy glow.

5. Brinjals are good for your brain
Eating brinjals can help keep prevent damage to your brain as it contains phytonutrients that can protect your cell membranes. These phytonutrients are also known to boost memory function and aid in transferring messages from one part of your body to another.

Apart from these benefits, brinjal is also known to have nicotine and thus helps in quitting tobacco. However, you’ll have to eat 10 kg of the vegetable to get as much nicotine into your body as a cigarette.
Source: yahoo Life style

15 Amazing Benefits Of Castor Oil For Skin, Hair And Health

castor-oil-and-bean

As a child, I remember my granny recommending castor oil for almost any problem. For her, it was the best home remedy for a host of ailments. Even today, the very mention of castor oil summons the numerous natural health benefits it provides. But before we delve into details, here is a quick brief about its origin.

Castor oil is extracted by pressing the seeds of castor plant, also known as Ricinus communis. It is a vegetable oil and the plant is largely native to Africa and India. The oil has been famous in the world over for centuries for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. The medicinal and therapeutic benefits of the oil make it a favourite across various industries.

Nutritional Value of Castor Oil:

The high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, proteins and minerals found in castor oil, together make it highly beneficial.

The uses of castor oil are many for skin, hair and health. It also happens to be one of the most widely-used ingredients in various cosmetics, soaps, textiles, massage oils and even medicines.

Benefits of Castor Oil in Our Daily Life:

Castor oil is one of the few natural products that fight several ailments. Here are the 15 amazing uses and benefits of castor oil in our daily lives.

Castor Oil Benefits for Skin:

1. Skin Problems:

Castor oil is a boon when it comes to skin problems like sunburn, acne, dry skin and stretch marks. It also helps evade infections like warts, boils, athlete’s foot and chronic itching. To treat problems like sun burn, warts, yeast infections, fungal infections or acne, follow these simple steps:

Take a cotton wool ball
Dip it in castor oil
Apply directly to the affected skin area.
Leave it on for an hour
Wash off clearly after an hour.
Repeat this in the morning and night for faster results.
If the affected area is small – soak a band-aid in castor oil and apply it on the affected area. Finally cover it with a clean one.
If the affected area is large – soak a cloth in castor oil and place on the affected area for an hour before washing off.

2. Ring worms:

Castor oil effectively treats ring worms, a common and stubborn skin problem across all age groups. The active compound called undecylenic acid, found in castor oil, helps treat ringworms successfully. Here is a step-by-step guide to its use.

  • Dilute 2 teaspoons of castor oil in 4 teaspoons of coconut oil.
  • Alternatively, you can wash castor leaves in water and soak them in coconut oil for few hours, and then heat gently.
  • Apply over the affected area and cover with a cotton cloth.
  • Keep it overnight for best results.
  • Repeat this procedure until cured completely.

3. Wrinkles and Fine Lines:

Castor oil, when applied to the skin, penetrates deep and stimulates the production of collagen and elastin. This in turn helps soften and hydrate our skin. It delays the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, making the skin smoother, softer and younger. The fine lines around the eye area can be treated with its application. For best results, apply it everyday, after washing your face, over wrinkles and fine lines. You may also apply castor oil for skin before bed daily.

4. Acne:

Castor oil is rich in Ricinoleic acid, which fights off the acne-causing bacteria. It effectively penetrates the skin layers, making it an excellent remedy for acne. To use castor oil for skin:

  • Wash your face with warm water, as this will help open your pores.
  • Simply massage your face in a circular motion with the oil.
  • Keep it overnight.
  • Wash off your face the next morning with cold water.

5. Moisturiser:

Castor oil is a wonderful moisturiser. The high concentrated fatty acids penetrate the skin easily. This helps remove dry patches and restores hydration of the skin. Only a little amount of castor oil is required for this purpose. The fatty acids in castor oil make it stand out amongst other vegetable oils. Castor oil finds uses in various industries but it is prized in skincare segment for its ability to quickly moisturise. So if you are looking for an inexpensive and natural skin moisturiser, you know what to reach out for!

Here’s a quick tip:

Apply a few drops on face.
Massage it well on your skin every night.
Just follow the above steps to wake up to smooth, supple and revitalized skin every morning.

6. Fade Scars:

Castor oil is often used for fading scars. Though it works slowly in this regard (needs to be used regularly to see prominent results), it can produce permanent solution naturally. Once again, the fatty acids come to rescue. They penetrate deep within the scar tissue and plump it out while encouraging the growth of healthy tissues around it. It helps the scar diminish slowly.

7. Stretch Marks:

Castor oil is perfect for treating stretch marks. Here are the directions to use:

Rub castor oil over the stretch marks on your stomach and thighs (caused due to pregnancy and/or excessive weight gain).
Apply it regularly to get the best results.
Castor oil is also used to induce labour.

8. Antimicrobial:

Castor oil works as an excellent disinfectant on open wounds. The antimicrobial properties make it effective for treating fungal skin infections, such as ringworm, minor cuts and scratches as well. It can be used as a first aid treatment because of its anti-itch and pain-relieving properties. These properties help heal and ease symptoms of minor skin infections.

Castor Oil Benefits for Hair:

9. Promotes Hair Growth:

Castor oil is the best remedy for promoting hair growth. It is often advised to apply it topically to the scalp for thick hair. You may mix it with coconut or almond oil. The oil boosts blood circulation to the follicles, leading to faster hair growth. The oil also has omega-6 essential fatty acids, responsible for healthy hair. For best results, apply the oil and leave it overnight after covering it with a cap for deep penetration. Wash it off thoroughly the next day. It also helps reduce split ends and controls hair breakage while conditioning and moisturising your hair.

10. Thickens Eyebrows:

Use of castor oil promotes hair growth and hence helps thicken your eyebrows and eyelashes. It stimulates rapid growth of hair. The unusual chemical composition of the oil helps to keep your eyebrow and eyelash hairs from breaking. Here are the directions to use:

  • Rub castor oil over your lashes and brows before bed.
  • Repeat this procedure every night to get best results.
  • An alternative way is to gently massage each eyebrow with castor oil for a couple of minutes
  • Leave it on for half an hour.
  • Use lukewarm water and a mild cleanser to wash it off.
  • This too needs to be done daily to achieve desired results.

11. Treats Scalp Infection:

Scalp infection can cause major hair problems like bald patches and itchy scalp. With castor oil’s anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, you can fight pathogens and micro-organism, responsible for such problems. Regular use will make your scalp infection-free.

12. Hair Darkening:

Castor oil works well in hair darkening. The humectant properties of the oil, combined with its nutrients, help lock in the hair moisture. Thus helping it appear darker. To use:

  • Take a pea-sized amount of castor oil
  • Mix it with your leave-in hair conditioner or hair mousse.
  • Each time you use it, apply evenly and distribute nicely over your hair.

Vitamin E found in castor oil is excellent for treating brittle nails and ragged cuticles. Massage a small amount of oil for 2-3 months and see the results for yourself.

Health Benefits of Castor Oil:

13. Constipation:

Castor oil is a powerful laxative useful for effectively treating constipation. For best results, have one teaspoon of pure cold pressed castor oil a day – for three consecutive days.

14. Arthritis and Joint Pains:

Castor oil is a great remedy for treating arthritis. Its anti-inflammatory properties make it an ideal massage oil for relieving joint pain, nerve inflammation and sore muscles. Here is a step-by-step guide for using it for joint pain.

  • Take a piece of flannelette or a soft cotton fabric and fold it into squares.
  • Soak it in castor oil.
  • Press out excess oil and place on the affected joint, taking care to cover with a plastic wrap.
  • Place a hot water bottle or heating pad on this – the plastic will save the bottle from getting oily.
  • Leave it on for an hour.
  • Keep the oil pad in a zip lock bag and store in the fridge – it can be used again.
  • This process should be repeated twice a week for positive results.

15. The Lymphatic System and Liver:

Repeat the above-mentioned steps, but with a larger piece of cloth, to relieve and drain excess fluids from lymph and liver. Place the pack on the abdomen and cover with a plastic sheet and an old towel. Place a pillow under your knees and lay flat on your back for at least an hour to get relief and better result.

16. Treatment of Mild Surface Tumours:

Castor oil has been scientifically proven to increase T-cells production in human body. As a matter of fact, it was recommended by the American psychic, Edgar Cayce, for treating mild surface tumours.

Other Benefits Of Castor Oil:

Apart from the above-mentioned uses, castor oil can also be used to cure problems like

  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Pain from Rheumatism
  • Gastrointestinal Problems
  • Menstrual Disorders
  • Migraines
  • Age Spots
  • Skin Abrasions

Inflammation
Castor oil has no side effects as such. However, if you want to use it internally, like to treat constipation, make sure you take the right dosage. It always better to consult your physician to avoid complications later. Make sure you read the instructions on the label before using it internally.

A Word of Caution:

As much as the castor oil helps in skin problems, it is highly recommended not to use too much castor oil on your face. This is because it is highly concentrated and too much of it can clog the pores, leading to skin irritation or breakouts. So don’t be too generous with its usage.

Advice:

Pregnant and lactating women, those with intestinal blockage or appendicitis should not consume castor oil. Kindly consult your doctor if you want to use this oil.

Hope you enjoyed reading this post on the benefits and uses of castor oil. Do leave your comments below and let us know how castor oil helped you.

Source: Style craze

Doctor of Medicine 5.5 Years

5.5 md

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) is a four-year full-time course designed for students who have completed their undergraduate studies with Science background. The curriculum is structured after the best US and Caribbean Medical Schools, the MD delivers outstanding clinical and academic training, ensuring you are well prepared for the challenges of internship and future professional training.

Overview The 5.5 years Doctor of Medicine program is divided into 3 Parts. The Pre Medical Part: Duration 18 Months The Pre Clinical { basic Science } part: 2 Years Clinical Part 2 Years in Guyana (or) 2 Years in USA for US track

Eligibility: Students from 10 to 12 years of Education or Equivalent Student with NON – Pre medical College Credits Students who have earned 90 college level credit hours from undergraduate institutions or concurrently during the completion of secondary school are encouraged to apply to the 4 years MD Medicine Program, where the student will join the program at Pre-Clinical phase since those science based 90 college level credit hours will be considered in the admissions process. For more details please register here

Watch Doctor of Medicine Video here 

Erasing (And Restoring) the Brain’s Memories

brain-implant-

In recent years, researchers studying the brain have implanted false memories, caused patients to hallucinate while sleeping, and even tricked the brain into hearing sounds that don’t exist.

Now, a team of neuroscientists has manipulated brain cells to both erase and then restore a memory, a finding that could help with treatment of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s or PTSD.

“Technologically, it’s a huge achievement,” said Steve Ramirez, a graduate student in the department of brain and cognitive sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who was not part of the study, but has published work on creating memories. “It renders that possibility (of manipulating memory) is no longer science fiction, but something you can tackle experimentally in the lab.”

In a paper published today in the journal Nature, a team at the University of California San Diego created a memory in a rat and then erased it by stimulating the connections, or synapses, between nerve cells at different frequencies.

The first step was to create a memory. They did this by stimulating a group of nerves in the rat’s brain (which equated to the sound of a tone) that had been genetically modified to respond to light, while shocking the animal’s foot at the same time. From the rat’s perspective, the sound of the tone (done by stimulating the nerve cells) was equated with the fear of getting a mild shock.

Then the team weakened the connection between the brain cells, which had the effect of erasing that memory. But in a twist, they were also able to recover the fear-pain memory by strengthening the synaptic connection by stimulating the synapse with a different frequency.

“We can form a memory, and then turn it off and turn it on by selectively turning on synapses,” said Robert Malinow, professor of neurosciences and an author on the paper. “It puts together a number of things we have known and learned to produce this effect. It reinforces that synapses are important and can control memory.”

Malinow says the finding could open the door to manipulating the creation of memories in humans as well. In PTSD, memories of certain traumatic events cause severe anxiety, depression and other problems in patients, while Alzheimer’s disease causes us to lose our memories.

Simulating The Human Brain
A post-doctoral student in Malinow’s lab, Sadegh Nabavi, conducted the experiments and is the lead author on the Nature paper.

One expert, however, cautioned that it’s still too early to take these findings as a road map creating memories in an artificial brain, for example.

“We don’t understand enough about the brain to take those principals and make computers,” said Mark Mayford, a neuroscientist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. “Instead, people are trying to take a few principals and put them in standard computer software like learning algorithms.”

Source: discovery news

Sleepless nights raise brain levels of Alzheimer’s protein, study finds

Sleepless nights

After a night of no sleep, even a healthy brain has higher than normal levels of the protein that forms the signature tangles in Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study from the Netherlands.

“We think normal healthy sleep helps reduce the amount of (amyloid) beta in the brain and if your sleep is disturbed this decrease is prevented,” said the study’s senior author Dr. Jurgen Claassen, from Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen.

In people who repeatedly fail to get a good night’s sleep, the amyloid-beta concentration may build up and could be one factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, he said.

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and the sixth leading cause of death for older Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Up to 5 million Americans have the condition.

Distinct from other forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s is partly defined by accumulations in the brain of the amyloid-beta protein. The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not known, but the amyloid-beta plaques have long been thought to play an important role.

Claassen and his colleagues point out in JAMA Neurology that studies on mice have found decreases in the amount of amyloid-beta in healthy animals’ brains after a good night’s sleep. That suggests sleep plays a role in cleaning out the protein overnight.

To see if the same is true in people, the researchers recruited 26 middle-aged men with normal sleep habits to have their protein levels measured before and after sleep, or a lack of it.

The men were brought into the clinic, where a catheter was put into their spine to take fluid samples before they went to bed and after they woke up. Half of the men were randomly assigned to get a good night’s sleep while the other half were kept awake.

The researchers found that the men who got a good night’s sleep had amyloid-beta levels in their spinal fluid about 6 percent lower in the morning than when they had gone to bed. The men who were kept awake all night had no change in their amyloid-beta levels.

The quality of sleep men got was also linked to how much of a decrease in amyloid-beta was measured, which suggests more of the amino acid is cleared out with better sleep, the team writes.

“We think the beta is cleared from the brain or less produced during sleep,” Claassen told Reuters Health, adding that it could be both.

While most people may not stay up all night for weeks at a time, Claassen also said that even partly-sleepless nights can add up.

“We did a complete night of sleep deprivation which is kind of extreme, but it’s similar to a week of partial sleep deprivation,” he said.

“Based on this and other studies, it would be good to have people look at their sleep behaviors, but not be frightened themselves if they miss a good night’s sleep,” he added.

Dr. Michael Shelanski, co-director of Columbia University Medical Center’s Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain in New York City, cautioned that the new study can’t prove the amyloid-beta proteins have anything to do with Alzheimer’s risk.

“We really don’t have any evidence from this paper that that’s the case,” said Shelanski, who was not involved in the new study.

“This is an interesting study,” he said. “It’s a good study, but it doesn’t really say anything about Alzheimer’s disease other than you should look further and see if the sleep patterns are related to these things.”

Claassen acknowledges that his team’s results do not prove that getting ample sleep will prevent Alzheimer’s disease, or that an amyloid-beta build-up causes the condition. Sleep may be just one of many risk factors for the illness, he said. Others include genetics, high blood pressure and obesity.

“We think it’s a disease that has several causes not just one, but we don’t know which ones,” he added.

Source: Fox news

Physically-fit kids have more robust brains

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Children who are physically fit have faster and more robust neuro-electrical brain responses during reading than their less-fit peers.

Children who are physically fit have faster and more robust neuro-electrical brain responses during reading than their less-fit peers, a new study has found.
These differences correspond with better language skills in the children who are more fit, and occur whether they’re reading straightforward sentences or sentences that contain errors of grammar or syntax.

The findings do not prove that higher fitness directly influences the changes seen in the electrical activity of the brain, the researchers say, but offer a potential mechanism to explain why fitness correlates so closely with better cognitive performance on a variety of tasks.

“All we know is there is something different about higher and lower fit kids,” said University of Illinois kinesiology and community health professor Charles Hillman who led the research.

“Now whether that difference is caused by fitness or maybe some third variable that (affects) both fitness and language processing, we don’t know yet,” said Hillman.
The researchers used electroencephalography (EEG), placing an electrode cap on the scalp to capture some of the electrical impulses associated with brain activity.
The readouts from the electrodes look like seismic readings captured during an earthquake, and characteristic wave patterns are associated with different tasks.
These patterns are called “event-related potentials” (ERPs), and vary according to the person being evaluated and the nature of the stimulus, graduate student Mark Scudder said.

For example, if you hear or read a word in a sentence that makes sense, the component of the brain waveform known as the N400 is less pronounced than if you read a sentence in which the word no longer makes sense, Scudder said.
The researchers found that children who were more fit (as measured by oxygen uptake during exercise) had higher amplitude N400 and P600 waves than their less-fit peers when reading normal or nonsensical sentences.

The N400 also had shorter latency in children who were more fit, suggesting that they processed the same information more quickly than their peers.
Most importantly, the researchers said, these differences in brain activity corresponded to better reading performance and language comprehension in the children who were more fit.

“Previous reports have shown that greater N400 amplitude is seen in higher-ability readers,” Scudder said.

“Our study shows that the brain function of higher fit kids is different, in the sense that they appear to be able to better allocate resources in the brain towards aspects of cognition that support reading comprehension,” Hillman said.
The study was published in the journal Brain and Cognition.

Source: The Indian Express

Want gorgeous glow on skin? Eat and apply the right vitamins

Want gorgeous glow on

Are you eating all the right veggies and fruits but your face still lacks the luminescent glow? Believe it or not the skin care regime is missing some essential vitamins.

The aging signs can be reversed by the help of nutrients. Even if a balanced diet holds the key to a gorgeous skin , according to Mary Lupo, MD, clinical professor of dermatology, “the body delivers only a certain percentage of vitamins to your skin, no matter how much you ingest.” The diet does keep the skin superfine but it may not do the needful for the blemishes, under eye skin and facial marks. This means that we have to topically apply the vitamins in the skin to make it glow and look better.

Vitamin A- the age fighter

This is an important part of the night creams and OTC lotions. They contribute greatly to the removal of blemishes like brown spots and reduction of the wrinkles; they also help in smoothening the rough skin. They help in reducing age lines and thus make the person look younger. Make sure that you apply the cream at night as the sunlight works negatively on the vitamin and neutralize its action. The creams with retinoids may cause irritation and redness so apply in very little quantities, every alternate day in the beginning.

Vitamin B3 to reduce redness

The skin is protected by an outer barrier made up of fatty acids and ceramides. This helps the skin retain moisture and ward off substances that cause skin irritations. So if the skin is sensitive and prone to dryness then use Vitamin B3 creams for reducing skin redness and keeping the skin hydrated. It also helps in minimizing the dark spots if used in morning and night. Mixing a retinoid cream with niacinamide or Vitamin B3 provides great anti aging benefits.

Vitamin C- the all around vitamin that keeps age at bay

Skin care benefit is maximum from the creams that show a concentration of more than 5% of vitamin C and are stored in air tight containers. Vitamin C helps ward off the sagging skin by making it firm and also helps in treating brown spots. Discolorations and fine lines lighten up tremendously with the regular use of Vitamin C.

Moisturize the skin with Vitamin E

Generally all after sun products and the sunscreens contain this Vitamin and help the skin retain the hydration and also quell dryness. It helps neutralize the harmful and damaging free radicals keeping it less dry and inflamed. It’s best used before heading out to the sun and also after sun exposure. Vitamin E in the skin is destroyed by UV light or sun exposure so just pick the right cream and slather it on generously.

Vitamin K for brighter eyes

Brighten the under eye skin with creams containing Vitamin K. The capillaries below the eyes are very fragile and the blood in them sometimes leaks into the skin causing the dark eyes. The Vitamin helps in lighten the under eye skin by lightening the melanin. Generally the Vitamin K is complemented by the retinol, says Dr. Baumann, “the retinol may enhance K’s ability to penetrate skin and knock out darkness.”

Remember now it’s not only the greens that you gorge on, concentrate on the Vitamin applications for that extra glow.

Source: the med guru

14 Surprising Causes of Dehydration

dehydration

Your body is about 60% water. Lose even 1.5% of that H2O—the tipping point for mild dehydration—and your mood, energy levels, and cognitive function all drop, according to research from the University of Connecticut. And while there are obvious reasons you can end up dehydrated—a sunny day, exercise, or not drinking enough in general—other triggers are less obvious. Check out these 14 surprising causes of dehydration and how to prevent them.

Diabetes

People with diabetes—especially people who don’t yet realize they have it—are at increased risk for dehydration. When levels of sugar in the blood are too high, the body tries to get rid off the excess glucose through increased urine output, says Robert Kominiarek, DO, a board-certified family physician in Ohio. All of those extra trips to the bathroom can be dehydrating. If you’re diabetic and suffer from frequent thirst or urination, talk to your doctor about how you can work together to improve your blood sugar control. And if you’re experiencing excessive thirst along with these other type 2 diabetes symptoms, it’s time to pay a visit to your doctor.

Your period

Is it that time of the month? Drink an extra glass of water. Estrogen and progesterone influence your body’s hydration levels, and when the two are roller-coastering, like when you’re in the throes of PMS, you may need to increase your fluid intake to stay hydrated, Dr. Kominiarek says. What’s more, for some women who have excessively heavy periods, the amount of blood lost is enough to deplete fluid levels, says OB-GYN Marielena Guerra, MD, of Elite OB/GYN in Florida. If you think the latter might be you, start counting your tampons. If you have to change them more than once every two hours, talk to your gyno.

Prescription meds

Check your prescription’s list of side effects. Many medications act as diuretics, upping your urine output and your risk for dehydration, Dr. Kominiarek says. Blood pressure medications are a common example. Plus, any drug that lists diarrhea or vomiting as a potential side effect could end up causing dehydration if you experience those side effects. If your prescription hits any of the above, increase your fluid intake.

Low-carb diets

Carbohydrates are stored in your body right along with fluids. That’s why you drop a couple pounds of water weight when you eliminate carbs. That might look good on your scale, sure, but it’s bad news for your hydration levels, says dietitian Jaime Mass, RD. Plus, since whole carbs such as oatmeal, whole grain pasta, and brown rice all soak up water during the cooking process, eating them can actually increase your hydration levels. Cut them from your diet and you could be unwittingly reducing your fluid intake, too.

Stress

When you’re under stress, your adrenal glands pump out stress hormones. And if you’re constantly under pressure, eventually your adrenals become exhausted, causing an adrenal insufficiency, Dr. Kominiarek says. Problem is, the adrenals also produce the hormone aldosterone, which helps regulate your body’s levels of fluid and electrolytes. So as adrenal fatigue progresses, your body’s production of aldosterone drops, triggering dehydration and low electrolyte levels, he says. While increasing fluid intake can help in the short term, mediating your stressors is the only real long-term solution.

Irritable bowel syndrome

As if irritable bowel syndrome wasn’t terrible enough on its own, its symptoms (such as nausea and chronic diarrhea) can cause dehydration, Kominiarek says. What’s more, many people who suffer from this conditions place themselves on elimination diets to avoid what they believe may be trigger foods, Mass adds. If those diets nix any fluids or fluid-rich foods, they could end up further contributing to dehydration.

Your workout

We typically think of post-workout dehydration as a problem reserved for endurance athletes, but any time you break a sweat, be it an hour-long spin class or quick jog around the block, you’re losing water, Mass says. And, week after week, if you are sweating out more than you’re sipping, you could become dehydrated. Try this: Weigh yourself immediately before and after your workout. For every pound you’ve lost (the goal is not to!), drink 16 to 20 ounces of water, she suggests.

Pregnancy

Has your baby got you feeling bloated? Chances are your body is retaining water in an attempt to offset dehydration, Guerra says. During pregnancy, your overall blood volume and cardiac output increase, which can thereby increase your fluid requirements. What’s more, nausea and vomiting associated with morning sickness can also take their toll on hydration levels, she says. If you are suffering from morning sickness, don’t just accept it as a given. Talk to your doc about how to ease your symptoms.

Aging

As you age, your body’s ability to conserve water as well as its sensation for thirst declines, meaning it’s easier so become dehydrated and more difficult to tell when you’re fluids are low, says Mass. If you have trouble remembering to drink water throughout the day, try making a game of it. Keep a bottle of water near you at all times and, each day, keep a running total of how much you’ve consumed.

Dietary supplements

Just because it’s “natural” doesn’t mean is can’t send your bladder into overdrive. For example, parsley, celery seed, dandelion, and watercress have all been shown to increase urine output, which could potentially lead to dehydration, Mass says. If you are thinking about taking a dietary supplement—or are already taking one—it’s best to speak with a nutritionist, primary care doctor, or naturopathic physician about any potential side effects.

High altitudes

When you travel to high altitudes, your body acclimates by speeding up your breathing as well as increasing your urine output. While both are necessary to a healthy adjustment to the altitude and its oxygen levels, constantly peeing and panting—which causes you to exhale more water vapor than usual—can cause dehydration.

Drinking alcohol

Forget hangovers. Even a well-behaved happy hour could deplete your fluid levels. Why? Because drinking makes you go to the bathroom. Alcohol inhibits an antidiuretic hormone that would normally send some of the fluid you’re consuming back into the body, and instead sends it to your bladder. Meanwhile, thanks to the diuretic effect of alcohol, your cells shrink, pushing more water out to your bladder. All this lowers your body’s hydration levels, Mass explains. What’s more, since alcohol impairs your ability to sense the early signs of dehydration—such as thirst and fatigue—it’s easy to drink well past your dehydration point.

Eating too few fruits and vegetables

Filling half of your plate at each meal with produce can score you up to two extra cups of water a day. So, put another way, if you don’t eat your five-a-day, and don’t compensate (at least from a fluid perspective) by drinking extra water, you could easily wind up dehydrated.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is all about moving water—not to mention electrolytes, proteins, minerals, and other ingredients—from mom’s body to baby’s. So of course it can lower your hydration levels, Dr. Guerra says. If you start to have trouble producing, increase your fluids and talk to your doc. It may be a sign of serious dehydration.

Source: Time health land

10 Easy Ways to Slash Sugar from Your Diet

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You may not be eating Oreos by the roll or guzzling cans of Coke, but that doesn’t mean sugar’s absent from your diet. You’re likely eating sugar throughout the day without even realizing it, says Amari Thomsen, RD, owner of Chicago-based nutrition consulting practice Eat Chic Chicago. Sugar is added to foods that don’t even taste all that sweet, like breads, condiments, and sauces. And it adds up: although the American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar per day (or about 100 calories), most of us take in double that. (One note: we’re talking about added sugar, not the naturally occurring sugars found in dairy and fruit.) A high-sugar diet boosts your odds of tooth decay, heart disease, and diabetes, not to mention weight gain. Slash your sugar intake now with these 10 expert tips.

Learn sugar’s aliases

When you read food labels, you’ll need to look for more than just the word “sugar.” Sugar hides under several sneaky names, including high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose (or any word ending in “-ose”), brown rice syrup, honey, and maple syrup. These can be listed separately on ingredients lists, so many foods, even seemingly healthy ones like yogurt and cereal, may contain three or four different types of sweetener. If several sugars appear on the label, it’s an indication that the food is less healthy than you may think.

Buy unsweetened

Once you know where sugar hides, you can start making changes. One strategy: buy foods labeled “no added sugar” or “unsweetened.” You’ll find unsweetened versions of these common foods in most grocery stories: non-dairy milk like almond and soy, nut butters (look for those made with only nuts and salt), applesauce, oatmeal, and canned fruit (they should be packed in juice—not syrup).

Don’t go cold turkey

Going cold turkey on sugar isn’t realistic for most people. Thomsen suggests cutting back slowly. If you normally put two packets of sugar in your coffee, for instance, try one for a week, then half, and finally add only a splash of milk. For your yogurt, mix half a serving of sweetened yogurt with half a serving of plain, and eventually move on to adding natural sweetness with fresh fruit.

Think protein and fat

Unhealthy carbs loaded with sugar can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly (and dive just as quickly, leaving you hungry again). To minimize this rapid rise and fall, pair protein, healthy fats, and fiber with your meal, all of which can slow down the release of blood sugar in your body and keep you full for longer. (At breakfast, that means adding almonds to your usual oatmeal or pairing eggs with your morning toast, and for your midday snack, a slice of turkey breast or cheese along with your apple, suggests Thomsen.) Fats are a key player because they help keep you fuller for longer, thus helping to decrease your desire for sugar, adds Sanfilippo. Focus on fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and heart-healthy oils like olive oil, walnut oil, and coconut oil.

Never go fake

When you’re reducing your sugar intake, you may be tempted to switch to artificial sugars for your sweet fix. But resist reaching for the diet soda, sugar-free candy, and packets of fake sugar in your latte. “These can mess up your taste for sweet,” says Sanfilippo. “When you eat something sweet, your body expects calories and nutrition, but artificial sugars don’t give your body those things.” That may be why fake sugars are associated with weight gain—not loss, according to a 2010 review in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

Add more flavor

Sanfilippo loves using vanilla bean and vanilla extract, spices, and citrus zests to add sweetness to foods without having to use sugar—and for zero calories. Order an unsweetened latte and add flavor with cocoa or vanilla powder. Skip the flavored oatmeal and add a sweet kick with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. One bonus for sprinkling on the cinnamon: according to a meta-analysis in the Journal of Medicinal Food, the spice has been shown to naturally regulate blood sugar, which helps control your appetite.

Don’t drink it

Avoiding soda is a good idea, but that’s not the only sugar-packed drink out there. Even drinks that are considered healthy can contain more of the sweet stuff than you’re supposed to have in an entire day. Case in point: “enhanced” waters (eight teaspoons per bottle), bottled iced teas (more than nine teaspoons per bottle), energy drinks (almost seven teaspoons per can), bottled coffee drinks (eight teaspoons per bottle), and store-bought smoothies (more than a dozen teaspoons—for a small).

Enjoy dessert

You can still indulge in an occasional sweet treat after you resolve to slash sugar. The idea is to avoid wasting your daily sugar quota on non-dessert foods like cereals, ketchup, and bread. To avoid overdoing it, set specific rules about when you may enjoy dessert: only after dinner on the weekends or at restaurants as a special treat, Thomsen suggests.

Stick with it!

At first, cutting down on sugar can feel like an impossible task. Eventually, though, your taste buds will adjust. Super-sweet foods like ice cream and candy will start to taste too sweet. When you could have a whole slice of cake before, now a couple bites will be enough. You’ll notice the natural sweetness in fruits and vegetables—and yep, they’ll taste better, too.

Source: Time