Health A-Z

Yoga pose for a stronger orgasm — Dhanurasana

Dhanurasana literally translates to the ‘bow pose’. This asana helps strengthen the back and spine, opens up the chest and helps you breathe better. Apart from that it is known to strengthen and stimulate the abdominal organs, helps in relieveing menstrual pain and discomfort, helps the kidneys function better and strengthens the muscles of the arms and legs.

One of the most interesting benefits of this pose is that it stimulates the reporductive organs of a person and beats stress and fatigue.

Known to help in achieving a stronger orgasm this asana is also a great way to beat sexual diseases like premature ejaculation and disinterest in sex. Read about the top 10 yoga poses to beat premature ejaculation.

Steps to do this pose: Lie on your stomach with your feet hip-width apart and your arms by the side of your body. Fold your knees and hold your ankles. Breathing in, lift your chest off the ground and pull your legs up and back. Look straight ahead with a smile on your face. Keep the pose stable while paying attention to your breath. Continue to take long deep breaths as you relax in this pose. But don’t get carried away! Do not overdo the stretch. After 15 -20 seconds, as you exhale, gently bring your legs and chest to the ground. Release the ankles and relax.

Tip: Do not practice this pose if you have high or low blood pressure, hernia, neck injury, pain in the lower back, headache, migraine or a recent abdominal surgery or if you are pregnant.

Source: Health India

Useful safety tips for epilepsy patients

Safety in the home starts with your kitchen and your bathrooms. These are the places where, during and after any seizure, you can become confused and risk injury. Take these seizure precautions to decrease the chance of accidents.

Safeguard your kitchen

  • Use oven mitts and cook only on rear burners
  • If possible, use an electric stove, so there is no open flame
  • Cooking in a microwave is the safest option
  • Ask your plumber to install a heat-control device in your faucet so the water doesn’t become too hot
  • Carpet the kitchen floor. This can provide cushioning if you fall
  • Use plastic containers rather than glass when possible

Safeguard your bathroom

  • Install a device in your tub and showerhead that controls temperature. This keeps you from burning yourself if a seizure occurs
  • Carpet the floor—it’s softer and less slippery than tile
  • Do not put a lock on the bathroom door. If you have one, never use it. Someone should always be able to get in if you need help
  • Learn to bathe with only a few inches of water in the tub, or use a handheld showerhead
  • Planning ahead for safety outside the home

Driving.

For many people with epilepsy, the risk of seizures restricts their independence, in particular the ability to drive. The Epilepsy Foundation offers a state-by-state database of driving restrictions and regulations on its website. Find out more about driving and epilepsy.
Participating in activities.

You can play sports with epilepsy, but it’s a good idea to have someone with you who knows how to manage a seizure. Wearing head protection is also recommended when you participate in a contact sport that might cause you to fall or hit your head.

Here are some tips for picking the right physical activities when you are living with epilepsy:

  • If seizures usually occur at a certain time, plan activities when seizures are less likely to happen
  • Avoid extreme heat when exercising and keep hydrated with plenty of water to reduce seizure risks
  • Check with your neurologist before starting any new exercise program

Some activities may be restricted if you have uncontrolled seizures, including:

  • Swimming alone
  • Climbing to unsafe heights
  • Riding a bike in traffic

Source: VIMPAT

Obesity during pregnancy could lead to long-term cardiovascular morbidity

A new study has revealed that obesity during pregnancy is an independent risk factor for long-term cardiovascular morbidity, and these complications tend to occur at a younger age.

Researchers concluded that obese pregnant patients might benefit from cardiovascular risk screening that could lead to early detection and secondary prevention of cardiovascular morbidity.

Researchers evaluated data from pregnant women who delivered between 1988 and 1999, and were followed-up retrospectively until 2010. Long-term cardiovascular morbidity was compared among women with and without obesity in pregnancy.

Cardiovascular morbidity was divided into four categories including simple and complex cardiovascular events and invasive and non-invasive cardiac procedures.

During the period of study, 46,688 women who delivered were recruited, and of that number, 1221 were found to suffer from obesity. Ten years later, these patients had higher rates of simple cardiovascular events, non-invasive diagnostic procedures, and total number of cardiovascular-related hospitalizations.

The data recovered not only indicates an association between obesity in pregnancy and future risk for cardiovascular morbidity, but also reveals the effect of obesity in pregnancy on earlier occurrence of cardiovascular morbidity.

Dr. Shimrit Yaniv Salem, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer sheva, Israel, said, “These results are of major importance to the obstetricians counseling a patient regarding future risk for cardiovascular complications. It is important for secondary prevention, early detection, and specific screening programs for this population.”

The study will be presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting in New Orleans.

Source: sify

5 superfoods for a healthy skin

Today’s busy lifestyle schedules might leave you with a dull face that lacks lustre. In such a condition, diet plays a very important role as there are no short cuts to attain a healthy and glowing skin naturally.

Here are a few foods that you should eat for a clear, healthy and glowing skin.

Salmon: Salmon is a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids that protect the skin from sun exposure thereby providing radiance and glow to the skin.

Yoghurt: Yoghurt is a natural source of probiotic and excellent food for your face as it is effective in treating acne, eczema, dandruff and other problems to some extent.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes basically have an anti-ageing affect on our body as they contain antioxidant lycopene which is easily absorbed by our body thereby leaving you with a healthy skin and hair.

Green Tea: Green tea as we all know contains a good amount of antioxidants which when gets absorbed in the body, leaves you with that healthy glow.

Kiwis: Kiwis are a rich source of Vitamin C which help main a firm skin thereby keeping wrinkles at bay, This wonder fruit to contains antioxidants that keeps the skin healthy.

Source: Zee news

Ghost white baby’ born without most of her blood

Hope Juarez’s first name is an appropriate one: The 6-week-old is only the second known “ghost white baby” born in recent years to actually survive. She’s so described because she was born with almost no blood, giving her a very white appearance.

The medical miracle, which began three weeks before 27-year-old Jennifer Juarez’s due date, when she realized the regular kicking she’d been feeling had ceased.

She went to her midwife, who asked the Fountain Valley, Calif., woman what her gut feeling was. “Something’s not right,” Juarez replied. And it wasn’t. While some fetal blood loss happens in all but 2 percent of pregnancies, Hope had suffered a fetal-maternal hemorrhage, and doctors estimate she lost around 80 percent of her blood.

An emergency C-section allowed Hope to get a life-saving blood transfusion. Why fetal-maternal hemorrhages occur remains largely a mystery; “a lot of it just happens spontaneously,” says a neonatologist at Kaiser Permanente, Irvine Medical Center, where Hope was born.

What is clear is that Juarez’s quick reaction saved her daughter’s life; doctors say Hope could have died had she spent just a few more hours in the womb.

on 2012 a 6-month-old who was the other baby to recently survive a similar complication. Olivia Bearman’s mother also noticed the baby had stopped kicking.

After birth it was discovered the child had “lost blood directly into her mum’s blood circulation,” explains a neonatal nurse.

Source: Fox news

Challenge at Work May Ease Adults’ Autism Symptoms

For adults with autism, having the chance to work somewhat independently may lead to a reduction in symptoms of the disorder, a new study suggests.

The research puts new emphasis on the potential for adults with autism to develop and improve over their lifetimes, said study author Julie Lounds Taylor, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville.

“We have assumed it’s really hard to budge autism symptoms in adulthood. Drugs are targeted to problems like acting out, for example,” she said. “But this study suggests that these adults need a place where they’re intellectually stimulated, and then we’ll see a reduction in symptoms.”

The challenge is to find the right fit between a person’s abilities and interests and a specific job, she explained.

“How independent can they be and what are the risks of failure? We have to be careful. You’re talking about a huge range of people with autism,” Taylor said. “I’ve seen people who can manage pretty high-level jobs, like computer programming or being in the military, while others have more [mental] challenges, but can still work a job in the community with support.”

Autism spectrum disorders are a class of neurodevelopmental disorders defined by difficulties with social functioning and communication, according to the researchers. Symptoms include restricted interests, repetitive behaviors and difficulty with social interactions.

The study findings were reported online recently in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Increasing the level of independence in adults with autism isn’t necessarily difficult to do, Taylor said. “We found behavior changes any time you could bump [them] up to doing something a little more independent,” she said. “As they get more independent, you see more benefit.”

Yet understanding what makes a good fit is a huge challenge, she said. “Insight is one of the characteristics people with autism typically may not have, so we will probably need the person’s perspective and then gather information from families, looking at what’s available, and incorporating all of that together,” Taylor explained.

About 50 percent of adults with autism spend their time in sheltered settings, and a minority work in the community, according to Taylor. Most have trouble holding steady jobs, she added.

For the study, the researchers tracked the behavioral development and activities of 153 people with autism spectrum disorder over a five-year period. Their average age was about 30.

The data came from a larger study conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which followed 400 families with adolescents with autism over 10 years. Data were collected at two different points in time almost six years apart. Data came from the primary caregiver — 150 were mothers and three were fathers.

The researchers found that having greater vocational independence and engagement was related to reduction in autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors. It was also associated with improvements in daily life activities.

An expert in autism spectrum disorders who was not involved in the study said the results were not surprising.

“This study suggests that, as with nondisabled individuals, a more positive work experience can have many important associated benefits downstream,” said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, in New Hyde Park.

If the research can be replicated, Adesman said it suggests greater emphasis needs to be given to helping adults with autism spectrum disorder find as independent and engaging a work environment as possible.

Taylor said the key point for parents of adults with autism spectrum disorder is to understand the value of getting the best possible vocational placement for their son or daughter and advocating for it.

“If it’s a terrible fit, in ability or in what interests them, it won’t work out,” she said. “But a job can have lasting behavioral impact across the lifespan.”

Source: Web md

Will seeing red help you lose weight?

Previously, scientists found diners at a pasta buffet heaped the marinara on if they used white plates, but took smaller helpings if their plates were red. They did the opposite when the pasta had a white sauce. So researchers thought the key to eating less might be sharp color contrasts.

But the new study, published in the journal Appetite this month, indicates it’s not contrast, but one specific color — red — that causes people to cut back on what they consume. The research tested how much food or hand cream people used when the product was placed on a red, white or blue plate.

“We wanted to find out if the effect was limited to eating or generalized to other types of consumption. The cream was a convenient way to evaluate another sensory system — touch, rather than taste,” said study author Nicola Bruno, cognitive psychology researcher at the University of Parma, Italy.

The study
In the new study, volunteers rated the saltiness of popcorn, nuttiness of chocolate and stickiness of hand cream.

Each person received a pre-measured sample of a product on a plate that was one of three colors — red, white or blue. The volunteers munched and moisturized as much as they liked while they filled out their answers. Of the 240 participants, 90 taste-tested popcorn, and 75 each sampled the chocolate chips and hand cream.

Each survey also included a question to check how much testers liked the product, since this may have triggered them to eat or use more. After the experiments, researchers measured how much the testers had consumed.

The authors also measured differences in the color intensity and contrasts of foods, cream and plates. Data in hand, they tested whether differences in people’s consumption correlated with differences in color contrast.

Results
On average, people ate less popcorn and chocolate when they were served on red plates compared to blue or white plates.

Not surprisingly, self-reported popcorn fans ate more than those who expressed no preference for it on the survey. However, these people consumed more kernels independent of plate color. When researchers corrected for people’s preferences in their statistical analysis, eating off red plates was still associated with lower consumption.
Use of the moisturizing cream followed a similar trend. When testing hand cream on red plates, people used about half as much, on average, compared to cream on blue or white plates.

Contrast had little to do with these results, said Bruno. Though dark chocolate on a red plate offered less contrast than pale colored popcorn or cream, people still took fewer chocolate chips.

“I expected to find the results related to differences in color intensity, but they did not. It’s really related to the color red compared to the food and cream colors,” he said.

Limitations
The study supports the idea that the color red reduces consumption, according to Oliver Genschow, who studies consumer psychology at the University of Mannheim.
But don’t run out and buy those red plates as a holiday gift just yet. In all the research so far, participants were unaware of the real reason for the tests, implying an unconscious process may be at work.

“We don’t know what will happen if people are conscious of their plate’s color. Maybe it won’t work anymore,” Genschow said.

He says color may be an additional factor to consider when treating patients with certain eating disorders, but it’s premature to suggest everyone trying to lose weight should simply switch to red plates.

Source: cnn news

Home remedies for bad breath

Bad breath, also called halitosis, can be avoided. Maintaining good oral health is essential to reducing bad breath, as bacteria that builds up on the back of your tongue or in between your teeth is the main culprit. Bad breath can be caused by foods, smoking, dry mouth, medical conditions, gum disease, and sinus conditions. No wonder dental hygiene is such big business.

If your halitosis hangs on for more than 24 hours without an obvious cause, call your dentist or doctor, says Roger P. Levin, D.D.S. It can be a sign of gum disease, gastrointestinal problems, sinus infection, bronchitis, or even more serious diseases, such as diabetes, liver or kidney failure, and cancer. Bad breath can also be a sign of dehydration or zinc deficiency.

Spices
Other herbs and spices in your kitchen are natural breath enhancers. Carry a tiny plastic bag of cloves, fennel, or anise seeds to chew after odorous meals.

Brush your tongue
“Most people overlook their tongues,” says Dr. Shapira. “Your tongue is covered with little hairlike projections, which under a microscope look like a forest of mushrooms. Under the caps of the ‘mushrooms,’ there’s room to harbor plaque and some of the things we eat. That causes bad breath.”

His advice? While brushing, gently sweep the top of your tongue, too, so that you don’t leave food and bacteria behind to breed bad breath.

Even when you can’t brush, you can rinse. Take a sip of water after meals, swish it around, and wash the smell of food from your mouth, says Jerry F. Taintor, D.D.S.

Eat your parsley
Parsley adds more than green to your lunch plate; it’s also a breath-saver, because it contains chlorophyll, a known breath deodorizer. So pick up that sprig garnishing your plate and chew it thoroughly. Or toss a few handfuls (even add some watercress to the mix) in a juicer. Sip the juice anytime you need to refresh your breath.

Ease up on cheese
Camembert, Roquefort, and blue cheese are called strong for good reason—they get a hold on your breath and don’t let go. Other dairy products may have the same effect

Avoid beverages
Coffee, beer, wine, and whiskey are at the top of the list of liquid offenders. Each leaves a residue that can attach to the plaque in your mouth and infiltrate your digestive system. Each breath you take spews traces back into the air.

Source: nbc news

Signs that say you are labour ready

Everyone worries about whether they will know they are in labour. If this is your first baby, it’s easy to think ‘this is it,’ only to find you are just getting ready for the birth. Here’s some tips to help you recognise early labour signs.

Early Signs of Labour

In the week or so before labour you may notice:
An increase in vaginal discharge.
The appearance of the ‘show’, the jelly like plug of mucus that seals the cervix during pregnancy.
A need to get things finished and ready – the so-called ‘nesting instinct’.
Feeling quite emotional; crying for no real reason as your hormones get to you.
A sense that you don’t want to be far from home.
A mild dose of diarrhoea. This is Nature’s way of clearing out your lower bowel before labour begins.
Braxton Hicks contractions that feel like tightening or period pains. Find out more about Braxton Hicks.

Signs of Labour

The ‘show’ (if it has not come away earlier).
The waters breaking, either in a gush or a gradual trickle.
Low back pain as the baby settles well down, which may turn into…
Regular contractions that could feel like period pains or tightening pains across your bump. Find out more about contractions.

Labour Signs: Have my waters broken?

Your unborn baby floats in amniotic fluid, a straw-coloured liquid, mainly consisting of water. Labour begins, for some women, with the waters breaking.

If the waters go with a gush, contact your midwife or hospital. You may be asked to go into hospital so that they can check that the baby is well. It will help your midwife if you can remember when the waters broke, roughly how much fluid there was (an egg cup full, a coffee cup full?) and what colour it was. Amniotic fluid is usually pale. If it is green or has black bits in it, this may show that the baby is, or has been, in distress.

If the waters trickle out, it can be hard to decide if they have gone. Put a sanitary pad on and, if it is wet after an hour, it’s probably the waters leaking. Smell the pad; urine smells, amniotic fluid doesn’t. If you are still not sure, contact your midwife or the hospital. Your midwife can do a vaginal examination and test the fluid.

Source: bounty

 

Are you tea or coffee addict? Check for caffeine use disorder

If you can’t live without your cup of coffee early morning or that tea to prevent the after-lunch slump, you may be suffering from caffeine use disorder.

Researchers at American University in Washington, DC, indicate that more people are dependent on caffeine to the point that they suffer withdrawal symptoms.

“They are unable to reduce caffeine consumption even if they have another condition that may be impacted by caffeine – such as a pregnancy, a heart condition or a bleeding disorder,” said psychology professor Laura Juliano at American University.

The negative effects of caffeine are often not recognised as such because its consumption is socially acceptable and is well integrated into our customs and routines.

“While many people can consume caffeine without harm, for some it produces negative effects, physical dependence, interferes with daily functioning, and can be difficult to give up, which are signs of problematic use,” Juliano added.

The study, published in the Journal of Caffeine Research, shows how widespread the caffeine dependence is and the significant physical and psychological symptoms experienced by habitual caffeine users.

Caffeine is found in everything from coffee, tea and soda to OTC pain relievers, chocolate, and now a whole host of food and beverage products branded with some form of the word ‘energy’.

“Genetics research may help us to better understand the effects of caffeine on health and pregnancy as well as individual differences in caffeine consumption and sensitivity,” Juliano contended.

Based on current research, Juliano advises that healthy adults should limit caffeine consumption to no more than two to three cups.

Pregnant women and people who regularly experience anxiety or insomnia – as well as those with high blood pressure, heart problems, or urinary incontinence – should also limit caffeine.

Source: khaleej times