Do you suffer from the most common eating disorder?

Do you suffer from the most common eating disorder

Have you ever done that thing with food? You know, that thing where you’ve been dieting all day, and you’ve been doing awesome… not one carb, drinking nothing but water with lemon squeezed in, even power walking on your lunch break… and then comes the night

You’re ready to go to sleep. You’ve had an awesome day, you stayed on your diet all day long. The only problem is you can’t sleep. You lay there listening to your stomach grumble, feeling tired, very, very tired. But you’re also wired and your eyes are wide open. You’re staring at the ceiling, obsessing about food and trying really hard not to get out of bed. Finally you get up and go to the fridge. Just a slice of turkey will kick this. Maybe a bite of cereal. Maybe a bowl of cereal. Maybe another bowl of cereal. Maybe the rest of the pint of ice cream. Maybe a peanut butter sandwich or two. And this all happened in front of an open refrigerator in just under 30 minutes. Been there? Been there a lot? If so, you might be dealing with Binge Eating Disorder.

Binge Eating Disorder is the most common eating disorder, affecting 5.5 percent of the adult population. So, if you are doing this, you are not alone. You feel alone because you do these behaviors in secrecy, but so are millions of other people. When you suffer from binge eating and emotional eating attacks, food is your drug. You try to stop using by going on diets, but inevitably you wind up back on the streets… or in the Oreos.

But there is hope and it is totally possible to be free from this. Here are some tips to break free from binge eating, stress eating, compulsive eating and emotional eating.

1. Stop dieting right this instant

Diets give you a false sense of control. You’re feeling bad about yourself and you vow to go on a diet. The diet makes you feel as though you have some control but inevitably you don’t. Every time you go on a diet, you set yourself up for bingeing. The 20-billion-dollar weight-loss industry thrives when you mess up your diet and sign up for a new one. Instead, vow to leave the industry behind and get off the hamster wheel of bingeing and dieting.

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2. Learn intuitive eating

It’s a little more complex than “eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full.” Someone who has been a chronic dieter doesn’t quite know when they are hungry because they have fought to push their hunger away for so long. The best thing to do is to is to start just by paying attention to what is going on in your body. Remember that your body is constantly looking for a fuel source to run on. When it is digesting food, it has fuel. When you are no longer digesting, you are hungry and you need fuel; you are running on empty. Take a few moments out of your day, several times a day, to check in with your body and notice how it’s feeling. When you begin to feel empty in your belly, but before you get to the point of really having your fuel light on, check in with your body and ask it what it needs. Just close your eyes, put your hand over your heart, let your mind sync up with your heartbeat and ask “what do I need?”; your body will tell you.

3. Let go of black-and-white thinking

Chronic dieters tend to have an all-or-nothing approach to food. They talk about “good” days and “bad” days. Like if you were to have a day where you ate ice cream or cookies it would be a bad day, if you had a day where you ate salads and drank water, it would be a good day. Food does not hold a moral value. A cookie doesn’t make you a bad person and a salad doesn’t make you a good person. When a chronic dieter goes off her diet by eating a couple of cookies, it can make her feel like, “Oh well, the whole day is ruined, I might as well finish off the bag now.” When you feel as though you’ve behaved in an unhelpful way with food (unintentionally eating an entire box of cookies), rather than spending the rest of the day bingeing ask yourself, “what’s the next right thing that I can do?” It might be going out and taking a walk, it might be brushing your teeth, it might be calling a friend or making your bed. Rather than making it worse for yourself, make it better. Do the next right thing. Get right back on your bicycle and ride rather than spending the rest of the day laying on the ground.

4. Find support

Talk to a therapist who specializes in treating eating disorders, or find other people who are dealing with the same thing that you are. You can search for a binge eating support group either online or in person. You can do a 12-step group or go to ANAD to find free in-person groups. Because Binge Eating Disorder thrives in isolation, it suffocates when the light is shined on it.

5. Keep binge food out of your home

When you are beginning the process of letting go of binge eating, it is best to take the binge foods out of your house. Make your house a safe zone for a little while. If you were recovering from cocaine addiction, you wouldn’t keep cocaine in your cupboards. It’s the same thing. It’s okay to clear out your home to make it a more hospitable environment for your recovery. It’s not forever, it’s just until you are feeling stronger and more settled in your recovery.

6. Be gentle with yourself

This is a process. The dieting mentality will have you believe that you can lose 10 pounds in two weeks. It thrives on a quick-fix mentality. But let yourself take this process slowly and learn from it. You can recover and you can get through this. Just allow it to take time, and be kind to yourself. Food and diets have been your coping mechanism up to this point. Now it’s time for you to integrate loving kindness as a coping mechanism.

Source: sheknows

Climate change may increase risk of kidney stones: study

Climate change may increase risk of kidney stones

A warming planet is likely to bring more hot days, more sweaty people and more dehydration — a key risk factor for a surge in kidney stones, researchers say.

Already, the study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found a link between hot days and kidney stones in 60,000 patients whose medical records were studied in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia.

“We found that as daily temperatures rise, there is a rapid increase in the probability of patients presenting over the next 20 days with kidney stones,” said lead author Gregory Tasian, a pediatric urologist and epidemiologist at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

As average daily temperatures climbed above 10 degrees Celsius, the risk of kidney stone presentation increased in all the cities except Los Angeles. When comparing daily average temperatures of 10 to 30 degrees Celsius, researchers found the higher temperatures were associated with a 38 per cent higher risk of kidney stone in Atlanta and a 37 per cent higher risk in Chicago.

Similarly, the risk in Dallas was 37 per cent higher and in Philadelphia it was 47 per cent higher. Los Angeles saw a smaller increased risk of 11 per cent on hotter days.

Kidney stones were most common within three days of a hot spell. Researchers also found that very cold weather in Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia was associated with a rise in kidney stones, perhaps because people were inside and restricting their physical activity more than usual. Kidney stones are caused when substances in the urine, such as calcium and phosphorus, become highly concentrated. Failing to drink enough fluids can exacerbate the problem.

About 10 per cent of the U.S. population is believed to suffer from kidney stones. They are more common in men than women.

“These findings point to potential public health effects associated with global climate change,” said Tasian.
With worldwide temperatures already regularly higher in recent years than the 20th century average, and more warming expected in years to come, Tasian said experts believe that kidney stones may become more common.

“Kidney stone prevalence has already been on the rise over the last 30 years, and we can expect this trend to continue, both in greater numbers and over a broader geographic area, as daily temperatures increase,” said Tasian.

Source: ctv news

Top 8 health benefits of drumsticks

Top 8 health benefits of drumsticks

Drumsticks are obtained from the Moringa oleifera plant and are well-known for their myriad therapeutic qualities. Called as shajan in Hindi, this green vegetable is loaded with valuable minerals, healthy proteins and essential minerals. A must-have ingredient in sambar, one can harness the health benefits of drumstick by cooking it with other vegetables, lentils (dals) or as juice or soup. Here are the top eight reasons why you should include drumsticks in your diet.

It builds strong bones

Drumsticks contain high amounts of calcium, iron and vitamins that help in strengthening bones. When consumed either in the form of a juice or with milk on a regular basis, it is found to raise the bone density and enhance bone health in kids. Read more about 7 surprising foods for healthy bones.

It purifies blood

The leaves and pods of this green vegetable posses blood purifying properties and it also acts as a potent antibiotic agent. The regular consumption of drumsticks, either in the form of soups or juices, reduces acne and other related skin problems.

It lowers blood sugar levels

Drumstick leaves significantly reduce the blood glucose levels in the body and help in controlling diabetes. It is also found to enhance gall bladder function, which in turn helps to lower sugar levels, helping you live a healthier life

It eases respiratory problems

In case you suffer from a sore throat, a cough or congestion, drink a cup of drumstick soup as its anti-inflammatory properties help in relieving a wide range of respiratory complications. It acts as an effective natural remedy to fight against lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and tuberculosis.

It is good for pregnant women

It is recommended that women should eat drumsticks during pregnancy as it helps in delivery and also eases pre and post delivery complications. The presence of essential vitamins and minerals in this vegetable reduces the sluggishness of the uterus along with boosting the milk production after delivery.

It protects against infections

The leaves and flowers of drumstick contain antibacterial agents that help in preventing a wide range of infections related to the throat and skin. It also contains high levels of vitamin C which boosts the immune activity and helps in eliminating the harmful free radicals from the body.

It helps in digestion

Drumstick leaves and pods are loaded with B complex vitamins (such as niacin, riboflavin, folic acid and pyridoxine), which are said to play a vital role in digestion. These vitamins regulate the digestive process by helping in the breakdown of complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats into their simpler forms

It enhances sexual health

The presence of good amounts of zinc in drumsticks is found to enhance the process of spermatogenesis along with playing a key role in female sterility. The bark of this plant is found to contain certain compounds that help in curing impotency, premature ejaculation and thinness of semen.
Source: the health site

5 healthy habits that regulate your appetite

5 healthy habits that regulate your appetite

Have you ever found yourself hungrier after working out, and then “ate back” more calories than you burned exercising? It’s a common phenomenon, and the trick to breaking the cycle may just be choosing ways of being active that feel like fun. In a recent Cornell University study, researchers asked two groups of adults to take a two kilometer walk before lunch or a snack. Those who were told they had been on an exercise walk wound up eating 35 percent more chocolate pudding for dessert at lunch and 124 percent more MMs at snack time than those who were told they had been on a fun, scenic walk.

Other research shows that intense exercise—sweat sessions that are perceived as work—can lead to eating more overall. In other words, a “no pain, no gain” mentality may wind up wreaking havoc with your appetite. If you’re in a similar boat, try mixing things up. Trade grueling workouts for activities that get your heart rate up but seem like play. Think dancing, hiking, roller skating, and swimming. Many of my clients find that even if they burn fewer calories, engaging in recreational activities often helps them lose more weight, because they don’t experience rebound hunger spikes.

Get enough sleep

Catching too few ZZZs is notorious for not only ramping up hunger, but also increasing cravings for junk food. One study from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that too little sleep triggered excessive eating and weight gain, and getting more sleep slashed the consumption of carbs and fat, leading to weight loss. Another from the University of Chicago found that getting 4.5 hours of sleep (rather than 8.5) ups hunger and appetite, especially in the early afternoon.

In addition to causing appetite craziness, sleep deprivation has been tied to a number of health problems, including weakened immunity, and a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, depression, and heart disease. For these reasons, in my opinion, making sleep a priority may even be more important than exercise for weight loss. If you’re falling short like most people, read up on ways to improve your slumber.

Drink more water

Research backs what I find to be true for myself and my clients: drinking plenty of water can help manage appetite. One study found that people who drink about seven cups of water per day eat nearly 200 fewer daily calories compared to those who gulp less than one glass. Another found that when adults drank two cups of water right before meals, they ate 75 to 90 fewer calories. A second study by the same researchers showed that when two groups of people followed the same calorie-limited diet for 12 weeks, those who downed two cups of water before meals lost about 15.5 pounds compared to about 11 pounds for the water-free bunch.

Finally, a German study showed that a 16-ounce dose of water resulted in a 30 percent increase in metabolic rate within 10 minutes. The effect peaked 30 to 40 minutes after consumption, but was sustained for more than an hour. To take advantage of the benefits, drink about 16 ounces of H2O four times a day. If you dislike the taste of plain water, spruce it up with wedges of lemon or lime, fresh mint leaves, cucumber slices, fresh grated ginger, or a bit of mashed fruit.

Eat on a schedule
Your body loves consistency, which is why in my own personal experience, as well as my clients’, eating at the same times every day can go a long way in regulating appetite. Try eating breakfast within one hour of waking up and spacing your remaining meals about three to five hours apart. In addition to consistent meal times, strive for a steady meal structure in terms of the foods and proportions you include.

For example, I recommend always including: produce, lean protein, plant-based fat (like avocado), and a small portion of a healthy starch. I’ve seen that mixing up the foods you choose within these categories, while keeping the types and quantities comparable, can have a huge impact on regulating hunger, supporting sustained energy, and creating a predictable return of hunger, almost like clockwork. In other words, when your meals are all over the place, it’s much easier to feel hungry all the time or confuse true hunger with boredom or other emotions.

Learn how to deal with stress

For most of my clients, stress is the number one eating trigger. And research backs the old adage: “stressed is desserts spelled backwards.” One recent animal study found that female monkeys chronically exposed to stress overate calorie-rich foods, unlike their calm counterparts. They also ate more throughout the day and evening, while the chilled-out chimps naturally restricted their noshing to daytime hours only. This behavior parallels what I see in so many people, and until they find effective ways to reduce stress, emotional eating is a difficult pattern to break.

The best place to start: stop beating yourself up. Instead of berating yourself for not having enough willpower, acknowledge that when your stress hormones are surging, you’re programmed to reach for chips or chocolate. Speak kindly to yourself, and shift your energy toward testing out positive ways to cope, like listening to guided meditation, venting to a friend, spending time outdoors, reading, stretching, drawing, or whatever gives you a mini-vacation from the intensity of your emotions. That strategy, rather than “dieting,” is a much better way to set yourself up for successful weight control and better overall health.

Source: health medicine metwork

Morning Sickness Relief: Eating With Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is the nauseated feeling you experience in your first trimester. It usually starts out in the morning and wears off as you become active throughout your day. This is a good place to start when looking for morning sickness relief. Not all morning sickness remedies will work for you, but these are just a few remedies and comforts that have helped other women get through their days

In the Morning:

Allow yourself plenty of time to get out of bed. If you usually get up at 6:00 a.m. set your alarm for 5:00 a.m. It is a good idea to keep a stash of crackers or dry cereal by your bed, so you can put something in your stomach as soon as you wake up. Get out of bed slowly as you start your day.

During the Day:

Eat small meals throughout the day to avoid getting too full or too hungry. Progesterone slows the speed of food passing through your digestive tract. To further prevent your stomach from getting too full or too empty, you should drink fluids a 1/2 hour before or after a meal, but not with your meals. But DO drink fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration.

Get plenty of rest when you can. This is especially important if you have to get up early in the morning. But DON’T take a nap right after a meal. This can cause nausea to be worse.

Avoid foods or smells that make your nausea worse, and avoid being in warm places, which can increase your nausea.

In the Evening:

For dinner avoid spicy, greasy foods. Prepare things that are bland and do not have a strong odor. You may have to avoid cooking for the first trimester.

Most importantly, go to bed early! You need your rest to have the energy to get up early and do it all over again. If you happen to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, try to eat something from your bedside stash!

Morning Sickness Relief: Suggested Meals

  • Cold foods (sandwiches, raw vegetables, salad when properly prepared to prevent listeria)
  • Bland foods (chicken soup, broth, plain baked potato)
  • Plain vegetables or fruits
  • Keep meals small, but eat as frequently as you need

Morning Sickness Relief: Suggested Snacks To Eat

  • Lemons (eat them, suck on them, sniff them)
  • Ginger (ginger ale soda, ginger tea, ginger jam on toast, ginger snaps)
  • Peppermint tea
  • Crackers
  • Jell-O
  • Flavored popsicles
  • Pretzels

Morning Sickness Relief: Treatments & Supplements

Preggie Pops: flavored lollipops in flavors known to reduce nausea. (Available flavors include: ginger, mint, lavender, sour raspberry, sour lemon, and sour tangerine)

A natural way to ease nausea

  • Drug free and doctor recommended
  • Great for labor
  • Alleviates dry mouth
  • Quick energy boost
  • Sea Bands: wristbands that use acupressure pulse points to fight nausea.

For all forms of nausea – including morning sickness
No drugs, no side effects
Used by doctors and hospitals
The only clinically tested wristband
One size fits all
Relief Band Device: device that can be worn continuously for relief of mild to moderate nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy.

Vitamin B6: Taking Vitamin B6 (50 mg) daily has been shown to help with pregnancy-induced nausea.

Talk with your health care provider about any supplements and treatments for morning sickness. If morning sickness is so severe that you are constantly throwing up and not keeping anything down, consult with your health care provider about the possibility of having hyperemesis gravidarum.

Source: American Pregnancy

Getting too little sun could be risky, study says

Getting too little sun could be risky

Getting too much sun can lead to skin cancer. But getting too little sun also can be risky, especially in regions with limited sunshine, a study suggests.

Women who avoided the sun were twice as likely to die from any cause, including skin cancer, as those who had the greatest sun exposure, according to a report in the July issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine. Exposure to sunlight is the main source of vitamin D. Deficiencies in the vitamin have been linked to cardiovascular deaths and more aggressive skin cancers, the researchers said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun and wearing sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15. The study, conducted in Sweden, suggests sun-exposure guidelines may be too restrictive in northern latitudes.

From 1990 to 1992, sun exposure was assessed in close to 30,000 Swedish women ages 25 to 64. Subjects reported on questionnaires how often they sunbathed, their use of tanning beds, and if they traveled to other regions to swim and sunbathe. Sun exposure was scored from 0 (avoiding sun) to 4 (highest exposure). Other factors, such as a history of malignant melanoma and red hair, a risk factor for melanoma, were recorded.

Melanomas and deaths were subsequently tracked through national registries until 2011. There were 267 cases of melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, and just over 2,500 deaths from all causes during the study period.

Source: Fox news

Advanced Standing Nursing Program (ASN): Admissions Open

asn

Texila American University has a continuing commitment to assist the registered nurses in attaining the baccalaureate degree. All RN students will have the opportunity to receive advanced placement credit upon completion of specific courses.

Salient Features of the Program

  • This program is also called the RN- BSN Conversion program.
  • This is for those nurses who are already registered nurses, but would like to further their knowledge and upgrade themselves with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
  • Students will be provided training for CGFNS Exams.
  • CGFNS protects the public by ensuring that nurses and other health care professionals educated in countries other than the United States are eligible and qualified to meet licensure, immigration and other practice requirements in the United States.
  • TAU provides training to students for NCLEX exams- this is in built with the Curriculum.
  • NCLEX exams is conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing [ NCSBN].

Eligibility

  • Nurses with Registered Nursing Certification.
  • Completed a 3-year diploma in Nursing.
  • Completion of the Associate of Bachelors in Nursing.

Duration of the Program: 2 Years.

For more details register here: http://www.tauedu.org/texila-connect/signup.html

Watch our Nursing Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TuC3B1pvAg

Daily fish oil boosts memory function in older adults

Daily fish oil boosts memory function in older adults

Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center have found positive associations between fish oil supplements and cognitive functioning as well as differences in brain structure between users and non-users of fish oil supplements. The findings suggest possible benefits of fish oil supplements on brain health and aging.

The results were reported at the recent International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease, in Paris, France.

The study was led by Lori Daiello, PharmD, a research scientist at the Rhode Island Hospital Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center. Data for the analyses was obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a large multi-center, NIH-funded study that followed older adults with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s Disease for over three years with periodic memory testing and brain MRIs.

The study included 819 individuals, 117 of whom reported regular use of fish oil supplements before entry and during study follow-up. The researchers compared cognitive functioning and brain atrophy for patients who reported routinely using these supplements to those who were not using fish oil supplements.

Daiello reports that compared to non-users, use of fish oil supplements was associated with better cognitive functioning during the study. However, this association was significant only in those individuals who had a normal baseline cognitive function and in individuals who tested negative for a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease known as APOE4. This is consistent with previous research.

The unique finding, however, is that there was a clear association between fish oil supplements and brain volume. Consistent with the cognitive outcomes, these observations were significant only for those who were APOE4 negative.
Daiello says, “In the imaging analyses for the entire study population, we found a significant positive association between fish oil supplement use and average brain volumes in two critical areas utilized in memory and thinking (cerebral cortex and hippocampus), as well as smaller brain ventricular volumes compared to non-users at any given time in the study. In other words, fish oil use was associated with less brain shrinkage in patients taking these supplements during the ADNI study compared to those who didn’t report using them.”

Daiello continues, “These observations should motivate further study of the possible effects of long-term fish oil supplementation on important markers of cognitive decline and the potential influence of genetics on these outcomes.”

Source: science daily

15 Home Remedies for Neck Pain

15 Home Remedies for Neck Pain

“This job is a pain in the neck” may be more than just a saying. Tension on the job or at home, tasks that require a lot of leaning over a work surface, poor posture, and even a too-soft mattress can cause neck pain and stiffness. Of course, some neck pain is the result of injury or disease, but the vast majority of neck pain is due to simple muscle tension.

The neck, with its intricate structure and wide range of mobility, is particularly vulnerable to stress and strain. The head, which weighs between 10 and 20 pounds, is supported by a stack of seven small bones called vertebrae and held in place by 32 complex muscles.

Attached to and between the vertebrae are pads of fibrous cartilage called discs that act as cushions, or shock absorbers. Eight nerves, which relay sensations (including pain), and four major arteries, which carry blood, run through the neck and connect the head with the shoulders, chest, and arms. The delicate spinal cord runs through the center of the stack of vertebrae and is protected by it. Add to this complex structure the fact that the neck moves more than any other part of the body, and you’ve got a formula for trouble.

It’s a vicious cycle. When our muscles tense, either because of physical or emotional stress, the blood supply to the muscles decreases, causing pain. And that pain causes the muscles to tense further. That’s why the best way to relieve neck pain is to try to eliminate or ease the physical or emotional stress in addition to treating the muscles.

Get rid of that pain in the neck by heeding the home remedies that follow.
Take a load off. One of the simplest ways to relieve the pain is to lie down and give your neck muscles a chance to recover. But don’t use a thick pillow that crimps your neck.

Ice it. Ice effectively numbs pain and decreases inflammation. Put crushed ice in a plastic bag and cover the bag with a pillowcase (a terry towel is too thick to effectively transmit the cold). Apply the icepack to your painful neck for 15 minutes at a time.

Heat it up. Heat increases circulation and can be effective for easing stiff muscles. Use a wet towel or a hot water bottle, or stand in a hot shower. But don’t keep it up for too long. Too much heat can aggravate symptoms and cause more pain. You might even want to try following up your heat application with a few minutes of cold treatment.

Relax. Emotional stress can trigger muscle tension. Pay attention to what stresses you: your drive to work, your rush to get dinner on the table each night, meetings with your boss, and so on. After you’ve identified your common stressors, think creatively about ways to reduce your stress. One way to manage stress is through relaxation techniques, such as progressive relaxation or abdominal breathing.

To perform progressive relaxation, find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit or lie down and close your eyes. Then, starting with your head and neck and working down the entire body, consciously tighten, or tense, and then completely release the muscles in the area.

To perform abdominal breathing, sit quietly and take a slow, deep breath all the way into your abdomen; place a hand on your abdomen to feel it expand and confirm you are breathing deeply enough. Then exhale completely, gently sucking in your stomach. Breathe slowly and deeply like this for several minutes (if you do this too quickly, you may begin to hyperventilate).

Other relaxation techniques include meditation, yoga, and exercise. In addition, you may want to develop some of your own methods of relaxation, such as engaging in a hobby or listening to peaceful music. Do whatever works for you.
Use massage. Massage can help ease tense muscles and give temporary relief, and it may help you sleep better. First, take a hot bath or shower to relax the muscles. Then, have your partner use oil or lotion and rub your neck and shoulders using the fingers to apply gentle pressure in small circular motions. Next, have your partner rub your neck and shoulders using firm pressure and long, downward strokes. Don’t forget the chest area. If you don’t have a willing partner, try rubbing your own neck and chest area with oil or lotion for 10 or 15 minutes.

Take a nonprescription pain reliever. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen can ease the pain and reduce inflammation. If you can’t take these medications because of allergies, stomach upset, or any other reason, try acetaminophen; it won’t calm inflammation, but it should help relieve pain.

Practice good posture. Posture has more to do with neck pain than people realize. The head and spine balance in relation to gravity. When poor posture pulls the curve of the lower back forward, the upper back curves farther backward to compensate. In response, the neck curves forward, in a strained position.

You can use a wall to help align your body properly and improve your posture: Stand with your back to a wall, heels several inches from the wall. Your buttocks and shoulders should touch the wall, and the back of your head should be close to the wall. Keep your chin level. Now, step away from the wall. Step back and check your position. Try to carry this posture throughout the day.
Get and stay trim. Being overweight strains all of the body’s muscles, including those in the neck.

Strengthen stomach muscles. Just as poor posture and obesity can cause straining of the neck muscles, poor tone in the stomach muscles forces the upper back to curve farther backward and the neck to curve forward. Do exercises such as bent-knee curls (they’re basically sit-ups, but you only lift your head and upper back, rather than your whole back, off the ground) to strengthen abdominal muscles.

Do neck exercises. Two types of neck exercises can help ease and prevent neck pain: gentle range-of-motion exercises and isometric exercises. Apply moist heat to the neck before performing the exercises. Each exercise should be done five times per session, three sessions per day.

Range-of-motion exercises help stretch neck muscles. Sit erect but relaxed. Slowly turn your head to the right as far as you can, hold, and return it to the center. Repeat to the left. Then drop your chin down slowly toward your chest, hold, and relax. Bring your head back up. Now tilt your head toward your left shoulder, hold, and return to the center. Do the same on the right side.

Isometric exercises are performed against resistance but without actually moving your head. Try this routine:

Sit erect and relaxed, hold your hand up to your forehead, and press your forehead into your palm, using your palm to resist the motion.
Place your right hand against the right side of your head, and press your head against your hand (as if trying to bring your right ear to your right shoulder), but use your hand to resist your head’s motion. Do the same on the left side.

Press both hands against the back of your head as you try to push your head backward; resist your head’s backward motion with your hands.

Press your hand against the right side of your face as you try to turn your head to look over your right shoulder; use your hand to resist the turning motion. Repeat, pressing your left hand to the left side of your face as you attempt to look over your left shoulder.

Stay in shape. The stronger and more flexible you are overall, the less likely you’ll suffer from neck pain. Swimming is one of the best all-around exercises for strengthening the neck and back.

Work at eye level. If your neck discomfort comes on toward the end of the workday, chances are good that your workstation or your work habits are causing the problem. People often get “desk neck” from looking down for long periods or from reaching up to work. If possible, always keep your work at eye level. Change the height of your chair, desk, or computer screen; use an upright stand to hold reading material; and use a stepladder, stool, or raised platform instead of reaching up.

Take frequent breaks. Change your body position often, especially if you have to be in a physically stressful position. Get up and walk around at least once an hour.

Unlearn “neck-bashing” habits. Do you crimp the phone between your neck and shoulder? Do you often fall asleep sitting up in a chair and wake with your head tilted way back or your chin to your chest? Do you shampoo your hair in the sink? All of these habits can cause neck strain. Become aware of habits that strain your neck and replace them with neck-healthy ones.

Sleep on a firm mattress. If you wake in the morning with a stiff or sore neck, your mattress, pillow, or sleeping habits are probably the culprit. Use a firm mattress and keep your head aligned with your spine. Don’t sleep on your stomach, since it forces your head up. Avoid pillows that are too thick and firm; try feather or crushed-foam pillows rather than those of solid foam rubber.

As you can see, several of your everyday habits can contribute to neck pain. Take the home remedies listed in this article to keep your neck held high and healthy.

Source: how stuff works

Source: how stuff works

US to invest $11 million to curb HIV

US to invest $11 million to curb HIV

The US government has reviewed the progress of the National HIV-AIDS Strategy in the past four years, and has announced new funding to fight the scourge, media reported Wednesday.

In a report released by the White House, the Department of Health and Human Services will invest $11 million to fund the Community Health Centres’ to help communities highly affected by HIV, Xinhua reported.

“This initiative, funded through the Affordable Care Act and the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund, aims to build sustainable partnerships between public health and health centres to help achieve the goals of the strategy,” the report said.

In addition, the government will expand investment in research to address gaps in the HIV Care Continuum, including investigations of the effectiveness of methods to identify HIV-infected people earlier and to provide them with necessary treatments.

On July 15, 2010, US President Barack Obama released the first comprehensive National HIV-AIDS Strategy.

This strategy envisions that “US will become a place where new HIV infections are rare and when they do occur, every person will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination”.
Source: business