Just to let all you all know that I have not fallen off the earth and am currently working on my Vita-Mix post and (okay I still get nervous discussing this publicly) a post on the health benefits of sex. I saw an article and was completely amazed at all the benefits of sex (heart, prostate, bones, immunity, mood, longevity, fertility and more). Normally I would not write on this subject because you never know who is going to get all riled up over it but the benefits outweighed my fear of offending anyone and we are all adults here so I think it should be okay (oh my, I am blushing even typing the word sex-okay I am 40 not 16-I need to get with the program-sorry but growing up we NEVER discussed such things and if you did you would probably well who knows since it was not discussed-ahhhhh-stop blushing-so ridiculous). So, that is what I have coming up hopefully tomorrow. Until then……
Health Benefits of Sex (why do I have a hard time typing that word?), Vita-Mix And More All Coming Up
Sex is good for you: For fighting cancer to the common cold it's just what the doctor ordered
As promised I am sharing this amazing article on sex and it’s health benefits that I found in the Daily Mail. I was so surprised that I had to pass it on.
By Anna Magee http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
Making love could be one of the few pleasures in life that is genuinely good for you, say researchers. Not only does a healthy sex life boost mood, but there is growing evidence to show it boosts your physical well-being, too - from increasing longevity to reducing the risk of erectile dysfunction and even heart attack. Only last month, researchers at Nottingham University concluded that men who kept up a regular sex life in their 50s were also at lower risk of developing prostate cancer. Making love could be one of the few pleasures in life that is genuinely good for you, say researchers. Not only does a healthy sex life boost mood, but there is growing evidence to show it boosts your physical well-being, too - from increasing longevity to reducing the risk of erectile dysfunction and even heart attack.
In fact, the research seems to suggest that men - particularly older men - benefit the most from healthy effects of sex. Feel-good hormones help explain some of the benefits, such as mood-boosting, but the explanation is not always obvious.
But one thing is clear, and this applies to both men and women: you need to be having sex regularly if you don't want to lose the ability. They had followed 1,000 men aged between 55 and 75 for five years and found that those who had sex less than once a week at the start of the study were twice as likely to develop erectile dysfunction (see below) as those who had it at least once a week. Those who had sex three or more times a week lowered their risk fourfold.
'Use it or lose it' was the advice given to older men by Finnish scientists recently.
As women get older their oestrogen levels drop, says Dr Peter Bowen-Simpkins, consultant gynaecologist at the London Women's Clinic and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. This hormone is key to a woman's sexual enjoyment - lower levels can make sex uncomfortable, he explains. But American research found that menopausal women who had sex every week had oestrogen levels twice as high as their abstaining counterparts. 'Regular sex increases the production of oestrogen,' says Dr Bowen-Simkins. As long as other symptoms, such as dryness, are not a problem or have been treated, having more sex can decrease the risk of vaginal atrophy which can occur with age, he says.
So what else can a regular love life do for your health?
Heart
Sex can be good for your heart. The idea that men are more at risk of a heart attack during love-making is mostly misconception, say experts. Professor Peter Weisberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, says there is no evidence that men who have sex regularly in their 40s, 50s and beyond are at an increased risk of heart attack. 'As far as the heart is concerned, sex is just another form of exercise,' says Dr Graham Jackson, consultant cardiologist at Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital and president of the Sexual Dysfunction Association.
'In fitness terms, it's equivalent is going for a mile-long walk or climbing up and down two flights of stairs. If you're physically fit enough for that, there should be no increased risk during sex.'
A study at Queens University in Belfast found that having sex three times a week could actually halve the risk of heart attack or stroke.
However, if you are over 50, overweight and unfit, there is a risk to your heart - just as there would be if you suddenly and vigorously took up any form of exercise. Loving feeing: A study found those who had sex less than once a month had double the risk of dying prematurely than those who had sex twice a week.
Prostate
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in British men, affecting 35,000 a year.
Previous research suggested that greater sexual activity was linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer, but findings from Nottingham University (published in the British Journal Of Urology International) suggest the opposite is true: that increased activity is protective for older men.
This backs up the findings of a major study five years ago by the National Cancer Institute, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Previous studies have suggested the reduced risk is due to the release of toxins from the prostate gland. 'We can't say for certain that having regular sex can protect older men from prostate cancer, because such studies don't prove the mechanism through which risk is reduced,' says Dr Geoffrey Hackett, consultant urologist at Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield, and former chairman of the British Society for Sexual Medicine.
'But many men who maintain a regular sex life are also likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle in terms of regular exercise and a better diet. That's likely playing a bigger part in their prostate cancer risk reduction.'
Bones
'Testosterone levels have been found to increase during and after sex,' says GP Dr Sarah Brewer. 'This may provide some protection against male osteoporosis.'
Sexual activity can also protect you against other unwanted changes. Some scientists have linked low levels of sexual activity to structural changes in the penis or testicles which appear to reduce them in size. 'We know that men who don't have regular ejaculations or sexual intercourse have lower levels of testosterone,' says Professor Pierre Bouloux, consultant endocrinologist at University College London and the Royal Free Hospital. And if your testosterone levels fall and you don't get erections, there is some evidence that the penile tissues can lose some of their elasticity, which in turn could make them appear smaller.
Mood-lift: The neurotransmitter serotonin is the body's key anti-depressant and a major reason people smile after sex
Mood
The evidence suggests that the 'feelgood' effect of making love could be more about chemicals than sexual ability. 'During lovemaking and orgasm, a cocktail of endorphins (the body's natural mood-lifting opiates), neurotransmitters and hormones are released,' says Professor Nadir Farid, consultant endocrinologist and founder of the London Endocrine Clinic.
'Oxytocin, in particular, is a hormone released during and after sex that has been shown to make people more generous towards their partners and can also help induce calm and sleep,' he adds.
Oxytocin is called the 'cuddling' hormone because it's released after just 20 minutes of hugging. Women produce four times as much as men, for whom production is inhibited by the prevalence of the hormone testosterone, which drives libido.
Another key neurotransmitter is serotonin, says Professor Farid. 'Serotonin is the body's key antidepressant chemical and one of the major reasons people smile and feel happy and relaxed after sex.' Sexually active women in longterm relationships were less likely to be depressed than women who went without sex, according to a study of nearly 300 women by American psychologist Gordon Gallup and published in the Archives Of Sexual Behaviour.
Gallup speculated that semen contains several hormones which may have a mood-boosting effect when they are absorbed through the vaginal wall into the bloodstream.
Immunity
Having more sex might increase immunity from colds and flu.
Having sex once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of immunoglobulin A, or IgA, a substance found in saliva and the nasal lining thought to help our immune systems fight colds and flu. In one study, scientists asked 11 volunteers how often they had had sex over the previous month, then measured levels of IgA in their saliva.
Those who had sex once a week or less had a slight increase, compared with those who abstained; but those who made love more often had 30 per cent higher levels.
Professor Ron Eccles, director of the Common Cold Centre and Healthcare Clinical Trials at Cardiff School of Biosciences, is not convinced, though, that sex itself is the key.
It's known that stress and anxiety can also make IgA levels go down, so according to Professor Eccles any connection between sex and colds may be related to other factors.
Cold cure? Having more sex might increase immunity from colds and flu.
Longevity
One of the largest studies on longevity and sex - conducted on Welsh men - found that those who had sex less than once a month had double the risk of dying prematurely than those who had sex twice a week. 'Sexual activity seems to have a protective effect on men's health,' says GP Dr Sarah Brewer. 'This may be linked with the effects of the master sex hormone, DHEA or dehydroepiandroterone, which is made in the adrenal glands and functions as a building block of other hormones such as oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone.
'DHEA levels rise just before orgasm and ejaculation to three times higher than normal, and some claim this is how regular sex can prolong your life.'
Fertility
For people trying to conceive, one of the biggest myths associated with fertility is that refraining from ejaculation boosts sperm mobility - the rate at which individual sperm can move forwards to penetrate an egg for fertilisation, says gynaecologist Dr Gillian Lockwood, medical director of Midlands Fertility Services. 'When sperm is hanging around in the epididymis, the long coiled tube in the back of the testes where sperm is stored, it dies off rapidly,' she says.
'Unless a man has a low sperm count, the more often he has sex, then the better the quality of his sperm.' Preliminary results of a small study two years ago, by Australian researchers, found that in men whose sperm showed significant DNA damage, daily ejaculation reduced this damage by 12 per cent. 'When it comes to sex for fertility, having sex little and often - at least every other night - is far better than lots of it on infrequent occasions.'
Who knew?
Give These Healthy Foods A Try To Put You In A Sweet Slumber
Yawn, toss, turn, toss some more-sound familiar? Ever have trouble getting to sleep? Me too, so I decided to see what foods we can incorporate into our diet to be healthy and sleepy. Most of us know not to drink caffeinee before we go to bed and we know that we might not want to have alot of sugar either- but what about foods and beverages that might actually help us rest and sleep better? Since sleep has always been one of those elusive things to me, I started wondering if maybe I could find a diet that would help me sleep better. I did a little research and tried a few of the suggested foods and well, I'm sleepy now so maybe they are helping. I did actually take a short nap yesterday which is unheard of for me. I have never been able to sleep during the day and never could understand how anyone could but today I actually did and it was so nice (some strange dreams though). Once again being the health nut wannabee that I am- I am amazed at how almost everything that I need I can find in changing my diet and so, here are some great suggestions if you are looking to have better quality shut eye.
Apparently foods containing tryptophan-an amino acid that your body cannot make( you must obtain it from the foods that you eat) is used to make a hormone called serotonin.Serotonin acts within your body to promote feelings of sleepiness, calm, and relaxation. We need adequate levels of Serotonin in our brain in order to fall asleep and rest throughout the night. The key to getting enough tryptophan to your brain to sleep well at night is to combine a tryptophan-rich food with a carbohydrate-rich food. This is because ingesting a carbohydrate-rich food causes your body to release insulin, which diverts many of your other amino acids away from your brain, leaving tryptophan with little competition to cross your blood-brain barrier to gain access to your brain (okay, that is the technical part that I am still processing in my brain).
Healthy Foods To Help You Have A Great Nights Sleep
*Bananas
*Flax seeds
*Potatoes
*Whole-Wheat Bread
*Honey
*Lentils
*Turkey
*Beans
*Hazelnuts
*Hummus
*Peanuts
*Eggs
*Chickpeas
*Seafood
*Oatmeal
*Rice
*Almonds
*Tofu
*Low-fat dairy
*Soy Products
*Chamomile Tea
Foods that are high in carbohydrates and calcium, and medium-to-low in protein also make ideal sleep-inducing bedtime snacks. Meals that are high in carbohydrates and low-to-medium in protein will help you relax in the evening and set you up for a good night's sleep. Some suggested healthy meals and snacks to help you get a good nights sleep are-
*Rice, black beans, and guacamole
*chili with beans, not spicy
*Whole grain crackers with peanut butter-honey would be great on this too!
*Tofu stir fry
*Bagel with peanut butter
*Oatmeal or raisin cookies (okay maybe this one and the next aren't the healthiest but they do taste good)*Ice-cream (organic preferably)
*Glass of warm milk (organic preferably)
*Tuna Fish sandwich on whole wheat bread
If you are like me you will look at this list and say mmmmmmmm I can have cookies and ice-cream and fall into a deep wonderful sleep- but as always-moderation is the key and so is good sense (I think I lost mine). Thanks for reading and here's to a healthy, happy nights sleep!
Health Nut Wannabee Mom Soul Bared-Kind of Scary But Sometimes The Truth Hurts
If you are a loyal reader of this blog or entrecard dropper you will probably notice that my posts have been a bit scattered and my drops not quite so consistent. I am sorry and hope to be back on track soon. Things have been a little tough lately and I am going through some confusing times. I am like a cat and will land on my feet but the interim is hard and I am trying to figure out day by day how to move forward in a 
positive way. Don't worry as I always somehow come out on top and will this time too but have had some bumps and potholes on the road of life lately
Fortunately I am an independent and strong person and really believe that the things that hurt us the most are the things that we learn the most from. I really just thought that by forty I would have been ever so slightly more clever and smart enough to not get myself into these things in life . Oh well, it is what it is and now here I am learning some hard lessons again but very inspired that this will all make me a stronger and better person.
I am trying to catch up and get back up to par and hopefully soon will be right back where I was if not better.
A little inspiration-(it is one of those quote book times in my life)
Fall seven times, stand up eight-Japanese proverb
"I will love the light for it shows me the way. Yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars." Og Mandino
"We are still masters of our fate.We are still captains of our souls." Winston Churchill
"We are the choices we make." Meryl Streep
"Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling." Margaret Lee Runbeck
Another great thing in my corner is my mother (thank you mom) always told me that regardless of what happens you have no choice but to keep going, to not only survive but to thrive. I have always embraced that and know that whatever happens you cannot give in to that feeling of throwing the covers over your head and not getting out of bed. You have to get out of bed no matter how much you don't want to, you have to face whatever you are dealing with-there is no other way if you want to conquer whatever is hurting you. So, I will get up each day and keep going, figuring it all out and somehow I know inside that everything will be okay. If you are having hard times in your life just know that it will be okay and just keep going. All will be well.....
Slim And Trim With These 8 Superfoods!
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could eat things that are healthy and that we like and still lose weight? Below are some superfoods that your body will thank you for.
Olive Oil-I personally take a teaspoon a day as well as drizzle this on salads and pasta. Olive oil has healthy fat that increases satiety, taming your appetite. It is also know to have anti-inflammatory properties and chronic inflammation in the body is linked to metabolic syndrome.
Buckwheat Pasta- This pasta is high in fiber and, unlike most carbs, contains protein. This makes it hard to overeat buckwheat pasta over regular pasta.
Quinoa-This whole grain is packed with fiber and protein, a nutrient combo than can keep you satisfied for hours.
Blueberries-these berries have the highest antioxidant level of all the commonly consumed fruit and deliver lots of fiber. “Fiber may actually prevent some of the fat you eat from being absorbed because fiber pulls fat through digestive tract”.
Almond Butter-May lower bread’s glycemic index (which measures food’s effect on blood sugar). A study from the University of Toronto found that people who ate almonds with white bread didn’t experience the same blood sugar surges as those who ate only the slice. This is great news because blood sugar changes cause the body to make insulin, which can increase abdominal fat.”
Plain Yogurt-Has a trifecta of carbs, protein and fat that can help stave off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady. In a study from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, people on a low-calorie diet that included yogurt lost 61 percent more fat overall and 81 percent more belly fat than those on a similar plan but without the yogurt. I love plain yogurt with fresh or frozen berries on top!
Pomegranate Seeds-they are loaded with folate and disease-fighting antioxidants, they’re low in calories and high in fiber. They can satisfy your sweet tooth without blowing your diet.
Eggs-Egg protein is filling prompting you to eat less during the day. Women on a low-calorie diet who ate an egg with and jelly each morning lost twice as many pounds as those who had a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories but no eggs, a study from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge reports.
I know that I am going to start including more of these in my diet and see what happens!
Healthy Moms Dictionary - Aneurysm
Aneurysms are more common than most people think. Today the Healthy Moms Dictionary will explore all the different types of aneurysms with a major focus on brain aneurysms. An aneurysm is a localized widening of a vein, artery or the heart. There is usually a bulge at the point of the aneurysm.
There are several different types of aneurysms. A few of these types include:
- Abdominal aneurysm- a balloon- like swelling in the wall of the aorta within the abdomen. This can rupture due to the weakening of the aorta wall and great volume of blood. An abdominal aneurysm can be monitored by ultrasound and surgery is usually recommended if the aneurysm is more than 2.2 inches in diameter.
- Aortic aneurysm- an aneurysm of the largest artery in the body, the aorta.
- Arterial aneurysm - An aneurysm involving an artery.
- Arteriosclerotic aneurysm- An aneurysm that occurs because a vessel wall is wekened by arteriosclerosis.
- Berry aneurysm - A small aneurysm that looks like a berry and classically occurs at the point at which a cerebral artery departs from the circular artery at the base of the brain. This type of aneurysm usually bleeds.
- Brain aneurysm - An aneurysm of a blood vessel in the brain, usually due to a defect in the vessel at birth or from high blood pressure. When a brain aneurysm ruptures it can cause a severe headache, nausea, vomiting, decreased consciousness, and can be live threatening.
- Cardiac aneurysm - Cardiac aneurysms usually occur in the left ventricle because the blood pressure is the greatest there. These types of aneurysms are described as an outpouching of an abnormally thin portion of the heart wall.
- Dissecting aneurysm - An aneurysm in which the wall of an artery rips longitudinally. This occurs because bleeding into the weakened wall splits the wall.
About eight in every 100,000 people with unruptured brain aneurysms will experience a rupture. About 40% of those with ruptured brain aneurysms will die as a result. Four out of every 7 people who recover from a ruptured rain aneurysm will have disabilities. Brain aneurysms are most likely to occur in adults ages 35-60, although rare, children can get brain aneurysms too. Women are more likely to get brain aneurysms than men with a ratio of 3:2. Ruptured brain aneurysms account for 3-5% of all new strokes.
Look for these warning signs if you believe you may have a brain aneurysm.
- Dilated pupils
- Double vision
- Pain above and behind your eye
- Localized headache
- Localized headache
- Nausia and vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Blurred or double vision
- Sensitivity to Light
- Loss of Sensation
Hand Washing Tips to Fight Germs
Hand washing is very important to fight germs and help prevent the spread of infections. You should teach your kids at a young age the proper way to wash their hands. Here are some hand washing tips from Mommydocs.com.Please keep in mind that hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the
spread of germs and illnesses. Believe it or not, there is actually a correct
way to wash hands. Follow these steps to help you and your family stay
healthy.
- Wet hands with clean, warm water
- Apply soap (it does not matter whether you choose to use anti-bacterial soap or regular soap, both are proven to be effective when used correctly)
- Lather the soap over the hands and vigorously scrub all aspects of the hands including the fronts and backs of the hands, the wrists, between the fingers, and under the fingernails
- Continue scrubbing for at least 20
seconds (it takes this long to loosen up the germs)Many recommend using a timer or having a young child sing a 20 second song in order to ensure proper length of scrubbing - Rinse hands with warm, running water to remove all soap
- Dry hands with a clean towel or a paper towel
- If possible, use the towel to turn off the water from the sink, and to open the door (this will help prevent germ contamination to your just washed hands. If the paper towel dispenser is not automatic, be sure to push the lever and get some paper towel out before washing hands. After washing, you will just have to tear off the paper towel and contamination of your clean hands can be avoided.
- Alcohol based hand sanitizers are a great option when soap and running water are not available. Just be sure to use a product which contains at least 60% alcohol. If the hands are soiled (meaning they have dirt or residue on them) then washing with soap and water is the preferred method.
o Apply an appropriate amount of the product to the palm of the hand
o Rub into both hands, being sure to cover all aspects of the hands and
fingers
o Be sure to continue rubbing in the sanitizer until it has completely
disappeared and hands are dry (this is especially true when using on
children). Also, please keep the alcohol based hand sanitizers out of
the reach of children!!
Hands should be washed:
- Before eating meals
- Before, during, and after preparing foods (in particular uncooked meat/chicken/etc.)
- After using the bathroom (both at home and in public restrooms)
- After changing a diaper
- Before serving food
- After going to the store
- As soon as a child arrives home from school or daycare
- After touching pets or any type of animal
- After wiping your nose, coughing/sneezing, or touching the face
- After touching the trash
- After coming in contact with someone who is sick or touching any open areas of skin
Diet Soda Health Risks
We've all seen it on cans, television ads and boxes. "Zero calories." "Made with Splenda." "No Sugar Added." So we fall for all these slogans. Hey, no sugar and zero calories it must be just fine. We put a case or two in our shopping cart. Is it really okay to drink diet soda on a regular basis? Millions of Americans believe that diet soda is not harmful to your health.
Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday and I observed my husband drink four cans of diet soda during the game. I don't buy the stuff because I know that it is bad for you but he still believes that it is just fine. We were at his parents house and they always have plenty of the sweet zero calorie beverage on hand.
So I decided to do some research to find out exactly why this beverage is bad for you. That's when I came across this study which was conducted last year and a well written article by a college student explaining the study and conclusions. Scroll down to read the article.
Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice
An eight ounce glass of 100% pomegranate juice from PomWonderful contains twice as many antioxidants as the same amount of concord grape juice. Several clinical studies have been conducted with PomWonderful pomegranate juice. Researchers examined how pomegranate juice improves heart health, prostate health, diabetes, and many more age-related conditions.
Here are a few of the results from these studies. (source pomwonderful.com)
- After only three months, blood flow to the heart improved approximately 17% in a group that drank POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice, but worsened approximately 18% in the placebo group. The study included 45 patients with coronary heart disease.
- Drinking 8 oz of 100% pomegranate juice per day for two weeks lowered the incidence of LDL oxidation, believed to be a key factor in arterial plaque
formation. This pilot study included 13 patients.
Pom Wonderful is the only brand that contains 100% pure pomegranate juice. Their juice is made from the "Wonderful" variety of pomegranates which is known for their unique combination of superior antioxidants, delicious taste and crimson color. The best part is Pom Wonderful pure pomegranate juice tastes so sweet. Have you had your pomegranate juice today? Visit Pom Wonderful for more information on the health benefits of pomegranate juice.
Headaches During Pregnancy
Headaches can be very common during pregnancy especially if you have a history of headaches when you are not pregnant. Pregnancy hormones can make headaches feel much worse. Hunger and stress can also bring on a headache during pregnancy. Some women cut back on caffeine which can also bring on caffeine withdrawal headaches.
For some women headaches during pregnancy are just minor while for others they can be very painful and bothersome. Some women experience painful migraine headaches during pregnancy and they can affect their daily life.
If you are suffering from pregnancy headaches ask your doctor what you can do to relieve them. Acetaminophen is the only safe pain reliever during pregnancy. Your doctor may also suggest that you put a cold washcloth on your head. You can also gently massage your temples and rest in a dark quiet room. If you believe that stress might be the cause of your headaches try to find out what is triggering them and avoid that activity. You can also try some stress relievers like a nice warm bath, listening to calm music, and of course getting plenty of rest.
Call your doctor if your headaches get worse or you start seeing spots, experience blurred vision, or they make you sick to your stomach.
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