Health News

There are many types of heart and blood vessel diseases. Over 60 million American's have one or more of them. In 1993, more than 950,000 people died from them - over 42 percent of all deaths in the United States! Yet many types of heart disease may be prevented!

The keys are to:

- Stop Smoking
- Lower your Blood Pressure
- Eat a healthy diet
- Be physically active
- Get regular medical checkups

HARDENING OF THE ARTERIES, or atherosclerosis, is when the inner walls of the arteries become more narrow due to a buildup of plaque. Blood clots form, so less blood can get through. This can cause heart attacks and strokes.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, also called hypertension, means the pressure in your arteries is consistently above the normal range. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. It's written as two numbers, such as 122/78 mmHg. The top, systolic number is the pressure when the heart beats. The bottom, diastolic number is the pressure when the heart is at rest. High blood pressure is a consistently elevated pressure of 140 systolic or higher and/or 90 diastolic or higher. The great danger is that you usually can't tell you have high blood pressure! There are no signs, so you must see a doctor
every year. Also, no one knows exactly what causes it. Yet, high blood pressure can lead to hardened arteries, stroke or heart attack.

HEART ATTACKS occur when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, often by a blood clot. If this clot cuts off the blood flow completely, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that artery begins to die.

Get help fast if you feel any of there warning signs of a heart attack:

- Uncomfortably heavy feeling, pressure, pain or squeezing in the center of your chest that lasts more than a few minutes.
- Pain that goes to your shoulders, neck or arms.
- Discomfort in your chest along with light head, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.

HEART FAILURE means that your heart isn't pumping blood as well as it should. It keeps working, but the body doesn't get all the blood and oxygen it needs.

See a doctor if you notice:

- Swelling in the feet, ankles and legs, called "edema"
- Fluid builds up in the lungs, called "Pulmonary Congestion"

STROKE and TIA(stroke warning) happen when a blood vessel that feeds the brain gets clogged or bursts. Then that part of the brain can't work and neither can the part of the body it controls.

Major causes of stroke are:

- Uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Smoking
- Heart Disease

Get help fast if you have any of these warning signs of stroke or TIA:

- Feel weak in an arm, hand or leg
- Can't feel one side of face or body
- Suddenly can't see out of one eye
- Hard to talk
- Can't understand what someone is saying
- Feel dizzy or loose balance
- Have a sudden, very bad headache

How can I learn more?

-Talk to you doctor, nurse of health care professional. Or call you local American Heart Association at 1-800-242-8721.

-If you have heart disease, members of your family also may be at higher risk. It's very important for them to make changes now to lower their risk.

*This information is provided to you by the American Heart Association*

There are many factors that are responsible for skin damage. Skin also gets damaged by external factors. Sunlight is the main external factor that ages the skin. Ultraviolet radiation is electromagnetic radiation and can cause long term damage.

A harsh detergent is the general name given to ionic detergents, which can be harmful to the skin. These detergents are called ionic because their molecule gets charged up when they come in contact with water. Avoid using these products or look for similar products that have non-ionic detergents. Most quality vendors will supply these.

The hotter the water, the greater the chance of damaging the skin, as the rate of chemical reactions increases with temperature i.e. the molecules scatter at very high speed when the temperature rises. Hence it is advisable to take a bath with water that is warm and not hot and also you should not soak your body for too long and use bath softeners when possible.

Irritants can damage your skin in two ways. First, they have the capability to directly infect or damage cells of the skin. Second, they can cause an allergic reaction in the skin, which can release destructive free radicals and also metalloproteinase’s or MMP. Choose gentle cleansers whenever possible.

Excessive cleansing strips the layer of the skin sebum and the skin may become dry, it may also lead to skin sensitivity and other problems. You should avoid cleaning and washing the face with hot water and also don't wash your face more than two times a day. Use quality moisturizers often.

All the cosmetic stuff contains potential skin irritants. To keep your skin healthy, avoid the use of makeup when possible. If you have to use it, use a moderate amount, especially around the eye area. If you spend some time in finding the right product for you, you'll save money as well as reduce the possibility of damaging your skin.

Great News about Olive Oil

Tests have shown that increasing olive oil intake can reduce cancer by an astonishing degree, and the indicator is you urine!

Tiny substances in your urine show how efficiently your body is protecting against everyday cell damage, the damage which causes cancer. In a study using olive oil , men who increased their intake had fewer of the damaged substances in their urine samples. The decrease was comparable to what smokers experience when they stop. Now that's some powerful oil.

Olive oil is full of healthy substances which have numerous positive effects on our bodies. Researchers think that phenolic compounds in the oil have properties which fight cancer. Furthermore, it is believed that there is something anti carcinogenic about monounsaturated fat itself!

This means that olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fat, is great for the heart and also helps deter cancer. That helps explain why, in comparison to Northern Europeans and Americans, Southern Europeans, who eat loads and loads of olive oil, have lower rates of both heart disease and cancer.

But one caution to bear in mind: The men in the study didn't add olive oil to their diets. They used it instead of the fats they used to consume. All in all about five to six teaspoons a day. Use olive oil to replace all the butters, margarines, and shortenings in your diet. Using it on top of your usual diet will only lead to weight problems and other areas of concern!

Another fact about olive oil; it’s great for your skin. So feel good and look good by increasing your olive oil intake now.