Urinary Incontinence Treatment

When muscles of the bladder become too weak or too active, urinary incontinence occurs. There are two types of urinary incontinence:

When we drink, we pee. However, there's more to urine than just the drink we had earlier. We urinate in order to get rid of the toxins, waste, and excess water that our body doesn't need. Urinary control is a function of the smooth muscle tissue of the urethra and bladder in coordination with the skeletal muscle and the autonomic nervous system.

Stress incontinence – loss of bladder control may happen when you laugh, sneeze, or lift heavy objects.

Urge incontinence – overactive bladder makes you feel like going to the bathroom even if you have little urine in your bladder.

Causes of urinary incontinence may be congenital or acquired disorders, such as prostate problems and nerve damage.

In addition to medication, treatment includes simple exercises, special devices and procedures, depending on your lifestyle. A relatively new procedure in treating men with incontinence resulting from prostate cancer treatment is the Male Sling. It's an out-patient procedure that can take less than half an hour to one hour. This minimally invasive procedure allows men to regain urinary control.

A Yoga For Arthriis Pain Relief

Yoga is known to have a relaxing effect on the mind and body. It is this relaxing effect that makes yoga a very good pain relief exercise. It is often suggested to people with chronic pain conditions.

But if you're suffering from arthritis, wouldn't practicing yoga be difficult, considering that yoga's full of difficult poses that require you to twist your body in a certain position? That's kind of hard for someone with stiff, achy joints.

Yoga helps improve circulation and make the bones and muscles stronger. You can do it without having to exert your body so much. Yoga is more than just the poses, it's also about breathing and meditation.

These days, modified yoga poses and exercises have been created to provide arthritics with the full pain relief benefits of yoga, some of which require the use of accessories to perform. For more information on these modified yoga exercises, inquire with your local yoga instructor.

Just because you're arthritic, it doesn't mean that you should lessen the amount of exercise you get. You should, in fact, include it in your daily schedule to prevent further stiffening of the joints which will make moving around more difficult for you.

A Busy Social Life Keeps Aging Minds Sharp

Live a healthy lifestyle living. Be Active. As we age, we tend to lose interest in some of the things we used to love doing when we were younger. This is not a good symptom of aging, for keeping a very inactive social life can lead to earlier memory complications in aging adults.

According to a new study conducted by lead researcher Karen Ertel of the Department of Society, Human Development and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, maintaining a socially active lifestyle can help boost our self-esteem and self-worth, thus, resulting to a sharpened mind and memory. The study also showed that a consistently busy social interaction can also give aging individuals new challenges, hence, keeping their brain active and responsive.

Ertel and her team focused on a collected data on more than 15,000 Americans, age 50 and above who were part of the health and Retirement Study. During the research, the participants were made to memorize a list of 10 words to test their mind and memory. The researchers tested a recall of the words for six years in order to evaluate any decline and delay recall.

The memory scores showed a decline from 11 in year 1998 to 10 in 2004. Researchers said that aging adults who were more socially busy at the beginning of the study have slower memory loss as compared to those who were socially inactive.

Researchers of the said study concluded that social activity can significantly help preserve or maintain an aging adult's cognitive functioning. Apart from boosting an elderly's cognitive abilities, keeping a busy lifestyle can also result to a better physical health condtion.

With this latest news, I have come up with a short list on how to help our elderly relatives in maintaining the sharpness of their mind and memory:

Encourage them to join social or community development groups.

By joining social or community development groups, our aging folks will surely be busy in planning activities and meeting new people.

Help them develop a productive hobby and practice a new sport.

A new hobby or sport can keep their minds busy and occupied.

Let them join exercise programs for aging adults.

Almost all communities have exercise programs fit for all ages. Letting your aging adults join an exercise program that accepts elderly members is a good move to keep their cognitive and physical functioniong continously active.

How Asthma Affects Healthy Lifestyle

Asthma is perhaps among the more common childhood ailments. It can sometimes be debilitating, particularly for younger children, but is only rarely truly fatal. However, despite this, it is not a condition that should be underestimated. There are some things that parents with asthmatic children should be aware of that goes beyond what medications the child needs to take. For example, most parents are usually shocked when they learn that their child has asthma, as opposed to just a minor cough. While a persistent cough might be just that, parents are typically unaware that episodes involving a shortness of breath can indicate asthma, and that there are instances when this shortness of breath can only be heard through a microscope.

One parent might wonder just how severe the asthma of their child is. In such a case, it is usually best to actually ask the doctor. Moderate cases of this condition can be put under firm control through the regular use of inhaled corcicosteroids, usually delivered by asthma inhalers. More severe cases can require regular doses of corcicosteroids. The most severe of cases tend to involve the use of long-acting beta2-agonists, which are used to dilute the patient's airways. Children that suffer from severe cases also tend to be advised to learn to avoid that which might trigger an attack, and parents are encouraged to have the appropriate treatments on hand just in case.

With that in mind, what, exactly, can trigger asthma attacks? Well, these attacks can be triggered by a wide variety of allergens, with dust mites, roaches, mold, and cigarette smoke being among the more common ones. Specific allergies sometimes vary from child to child, and testing for them would often be a necessity to determine which ones apply. Note that these may be inherited, and there is usually a good chance that the allergy that triggered asthma in a parent would manifest in the child.

Toddler Adjust to the Presence of a New Baby

Healthy Lifestyle with a new healthy baby. When you have a new baby, most, if not all of your attention is likely to be devoted tohim or her. This is all right for new parents but not so much for those who have another child. As your attention leans toward the younger baby – understandably since he orshe’ll need more special care – your older child may feel neglected and threatened by the presence of his or her sibling. Here’s how to help your toddler adjust to the presence of anew baby:

1. Give him a “big brother” job.

Your older kid may feel left out now that you have another child to focus on. Instead of pushing him out of the way, include him in caring for the baby. Give him a role like fetching diapers or holding the bath towel when the baby bathes. He can sing the new baby lullabies or even prepare his new sibling’s bed. This way, your older child will feel that he is still part of the family; it’s just that the roles have been changed.

2. Continue bonding with your older kid.

While the younger child definitely needs more of your time, he or she cannot consume all of it. Make use of your free time by bonding with your older child. If you used to bake cookies together, do it. Better yet, find story books about siblings and read it to your toddler. There are also books that teach kids how to be good big brothers or sisters. Make this your when-the-baby-sleeps bonding moment.

3. Acknowledge his feelings.

Babies are cute. Often this quality alone is enough to make adults coo with delight. But this doesn’t usually work for toddlers. Take time to ask your older child how he feels about having a new sibling and respect that. He’ll outgrow it soon enough with attention and love from you. A tip though: Do not force your child to do big brother duties when he’s not yet comfortable about having a new sibling. He’ll come around in time.

How To Handle Everyday Stress

Living a healthy lifestyle is difficult to find when you are stress all the time. Are you stress with your daily life? Stress is all around us. Everywhere we go, everything we do, and everybody we know can cause us stress in different ways. A lot of people will say that

their stress is becoming too much to handle, that they're just about ready to explode, or that they're getting to the point where they want to breakdown. I understand how that feels. I, for one, feel like that sometimes. But personally, I think it's just a matter of handling the different kinds of stress that come your way.

Let's start with the things that stress me out:

Work. Unless you have the power to clone yourself, there are just some tasks that are difficult for you to handle by yourself.

Relationships. Arguments are unavoidable, be it with a family member, a friend, or a significant other.

Responsibilities. There will always be bills that need to be paid, and obligations that need to be fulfilled.

Schedule. There are just those lucky days when you four appointments at once, but you can't ditch any one in particular because they are all equally important.

Now, if I were to take the easy way out, I'd just sit at home and surrender to stress. But that wouldn't be any fun, now, would it? Over the years, I've tried to develop my own way of coping with the various stress that come my way. Here are some tips to cope with different everyday stress:

If you're given a difficult task, allot a specific amount of time for every aspect of the project you've been given. Pace yourself in order to manage the time you've been given.

Never feel shy about asking for help if you know that the amount of time you've been given will not be enough to finish the task if you do it alone. Keep in mind that if you rush to finish the project alone, you might miss on important details that may be essential to the project you're working on.

When in an argument with a loved one, try not to make it a shouting contest. Nothing is ever resolved by raising voices. Try to get your point across in a calm manner. The more you shout in contest with one another, the more stressful the argument is going to be.

To avoid being pressured by monthly obligations like utility bills, do not overspend. When your paycheck comes in, set aside money for the upcoming bills. Budgeting is the key to eliminating bills-related stress.

If your schedule is fully booked, make sure to evenly space appointments. Set aside enough time for traveling in order to ensure that you get to each item in your itinerary on time. Keep in mind that other people's time is just as important as yours.

I've learned to live by these simple guidelines and have proven them effective to keep my life free from stress, or at least keep it to a minimum.

The High Risk Of Having Diabetic Neuropathy

To maintain a healthy lifestyle is difficult especially when you experiencing pain. Like chocolates and roses, diet and diabetes go together for better or worse. When you have diabetes, you are forced to watch what you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat to keep your blood sugar from shooting up or plunging down.Diabetes is a health condition in which the body fails to produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is essential in converting sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.

While the cause of diabetes remains to be a mystery, both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise may seem to play important roles. Diabetes can put you at high risk of having nerve pain and damage called diabetic neuropathy. It usually starts as a little numbness in your feet which develops into a full blown problem with walking, working, and leading an active lifestyle. Diabetic neuropathy can also cause major problems with your digestion and sexual response, making it difficult to feel normal body sensations such as the signs of high blood sugar or a heart attack. According to Dace L. Trence, MD, an endocrinologist and director of the Diabetes Care Center at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, a balanced diet that helps treat nerve pain is really no different than the standard diet advised by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

ontrolling your blood sugar can protect the health of your nerves and may even help prevent diabetic neuropathy. Since you only visit your doctor every once in a while, and eating is done several times a day, your diabetes diet will obviously have a high impact on your health and well-being.

A balanced diet includes a variety of foods found in the food pyramid, such as carbohydrates (starches), fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy, meat, poultry, fish, and healthy fats. Having a balanced diet keeps your glucose within target levels, controls your weight,and reduces the risk of complications like neuropathy, heart disease, and stroke.

Whether you skip meals or overeat, it will cause the rise and fall of your blood sugar.
Diabetic nerve pain and damage can decrease appetite and make it harder to digest food.
That is why smaller meals spread throughout the day may work better for you. Also, some
diabetes medications are more effective when taken together with regularly scheduled
meals.

Since carbohydrates takes more time to digest, they don't affect your blood sugar the way sugars do. Carbohydrates can also fill you up faster, so you're less likely to overeat, and they give you more vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Do not be surprised by how small the “official” serving sizes are. The habit of reading food labels can help you find out the real portion sizes for the foods you enjoy. If you double up on a special dish one day, be sure to subtract that from your next day's diet planning.

According to ADA, alcohol is toxic to nerves. It is the job of the liver to clear your body of toxins like alcohol and to convert carbohydrates into blood glucose to be used by your body. Since drinking is bad for your liver, it will hamper its work in levelling out blood sugar from your bloodstream until it the alcohol is cleared. For those who have diabetic neuropathy, drinking may trigger pain, tingling, and other symptoms.

Overweight people can lower blood glucose by losing weight. It does not only give you more energy, it also lightens the load on their feet which may already be sore from nerve pain. Losing weight also lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Anti-Smoking Medication Is A Literal Killer

If you really a want a healthy life, then stop smoking. Living a healthy lifestyle is difficult when you cant stop smoking. It is usually a good thing for someone to quit smoking. There are countless campaigns being run to help convince smokers to kick the habit, usually citing benefits for their own long-term health. However, there are also a few problems with quitting. Aside from the fact that it can be very difficult to go through, there is always a high risk of someone relapsing. There are medications that can help a person slowly withdraw from smoking, but a recent suicide case has brought to light the dangerous side effects of anti-smoking medication. You see, Omer Jama, a perfectly normal, well-adjusted father and husband, killed himself shortly after going off smoking and going on the anti-smoking medication Champix.

Champix, which Jama had been taking for a period of about two months, has long been a cause of concern for some groups. The list of side effects of anti-smoking medication like Champix is not very long, but very dangerous. Depression and suicide attempts related to the drug are nothing new, but most have been dismissed as coincidences in the past due to the victim’s previous psychiatric history. The reason that Jama’s case is different from previous cases is because, unlike many others, he did not have any signs of depression or anxiety. He also did not, according to the coroner who examined his body, appear to have any concrete idea of what he was doing at the time he died. From all indications of the people that knew him and spent time with him, Omer Jama was not acting any differently than normal on the day he died.

Jama’s family had no known history of depression or any other mood or behavioral disorders. While he was experiencing a trial separation from his wife, both his wife and children did not see any noticeable changes in his behavior. The couple also met regularly and was largely on good terms with one another around the time he died. From all angles, there was no indication that he was suicidal, that he was contemplating such a course of action, or that he was in any way depressed. Had this been the first case, it likely would have been ignored. However, I the UK alone, there have been five suicides and four failed attempts that have all been similar to Jama’s case – no prior history of depression and nothing that would drive them to kill themselves. The only common factor was the drug Champix.

The side effects of anti-smoking medication have never really been too prominent in the public eye until this case. Nausea was listed as the most common side effect of the drug, but any pharmaceutical product that affects the central nervous system’s chemical balance can cause worse problems. That, in essence, is what Champix was designed to do. It was designed to stimulate the same receptors in the brain that nicotine does, making the brain think that the person was smoking. Julie Evans, a forensic toxicologist, worked with the coroner and found that it was likely Jama had killed himself under the influence of the drug’s side effects and was not effectively in control of his actions – with some doubt on whether or not he was even fully aware of what he was doing.

We’re All Much too Attached towards the Internet

Geeks and computer fans have been “personifying” their gadgets since the whole computer movement started, as a sort of mirror to how some men name their cars. It isn’t unusual to find someone so attached to his computer hardware that he’s actually given “her” a name and a personality. You might even find a few that talk to their hardware the same way you’d expect others to talk to a lover or close friend. Then, there’s the phenomenon known as the Internet, which has even more people unable to leave their computers. However, while naming inanimate objects and joking about how they have personalities is one thing, excessive time spent on the Internet is now considered a completely different thing, according to studies on social health.

Internet addiction has now officially been recognized as a mental disorder, currently being listed in the same category as things like anxiety and depression. Studies on social health have found that the Internet has become the largest temporal sinkhole the world has ever seen, with more and more people spending more and more time on the Internet. The listing and recognition stemmed from reports coming in from Asian countries, which have long ago developed a reputation for being rather connected to the Internet. Not surprising, considering the fact that the Internet economic bubble didn’t so much “burst” in Asia – like it did in the West – as it did “shrink.” The disorder is divided into three sub-categories, which cover excessive gaming, sexual preoccupation, and communication and connectivity “issues.”

For the first one, countries like South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are obvious targets. Those countries have populations of players that are substantially larger than the gaming population such games experience in countries like the US or England. In South Korea alone, the average number of hours spent by the average player playing any given game is about 23 hours a week. South Korea, along with Japan, has experienced the problem of students and young employees literally dropping everything – social and professional lives included – to spend more time playing games. Studies on social health are confident that the numbers in the US are similar, though they are much harder to accurately obtain. Time spent on the Internet in Asian countries is logged in rental cafes for the most part, while Western gamers prefer to do their playing from home. Of course, the case is slightly different when it comes to pornography, the second sub-category listed above.

It is arguable whether or not pornography is harmful or mundane, but it is difficult to argue with the industry’s financial success. The Internet trade in adult materials is particularly large, taking in billions of dollars worth of revenues every year. That alone serves as enough proof that a lot of people are spending a lot of time and money looking for pornography on the Internet, where it is more readily available than it would be on the street. However, numbers outside of the ones provided by looking at the profits of pornographic websites can be difficult to obtain. Reluctance, shame, and many other social and cultural factors can make it impossible to get an accurate number from surveys and statistical studies.

It gets even worse when one looks at the most mundane aspect of the three: communication. E-mails, instant messages, message boards, and social networking sites are the activities and areas where people on the Internet spend the most of their time. They are also easily the most addicting aspect of the Internet, as the environment creates a paradoxical situation where people are allowed to voice out their most controlled, innermost natures while still remaining relatively safe from any true scrutiny. While they have been found to be beneficial for those with anxiety, for those who do not, addiction can be a risk. It doesn’t help that denial and obliviousness tend to go hand-in-hand with this problem.

UTI: A Guide For Women

Women have more trouble with UTIs - as urinary tract infections are often called - than men. Women tend to get urinary tract infections more often than men because bacteria can reach the bladder more easily in women. If you want to prevent, stop, or treat any urinary tract infection you may have, here are some suggestions:

1. Watch out for symptoms.

Some of the most common symptoms include a strong, persistent urge to urinate, blood in the urine, cloudy, strong-smelling urine, and a burning sensation. Presence of bacteria in your urine is also an indication of an ongoing infection.

2. Go on antibiotics.

If you are in good health, antibiotics are enough to fight off urinary tract infections. Follow your doctor's orders regarding your prescription. Going overboard with antibiotics can lead you to develop a resistance to it. This can give you trouble if you need antibiotics in the future.

3. Make home remedies work for you.

Drinking plenty of water can help relieve the incontinence the infection causes. Water also helps to dilute your urine and helps flush out bacteria. Coffee, alcohol, and soft drinks can irritate your bladder and tend to aggravate your frequent or urgent need to urinate.

-Tin Gonzaga

Two Programs to Help You Quit Smoking

A lot of smokers find it hard to quit smoking because they subscribe to anti-smoking programs that do not really work. If you are frustrated with your current anti-smoking technique or program, here are some noteworthy stop smoking programs you can try to help you quit puffing on cancer sticks:

Smoke Away Stop Smoking Program

Smoke Away is a smoking cessation support program that includes a unique variety of traditional herbs that can help maintain your sense of health and well-being while breaking your smoking habit. It uses an all natural medicine range which helps ease cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Along with all of these, it also provides an audio support program that helps in reinforcing your decision to quit and keep you motivated.

Online Stop Smoking Program

Most people smoke due to physical and emotional stress caused by career and personal life demands. Online stop smoking programs are Internet-based smoking cessation programs that aim to guide smokers in quitting by providing information on health benefits, tips, and guidelines. Two primary examples are the Quit for Life Program and the SmokerAID program.

-Tin Gonzaga

Getting Pain Off Your Back

Back Pain is second only to common cold as one of the leading causes of hospitalizations and surgeries in the United States. Check which of these bad back habits you are guilty of:
1. You spend most of your time sitting.

Sitting puts 40% more pressure on your back and spine than standing. Take the edge of back pain by taking regular standing breaks. Walk around during lunch break or pop over to your colleague's cubicle instead of using IM. Taking a break from sitting can help reduce back pain.
2. You do crunches way too often.

A strong core makes for stronger back. But doing crunches way too often may actually cause you back pain. Just include crunches in a broader and varied routine. It also helps if you observe proper technique and do it sparingly.

3. Your purse is enormous.

Carrying everything in your purse is bad for your back. Your body elevates the shoulder carrying the bag, which throws your spine off-kilter. Doing this every day can cause back muscles to ache over time. Divide your stuff into two bags or carry only stuff that you really do need for the day.

-Tin Gonzaga

Stock Your Cart with Health

Your health, and that of your family, depends on what you buy and take home from the grocery. Take a closer look at your grocery cart and see what you need to keep in stock:

Popcorn

Low-fat popcorn is crunchy, delicious, and a source of whole grain fiber. Plus, you can enjoy a large, filling portion without the guilt. Look for popcorn made with fat-free butter or air-popped popcorn.

Whole grain cereal

Whole grain cereal is a nourishing start to your day. Choose a whole-grain bran cereal packed with fiber such as raisin bran or bran flakes. Add fruit and low-fat milk for the most nutritious start to your day.

Real fruit juice

If you find it hard to eat fruits, real fruit juice is the next best thing to whole fruit. Pick those labeled as real fruit juice or 100% juice. Anything less is likely to contain additional sugars that your body does not need.

Vegetarian pre-packaged food items

Look for frozen meals that feature lean protein, plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and a low-fat or simple sauce. Hummus dips, stuffed pita pockets, grilled chicken, and pickled vegetables are just some of your delicious choices.

-Tin Gonzaga

Don't Fall into a Stress Mess

Stress, in certain situations, is good for the body. For example, a brief bout of stress can give the immune system a beneficial boost in mobilizing all major types of immune cells, or leukocytes, to potential infection sites around the body. Some people also claim to work better and more efficiently under stress.

But stress is not without negative side effects. In excess:

1. Stress can make you look old.
Stress damage to DNA is the culprit behind wrinkles, gray hair, and diseases that can shorten your lifespan by speeding up the rate by which you age.

2. Stress can be counter-productive in excess.

Doing important things that require careful thinking, planning, and analysis in a short time can make your work shoddy. In addition, you may miss important details and botch up what should have been a good job.

3. Stress can cause muscle pain.

Stress - due to the presence of adrenaline - can make your muscle taut, rigid, and tense.
-Tin Gonzaga

Clean Home = Healthy Life

A cluttered and messy home is a dangerous place. As such, it is important to keep your home clean at all times. Keep your home safe from dangers like allergens and unstable surfaces in six easy steps:

1. Make the beds. This house cleaning tip is essential to do when you first wake up. Ask other household members to do the same. Fluff your pillows and straighten the sheets for a crisp, clean look.

2. Address the critical tasks in the bathroom. The most efficient way to perform this is to find a durable cloth. Use it to clean mirrors then use it to wipe the bathroom counter top, sink, and faucet. Spray the tub and shower area including the curtain liner with daily after shower spray to prevent soap scum and mildew. Wipe the toilet seat and rim, then use a brush to clean the toilet bowl.

3. Pick up as you go. Throughout the day (or evening) as you go from room to room, remove items from the floor such as toys, books, newspapers and put them in their appropriate place. Encourage all household members to get in the habit of doing this as they leave a room.

-Tin Gonzaga

Cut 100 Calories From Your Meals Effortlessly

Most Americans need to do two things to stop un healthyweight gain. One is to add 2000 steps to their daily walk. Second is to slash 100 calories from their daily meals. Since most people find it easier to diet than move, we'll concentrate on that. And we'll make it so easy, you won't realize you're actually eating healthier.Switch to non-fat or one percent milk instead of whole milk. Non-fat or low-fat milk has all the goodness and richness of whole milk minus the fat.

Cook using a non-stick pan and cooking spray.
Your food will still taste good without the added fat from butter or oil.

Use whole grain or multi-grain breads for sandwiches.
Using whole or multi-grain breads for sandwiches ups your fiber intake.

Add lettuce, pickles, onions, and tomatoes in your burger instead of cheese.
Vegetables add flavor, crunch, and zest to your burger without adding fat.

Split a sandwich or bagel.
Splitting a sandwich or bagel can save you half the calories.

Order your pizza with half the cheese and more vegetable topping.
Ask for more vegetable topping - you get the flavor sans the cloying cheesy taste.

-Tin Gonzaga

Healthy Lifestyle: Be Happy!

If you remember your philosophy lessons, Cicero once said that "diseases of the soul are more dangerous and more numerous than those of the body." So to be truly healthy, heal the diseases of your soul - be happy and work to be happy. Be truly happy and make your soul healthy with the following tips:

1. Give and share.

Call it karmic pay-off, but it is the giver that benefits more from the giving than the receiver. It is truly better to give than to receive. One study found out that people who volunteered for two or more organizations are 44% less likely to die early compared with those who didn't. Volunteering even beat out exercising four times a week (30%) and going to religious services (29%) when it came to promoting longevity.

2. Rejuvenate your spirit.

Whether it is a coffee break, reading a funny comic or watching a feel-good movie, rejuvenating your spirit goes a long way in making you healthy. This quick routine can help you hit the reset button on body, mind, and spirit. It also keeps stress at bay and makes you more productive.

-Tin Gonzaga

Stop Heart Disease Before It Starts

Heart disease is caused by many things: stress, genetics, smoking, high-fat diet, diabetes, and inactive lifestyle among others. Every year, thousands of people die of heart disease. And the sad thing is, most of these deaths or cases of heart disease could have been prevented if proper precautions have been taken.
Catch heart disease before it starts by undergoing these tests periodically:

Sleep test. Sleep deprivation causes stress and stress harms your heart by making it work doubly hard. Even when you are just mildly sleep deprived, it can cause your body to release stress hormones that constrict your arteries and cause inflammation.

Undergo a sleep and stress test to gauge how stressed and sleep-deprived you are. The more stressed and sleep-deprived you are, the worse for your heart.

Fingertip test. A recently developed test called an EndoPAT can painlessly measure the health of your blood vessels. This finger test is so beneficial because the arteries in your heart (your coronary arteries) react to stress the same way blood vessels in your arm react to constriction of the blood pressure cuff. The health of your circulation system is a contributing factor in heart disease.

- Tin Gonzaga

3 Steps To Lowering Cholesterol

If you were diagnosed with high cholesterol, your doctor probably urged, no, demanded that you implement lifestyle changes and take medications that would speed up the process. After all, high cholesterol is the red carpet that rolls out towards diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. If you are up to the challenge of lowering your cholesterol levels, here is a three-step guide:

1. Practice portion control. You eat foods that are low in cholesterol all you want, but it won't work if you don't follow portion control. Too much of a good thing can still spell disaster. Hence, eating a bowlful of nuts in one go is not advised. Stick to a handful of nuts and palm-sized serving of lean meat.

2. Load up on the fiber. Fiber is not only great for keeping you regular, it's also good for flushing out excess fat. Excess fat clings to fiber on the way out of your system. So load up on oats and produce.

3. Take up with tuna. Tuna, salmon, and other fatty fish are rich in Omega-3, a heart-boosting fatty acid. So if you need the protein, go for tuna.

-Tin Gonzaga

Signs You're Going to Live Long

As we age, we start to think about growing old and dying. Some of us, particularly after the death of a contemporary, get busy updating wills thinking we're next. But did you know that we can live long - barring any serious accident or injury - and even reach 100? If you have these signs covered, prepare to meet and greet with your great grandchildren in the future:

You have a trim stomach after menopause. If you can still sport a bikini and get appreciative looks at your tummy after menopause, you have nothing to worry about. Studies show that women who measure 35 inches or more before and after menopause have increased risks of diabetes and heart problems.

You eat berries all the time. Berries are rich in antioxidants that repair damaged cells and fight free radicals. Eating berries ensures that you reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 17% and boost your immune system as well.

-Tin Gonzaga