Arterial Calcification And Heart Attacks

Cholesterol increase in blood has always been linked to increased risk for coronary heart disease. However, the situation is not so simple as seen from the fact that even people with normal cholesterol levels can get heart attacks. Moreover, cholesterol is not the only substance to be deposited in the coronary arteries. Recent interest has centered on the deposition of calcium in the arteries. Several studies have indicated that higher deposits of calcium in the coronary arteries can dramatically increase the risk for heart attacks. Of course, a combination of increased deposits of calcium and cholesterol can be deadly.

Diabetics also have an increased risk for heart attacks. It has been seen that many diabetics are overweight and that was how they got diabetes in the first place. Increased deposition of calcium in the arteries of diabetics further increases the risk for heart attacks.

Exercise during pregnancy prevents Alzheimer's in Children.

The benefits of exercise are many. The most important benefit is that it builds confidence. You are in top shape and you can do things which unfit people are incapable of doing. Exercise stimulates the brain. Exercise stimulates the immune system. Thus, a physically fit person can easily ward off infections. Exercise improves your cognitive functions. Your memory also improves. You can add one more benefit. Recent studies with mice suggest that when pregnant mothers exercise, their offspring get protection against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

Vegetables and fruits to fight colon and rectal cancer

Colon and rectal cancer are very common in advanced countries. This is partly due to the lifestyles and partly due to the dietary practices. Very little fiber could be found in the diets of western countries. The inclusion of more fruits and vegetables is the key to prevention of cancer. Fruits and vegetables contribute both antioxidants and fiber. It has been shown that different vegetables and fruits offer protection against different forms of cancer.

Apples : Distal colon cancer
Cabbage : Proximal and distal cancer
Cauliflower : Proximal and distal cancer
Broccoli : Proximal and distal cancer
Fruit juices : Rectal cancer

Hormone to Predict Death Risks

Till now, doctors have relied on measuring the plasma phosphorus levels to determine whether the patients suffering from kidney disease requite dialysis or, not. Greater the phosphorus levels are, urgent is the need for dialysis. Now a hormone has been identified whose levels in plasma increase long before plasma phosphorus levels shoot up. The hormone is fibroblast growth factor (FGF-23). This is an important finding as diabetes and kidney disease are on the increase world over.The hormone levels also are good indicators of increased risk for death from heart attacks.

Resveratrol inhibits osteoporosis

Homeostasis refers to the processes through which body functioning is regulated. Thus, we have a temperature homeostasis. Likewise, a homeostatic mechanism is operating in bone metabolism. Two types of cells are involved in bone remodeling. They are the osteoblasts and the osteoclasts. The osteoblasts promote bone formation and the osteoclasts induce bone dissolution. Both bone formation and bone dissolution are natural processes. Inflammatory processes accelerate the osteoclasic process. Likewise, menopause in women promotes osteoclastic activity. Resveratrol present in dark colored grapes protects against bone dissolution and this is achieved by inhibiting the pro inflammatory reactions.

Loss of Deep Sleep May Lead to Diabetes

The importance of sleep cannot be understated. People are required to sleep between six to eight hours daily to lead a healthy life. Loss of sleep once in a while may not affect health that much, but chronic loss of sleep as encountered in insomnia may have deleterious consequences. Several complications set in. These include diabetes, memory problems and even dementia.

Sleep loss may lead to a decrease in insulin secretion. It has been shown that a period of sleep known as N3 sleep is concerned with deep sleep. It is this period which is critical for insulin secretion. People who have reduced N3 sleep have lowered insulin secretion and this can boost the circulating glucose levels. In the long run, this can lead to insulin resistance and subsequently diabetes.

Aspirin is the Lifeline for Heart Attack Victims

Coronary heart disease arises as a result of atherosclerosis which involves plaque formation within the arteries. When one or, more of the coronary arteries is completely closed, a heart attack ensues. Occasionally, the heart attack is massive and proves to be fatal. In case the individual survives, the doctors prescribe a low dose of aspirin. The role of aspirin is to prevent the complete closure of the coronary arteries again. Under these circumstances, the aspirin must be taken continuously. If the ingestion of aspirin is stopped, this may provoke another heart attack.

Visceral Fat Promotes Plaque Formation

What is obesity? What is visceral fat? It is the visceral fat which accumulates in obesity. Visceral fat is the fat which surrounds the tissues in obesity. It has different roles and is quite distinct from the subcutaneous fat which lies just under the skin. Coronary vascular disease arises as a result of plaque formation in these arteries which supply blood to the heart. Plaque formation may lead to the total closure of one or, more of the coronary arteries. Contrary to the general belief, it is the fat (visceral fat) which surrounds the heart from outside which is responsible for the deposition of plaque in the coronary arteries.

Afternoon Nap For Countering Hypertension

Sleep loss produces many problems. One of the problems which are rampant when somebody is chronically losing sleep is the rise in blood pressure. Rise in the blood pressure can increase the risk for heart disease. It also may promote the onset of stroke and kidney failure. Hence, sufficient sleep is essential for normal health. Even for people who don’t find sufficient time for sleeping, there is still a way out of their predicament.

Studies at the University of Pennsyllvania suggest that the best way of countering sleep loss and the acquiring of hypertension is to take a nap in the afternoon. It has been shown that even a nap lasting about forty five minutes can work wonders.

Vitamin D Protects Against Skin Cancer

One of the best sources of vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. One must remember that sunlight itself does not contain vitamin D. Rather it is the 7-dehydrocholesterol present in the skin which is converted into vitamin D under the influence of the UV radiation from the skin.

It is now realized that the role of vitamin D goes beyond bone formation. Vitamin D deficiency can result in the onset of a number of disorders including Heart disease, diabetes and dementia. In many western countries, for several years people have been avoiding sunlight because of fears over skin cancer. One of the consequences of this has been the advent of vitamin D deficiency in the advanced societies. Doctors are partially responsible for this state of affairs. It is now realized that vitamin D obtained from sunlight is nactually protecting against the onset of skin cancer.

Sleep Debt Induces Risky Decisions

There are two types of fat cells. The white fat cells are the ones which store fat, mainly in the adipose tissue. The white fat cells have a huge capacity for accumulating fat and it is this fat which is responsible for obesity and its accompanying complications like coronary heart disease. The white fat cells contain two types of fat-the subcutaneous fat and the visceral fat. It is the visceral fat which accumulates during obesity and tends to surround the internal organs. The visceral fat is not inert and releases chemicals capable of producing several diseases.

The second type of fat cell is the brown fat cell which is present in large amounts in hibernating animals. While the fat present in the white fat cell tends to retain calories and thus, contributing to obesity, the fat present in the brown fat cell, is prone to be burnt as fuel. This leads to reduction in weight. Human beings have brown fat cells when they are young, but as they grow up, they lose most of the brown fat cells. There is only a small amount of brown fat left in the adults and this is located in the area between the chest and the neck.

It would be a great victory in the war against obesity if at least some of the white fat cells could be converted into brown fat cells. Recent animal experiments with mice suggest that it is possible to achieve it. Placing the mice in a rich, stimulating and challenging environment stimulates the release in the brain of a chemical called neurotrophic factor as a result of the development of mild stress. This chemical promotes the development of brown fat cells among the white fat cells present.

Men Have Longer Fingers

Cholesterol is an important and essential compound and is required to ensure survival. One of the roles of cholesterol is to produce the sex hormones which give the male and female characteristics to individuals. These hormones are also responsible for the differences in the physical characteristics seen between the males and the females. For example, women are protected against the onset of coronary heart disease while men are susceptible. Men are more likely to go bald, a phenomenon which is not likely to happen in women. Women also tend to have more of fat and less muscle while men tend to be more muscular.

It has been seen that men tend to have longer ring fingers. The lengths of the ring fingers are more compared to the index finger lengths. In contrast, in women, the index fingers are lengthier compared to the ring fingers. Elegant experiments with animals have shown that the hormones secreted by the growing fetus (and not by the glands of the mother) decide the finger lengths.

Increasing amounts of testosterone point to a higher ring finger/index finger length ratio. Estrogens, on the other hand, tend to increase the lengths of the index fingers. It is actually the ratio of testosterone to estrogen which is more important. Of course, there are women who tend to have longer ring fingers and tend to exhibit masculine characteristics while the reverse is true with men with smaller ring fingers.

Are Mitochondria Involved In Diseases?

The mitochondria are important intra cellular structures which are closely concerned with the generation of energy within the cells. The number of mitochondria varies from one cell to another. Thus, the lever and the heart muscle cells are rich in mitochondria. In fact, nearly one fourth of the liver cell is occupied by the mitochondria. In fact, the number of mitochondria increases with the increase in aerobic nature of the cells.

The mitochondria contain their own DNA. In fact, some of the mitochondrial proteins are coded by the mitochondrial DNA while others are coded by the nuclear DNA. There are several diseases which can be classified as mitochondrial diseases. Some of these diseases may be due to the alteration of the way the mitochondria divide. Several mitochondria are in contact with the endoplasmic reticulum, also present within the cell. Several proteins are present at this point of contact. It has been suggested that defect in the contact between the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum may affect the division of the mitochondria leading to the onset of several diseases. Both increased contact and decreased contact between these two organelles may create problem, profoundly affecting the way the mitochondria divide. This, in turn, would drastically affect energy conservation within the cell.

Weightlifting To Get Rid Of Addiction

Addiction is a big psychological problem and many families have been destroyed by it. People find it very difficult to overcome the craving imposed by the habit. People go to de addiction centers only to get back to the old ways. Anyway, such expensive treatments are only for the rich and the powerful.

Some recent studies have indicated that lifting weights can help people get rid of addictive habits. Lifting weights for nearly sixty hours per week over a 12 week period brings about a drastic reduction in cravings. Lifting weights is a strenuous exercise requiring plenty of effort. This induces stress and initiates the secretion of adrenaline. Adrenaline is the precursor of the neurotransmitter molecule dopamine. Thus the adrenaline surge created by lifting weights leads to an increase the synthesis of dopamine which in turn causes a decrease in the addictive cravings.

Applying Pressure to preserve foods

The technology of food preservation has been undergoing change on a continual basis. All attempts at preservation have to keep in mind the need for preserving the nutrients as much as possible. This is particularly important as far as vegetables are concerned because they are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. The familiar method of Pasteurization has been useful, but this thermal method of preservation has resulted in loss of nutrients. A new method called Pascalization is being studied and basically involves subjecting the foods to high pressure. This application produces foods containing more antioxidants and at the same time kills the microbes present.