Q: How much exercise do I need each week? 
Last year sparked the awareness of what we all know as the H1N1 flu virus.
Novel Influenza A (H1N1) virus, the “pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus” or “swine flu”, is a type of influenza virus that causes respiratory disease. It can spread between people, and as of August 25th, 2009, there have been 1528 hospitalizations, ICU cases, and deaths. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6. It was raised to this level in response to the ongoing global spread of the swine flu.
What does it mean to have a pandemic alert level of Phase 6? According to WHO, “Phase 6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5. Designation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under way.”
Let us take a step by step look at the various phases this virus has gone through in order to get to this extremely serious phase.
In Phase 1 we know that the virus exists naturally among animals, especially birds. In this phases there are no reported cases of humans being infected by this virus that exists among the animals. A virus is proclaimed to be Phase 2 when it is known to have infected humans. At this point officials start to consider this virus as a potential pandemic threat. Phase 3 indicates that there are sporadic or clusters of diseases in people, which means that it seems as though this virus is spread via human to human contact. However, in reality, during this stage the disease is still not spread through humans.
Phase 4 means that human to human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza virus has occurred. The influenza virus may or may not yet be proclaimed a pandemic. Phase 5 means that human to human spread of the virus exists in at least two countries in one WHO region. This means that a pandemic is imminent.
The N1N1 virus has now passed Phase 5 and is in Phase 6. The most important idea to remember is to stay healthy and to take precautionary measures this upcoming season rather than panic about this pandemic.
Your body’s immune system keeps you healthy by preventing infections; it is your first line of defense against substances and organisms that could bring diseases into your body. Your immune system is made up of tissues, cells, and organs that identify and kill pathogens, tumor cells, parasites, and viruses that attack your body. It is important to see to it that your immune system is functioning well. Here are some tips on how to boost your immune system.
The simplest and the most natural way of boosting your immune system is by having a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthy foods; proper nutrition is like the oil that keeps your immune system engine running smoothly. Foods rich in vitamins A and C are known immune system boosters. It is also good to take food supplements like daily multi-vitamin to ensure that your body gets all the nutrients it needs.
Stress is known to weaken your immune system, so it is important to avoid it. People who are suffering from chronic stress have abnormally lower white blood cell counts, which is a sign of a weakened immune system. But stress is not that easy to avoid, especially in this fast-paced life we have in the urban jungle– many deadlines to meet, many problems to solve, many different kinds of people to deal with each day. These are just some of the many hurdles we need to jump over each day that cause chronic stress. Again, the answer to the unavoidable stress is good nutrition and exercise. Exercise is one of the best stress busters, it cleans up the mind and the body and help build a stronger immune system.
Other important things that may help in boosting your immune system are maintaining a healthy weight and controlling your blood pressure. Little things like washing your hands frequently can help a lot.
A strong immune system is your key to good health. The above tips are simple, but they could mean a lot to your health. If you want to live a healthier life, start boosting your immune system now.
A hangover, that sick feeling you get in the morning after a night of partying and drinking, is a natural consequence of having consumed too much alcohol. What is the best way to handle it? There are a lot of myths about how to get rid of a hangover, which do not really help and may even worsen the condition of the person suffering from hangover, so it is important to learn about the myths and understand why they don’t work.
The best way to handle a hangover is to understand its nature. The sick feeling, the nausea, the vomiting, the thirst, and the splitting headache that a person having a hangover experiences is caused primarily by dehydration. The ethanol in alcoholic drinks has a dehydrating effect on the body. Alcohol also causes a lower than normal level of blood glucose, which contributes to the bad feeling during the hangover.
The first step in getting rid of a hangover is to address the primary cause–the dehydration. Drink a lot of water to help replenish the water in your body. Do not take pain relievers because they won’t help you; some medications like acetaminophen may even worsen the bad feelings and cause damage to your liver.
Contrary to what you’ve seen in movie scenes and what other people say, never consume coffee. Why? Coffee is a diuretic, it contributes to dehydration–the last thing that a person suffering from a hangover needs. Eat fruits instead, like bananas, which help in replenishing the lost electrolytes and potassium in your body. Banana is rich in potassium and other nutrients. Drinking natural fruit juice will help also. Eat eggs, poached, hard-boiled,etc. The cysteine in eggs helps in breaking down acetaldehyde, the toxin associated with alcohol metabolism and hangovers.
Take a hot shower, it has a relaxing effect on the body and will help you sleep through the worst of the hangover period.
But, of course, the best cure is prevention. If you can prevent a hangover (by not consuming too much alcohol), then do it. If it is unavoidable during a night of partying, you can use the previous tips. Also, before you go to sleep after partying and drinking, try to drink a lot of water, it will help lessen the dehydration that’s caused by the alcohol you’ve ingested.
When we think about shaping up, the gym is the first thing that comes to mind. For most of us, the gym is where the success of the pursuit of great physique is hinged; we see it as the place where we can sculpt our bodies into the shape that we desire. But it is important to know that you will never achieve what you would like to achieve with your body if you do not understand the role of nutrition in transforming your body. Proper nutrition should be observed if you want to achieve that great figure you are dreaming about. But how do you know that you are receiving proper nutrition? Knowing the common nutritional mistakes helps a lot in understanding good nutrition. Here are some common misconceptions about good nutrition:
1. We can get every nutrient that our body needs by eating a lot of good food (like veggies and fruits) everyday. This is not always true, the food that we take everyday is not always enough to get all the nutrients that a body that is being built needs. It may be important to have supplements, but you need to know exactly which supplement you should take. It is good to have the advice of your doctor with what kind of supplement you need to have. The guidance of a nutritionist is also a big help here.
2. Consumption of fat will make you fat. This is not necessarily true because there are fats that do exactly the opposite of what you think they always do. Flaxseed oil is an example of a fat that helps in losing weight. If you need to cut on something from your diet, it is more beneficial to try to focus on cutting on some carbs first.
3. Carbs are really bad and should be avoided. This is not always true because your body also needs carbs, the good carbs. The correct way to cut on carbs is to avoid only the wrong types of carbs like what you get from pastries, sugars, fruit juices, flavorings, and preservatives. How will you know the good carbs? When it has not been processed or altered by machines, it’s a good carb; good examples are whole grain breads, fruits, and vegetables.
4. Animal products are the best source of protein. This is not entirely correct because protein is also present in almost all foods, especially vegetables.
The “maleness” of a man is not always measured by his sexual prowess because there are many factors that can make a man a real man. Impotency should not be seen as something that can make one a lesser man. But, of course, impotency can erode a man’s self confidence and cause him to be depressed.
The causes of impotency or erectile dysfunction are varied. It can be brought about by a disease like diabetes or atherosclerosis, or it can also be caused by hormonal imbalances (when a man’s testosterone level is low he may experience impotency). Alcohol and drugs also can cause impotency. Men who do not exercise and men who are obese are also in danger of developing impotency. Vitamin A deficiency also is known to cause impotency. The state of one’s emotions can cause erectile dysfunction; depression and anxiety are known to cause impotency.
Is there a cure for impotency? The answer is yes. There are medications for impotency, but it is best to try to cure it the natural way because drugs may have unwanted side effects. One of the natural ways to prevent or help cure impotency is in eating only foods that are low in cholesterol. Cholesterol clogs the arteries and impede the smooth flow of blood to parts of the body. Processed foods and foods that are high in fat also should be avoided. Eat foods that are high in fiber like fruits and vegetables; fiber helps clean your system. Caffeine may help because it is a stimulant. If you consume a moderate amount of coffee everyday your chances of becoming impotent will be lessened. Avoid alcohol consumption, studies show that it contributes to erectile dysfunction.
Make exercise a part of your daily life. Exercise can help regulate the flow of blood in your veins and arteries; it also help build endurance. If you do not have time to go to the gym every day, you can try some alternative method of exercising like walking.
