Alternative Therapies and Health News

The low-carb Atkins diet is found out to be the most popular and most effective diet plans. It has shown to beat even the Zone and the Ornish diet plans. Women on the Atkins plan lost more weight than those on other low fat diet plans. Atkins followers lost about 10 pounds in 12 months; those on the Zone diet lost 3.5 and those on the Ornish lost 5 pounds.

What makes weight loss easier in Atkins is that, they opt for low-cab and high-fat diet. Atkins recognizes that the main problem with the Western eating habits is that, they have more of carbohydrates and sugar which is the main cause for obesity.

Because of fewer amounts of carbohydrates in our body, all the stored fat will have to be used up to get energy. Thus this diet helps in using up the stored body fat.  In low-carb diets, our body burns more calories than in a normal diet. And moreover, fat helps people feel fuller and hence helps losing weight easier. Protein also makes people feel less hungry. Thus low-carb diet reduces overeating problems. Another reason for Atkins being more effective is that women replaced water with soft drinks.

Apart from weight loss, there were other benefits shown in people who adopted Atkins diet. They had higher levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and lower blood pressure than those on other diets. According to Harvard researchers, low-carb high-fat diet is more heart-healthy.

Suryanamaskara is the traditional way of sun worship in India. The word literally means “salutation to the sun”. The rays of the morning sun are greeted with suryanamskara. It is a combination of certain yogasanas and pranayamas.

It does not take much space and can even be done within the four walls of your apartment. It needs only enough space to lie down and stretch your arms.

Suryanamaskara includes a series of twelve postures and is done in a cyclic fashion. It is done early in the morning facing the east. The asanas are performed accompanied by mantras.

1. Pranamasan: Stand straight and erect with palms of your hands folded before your chest. “Om mitraya namah” “the friend of all”.
2. Hasta Uthaan Asana: Raise your hands keeping them together in the same position and arch yourself backwards as much as you can. This has to be done while breathing in. “Om Ravaye Namah” “the shining one”.
3. Padhasta Asana: Breathe out and bring your hands to your feet by bending at the waist and keeping your legs straight and unbent. “Om Suryaaya Namah” “the one who induces activity”.
4. Ashwa Sanchalan Asana: Inhale and stretch the right leg behind keeping your toe and knees touched to the ground. Your left foot will remain between your hands. Lift your head and neck up. “Om Bhanave Namah” “the illuminating one”.
5. Parvat Asana: While exhaling, stretch your left leg back to reach the right leg . Lift the hip high. Head should face down between the two arms. “Om Khagaya Namah” “the one who moves quickly in the sky”.
6. Ashtanga Namaskar Asana: Inhale, bring the knees down, followed by the chest. See that the hands, feet, chest and knee touch the ground. “Om Pushne Namah” “the giver of strength”.
7. Bhujang Asana: Exhale, raise your head, look up and arch your spine. “Om Hiranyagarbhaya Namah” “the bright centre of all energy”. (Half of the cycle is complete.)
8. Exhale and repeat the fifth step. “Om Marichaye Namah” “the lord of dawn”.
9. Go back to the position in the fourth step “Om Adityaya Namah” “the son of aditi”.
10. While exhaling, go back to the third step. “Om Saavitre Namah” “the benevolent mother”.
11. Raise your hands and position yourself as in step 2. “Om Arkaya Namah” “the one fit to be praised”.
12. Hands together in the namaskara position as you began. “Om Bhaskaraya Namah” “the one who leads to enlightenment”.

Lethargy is a term used to describe a state of drowsiness or fatigue. A lethargic person is very inactive and tends to feel lazy most of the time. Usually, He is not very enthusiastic about working out different activities.

Laziness Symptoms:

• Changes in bowel movement and appetite patterns
• Lack of concentration
• Body ache
• Fatigue
• Difficulty in sleeping
• Difficulty in performing daily tasks

Causes Of Lethargy:

• Depression
• High blood pressure
• Low blood pressure
• Nutritional deficiency
• Constipation
• Thyroid gland disorders
• Measles
• Diabetes
• Head injury

The home remedies for Lethargy are very effective. Here are some of them.

• Drink tea that is made of basil leaves on a regular basis.
• Take 1 glass juice of lemon and mix it with an equal quantity of grapefruit juice. Drink this mixed juice everyday.
• For two weeks, consume only some fresh sprouts.
• Eat fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables, as a part of everyday diet. And don’t consume processed foods.
• Drink plenty of water daily.

Morning walk is sure a great way to keep health but the same morning walk could also work wonders for relationship both with your spouse and your kids. Walking in a relaxed manner with surroundings and atmosphere to match with could do wonders for your mood therefore talking the walk with your spouse will give those precious few moments without any anxiety and tension that are so rare in our chaotic lifestyles. Being alone and yet not being ‘intimate’ would give you the chance to talk about things that are important, urgent and yet need a human side of yours to be thought about.

Also if you’re talking the walk along with your kids it’s a great time to spend be outdoors, something that the kids simply love. Having time with kids outdoor would help them see the lighter side of yours… a great time to talk to them and joke around and in that also the time put across to them those few things that you expect them to do. As children they’d love the fun of playing and as intelligent beings themselves they would better appreciate the morals and values put into them.

Remember not to carry your cell phones or head phones for the walk… give this time exclusively for yourself and your family for some good clean fun and exercise. The absence of phone calls, TV, loud music would calm down your senses, results of which could be bettered if your practice some breathing exercises. This time would surely help your kids in being more imaginative and bristling with thoughts than they would be otherwise.

For More on this Topic Log On to about.com 

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) often causes discomfort to most women. PMS is caused by hormonal changes that occur around the time of menstruation. Women suffering from PMS often experience painful cramps, stress, acne breakouts and fluid retention. Women are also likely to face headache, mood swings, tiredness, irritability, back or lower abdominal pain and feeling of bloating.

It is that time of the month and you are are feeling irritable and awful. Here’s what you can do to get relief:

1. Drink plenty of water. Water helps to cleanse your system and get rid of toxins.

2. Avoid food that is too cold, like curd, iced water, ice creams, and cucumbers.

3. Avoid eating 3 heavy meals. Instead, consume smaller and more frequent meals throughout the day, say 5 to 6 times a day. Women with PMS need to stabilize their blood sugar levels.

4. Reduce your intake of salt and sugar.

5. You may think that a cup of coffee can boost your mood instantly, but caffeine infact, depletes essential Vitamin B from the body, which in turn can cause hormonal imbalance. Coffee increases depression, irritability and anxiety.

6. Get enough sleep during the night. Listen to some soft music, read a good book, or take a warm bath to relax you before hit the bed.

7. A good diet and exercise helps a lot. Eat a balanced diet, containing enough fruits and vegetables. Eat a diet that contains plenty of complex carbohydrates like wholemeal bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. Also include enough potassium in your diet by including broccoli, fish, beans etc.

8. Exercise regularly. You can do aerobics or jogging. Exercise helps to get relief from PMS symptoms, but it should be done regularly, not just when you suffer from PMS.

9. Eat plenty of beans, nuts and seeds.

10. Avoid red meat and fatty foods, as it increases estrogen levels in your blood and can aggravate the symptoms of PMS.

11. Take magnesium supplemets daily to get relief from PMS symptoms. Calcium supplements may also help. Intake of vitamin B6 also helps in blood circulation and water retention.

12. Take a hot bath to relax the muscles and relieve your cramps.

13. Avoid stress at home and work.

Till now, most of us have been thinking that soy is one of the healthiest foods ever, ummm…but not anymore folks. There have been several studies in recent times that show that soy is not that good for your health and especially for pregnant women.

Soy consumption by pregnant women has been linked to birth defects in babies. A British study showed that vegetarian moms, who typically consume more soy, have a high risk of birthing a boy with hypospadias. It has been seen than 1 out of every 125 male babies is now born with the once-rare condition, hypospadias, which is a gruesome malformity of the penis, where the urethra opening lies somewhere along the underside of the penile shaft instead of at the end. The penis has also been found to be shorter, in fact 2.6 inches shorter in the more severe cases.

And the malformity is also associated with homosexuality. These moms also risk giving birth to babies who are more likely to get leukemia.

Soy has indeed become a craze in the U.S in recent times, with its sales hitting $4 billion in 2004, from a mere $850 million in 1992. Some folks go out of their way to eat energy bars, pseudo-meats, soymilk and soy-laced cold cereals. And health- conscious moms-to-be consume tall, cool glasses of soymilk.

The American Heart Association has also announced that soy does not lower cholesterol and does not prevent heart disease. Infact, now, soy consumption is said to increase the risk of birth defects, infertility, cancer and heart disease.

You may be surprised to have read ‘heart disease’. But it has been noted that soy indeed worsens cardiomyopathy. It’s a condition where there are enlarged, swollen heart muscles that cannot pump adequately and cause heart failure. Cardiomyopathy is the usual cause of death when a young athlete drops dead on the football field.

How else does soy harm the heart? Soy isoflavones may interfere with potassium in the heart, which can cause arrhythmias. And soy protein can also elevate your homocysteine levels, a known risk factor for heart disease.

Breast Implants have become a rage with women who are not satisfied with the natural appearance of their bodies. Women who are rich enough to pay for it do not think twice going-under-the-knife in the name of vanity due to its easy access and availability. What more, even under-age girls whose bodies are not fully developed are going for a boob job, thanks to the endorsements done by celebrities and clinics. But come to think of it, nobody really likes the sight of over-busty Pamela Anderson or Carmen Electra for that matter. And who can forget Hollywood actress Tara Reid’s famous boob-job gone wrong.

Here are some bitter-facts about breast implants …

• A study by a maker of saline breast implants, found that 27 percent of implants had to be taken back within three years, due to side effects.
• Around 25 to 40 percent of women who get breast implants need another operation to correct something wrong with the first one.
• Breast cancer patients have more complications with implants, than people without them.
• Around 9 percent of saline implants deflate within just 3 years. And the complications become more and more common for each year implants spend in the body.
• An FDA study found that even in women who had not complained of any trouble with implants, their MRI scans showed two thirds of them had ruptured implants on at least one side.
• Sometimes there can be cultures of microorganisms growing inside saline implants. Even the silicone gel ones are not safe as there can be some kind of stuff growing inside them too.
• Though this is rare, there can be complications so severe that the breast ends up getting amputated and the chest wall can be injured. This affects your lungs and heart and may sometimes even lead to death.
• And some doctors do not accept blood or organ donations from women who have silicone in their bodies. So how can they claim to be safe.
• If you are from Europe, where oil-filled implants are allowed, British doctor Rahim Karjoo warns that oils leaking into the body can absorb calcium, and if the resulting soaplike material enters the bloodstream, it can create fat emboli, which can kill you without warning. So the British government recently withdrew its approval for oil-filled implants.
• If there are any infections, surgery in fatty tissues can be dangerous. Infections with implants are harder to treat and the implant may have to be taken out before the infection can be controlled.
• One of the fastest growing businesses by surgeons is repairing the errors and complications of previous breast jobs done by other doctors.
• One doctor who calls saline implants absolutely safe, George Beraka, from New York still admits that some breasts can end up ‘as firm as your thigh’ due to scar tissue.

What Are The Risks Associated With Breast Implants ???
The risks of getting breast implants include:

1. Breast implants may make it more difficult to detect breast cancer on a mammogram. Implants can interfere with mammography readings and possibly delay breast cancer detection by hiding a suspicious lesion.

2. Capsular contracture. This is one of the most common problems caused by breast implants, when scar tissue around the implant hardens and begins to squeeze the implant. This can cause hardening of the breast tissue and changes the shape of the breast and may lead to uneven breasts. This can make breasts hard and painful. Corrective surgery may be needed to remove the scar tissue or replace the implant when capsular contracture develops.

3. Rippling caused by implant weight. This can occur, especially when heavier implants settle and drag the skin, causing a rippled effect. This is most likely to occur when textured implants are used in the breast enlargement process.

4. Loss of feeling in the nipples or breast tissue due to nerve damage.

5. Difference in size and shape of the breasts after surgery. Or there may be shifting from the original place, giving the breasts an unnatural look.

6. Infections can occur at any time, but it often occurs during the first week after surgery. In some cases, the implant may have to be removed for sometime and then replaced.

7. Hematoma or blood collection under the skin. Although this is uncommon, some women may suffer from this condition.

8. Abnormal scarring.

9. Formation of calcium deposits in surrounding tissue, causing pain and hardening.

10. Fibromyalgia/Fibrositis-like disorders including pain, tenderness and stiffness of muscles and ligaments.

11. Autoimmune disorders like joint pain, swelling, skin tightness, redness, swelling of hands and feet, rash, unusual fatigue, unusual hair loss, muscle weakness or burning etc.

12. An injury to the breast can damage the implant, causing it to leak, deflate, or rupture.

What To Think About ???

Breast enhancements do not prevent age-related sagging, or changes in the breast as a result of pregnancies, weight gain or loss. And just think about it - are bigger breasts really worth it ???

Are There Any Safe Alternatives ???

The best way to a better bust size is not by having breast augumentation surgeries by having loads of chemicals inserted into your body. Indeed, the best thing you can do is eat a well balanced and nutritious diet and follow a regular exercise program to naturally give a perk to your twins. Instead of investing in those surgeries, invest in eating healthy and better quality food.

Start making these positive changes in your life and with the passage of time, you will soon overcome this ‘breast size fixation’ and will be less bothered about it. You will atleast have a healthier body by the time you grow old. Stop worrying about your bust-size and put your long-term well-being in top priority.

1. Get inspired and set up a goal: Get inspired by all those super bods around you who are fit and healthy, you too can get a great body like them, if you have enough motivation to get in shape. Set up a realistic goal that you can accomplish, like losing 5 pounds by the end of this January, and 7 more pounds by the end of Feb etc. Then plan towards achieving it by making necessary changes in yoor exercise regimen and eating habits. Imagine yourself in your fav. dresses that you can wear once you lose all that extra weight.

2. Join a good gym where your friends also workout: Join a gym where your friends too workout, then you will be more puntual in attending the gym atleast for the sake of hanging around with your friends. Set up a challenging atmosphere where each one of you competes to get in shape. Don’t join a gym full of model and athlete types, because even if you lose 5 pounds, nobody is peobably gonna notice your hardwork.

3. Find a time that suits you: If you hate getting up early in the mornings, don’t fret. You can as well work out late in the afternoon. Also your muscle strength is highest at this time.

4. Tell everyone that you are gymming: When the whole world knows that you are going to lose 15 kilos by May, you will work harder just to save face.

5. Get your mom to nag you: Even if everybody forgets your new year resolution, your mom probably won’t and she can keep nagging you to get in shape. If you live with your partner, get him/her to nag you. Sounds crazy, but this works …

6. Prove your guy/girl wrong: You boyfriend/girlfriend probably thinks you would remain fat forever, prove him/her wrong by losing all that extra flab and getting your dream bod. This will motivate you to get going and not lose hope when the rsults are not showing fast enough as you expected.

7. Choose a routine that you like: Make exercise something that you like doing. If you don’t like all those yoga poses, then ditch the yogic trip and step on your machines.

8. Join a group: Even if there are no friends at your gym, join a group. This reassures you that you are not alone in your quest for a slimmer bod. And it will be harder for you to cheat or give up when you have several fat-fighters with you.

9. Make exercising fun: Play some cool music when you workout. Apart from regular gymming, be more active physically by cycling, bike riding, swimming, playing soccer and tennis.

10. Walk everyday: Apart from exercising, walk everyday briskly for atleast 30 to 45 minutes, early in the mornings or evenings. Or walk with your friends, this can be fun and healthy at the same time.

Also read: Some New Year Resolutions For A Healthier You .

With the end of festival season, you must be all geared up to begin your detox diets, to cleanse your body of all the extra-indulgences. Detoxyfying is a way to recharge, rejuvenate, and renew your body, by cleansing it from within and getting rid of toxins.

But most detox diets, are no better than the body’s natural ability to detoxify itself. The liver and kidneys are the perfect detox machines in our bodies. The best way to detoxify your body is to make some simple, healthy changes to your diet.

Here are some simple tips that you can follow to detoxify naturally:

1. If you intend to flush out those toxins from your body, you should have plenty of water, fruits and vegetables, rather than opting for specially designed ‘Detox diets’ and making drastic cuts in your diet. Drinking more water and eating more fruits and vegetables will make your skin look better and you will feel healthier.

2. Drink lemonade everyday.

3. Keep your diet as natural as possible. Include cereals and whole grains in your diet and cut down on processed and junk food.

4. Remove all bad things from your diet e.g. alcohol, tobacco (cigarettes), caffeine (tea, coffee), soft drinks and soda and you will feel better.

5. Consume vegetable soups and unsweetened fruit juices.

6. Cut down on white rice and pasta and include foods like brown rice, lean chicken and fish to put minimum strain on your organs.

7. Avoid foods containing artificial additives, chemicals, transfats and sugar.

8. Eat fresh fruit salad everyday or stew some fruits like apples, pears, sultanas and raisins in a little water if the weather is cold. You can also have fruit salad topped with plain yoghurt.

9. Avoid red meat, full fat milk and cheese. Instead opt for low-fat or skimmed milk.

10. Drink herbal teas, like ginger and thyme tea.

11. Apart from these changes in your diet, walk and exercise everyday.

12. You can also do some relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises, massage therapy, sauna and aromatherapy baths.

Winter is a time for festivities and enjoyment, but due to the change in weather, there are also lots of infections and ailments speading around in winter. Colds, flus and coughs are common everywhere and if you are not too careful, you may end up falling sick.

A weak body and an imbalanced immune system are more likely to fall prey to these viral and bacterial infections. Changing your lifestyle may help you sail throught the winter season, here’s how:

1. Sleep well, reduce your stress and workload to strengthen your body and help fight against viruses and bacteria that cause illnesses.

2. Eat a well balanced and healthy diet. Include lots of Vitamin C in your diet as it is a great cleanser and  fights the aging process. It also fights germs and viruses and helps prevent colds. Vitamin C is found in oranges, lemons, kiwi, guava etc. Drink lemon juice as it is a great sterilizer.

3. Another natural germ killer is Garlic. Chew a garlic clove, or swallow it if you can’t tolerate the smell.

4. If you have a sore throat, gargle with warm water to which some salt or baking powder (Sodium bicarbonate) has been added.

5. We tend to drink less water during the winter season, because we don’t feel too thirsty. And as a result our skin becomes more drier. So drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated and moisturised at all times.

6. Moisturise your skin everyday with a rich cream to avoid dryness and scales. Use a sunscreen when you go out, you need a sunscreen even in winter season to avoid exposure to the harmful UV rays. Massage your hair with warm oil twice in a week to prevent dry and frizzy hair.

7. Eat breakfast to help balance insulin levels. Eat warm food that contains more veggies and lesser fats.

8.  Eat smaller meals at regular intervals to prevent over-eating at one-go. Drink chicken soup, once in a day. If you are on a diet and fear that you may put on those unwanted pounds at the end of winter, drink a glass of water before starting each meal to fill up yourself faster.

9. Take a walk and exercise. Workout at the gym or at home atleast 5 days a week. Exercise keeps you fit and healthy and prepares your body to fight illnesses. If you can’t take a walk outside because of the cold weather, you can do dome aerobics or treadmill at home. Remember that a balanced lifestyle makes a balanced immune system that is well-equipped to sail through winter.

10. Keep yourself warmer by using sweaters, jackets and blankets. Avoid extremely cold temperature by staying indoors and using heaters and fire places. Try to stay away from people suffering from colds, coughs and flus.
Also read:    Home Remedies For Cold,   Home Remedy For Cough   and   10 Ways To Feel Amazing This Winter  .

If you often suffer from lower back pain, you may need to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles. There are some exercises that can help reduce your low-back pain and protect against future back pain. Here are 5 simple easy-to-do steps to keep low-back pain at bay:

1. Press Up: Lie on your stomach and push your upper body off the floor by straightening your elbows. Hold for about 5 seconds and let your back relax as you lower your torso. Repeat this for 5-8 times.

2. Bridge position (to strengthen lower back): Lie on your back with knees bent. Feel flat on the floor and keep your arms at sides. Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles and slowly raise your hips, so that your body forms a bridge. Hold for about 5-10 seconds , then slowly lower your body. Repeat 5-8 times.

3. Straight leg raises (to strengthen abdominals): Lie on your back with one leg straight and one knee bent, by keeping your foot flat on the floor. Now tighten the abdominal muscles to stabilise lower back. Then slowly lift the straight leg for about 6 to 12 inches and hold for 5 seconds. Lower it slowly, repeat 5-10 times, and then switch legs.

4. Lumbar stretch: Lie on your back and clasp one hand under each knee. Then slowly pull both the knees towards chest, pressing your lower back into floor. Hold for 10 seconds, relax, and then repeat.

5. Wall squat (to strengthen back, hip and thigh muscles): Flatten your back against a wall and squat until your upper legs are at a 45 degree angle to the wall (as if sitting in air). Hold for 1 minute while tightening your abdominal and buttock muscles and keeping knees aligned over feet. Then slowly return to the standing position. Repeat several times.

Apart from these exercises, you need to take good rest. Walking, cycling and swimming (but not the butterfly and breast stroke, which can put excessive strain on the lower back) are also good for the back.

The Federal Trade Commission fined a collective $25 million to the marketers of 4 weight loss pills for making false advertising claims ranging from rapid weight loss to reducing the risk of cancer. Fines were levied on marketers of One A Day Weight Smart, Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim and TrimSpa.

The products will remain on store shelves, but the companies will have to stop advertising the false claims. The companies were making a variety of claims like rapid weight loss and reduction in osteoporosis risk, cancer and Alzheimer’s. Some of the products marketed their claims through celebrity endorsements or infomercials. For instance, Anna Nicole Smith, endorsed TrimSpa.

The fines could be returned to consumers who have been decieved by false claims. People who purchased Xenadrine EFX and CortiSlim directly from the marketers will be contacted by the FTC for money back. Whereas, those who bought over the counter will have to wait for a few months to put up a public notice on its Web site describing how to get back the money.

The message is clear people - if any pill sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So stay off from it !!!