Getting Back in Shape!

Getting Back In Shape!

By Hoda Nassef

Despite the persistent heat, it's time to get ready for the summer vacations. The following are some vitamin and mineral tips to perk you up, give you energy, and keep you in shape!


VITAMINS & MINERALS …
why you need them and where you'll find them.

Vitamin A Growth, skin coulour & night vision - (liver, carrots, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, butter, margarine)

Vitamin B6 Red blood cell formation, helps PMS and nervous disorders - (cod, salmon, herring, bananas)

Vitamin B12 A great energiser, promotes mental health, helps prevent anaemia - (liver, oily fish, red meat)

Vitamin C Boosts our immunity to colds and infections, promotes healing and may protect us from pollutants - (oranges, lemons, kiwi fruit, blackcurrants)

Vitamin D Bone formation - (cod liver oil, herrings, mackerel, sardines)

Vitamin E An anti-oxidant, protects the heart, blood vessels and skin - (sunflower oil, peanut butter, avocado)

Vitamin K An anti-blood clotting agent - (green vegetables, yogurt)

Folic Acid Vital for preventing spina bifida in babies - (green leafy vegetables, oranges, liver, brewer's yeast, wheatgerm)

Calcium Bone formation - (dairy products, sardines, nuts and beans)

Iron Forming red blood cells - (red meat, dried apricots, wholemeal bread, dark green vegetables)

Zinc Growth, hormone function, male fertility, liver function - (shellfish, liver, cheese, wholemeal bread, eggs)

Magnesium Energy production, allows vitamins B6 and B12 to function, tissue growth and repair - (brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, brown rice, peas)

Iodine Function of the thyroid gland - (haddock, cod, mackerel, mussels)

Selenium Vital for the anti-oxidant process, protects against certain cancers and heart disease - (wholemeal bread, seafood, eggs, brewer's yeast)

Have a Healthy Life … Naturally!

H.N.

Ten Main Foods for Longevity

There Are 10 Main Foods that Prolong Life

By Hoda Nassef

1. Tomatoes.

A major source of the antioxidant lycopene that reduces the risk of cancer by 40% -- notably prostate, lung and stomach cancers -- and increases cancer survival. Tomato eaters function better mentally in old age and suffer half as much heart disease. Concentrated tomato sauces have 5 times more lycopene than fresh tomatoes, and canned tomatoes have three times more than fresh.

2. Olive Oil.

Shown to help reduce death from heart disease and cancer. Recent research shows that heart-attack survivors on a Mediterranean diet had half the death rates of those on an ordinary low-fat diet. Olive oil is also high in antioxidant activity.

3. Red Grapes,

including red grape juice and red wine. Red grapes have moderate antioxidant power, while purple grape juice has four times more antioxidant activity than orange or tomato juice. Red wine (not white) has about the same antioxidant capacity as purple grape juice or tea. French research show that drinking red wine in moderation increases longevity, but excessive drinking has the opposite effect, so limit to two glasses per day. Drink grape juice.

4. Garlic.

German researchers have found that garlic is packed with antioxidants know to help fend off cancer, heart disease and all-over aging, and prolong cancer survival time. Let crushed garlic "rest" about 10 minutes before cooking to preserve disease-fighting agents.

5. Spinach.

Second among vegetables only to garlic in antioxidant capacity and is also rich in folic acid, which helps fight cancer, heart disease and mental disorders. New University of Kentucky research shows folic acid may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Eat both raw and steamed for best benefit.

6. Whole grains.

A University of Minnesota study suggests the more whole grains you eat, the lower your odds of death by 15%. Whole grains contain anticancer agents and help stabilize blood sugar and insulin, which may promote longevity. Whole-grain "dark" breads, cereals such as All Bran, and "old fashioned" oatmeal are an excellent source.

7. Salmon,

and other fatty fish. Contains high amounts of omega-3 fat that performs miracles throughout the body, fighting virtually every chronic disease known. Without it, your brain can't think, your heart can't beat, your arteries clog, and joints become inflamed. You need one ounce a day, or two servings of salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring or tuna per week.

8. Nuts.

Eating more than 5 ounces a week can cut heart-attack deaths in women by 40% and help prevent deadly irregular heart beats in men a Harvard University study found. Almonds and walnuts lower blood cholesterol. Most of the fat in nuts is the good-type monounsaturated and/or omega-3. Unsalted nuts are best.

9. Blueberries.

High in antioxidants, Tufts University researchers say a half-cup of blueberries a day can retard aging and can block brain changes leading to decline and even reverse failing memory.

10. Tea.

Green or black tea has equal antioxidant benefit. One cup a day can cut heart disease risk in half Harvard researchers found. Make from loose tea or tea bags, instant and bottled tea has little effect Tufts University shows.

H.N.

We ALL Have Cancer Cells!

We ALL Have Cancer Cells!

Compiled by Hoda Nassef

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence, the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestiveenzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Florescence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, We ALL Have Cancer Cells in Our Bodies!

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off oneimportant food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in thegastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet isacidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beefor pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

H.N.

Berries Help Prevent Cancer

Berries Help Prevent Cancer

Compiled by Hoda Nassef

An antioxidant found in blueberries and grapes may offer protection against colon cancer, according to a new study that suggests the humble berry should be added to the list of cancer-fighting 'superfoods'.

In a small study on rats, the compound appeared to afford the animals a measure of protection against this type of malignancy. All 18 rats were given a compound to induce colon cancer in a manner similar to human colon cancer development. Nine of the rodents were then placed on a balanced diet, while the remainder was given the same diet with a supplement of the berry antioxidant pterostilbene. At the end of eight weeks, the rats on pterostilbene had 57 percent fewer pre-cancerous lesions in their colon in comparison to the control group.

The compound also reduced colonic cell proliferation and inhibited certain genes involved in inflammation, both of which are considered colon cancer risk factors, the researchers reported in a paper published Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Chicago.

"This study underscores the need to include more berries in the diet, especially blueberries," said Bandaru Reddy, a professor in the department of Chemical Biology at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Separately, researchers at Ohio State University said they had begun clinical trials on humans to see if blueberries could prevent the development of esophageal and colon cancer.

Further studies are needed to establish exactly what the compound does, but researchers suspect that its cholesterol-lowering action may be a key to the link between colon cancer and the high level of saturated fats and calories in Western diets.

In experiments on rats whose diet was five to 10 percent berries, the rats had a 60 percent reduction of tumours of the esophagus and up to an 80 percent reduction in colon tumours.

A third study suggested that chemicals found in grape seed extract may protect against skin cancer by inhibiting the suppression of the immune system caused by ultraviolet light exposure, researchers at the University of Alabama said.

The finding was based on test-tube experiments with mice cells. On a related note, Californian researchers reported that organic produce does offer greater health benefits.

In a head-to-head comparison of organically grown kiwis, versus traditionally grown kiwis, the organic fruit had significantly increased levels of polyphenols, a higher overall antioxidant level and higher levels of Vitamin C. Both sets of kiwis were grown next to each other on the same farm at the same time in the same environmental conditions, the University of California, Davis researchers said.

H.N.

Vital Tips to Avoid Brain or Liver Damage

Health Tips For Your Brain & Liver

By Hoda Nassef

We should all learn to change our lifestyles, in order to live a little bit longer, God willing! With all the bad outside effects to our health, including the Black Cloud in Egypt, which is starting now earlier than in October and lasting till late December, having our homes also polluted, or our lifestyles, will surely damage our health to a bigger degree, one way or anather. So, let's at least do all what is humanly possible for our God-given health - for our children, parents, families, and ourselves.

Here are some tips I compiled for you, as well as for myself:-

(1) Some brain-damaging bad habits are:

1. No Breakfast.

People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain, causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating.

This causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking.

Smoking causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

4. High Sugar Consumption.

Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution.

The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation.

Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head Covered While Sleeping.

Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decreases concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working (Mental Work) During Illness.

Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking In Stimulalting Thoughts.

Thinking is the best way to train our brain; lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely.

Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain. (See my article on Brain Power.)

(2) The main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are usually the main causes.

2. Not urinating in the morning.

3. Too much eating.

4. Skipping breakfast.

5. Consuming too much medication.

6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food colouring , and artificial sweeteners

7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.

8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store. We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adapt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits.

Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to "schedule."

- Because: Evening at 9 -11 p.m: is the time for eliminating unnecessary / toxic chemicals (detoxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in a tense state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on her health.

- Evening at 11 p.m - 1 a.m: is the detoxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep-sleep state.

- Early morning 1 - 3 a.m: detoxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep-sleep state.

- Early morning 3 - 5 a.m: detoxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough sufferers during this time. Since the detoxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process.

- Morning 5 - 7 a.m: detoxification in the colon; you should empty your bowel.

- Morning 7 - 9 a.m: absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time.

- Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30 am, for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30 a.m is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 - 10 a.m rather than no meal at all.

- Sleeping very late and waking up very late as well, will disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals. Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 a.m is the time when the bone marrow produces blood.

Yes, it seems easy to follow, but usually we stick to our bad habits, no matter how much we know!!! Anyway, let's do it for our families...if not for ourselves.

H.N.

Eat More, Yet Lose Weight!

In 12 Steps...Eat More, Yet Lose Weight!

By Hoda Nassef

Forget about eating ‘three meals a day’ and do like babies do; eat more small meals throughout the day! This is the latest trend to help you shed your unwanted kilos and transform your body into a slim fat-burning machine!

1. Rise and dine?
If you think skipping breakfast will help you shed a few pounds, think again. Not eating a morning meal can actually trick the body into thinking it is starving, which makes it hold on to fat or cause you to eat more during the day. To keep your metabolism up to speed and blood sugar levels steady, eat breakfast within 45 minutes of rising. The healthiest choices contain a balance of fat, protein, and carbs (carbohydrates), such as porridge with a handful of nuts or a vegetable omelette.

2. Eat more often.
If eating more often in order to lose weight sounds too good to be true, listen to this. Your body needs calories in order to burn fat. So, to turn your body into a fat-burning machine, eat small meals throughout the day. Ideally each mini-meal should consist of lean protein, good fats, and complex carbohydrates. For example, 4 ounces (113 grams) of chicken, 1 cup (150 grams) of brown rice, and a green salad.

3. Combine carbohydrates.
If a carbohydrate wasn’t grown, picked, or harvested, don’t eat it. That means shunning refined breads, pastas, cakes, and pastries, and choosing good carbs (carbohydrate substances) like brown rice, sweet potatoes, or an apple. And while you’re at it, try to never eat a carbohydrate by itself. Simply adding a bit of good fat, such as olive oil or lean protein will slow digestion, steady blood sugar, and keep the body from storing fat.

4. Drink more water.
Even if all you did was start drinking more water you would likely lose weight. That’s because the body needs to be fully hydrated in order to maintain a healthy metabolism. Try drinking about 30 ml of water per kilo of body weight every day, and see the difference.

5. Muscle, or Fat?
You’ve heard that muscle weighs more than fat, but did you know that muscle burns more calories? That’s right, building lean muscle through weight training causes the body to burn more calories throughout the day. When combined with regular aerobic exercise, weight training can help you lose more weight.

6. Cheat a little!
You know what they say about all work and no play—well, that goes for weight loss too. Giving up all the foods you love can backfire and sabotage your efforts. Be sure to allow yourself a day each week when you indulge in conservative amounts of your favourite foods. Remember, a serving should be about the size of an average apple.

7. Glowing grains!
You are what you eat and drink and breathe, so consider this:
• A healthy diet full of anti-oxidants A, C, and E helps fend off free radicals from everyday exposure to air pollutants, sun, and stress. Foods rich in vitamin A and vitamin C include brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, such as squashes, sweet potatoes, carrots, leafy greens, tomatoes, strawberries, and kiwi. Vitamin E is found in a variety of nuts and their oils and wheat germ.
• Exercise increases circulation, which helps nourish collagen fibres that give skin its appearance of plumpness, while perspiration from your workout cleanses the skin.
• Water hydrates the skin from the inside out, so practice drinking enough water that you rarely get thirsty.
• Avoid smoking and breathing second-hand smoke, which causes blood vessels to constrict, inhibiting blood flow and starving the skin of oxygen.

8. Growing Pains?!
It's true that you are what you eat, but your health is also a reflection of what you do. That’s why making healthy lifestyle choices can drastically affect your ability to keep illness at bay. So consider the following to optimize your immune-system strength:
• Exercise regularly
• Limit alcohol, caffeine, and sugar
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Drink lots of bottled water

9. Don’t miss meals and take your vitamins.
Even if you never eat junk food or miss meals, your body will still need a bit of help getting all the nutrients it needs to stay strong. That is where supplements come in. A good multivitamin is a must. In addition, boosting your intake of the nutrients below can help prevent deficiencies that make you a target for infections:
• Vitamin C
• Zinc
• Beta-carotene

10. Build good bacteria
Making sure the good bacteria in your body outnumber the bad is one way to help fend off infection. Healthy probiotic bacteria stimulate the intestine’s immune system and slow the growth of infectious organisms in the digestive system. Good sources of healthy bacteria are yoghurt and other foods containing live cultures, and supplements containing 10 billion colony-forming units a day of acidophilus or bifid bacteria.

11. Relax
Excessive stress essentially cripples the immune system, making the body less able to fend off everything from bacteria and viruses to serious diseases. Finding ways to relax is essential for your good health. Give the following a try:
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Warm baths with soothing oils, such as lavender
• Walking
• Reading
Whatever you choose, look for activities—or pass-times—that give you a real break from everyday work and home obligations.

12. Take forty winks
Skimping on sleep can cut your immune defences in half, so be sure to snooze a full eight hours a night. If you can’t get a full night’s sleep because of time constraints, try to squeeze in a 15- to 30-minute nap during the day. Although not as beneficial as night-time rest, a nap can help stave off illness. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying that way, try some remedies for insomnia.

H.N.

Brain Power

BRAIN POWER:You CAN become Younger!

By Hoda Nassef

Just yesterday I was invited to attend a conference with Egyptian and foreign specialized brain surgeons. The amazing facts were revealed for the first time: after many years of research, they discovered that the brain ageing process is decreased, if one WALKS every day for at least half an hour! Just walking – imagine how simple! As an example of their work, a 78-year old woman’s memory and mental capacities actually improved after only 6 months of daily half-hour walks. She was given mental exercises as well, such as quizzes that she had to solve daily. Both walking and mental ‘gymnastics’ actually developed her brain by rejuvenating the cells, giving her five more years of life! Second phase will be to apply some deep breathing and relaxation exercises to rejuvenate her even more, added to her daily body and mental gymnastics.

The most precious gift God has given to all His creatures on earth, is the Brain. It the most complex, potent, and the most neglected or wasted organ in the body. But, you can actually make your brain younger again!

Meditation, yoga, or visualization (in subconscious or conscious ‘film replays’) is another method of rejuvenating your brain, enabling you to achieve long-term goals. It is a self-governing technique, and its method of use is simple. All you have to do is imagine yourself (several times a day) starring in a film! You can visualize all the things and all the situations in the whole of your life that you would like to change, for example, and then ‘play’ it through (your subconscious) film as often as you need it. Subtly put, this is also self-hypnosis. Think in colours. Think in pictures. You are thus appealing to the right side of your brain, and so making a much more lasting impression.

The brain is the source of all our motives, actions, and ideas. It is the most complex organ in the human body, as well as the least known. Through prolonged study and experiment, scientists have been able to map out the various parts of the brain with considerable accuracy. Certain areas are responsible for our sensory impressions, such as vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch. These are the “sensory” areas. The “motor” areas control our muscles in walking, resting, eating, speaking and working. The front part of the brain, just behind the forehead, is the “silent” area, i.e. where our sense of justice, moral values, truth, honesty, and good judgement are located. The ‘upper brain’ or “cerebral cortex” sets man apart from the rest of the animal world.

Imagine, the human is the only creature whose brain triples in size during the first year of life! By a stretch of the imagination, we can safely assume some of the related characteristics of the two cerebral hemispheres, as demonstrated in the chart.

LEFT side of the brain:

1. Controls the right side of the body.
2. Processes one piece of information at a time.
3. Works in logical sequence.
4. Controls speech, grammar and word order.
5. Governs mathematical information.
6. Analyses, evaluates and criticizes.
7. Centre for memory of words and numbers.
8. Controls common sense and intelligence.

RIGHT side of the brain:

1. Controls the left side of the body.
2. Works with wholes, and not details.
3. Visualizes and thinks in pictures.
4. Governs movements and physical activity.
5. Governs drawing and painting.
6. Centre for intuition, spontaneity, & feelings.
7. Centre for memory of experiences, people, etc.
8. Controls creativity and intuition.


The cerebral cortex can be also subdivided into two hemispheres: the left and the right, with two different functions. The left cerebral hemisphere controls the right side of the body, and the right cerebral hemisphere controls the left side of the body. It is also said that the left side relates to intelligence, whereas the right side, to creativity. Therefore, the left hemisphere is engaged in logical thinking, evaluating, criticizing and analyzing work, with detail, while the right hemisphere works with intuitive, creative, three-dimensional aspects, and with whole concepts. We can come to the conclusion that the left side is the most important cerebral hemisphere for linguistics, analysts, mathematicians, for example, and the right side of the brain is the most important for painters, designers, artists, salespersons, etc.

It is obvious that for some activities, the left side of the brain is needed most, and for other activities, the right side of the brain. When the two hemispheres work together to contribute to a result, the brain is working at its best. Too often a person has one or the other side dominant. A balance is ideal. In the technique known as “brain storming”, both sides are used equally and result in balance – even genius. Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci are two such examples of genius. They both had superbly equally balanced right and left hemispheres of their brains. For example, Leonardo da Vinci was not only a genius in art, but also able to invent machines and create graphic illustrations as well as mechanical formulae for his inventions.

Many of us have neglected the development of our “right brains”. Perhaps because during our early school years, talent was not developed in schools, or art classes and music lessons were considered a waste of time. Whether art would become a career in the future, or not, we did not realise then the use that could be made of our right brain all through our lives. By simply exercising some form of art in early childhood, it would have been a stimulus in itself for developing and expanding the use of the right side of the brain, affecting positively the rest of our lives.

As we grow older, many problems arise and affect our brains. These problems or maladies arise not from failure on the part of the brain, but from it being used the wrong way. Did you know that the older we get, the better our brains become? If we use our brain all time, and use it well, it actually improves with age! However, the brain is no different from the rest of the body; the more we train it, the stronger and fitter it gets. ‘Mental gymnastics’ are just as important as physical gymnastics. When older people complain that their ‘brains are failing’, or their memory is fading, it is because they do not give the brain enough work to do to keep it young and fit.

WARNING SIGNS:

If you are physically tired or going through some traumatic events in your life, your brain may receive some warnings signals, such as when you:

· Tire too easily
· Read too slowly
· Eat too much
· Get headaches
· Suffer gastric ulcers or asthma
· Lose control over emotions
· Forget appointments
· Lose concentration
· Make too many mistakes
· Decrease body immunity
· Become prone to illness
· Become physically sick

Many of these psychosomatic illnesses (such as asthma, gastric ulcers and migraines) are due to stress. So, avoid stress. (Easier said than done!) You have to will yourself to get better. The expression is “to think positive”. You will soon lose the above symptoms, if you train your brain or learn how to use it better. If we understand how the brain operates, we can improve our health, work, and life in general. Perhaps your ultimate goals may differ from one person to another, but you can achieve anything, if you believe in yourself, think positive, and practice self-control.

By proper use of your brain, you can teach yourself to:

· Communicate better
· Be more creative
· Be fitter physically
· Improve memory
· Avoid fatigue and stress
· Make better decisions
· Gain an overall view of things
· Be more relaxed
· Develop willpower and self-discipline
· Solve problems faster
· Learn faster
· Achieve goals and enjoy life
· Counteract stress
· Make physical changes
· Imagine a better life
· Know yourself better

It’s not too late! Both sides of the brain can still be developed. You can even think yourself into good health; you can stop smoking, lose weight, avoid migraines, and improve your physical and mental performance. “Brain Power” can also help you to improve in your job performance, or inspire you to change your whole career to suit your needs and dreams. It can be done! Habits can be changed. How? The problem is we tend to be unable to see the long-term end results of a slim figure, for example, because the view is obscured by short-term pleasure of a plate of ‘mahshi’! The method of achieving a number of long-term goals is quite simple, but finding the self-discipline to tackle them is much harder. “Brain power” is one way to help yourself. But first, you must want to help yourself.

Give yourself a chance – give yourself some time; keep visualizing, walk daily, eat properly, and it will work. You will notice that even your behaviour will change, as well as your way of thinking. By determination and positive thinking, I guarantee that you will soon reap the benefits. Remember also to believe in yourself. But most important of all …believe in God’s miracle and gift to you, so take good care of it!

H.N.

DEPRESSION

D E P R E S S I O N

By Hoda Nassef

Causes of Depression:

Depression has no single cause; often, it results from a combination of things. You may have no idea why depression has struck you.

Whatever its cause, depression is not just a state of mind. It is related to physical changes in the brain, and connected to an imbalance of a type of chemical that carries signals in your brain and nerves. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters.

Some of the more common factors involved in depression are:

ž Family history. Genetics play an important part in depression. It can run in families for generations.
ž Trauma and stress. Things like financial problems, the break-up of a relationship, or the death of a loved one can bring on depression. You can become depressed after changes in your life, like starting a new job, graduating from school, or getting married.
ž Pessimistic personality. People who have low self-esteem and a negative outlook are at higher risk of becoming depressed. These traits may actually be caused by low-level depression (called dysthymia).
ž Physical conditions. Serious medical conditions like heart disease, cancer, and HIV can contribute to depression, partly because of the physical weakness and stress they bring on. Depression can make medical conditions worse, since it weakens the immune system and can make pain harder to bear. In some cases, depression can be caused by medications used to treat medical conditions.
ž Other psychological disorders. Anxiety disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and (especially) substance abuse often appear along with depression.

Who Gets Depression?

Although depression can make you feel alone, 16% will have it during their lifetime. While depression can affect anyone, its effect may vary depending on your age and gender.

· Women are almost twice as likely to become depressed as men. The higher risk may be due partly to hormonal changes brought on by puberty, menstruation, menopause, and pregnancy.
· Men. Although their risk for depression is lower, men are more likely to go undiagnosed and less likely to seek help. They may show the typical symptoms of depression, but are more likely to be angry and hostile or to mask their condition with alcohol or drug abuse. Suicide is an especially serious risk for men with depression, who are four times more likely than women to kill themselves.
· Elderly. Older people may lose loved ones and have to adjust to living alone. They may become physically ill and unable to be as active as they once were. These changes can all contribute to depression. Loved ones may attribute the signs of depression to the normal results of aging, and many older people are reluctant to talk about their symptoms. As a result, older people may not receive treatment for their depression.

Antidepressant Medications:

More than 14 Egyptians, or more than 6 percent of adults, experience depression in any given year. Despite these statistics, depression is not a normal part of life, regardless of your age, sex, or health status.

The good news is that depression is very treatable. Most patients, even those with severe depression, show improvement after they seek treatment. Your doctor will prescribe treatment based on the pattern of your depression, its severity, persistence of symptoms, and history.

Some treatment tips to keep in mind:

It takes time for antidepressants to work. Although you may start to feel better within a couple of weeks, the full antidepressant effect may not be seen for several weeks. It is important to be patient and give the medicine a chance to work.

Antidepressant medications work for many people; they can make you feel better, and can improve or completely relieve your symptoms. But sometimes people have unrealistic fears or expectations about them. Some hope to feel better overnight; others worry that medications will change their personalities in ways they won't like. Both extremes are unlikely. The first step towards getting better and staying better is to take your medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

Other Therapies:

Some of the therapy approaches used to treat depression are cognitive-behavioural, interpersonal, psychodynamic, and group therapy. There are several types of therapists, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers, who work with people who have depression. Finding the right therapist is an important step on the road to recovery.

One Case History:

Lately Mona hasn't felt like herself. Her friends have noticed it, too. Salma was surprised when Mona turned down her invitation to go shopping last Friday (she always loves to shop). There was really no reason not to go, but Lindsay just didn't feel like it. Instead, she spent most of Friday sleeping. But staying in more than usual isn't the only change in Mona. She's always been a really good student, but over the past couple of months her grades have fallen pretty dramatically, and she has trouble concentrating. She's even failed a couple of tests, and she hasn't yet turned in a paper that was due last week.

When she gets home from ballet practice, she's not hungry for dinner. Though she usually manages to eat a little something with her family, she just doesn't have much of an appetite - and nothing seems to taste as good as it used to. After dinner, Mona goes to her room, does a bit of homework, and goes to bed. She's not even in the mood to watch TV or talk on the phone with her friends.

When her mother asks her what's wrong, Mona feels like crying but doesn't know why. Everything seems wrong, yet nothing particularly bad has happened. Mona just feels sad all the time and can't shake it. Mona may not realize it yet, but she is depressed.

The term DEPRESSION refers to:

· A lasting sad mood and/or
· Loss of interest or pleasure in most activities.

Depression is very common and affects as many as one in eight people in their teen years. It affects people of every colour, race, economic status, or age; however, it does seem to affect more females than males during adolescence and adulthood.

Depression has now reached epidemic proportions in most Western societies, and with orthodox treatment only offering medication with serious side-effects, recovery is often a long and painful process. But now a new solution is emerging that is safe, effective and entirely natural; by ensuring an adequate supply a nutrient contained in oily fish, as an example.

Depression is a real medical condition:

Everyone has times when they're feeling down. If you have depression, this sad mood along with other symptoms can last weeks, months, or even years if not treated. Depression isn't a sign of weakness or a character flaw. It's a real medical condition, but there are ways to successfully treat depression.

Depression can affect anyone:

More people suffer from depression than you might think. Depression strikes people of all ages, backgrounds, religion, and ethnic groups. Depressive disorders affect millions of adults yearly. Nearly twice as many women as men are affected by a depressive illness each year.

For a doctor to decide that someone is clinically depressed, the person must have five or more of these symptoms and at least one must be either of the first two main symptoms of depression. Also, these symptoms must last for at least two weeks. The symptoms should be serious enough to cause worry and to get in the way of the person's work, social life, or daily life.

If you have had some of these depression symptoms and they have lasted for at least two weeks, you should see your doctor to find out what the cause could be.

Depression is a treatable illness.

If you think you or someone you know might suffer from depression, check with your nearest clinic. Only a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional can diagnose depression. He will explain:

1. Why depressed people feel exhausted so much of the time and what causes them, along with other symptoms;
2. What the best types of therapy or counselling are for depression, and how to choose a good counsellor;
3. How therapy and counselling compares to drug treatments for depression;
4. The latest understanding of what depression actually is; and…
5. What you can do today to start feeling better.

Depressed people might also have problems with digestion, such as dry mouth, nausea, constipation and, less commonly, diarrhoea. Being worried, anxious, or irritable all the time could also be hidden signs of depression. Only a doctor or other qualified professional can diagnose depression.

Depression-Related Mood Disorders:

Depression can severely disrupt your life, affecting your appetite, sleep, work, and relationships.

The symptoms that help a doctor identify depression include:

· constant feelings of sadness, irritability, or tension
· decreased interest or decreased pleasure in usual activities or hobbies
· loss of energy and feeling tired despite lack of activity
· a change in appetite, with significant weight loss or weight gain
· a change in sleeping patterns, such as difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or sleeping too much
· restlessness or feeling slowed down
· decreased ability to make decisions or concentrate
· feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt
· thoughts of suicide or death

If you are experiencing any or several of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about whether or not you are suffering from depression.

Dysthymia is another mood disorder. People who have it may feel mildly depressed on most days over a period of at least two years. They have many symptoms resembling major depression, but with less severity.

Symptoms of depression may surface with other mood disorders. They include seasonal major depression (also known as seasonal affective disorder), postpartum depression, and bipolar disorder.

Seasonal Affective Disorder has symptoms that are seen with any major depressive episode. It is the recurrence of the symptoms during certain seasons that is the hallmark of this type of depression.

Postpartum Depression is a type of depression that can occur in women who have recently given birth. It typically occurs in the first few months after delivery, but can happen within the first year after giving birth. The symptoms are those seen with any major depressive episode. Often, postpartum depression interferes with the mother's ability to bond with her newborn. It is very important to seek help if you are experiencing postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is different from the "Baby Blues", which tend to occur the first few days after delivery and resolve spontaneously.

Bipolar disorder, another mood disorder, is different than major depressive disorder, and has different treatments. Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, is an illness that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. These mood shifts are different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through. The symptoms of bipolar disorder include episodes of mania, or dangerous “highs” as well as episodes of depression with devastating “lows”. People with bipolar disorder often experience periods of normal mood between episodes.

1. Take charge of your health one step at a time.

Depression is not something you can just "snap out of." It's caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals, along with other factors. And, like any serious medical condition, depression needs to be treated.

Depression Basics:

Some people say that depression feels like a black curtain of despair coming down over their lives. Many people feel like they have no energy and can't concentrate. Others feel irritable all the time for no apparent reason. The symptoms vary from person to person, but if you feel "down" for more than two weeks, and these feelings are interfering with your daily life, you may be clinically depressed.

Most people who have gone through one episode of depression will, sooner or later, have another one. You may begin to feel some of the symptoms of depression several weeks before you develop a full-blown episode of depression. Learning to recognize these early triggers or symptoms and working with your doctor will help to keep the depression from worsening.
Most people with depression never seek help, even though the majority will respond to treatment. Treating depression is especially important because it affects you, your family, and your work. Some people with depression try to harm themselves in the mistaken belief that how they are feeling then, will never change.

2. Life with depression:

Working with your doctor, you can learn to manage depression. You may have to try a few different medications to find the one that works best for you. Your doctor may also recommend that you see a therapist and/or make certain lifestyle changes.

Change won't come overnight - but with the right treatment, you can keep depression from getting worse.

Over 2 million Egyptian adults have bipolar disorder, a disorder once known as manic depression. The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unclear, but it is believed to be linked to an imbalance of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. While there is currently no cure for bipolar disorder, it is treatable. With the help of the right medication and support, remission of symptoms is possible.

Finally, do not be embarrassed or shy to seek help. Depression is just another type of illness and can be completely cured, if you seek the right professional help. You will be amazed at how your whole outlook on life will seem, after that, and wonder even why you were depressed in the first place. Nothing is worth damaging your health, nor your spirit. Needless to say, seek solace through your religion, but start by loving yourself, and you will notice that many others love you too.


H.N.

DIABETES

DIABETES: Also known as 'Blood Sugar'

By Hoda Nassef

I think each family in Egypt has at least one relative with ‘diabetes’. It is not always hereditary – but can be brought on after trauma or stress. Diabetes used to be a ‘family secret’ and young men or girls who were seeking their ‘better halves’ for marriage, usually hid this fact in shame. The good news is that diabetes can be reversed, or at least controlled, and people afflicted with it, can have long and normal lives.

The two major forms of diabetes are type 1 (previously called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM, or juvenile-onset diabetes) and type 2 (previously called noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.)

The GENERAL signs and symptoms of diabetes are:

• Increased thirst
• Urinating all the time - especially at night
• Extreme tiredness
• Weight loss
• Blurred vision
• Genital itching or regular episodes of thrush
• Slow healing of wounds.

In Type 1 diabetes the signs and symptoms will usually be very obvious, developing quickly, usually over a few weeks. People who are Type 1 diabetic must use manufactured insulin, usually in by injections, to replace the natural insulin that is no longer produced by their body.

In people with Type 2 diabetes the signs and symptoms will not be so obvious or even non-existent in people with Type 2 diabetes. If you’re older you may put the symptoms down to ‘getting on a bit’. Taking early action is key so if any of the symptoms apply to you, ask your GP for a diabetes test. In both types of diabetes, the symptoms are quickly relieved once the diabetes is treated. Early treatment will also reduce the chances of developing serious health problems.

The disease process is more severe and onset is usually in childhood: Beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin are gradually destroyed. Eventually insulin deficiency is absolute. Without insulin to move glucose into cells, blood glucose levels become excessively high, a condition known as hyperglycemia. Because the body cannot utilize the sugar, it spills over into the urine and is lost.

Weakness, weight loss, and excessive hunger and thirst are among the consequences of this "starvation in the midst of plenty." Patients become dependent on administered insulin for survival.

Many of the signs of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are similar. In both, there is too much glucose (Definition: Glucose is known as a monosaccharide or "simple" sugar. It occurs mainly in plant and animal tissue. It is usually found in the blood and is the principal source of energy for most living things. Glucose in the blood is a product of digestion and is taken into the cells for energy production which in turn fuels most of our bodily functions) in the blood and not enough in the cells of your body. High glucose levels in Type I are due to a lack of insulin because the insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes:

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body's cells become resistant to insulin that is being produced; producing cells have been destroyed. Either way, your cells aren't getting the glucose that they need, and your body lets you know by giving you these signs and symptoms. People with Type 2 sometimes need to use insulin when their cells become too resistant to the insulin that they produce naturally and oral medications are no longer working. (Alternative name: Maturity Onset Diabetes; Noninsulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus).

The disease mechanisms in type 2 diabetes are not wholly known, but some experts suggest that it may involve the following three stages in most patients: The first stage in type 2 diabetes is the condition called insulin resistance. Although insulin can attach normally to receptors on liver and muscle cells, certain mechanisms prevent insulin from moving glucose (blood sugar) into these cells where it can be used.

Most type 2 diabetics produce variable, even normal or high, amounts of insulin. In the beginning, this amount is usually sufficient to overcome such resistance. Over time, the pancreas becomes unable to produce enough insulin to overcome resistance. In type 2 diabetes, the initial effect of this stage is usually an abnormal rise in blood sugar right after a meal (called postprandial hyperglycemia). This effect is now believed to be particularly damaging to the body. Eventually, the cycle of elevated glucose further impairs and possibly destroys beta cells, thereby stopping insulin production completely and causing full-blown diabetes. This is made evident by fasting hyperglycemia, in which elevated glucose levels are present most of the time.

Insulin:

Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells of the pancreas that permits glucose to enter cells and helps the body use glucose for energy. Insulin controls the amount of glucose in the blood. The two major forms of diabetes are type 1 (previously called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM, or juvenile-onset diabetes) and type 2 (previously called noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM, or maturity-onset diabetes).

Both diabetes type 1 and type 2 share one central feature: elevated blood sugar (glucose) levels due to insufficiencies of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas.

Insulin is a key regulator of the body's metabolism. It normally works in the following way:

The pancreas is located behind the liver and is where the hormone insulin is produced.
Insulin is used by the body to store and utilize glucose.

During and immediately after a meal the process of digestion breaks down carbohydrates into sugar molecules (including glucose) and proteins into amino acids. Right after the meal, glucose and amino acids are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, and blood glucose levels rise sharply.

The rise in blood glucose levels signals important cells in the pancreas, called beta cells, to secrete insulin, which pours into the bloodstream. Within ten minutes after a meal, insulin rises to its peak level. Insulin then enables glucose and amino acids to enter cells in the body, particularly muscle and liver cells. Here, insulin and other hormones direct whether these nutrients will be burned for energy or stored for future use. (Note that the brain and nervous system are not dependent on insulin; they regulate their glucose needs through other mechanisms).

When insulin levels are high, the liver stops producing glucose and stores it in other forms until the body needs it again. As blood glucose levels reach their peak, the pancreas reduces the production of insulin. About two to four hours after a meal, both blood glucose and insulin are at low levels, with insulin being slightly higher. The blood glucose levels are then referred to as fasting blood glucose concentrations.

Insulin Abnormalities:

Insulin resistance: Normal or even excessive levels of insulin (to compensate for this resistance), eventually followed by a drop in insulin production. In addition, researchers are trying to determine the factors that might promote insulin resistance: both obesity and insulin resistance at different phases are marked by elevated levels of free fatty acids and the hormones resistin and leptin. It is not known yet if elevated levels are simply a product of obesity or play some causal role in diabetes. Insulin resistance is associated with a chronic low inflammatory response, which involves a number of immune factors, such as TGH-beta 1 and C-reactive protein. Such factors can cause damage over time and may be responsible for the association between insulin resistance and heart disease.

When and What to Eat:

For diabetes, when you eat is as important as what you eat. Eating meals that are approximately the same size and combination of carbohydrates and fats at the same time every day helps to keep blood sugar regular and predictable. The best diet is one that is low in fat, low in salt and low in added sugars. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables are preferable over simple carbohydrates like sugary soft drinks and candy.

The Dangers of Fasting:

For people with diabetes taking certain tablets and/or insulin to manage their condition, the greatest danger is that of hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels; ‘hypo’). It is also possible that people could develop high blood glucose levels during a fast if they omit their medication, or if they are less physically active than normal. If you are intending to fast you should attend your diabetes clinic for an assessment of your current level of diabetes control. Your healthcare team or doctors should discuss with you any difficulties experienced in previous fasts and how you coped with them. They can advise on any adjustment of medication that may be required to enable you to fast safely.

To reduce the possibility of becoming hypoglycaemic you should rest as much as possible during the fast. If you are fasting and feel hypoglycaemic you must take some sugary fluids and follow it with starchy food. This breaking of the fast is permitted since Islam states a person should not put their health at risk and becoming hypoglycaemic could do just that.

There is also the danger of the blood glucose level becoming too high when normal levels of medication are not taken. This can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a condition requiring hospital admission. The symptoms of DKA include feeling very thirsty and passing a lot of urine. If someone is fasting and does not take in fluids to reduce their thirst, this will accelerate dehydration and they will require urgent admission to hospital.

Alcohol and Diabetes:

Although I should not mention this, due to the nature of our mainly-Moslem citizens in Egypt, it is a (hidden) fact that some Moslems drink; whether lightly or profusely is not our concern for this article. For Christians, there is no need to give up alcohol, but be aware that alcohol makes hypoglycaemia more likely to occur. However, as long as your diabetes is well controlled, moderate amounts of alcohol can be drunk before, during or soon after a meal without affecting short-term blood glucose control. Never drink on an empty stomach as the alcohol will be absorbed too quickly into your blood stream. If you are drinking throughout the evening, snack on something starchy like crisps or chips, and do not substitute alcoholic drinks for your usual meal or snacks as this may lead to hypoglycaemia.

Serious hypoglycaemia can occur with larger quantities of alcohol, particularly if you are treated with insulin and especially if too little carbohydrate is eaten. If this could apply to you, always make sure you take some carbohydrate before going to bed after drinking. Useful snacks include toast, cereal and sandwiches, although chips or pizza on the way home may be an easier, albeit unhealthier, option. It is vital you keep your blood glucose levels topped up with carbohydrate and always remember to take something at breakfast. Monitor your blood glucose levels closely. Remember you may be less aware of your hypo symptoms when you are drinking so always wear some form of diabetes identification. A hypo can be confused with drunkenness when there is the smell of alcohol on your breath.

Continuous heavy drinking can lead to raised blood pressure so again try to limit your intake. All types of alcoholic drinks contain calories so if you are watching your weight think about cutting back further. If you have neuropathy (nerve damage), drinking alcohol can make it worse and increase the pain, tingling, numbness and other symptoms associated with nerve damage. Drinking low carbohydrate beers and cider offer no benefit because of their higher alcohol content. Low alcohol drinks can be useful if you are driving, but few are alcohol free, so remember if you drink enough of them you may still be over the limit. Low alcohol wines are often higher in sugar than ordinary ones, so if you do choose these, just stick to a glass or two. Drinks with a high sugar content, e.g. sweet sherries, sweet wines and most liqueurs should be limited.

Mixer drinks should be ‘diet’ or ‘sugar free’ such as diet tonic water and diet cola. Moderate alcohol consumption in line with recommended daily guidelines can be beneficial for your heart. Wine, especially red wine, may offer greater benefit than spirits or beer. However there is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that you take up drinking if you are currently ‘tee total’. And, never drink and drive.

Genetic Factors:

Genetic factors play an important role in type 2 diabetes, but the pattern is complicated, since both impairment of beta cell function and an abnormal response to insulin are involved. Researchers have identified a number of genetic factors that may be responsible for selected or more general cases of diabetes:

Researchers have identified genes responsible for maturity-onset diabetes in youth (MODY), a rare genetic form of type 2 diabetes that develops only in Caucasian teenagers. (This is not the diabetes associated with obesity that is now being seen increasingly in young people.)

A defective fatty-acid binding protein 2 (FABP2) gene may result in higher levels of unhealthy fat molecules (particularly triglycerides), which may be critical in the link between obesity and insulin resistance in some people with type 2 diabetes. Alterations in five genes that beta cell and pancreas function have been identified that may plan an important role in inherited cases of type 2 diabetes. Variations in a gene that regulates a protein called calpain-10 is proving to affect insulin secretion and action and may play a role in type 2 diabetes in certain populations.

There is some disagreement, however, about its significance. Calpains are enzymes that play a wide role in many essential cellular functions. Evidence is now strongly suggesting that genetic activation of these enzymes may be important in many aging-related diseases. Defective genes that regulate a molecule called peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma may contribute to both type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure in some patients.

A defective gene has been detected that reduces activity of a protective substance called beta3-adrenergic receptor, which is found in visceral fat cells (those occurring around the abdominal region). The result is a slow-down in metabolism and an increase in obesity. One theory suggests that some cases of type 2 diabetes and obesity are derived from normal genetic actions that were once important for survival.

Some experts postulate the existence of a so-called "thrifty" gene, which regulates hormonal fluctuations to accommodate seasonal changes. In certain nomadic populations, hormones are released during seasons when food supplies have traditionally been low, which results in resistance to insulin and efficient fat storage. The process is reversed in seasons when food is readily available. Because modern industrialization has made high-carbohydrate and fatty foods available all year long, the gene no longer serves a useful function and is now harmful because fat, originally stored for famine situations, is not used up.

Diabetes Secondary to Other Conditions:

Conditions that damage or destroy the pancreas, such as pancreatitis, pancreatic surgery, or certain industrial chemicals can cause diabetes. Polycystic ovaries are highly associated with diabetes. Certain drugs can also cause temporary diabetes, including corticosteroids, beta-blockers, and phenytoin. Rare genetic disorders (Klinefelter's syndrome, Huntington's chorea, Wolfram's syndrome, leprechaunism, Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome, lipoatrophic diabetes, and others) and hormonal disorders (acromegaly, Cushing's syndrome, pheochromocytoma, hyperthyroidism, somatostatinoma, aldosteronoma) are associated with or increase the risk for diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is caused by a complicated interplay of genes, environment, insulin abnormalities, increased glucose production in the liver, increased fat breakdown, and possibly defective hormonal secretions in the intestine. The recent dramatic increase indicates that lifestyle factors (obesity; sedentary lifestyle) may be particularly important in triggering the genetic elements that cause this type of diabetes.

Living a Normal Life:

Until the 1920's, when insulin was first discovered, people usually died from Type 1 diabetes. Today with all the advances of medicine that are available, a person diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes can live a very normal, long life. However, there are many adjustments that need to be made and skills that need to be learned, but these can be incorporated into a daily routine, and can become just as automatic as brushing your teeth! Working with your doctors and a nutritionist, will give you the tools you need. It is nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, you should let your friends know about it, in order to prepare the right food for you if you are invited over for a meal!




H.N.

12 Tips to Success: Recognizing & Controlling Stress

12 Tips to Success:

Recognizing and Controlling Stress

By Hoda Nassef

We all suffer a bit of stress, once in a while, and each person to a different degree, depending on his capability to cope with stress. Stress could be something new to you, triggered by worries of the recent war in Iraq, the political situation in the Middle East in general, or the skyrocketing inflation in prices of consumer goods. There could be a million other reasons to stress you out.

According to my computer ‘Thesaurus’ (or lexicon, vocabulary, word list, etc.) the word ‘stress’ has at least two meanings: the first common one means “emphasis” or “to emphasize” such as stressing a point.

The second meaning of ‘stress’ had a long list of synonyms underneath: pressure, anxiety, constant worry, nervous tension, tension, trauma, hassle. Each word, in turn, had another list of words, culminating in the following:

· Pressure: force, weight, heaviness
· Anxiety: nervousness, worry, concern, unease, apprehension, disquiet, fretfulness, angst, fear
· Worry: be anxious, fret, concerned, troubled, agonize, lose sleep, be bothered
· Nervous Tension: strain, stress, anxiety, pressure, tension, mental strain
· Tension: worry, nervousness, anxiety, stress strain, apprehension
· Trauma: shock, upset, disturbance, strain, distress, damage
· Hassle: harass, irritate, annoy, bother, get on your nerves, aggravate, disturb, stress out, agitate

How to recognise that you are under stress:

While a certain level of stress is necessary to avoid boredom, high levels of stress over a sustained period can damage your health. Reducing stress as soon as possible is important because stress is unavoidable in everyday life.

Stress can hit without warning, or can simmer for some time and erupt out of proportion, and the long-term consequences of unmanaged stress can be serious. From minor health problems, if neglected, or unrecognized, it could lead to serious and chronic health problems.

Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment, and everyday life incidents; it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings.

As a positive influence, stress can help compel us to action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective.

As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, backaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, a weakened immune system, brain stroke, and cancer.

Chemical and food stressors:

The food you eat may contribute to the stresses you experience. Examples of stressors you may not be aware of are:

· Caffeine: This raises your levels of stress hormones, makes it more difficult to sleep, and can make you more irritable.

· Bursts of sugar from sweets or chocolate: These can make you feel more energetic in the short term. However, your body reacts to stabilise abnormally high sugar levels by releasing too much insulin. This causes a serious energy dip shortly after the sugar high.

· Too much salt: This raises your blood pressure and puts your body under chemical stress.

Sometimes bad eating habits can indirectly cause stress, if you eat an unbalanced or unhealthy diet, skip meals or eat too much. You may find that some dietary deficiency or excess food causes discomfort and illness, which generates stress. If you are obese, then this causes physical stress on your internal organs and emotional stress as your view of yourself declines. Outside appearance is an important stress factor, such as viewing yourself as obese or too skinny, which may be an exaggerated view triggered by lack of self-esteem.

Short Term Physical Symptoms: Survival Stress

These mainly occur as your body adapts to perceived physical threat, and are caused by release of adrenaline. Although you may perceive these as unpleasant and negative, they are signs that your body is ready for the explosive action that assists survival or high performance:

· Faster heart beat
· Increased sweating
· Cool skin
· Cold hands and feet
· Feelings of nausea, or 'butterflies in my stomach'
· Rapid Breathing
· Tense Muscles
· Dry Mouth
· A desire to urinate
· Diarrhoea

Long Term Physical Symptoms: Danger Warnings

These occur where your body has been exposed to adrenaline over a long period. One of the ways adrenaline prepares you for action is by diverting resources to the muscles from the areas of the body that carry out body maintenance. This means that if you are exposed to adrenaline for a sustained period, then your health may start to deteriorate. This may show up in the following ways:

· Change in appetite
· Frequent colds
· Illnesses (such as asthma, back pain, rashes or skin eruptions, headaches, digestive problems)
· Sexual disorders
· Aches and pains
· Feelings of intense and long-term tiredness (fatigue)

Internal Symptoms of Long Term Stress:

When you are under stress or have been tired for a long period of time, you may find that you are less able to think clearly and rationally about problems. This can lead to the following internal emotional 'upsets':

· Worry or anxiety
· Confusion, and an inability to concentrate or make decisions
· Feeling ill
· Feeling out of control or overwhelmed by events
· Difficulty sleeping
· Mood changes (such as depression, frustration, hostility, helplessness, impatience, irritability, restlessness)
· Being more lethargic
· Drinking more alcohol and/or smoking more
· Changing eating habits
· Reduced sex drive
· Relying more on medication

If you can’t control your stress, then learn to moderate your physical reactions to it, by the following 12 tips:

1. Slow, deep breathing will bring your heart rate and respiration back to normal. Do this whenever you feel angry or tense.
2. Relaxation techniques can reduce muscle tension. A clinic or professional gymnasium can help you gain voluntary control over such things as muscle tension, heart rate, and blood pressure.
3. Medications, when prescribed by a physician, can help in the short term in moderating your physical reactions. However, they alone are not the answer. Learning to moderate these reactions on your own is a preferable long-term solution.
4. Exercise for cardiovascular fitness daily for half to one hour, or at least three to four times a week. Moderate, prolonged rhythmic exercise is best, such as walking, swimming, cycling, or jogging.
5. Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals and try to reach or maintain your ideal weight.
6. Have a good cry (ladies). Crying is a natural body-toxic cleanser. And, laugh a lot. Go to a funny movie, read your computer jokes, or go out with cheerful people. Leave your problems at home, or in the office, for a while.
7. Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine, too much tea, too many cokes, too many chocolate bars or cocoa, and other stimulants.
8. Mix leisure with work, or at least organize your work to be more enjoyable. If music relaxes and calms you, take your Walkman to work. Clean up your desk and add something personal. Take breaks and get away when you can. If you really hate your job, then try finding another one that you love, even if it means less pay.
9. Get enough sleep. Be as consistent with your sleep schedule as possible.
10. Develop some mutually supportive friendships/relationships. Avoid irritating people.
11. Pursue realistic goals, which are meaningful to you, rather than goals others have for you that you do not share. That means to also expect some frustrations, failures, and sorrows occasionally.
12. Love and be kind to yourself. You may be the only one to take care of yourself alone one day. Be your own friend.

H.N.