Mediterranean Diet May Ward Off Type 2 Diabetes

FRIDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Adhering to the so-called Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits and vegetables and low in animal products, may protect you against developing type 2 diabetes, a Spanish study suggests.

A Mediterranean diet is often recommended as a way to guard against cardiovascular disease, but whether it protects against diabetes hasn't been established. The diet emphasizes olive oil, vegetables, fruits, nuts, cereals, legumes and fish, and deemphasizes meat and dairy products.

"The Mediterranean diet is a healthful eating plan that seems to help in the prevention of heart disease," said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, who was not involved with the study. "Consumption of the Mediterranean diet will support health and may aid in the prevention of several diseases," she added.

For the study, published online May 30 in the British Medical Journal, researchers tracked the diets of 13,380 Spanish university graduates with no history of diabetes. Participants filled out a 136-item food questionnaire, which measured their entire diet (including their intake of fats), their cooking methods and their use of dietary supplements.

During an average of 4.4 years of follow-up, the team found that people who adhered to a Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, those who stuck very closely to the diet reduced their risk by 83 percent.

Moreover, the people who tended to stick closest to the diet were those with factors that put them at the highest risk for developing diabetes, such as being older, having a family history of diabetes and being an ex-smoker. These people were expected to have a higher rate of diabetes, but when they adhered to the Mediterranean diet this was not the case, the researchers noted.

Type 2 diabetes is typically brought on by poor eating habits, too much weight and too little exercise.

The researchers suggested that one key factor that might be responsible for the protective effect of the Mediterranean diet is its emphasis on olive oil for cooking, frying, putting on bread and mixing in salad dressings.

"Our prospective cohort study suggests that substantial protection against diabetes can be obtained with the traditional Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, vegetables, fruits, nuts, cereals, legumes, and fish but relatively low in meat and dairy products," the researchers concluded.

Diekman said the study does have some limitations. "The use of food-frequency questionnaires is a limitation to actual intake, since most people don't know their real eating patterns and tend to 'guess' rather than provide real data," she said.

The low number of cases of diabetes identified in the study is another concern because typical demographic trends would suggest a higher number, she said.

"Finally, since the study is observational, it is hard to determine if other factors may have had an impact," Diekman said. "Self-reporting of study factors always compounds outcomes."

Still, another nutrition expert said the findings seem to confirm the benefits of a Mediterranean diet for overall health.

"This study reminds me of a comment I once heard someone else say -- 'Research simply confirms what we already know or suspect,' " said Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

"There are reams of epidemiological studies that have shown an association of the Mediterranean eating pattern with better health overall," Sandon said. "This study adds more fuel to the argument to make better choices in the types of fats we choose to eat and adding more vegetables to our plates."

Running Through The Ages

Whether you're a beginner or a master, your body's strengths, weaknesses, and nutritional needs change as the decades come and go. Here's a guide for running (and feeling) your best at every stage of life.
By Dimity McDowell, Runner's World

More on MSN Health & Fitness

A Runner's View: Coming Full Circle
The Guide to the Runner's Body
Are You The Leader of Your Pack?
We runners love numbers. Whether it's our pace, finishing times, or resting heart rate, we view figures as a sign of our progress, our accomplishments, our dedication to the sport. So it's no surprise that many of us struggle with one number that increases each year, regardless of how hard we train: our age. But thanks to all the health benefits that running brings, you don't need to sweat each time a candle is added to your cake.

"There's a big difference between biological age (how old your body says you are) and chronological age (how old the calendar says you are)," says Steven Hawkins, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at California Lutheran University. "The biological ages of runners are at least 10 years younger than their chronological ones, and the gap widens with time."

The Six Habits for a Six-Pack

If you can't see your abs, don't assume it's because you're missing out on a magical abdominal exercise or secret supplement. Blame your mindset.

You see, losing belly flab is a boring process. It requires time, hard work, and most important, dedication. Take the right steps every single day, and you'll ultimately carve out your six-pack. But if you stray from your plan even a few times a week — which most men do — you'll probably never see your abs.

The solution: six simple habits, which I teach to my clients to help them strip away their lard for good. Think of these habits as daily goals designed to keep you on the fast track to a fit-looking physique. Individually they're not all that surprising, but together they become a powerful tool.

The effectiveness of this tool is even supported by science. At the University of Iowa, researchers determined that people are more likely to stick with their fat-loss plans when they concentrate on specific actions instead of the desired result. So rather than focusing on abs that show, follow my daily list of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle strategies for achieving that rippled midsection.

The result: automatic abs.

1. Wake up to water

Imagine not drinking all day at work — no coffee, no water, no diet soda. At the end of an 8-hour shift, you'd be pretty parched. Which is precisely why you should start rehydrating immediately after a full night's slumber. From now on, drink at least 16 ounces of chilledH2Oas soon as you rise in the morning. German scientists recently found that doing this boosts metabolism by 24 percent for 90 minutes afterward. (A smaller amount of water had no effect.) What's more, a previous study determined that muscle cells grow faster when they're well hydrated. A general rule of thumb: Guzzle at least a gallon of water over the course of a day.

2. Eat breakfast every day

A University of Massachusetts study showed that men who skip their morning meal are 4 1/2 times more likely to have bulging bellies than those who don't. So within an hour of waking, have a meal or protein shake with at least 250 calories. British researchers found that breakfast size was inversely related to waist size. That is, the larger the morning meal, the leaner the midsection. But keep the meal's size within reason: A 1,480-calorie smoked-sausage scramble at Denny's is really two breakfasts, so cap your intake at 500 calories. For a quick way to fuel up first thing, I like this recipe: Prepare a package of instant oatmeal and mix in a scoop of whey protein powder and 1/2 cup of blueberries.

3. As you eat, review your goals...

Don't worry, I'm not going all Tony Robbins on you. (I don't have enough teeth.) But it's important that you stay aware of your mission. University of Iowa scientists found that people who monitored their diet and exercise goals most frequently were more likely to achieve them than were goal setters who rarely reviewed their objectives.


4. ...and then pack your lunch

My personal Igloo cooler just celebrated its 19th anniversary. I started carrying it with me every day back in college. Of course, it often housed a six-pack of beer — until I decided to compete in the Purdue bodybuilding championship. (Second place, by the way.) Once I knew I'd have to don a banana hammock in public (the world's best motivator), I began to take the contents of my cooler seriously. And so should you. In fact, this habit should be as much a part of your morning ritual as showering. Here's what I recommend packing into your cooler:

— An apple (to eat as a morning snack)

— Two slices of cheese (to eat with the apple)

— A 500- to 600-calorie portion of leftovers (for your lunch)

— A premixed protein shake or a pint of milk (for your afternoon snack)

By using this approach, you'll keep your body well fed and satisfied throughout the day without overeating. You'll also provide your body with the nutrients it needs for your workout, no matter what time you exercise. Just as important, you'll be much less likely to be tempted by the office candy bowl. In fact, my personal rule is simple: I don't eat anything that's not in the cooler.

5. Exercise the right way

Everyone has abs, even if people can't always see them because they're hidden under a layer of flab. That means you don't need to do endless crunches to carve out a six-pack. Instead, you should spend most of your gym time burning off blubber.

The most effective strategy is a one-two approach of weight-lifting and high-intensity interval training. According to a recent University of Southern Maine study, half an hour of pumping iron burns as many calories as running at a 6-minute-per-mile pace for the same duration. (And it has the added benefit of helping you build muscle.) What's more, unlike aerobic exercise, lifting has been shown to boost metabolism for as long as 39 hours after the last repetition. Similar findings have been noted for intervals, which are short, all-out sprints interspersed with periods of rest.

For the best results, do a total-body weight-training workout 3 days a week, resting at least a day between sessions. Then do an interval-training session on the days in between. To make it easy on you, I've created the ultimate fat-burning plan, which appears on this month's workout poster.

6. Skip the late shows

You need sleep to unveil your six-pack. That's because lack of shut-eye may disrupt the hormones that control your ability to burn fat. For instance, University of Chicago scientists recently found that just 3 nights of poor sleep may cause your muscle cells to become resistant to the hormone insulin. Over time, this leads to fat storage around your belly.

To achieve a better night's sleep, review your goals again 15 minutes before bedtime. And while you're at it, write down your plans for the next day's work schedule, as well as any personal chores you need to accomplish. This can help prevent you from lying awake worrying about tomorrow ("I have to remember to e-mail Johnson"), which can cut into quality snooze time.

Depression

What is depression?
Depression is an illness that causes a person to feel sad and hopeless much of the time. It is different from normal feelings of sadness, grief, or low energy.

Anyone can have depression. It often runs in families. But it can also happen to someone who doesn't have a family history of depression. You can have depression one time or many times.

If you think you may be depressed, tell your doctor. There are good treatments that can help you enjoy life again. The sooner you get treatment, the sooner you will feel better.

What causes depression?
The causes of depression are not entirely understood. Things that may trigger depression include:

Major events that create stress, such as childbirth or a death in the family.
Illnesses, such as arthritis, heart disease, or cancer.
Certain medicines, such as steroids or narcotics for pain relief.
Drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs.
These and other factors can cause certain brain chemicals to get out of balance. As soon as the imbalance is corrected, symptoms of depression generally go away.

What are the symptoms?
Depression can cause different symptoms in different people, and they may be hard to notice at first. For example, a child may seem grouchy and irritable. An older adult may be forgetful. If you think a loved one is depressed, learn more about what symptoms to look for, and urge the person to get help if needed.

People who are depressed may:

Think and speak more slowly than normal.
Have trouble concentrating, remembering, and making decisions.
Have changes in their eating and sleeping habits.
Lose interest in things they enjoyed before they were depressed.
Have feelings of guilt and hopelessness, wondering if life is worth living.
Think a lot about death or suicide.
Complain about problems that don’t have a physical cause, such as headache and stomachache.
All of these symptoms can cause a problem with your quality of life. If you have had a few of these symptoms for at least 2 weeks, talk to your doctor. You may have depression that requires treatment.

If you think you may have depression, take a short quiz to evaluate your symptoms:
How is it treated?
Depression is usually treated with counseling or antidepressant medicine, or both. It sometimes takes a few tries to find the right treatment, and it can take several weeks for the medicine to start working. Try to be patient and stay with your treatment.

If you have mild or moderate depression, you may be diagnosed and treated by your family doctor and a therapist or psychologist. If you have severe depression or do not respond to treatment, it may be helpful to see a psychiatrist. This is a medical doctor who specializes in mental health problems. Severe cases of depression may need to be treated in the hospital.

Let your doctor know if you believe you are depressed, because depression is often overlooked. If you are diagnosed with depression, you and your doctor can decide on the best treatment. The earlier you are treated, the more quickly you will recover.1

How common is depression?
Many people will have depression at some point in their lives. Chances of becoming depressed are higher for certain people. For example:

Women have depression twice as often as men. But men are more likely to commit suicide because of depression.2
Separated or divorced people, especially men, are more likely than married people to become depressed.
People who have a serious illness are more likely to have depression.
If you have had depression before, there is a good chance that it will happen again. Taking your medicines even after you feel better can help keep you from getting depressed again. Some people need to take medicine for the rest of their lives.

What can you do if a loved one has depression?
Depression can lead to suicide. Learn the warning signs of suicide, and if you see them in a loved one, get help.

Watch your loved ones for these warning signs of suicide:

Planning to, or saying they want to, kill themselves or someone else.
Having a way to commit suicide, such as having a gun.
Being out of touch with reality, having severe anxiety, or thinking they hear voices giving them commands.
Using alcohol or drugs, especially in large amounts.
Talking, writing, or drawing about death. This includes writing suicide notes and talking about items that can cause physical harm, such as pills, guns, or knives.
Spending long periods of time alone.
Giving away possessions.
Acting mean and aggressive, or suddenly acting calm.
If a suicide threat seems real, with a specific plan and a way to carry it out, the following guidelines may help:

Call 911 , a suicide hotline, or the police.
Stay with the person, or ask someone you trust to stay with the person, until the crisis has passed.
Encourage the person to seek professional help.
Don't argue with the person ("It's not as bad as you think") or challenge him or her ("You're not the type to commit suicide").
Tell the person you don't want him or her to die. Talk about the situation as openly as possible.

Cola drinks may be bad for bones

While enjoying a cola or two every day might seem harmless enough, recent research suggests that those tasty drinks could be compromising your bone health.
“There is enough evidence that high consumption of soda and carbonated beverages is associated with somewhat lower bone mass in children, and that’s a real concern and people should be aware of it,” said Dr. Lawrence Raisz, director of the University of Connecticut Center for Osteoporosis.
The exact mechanism behind the problem isn’t clear, but experts believe that drinking soda — particularly colas — affects bone density in several ways. One reason may be that people who drink colas are simply less likely to get enough calcium and vitamin D in their diets,
because the soda is replacing more nutritious beverages, such as milk or calcium-fortified juice. Or, it could be related to the caffeine in colas, because caffeine has been linked to a higher risk of osteoporosis.
The third possible explanation focuses on one of the ingredients found in colas: phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid can cause an imbalance in the body as the body seeks to neutralise the acid with calcium. If there isn’t enough calcium in the diet, the body will take calcium from the bones.
“Phosphate is in milk, but milk also contains calcium and vitamin D. In soft drinks, there is just phosphoric acid and no calcium. Extra overzealous drinking may lead to a phosphoric acid imbalance, and if there’s not enough calcium, the body goes to the bones to restore the balance,” explained Dr. Primal Kaur, director of the Osteoporosis Center at Temple University Health Sciences Center in Philadelphia.
Low levels of calcium are associated with the development of osteoporosis, a disease that thins the bones so much that they’re at risk of fracture. More than half of Americans, especially postmenopausal women, have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
In a study that included more than 2,500 people with an average age of about 60, researchers from Tufts University found that cola consumption by women was associated with lower bone mineral density at three hip sites, regardless of age, menopause, total calcium and vitamin D intake. The women reported drinking an average of five carbonated drinks a week, four of which were colas.
There was less of a problem with decaffeinated cola, but the findings were similar for diet soft drinks. The researchers didn’t find an association between cola drinking and lower bone mass in men.
Results of the study were published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
“Moderation is really important.
If you really like soft drinks, you don’t need to take them out of your diet completely, but limit yourself to one or two glasses” a week, Kaur said.
And, she added, make sure you’re getting enough calcium and vitamin D to protect your bone health. Vitamin D needs vary by age, and where you live, so check with your doctor to find out how much vitamin D you should be consuming each day. Kaur said that if you’re not getting at least 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily from your diet, you should take a calcium supplement to ensure you’re getting adequate amounts of the mineral. Another important way to prevent osteoporosis, according to Raisz, is to exercise.
“The standard recommendation is a half an hour a day for adults and an hour a day for kids, but anything is better than nothing,” he said. “Try to walk at least a half a mile a day, and engage in a weight-bearing exercise of some sort.”

Anxiety

Feeling worried or nervous is a normal part of everyday life. Everyone frets or feels anxious from time to time. Mild to moderate anxiety can help you focus your attention, energy, and motivation. If anxiety is severe, you may have feelings of helplessness, confusion, and extreme worry that are out of proportion with the actual seriousness or likelihood of the feared event. Overwhelming anxiety that interferes with daily life is not normal. This type of anxiety may be a symptom of another problem, such as depression.


Related Articles
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
Social Anxiety Disorder - Treatment Overview
Anxiety can cause physical and emotional symptoms. A specific situation or fear can cause some or all of these symptoms for a short time. When the situation passes, the symptoms usually go away.

Physical symptoms of anxiety include:

Trembling, twitching, or shaking.
Feeling of fullness in the throat or chest.
Breathlessness or rapid heartbeat.
Lightheadedness or dizziness.
Sweating or cold, clammy hands.
Feeling jumpy.
Muscle tension, aches, or soreness (myalgias).
Extreme tiredness.
Sleep problems, such as the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, early waking, or restlessness (not feeling rested when you wake up).
Anxiety affects the part of the brain that helps control how you communicate. This makes it more difficult to express yourself creatively or function effectively in relationships. Emotional symptoms of anxiety include:

Restlessness, irritability, or feeling on edge or keyed up.
Worrying too much.
Fearing that something bad is going to happen; feeling doomed.
Inability to concentrate; feeling like your mind goes blank.
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders occur when people have both physical and emotional symptoms. Anxiety disorders interfere with how a person gets along with others and affect daily activities. Women are twice as likely as men to have problems with anxiety disorders. Examples of anxiety disorders include panic attacks, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Often the cause of anxiety disorders is not known. Many people with an anxiety disorder say they have felt nervous and anxious all their lives. This problem can occur at any age. Children who have at least one parent with the diagnosis of depression are more than twice as likely to have an anxiety disorder than other children.

Anxiety disorders often occur with other problems, such as:

Mental health problems, such as depression or substance abuse.
A physical problem, such as heart or lung disease. A complete medical examination may be needed before an anxiety disorder can be diagnosed.
Panic attacks
A panic attack is a sudden feeling of extreme anxiety or intense fear without a clear cause or when there is no danger. Panic attacks are common. They sometimes occur in otherwise normal, healthy people and will usually last for several minutes.

Symptoms include feelings of dying or losing control of yourself, rapid breathing (hyperventilation), and a racing heart. You may feel dizzy, sweaty, or shaky. Other symptoms include trouble breathing, chest pain or tightness, and an irregular heartbeat. These symptoms come on suddenly and without warning.

Sometimes symptoms of a panic attack are so intense that the person fears he or she is having a heart attack. Many of the symptoms of a panic attack can occur with other illnesses, such as hyperthyroidism, coronary artery disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A complete medical examination may be needed before an anxiety disorder can be diagnosed.

People who have repeated unexpected panic attacks and worry about the attacks are said to have a panic disorder.

Hands reveal your health

"I always try to shake hands when I meet a patient for the first time. I'm not just being polite - your hands are packed with information about your general health. In fact, doctors can often tell more about your health by your hands than your face," said Dr Graham Easton. From skin rashes and shakiness to the shape of your fingers and the state of your nails, your hands are a trail of red hot clues.

Handshakes and shaky hands

An innocent hand shake can often give doctors a clue as to how anxious you are - you might have unusually hot or sweaty palms. But this can also indicate an overactive thyroid or perhaps another type of gland problem. General practitioners (GPs) may not be consciously assessing your endocrine system as they greet you, but are likely to notice anything unusual.

At the same time, your doctor could be alert to any bony deformities or painful areas in your hand - though he or she will try not to make you wince with their grip. People with osteoarthritis often have hard bony lumps around the joints of their fingers, especially the joint nearest the fingertips. These are called Heberden's nodes, named after the prominent 18th century English physician William Heberden.

It's thanks to another British physician that doctors might check for a particular type of tremor in your hands. James Parkinson documented the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in 1817 in his Essay on the Shaking Palsy. The tremor of Parkinson's classically has a frequency of about four to five Hz, is worse at rest, and improves on movement.

There are other tremors, too. An 'essential' tremor is more rapid and, if you've got warm moist palms, might get your physician think about your thyroid. On the other hand, it could be down to alcohol withdrawal if you're alcoholic, or simply something you've inherited.

Why is he looking at my hands?

After a handshake and a check for any tremor, your GP may at some point later in the consultation take your hands and have a really good look at them because they contain important clues about your health and habits. Tobacco stains are a giveaway - you may say you're not smoking any more, but your yellow-brown fingers can betray you.

Your hands can also tell your doctor a lot about the state of your liver. One of the classic signs of liver disease is reddening of the skin on your palms, typically the side where your little finger is, known as palmar erythema.

A classic sign of liver disease is reddening of the skin on your palms

There are other causes and it doesn't always mean something's wrong, but sometimes it can point your GP in the right direction.

Another possible sign of liver disease is the spider naevus - a central capillary with several fine blood vessels running out from it, a bit like a spider's legs. They can occur anywhere on the skin but hands are a common site.

Lots of us have the odd spider naevus, but if you have many it's worth having them checked out. People with alcoholic liver disease often have both multiple spider naevi and palmar erythema.

Dupytren's contracture has become famous as a problem former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has developed. A thickening of the tissues in the palm of the hand slowly causes some of the fingers to bend over into the palm, forming a sort of claw. It typically affects the ring finger first.

Doctors don't yet know why this tissue becomes thickened. It seems to run in families, but it's more common in people with cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, epilepsy and alcohol dependence.

One of the most striking things your doctor looks for is 'clubbing'. This is where the soft tissue around the ends of your fingers and toes increases, and your fingers end up looking like matchsticks with a sort of clubbed end.

Again, no one knows why it happens but it's associated with a range of conditions, from serious lung disease to liver cirrhosis or inflammatory bowel diseases.

Nails and health

Your nails can tell a fascinating story about your health - past and present.

The reason you're asked to remove any nail varnish when you're about to have an operation is that one of the easiest ways to check how much oxygen there is in your blood is by looking at your nails - they turn from a healthy pink to a dusky blue colour if you're low on oxygen. Nail varnish could conceal an important clue to how you are.

Hollowed-out, spoon-shaped nails - known as koilonychia in the trade - can be normal in children and they grow out of it, but sometimes it can be a sign of iron deficiency.

Pitting of the nails - tiny depressions in the nail plate - is classically seen in psoriasis. But you can also get it in a variety of other strange-sounding diseases such as sarcoidosis and pemphigus.

Splinter haemorrhages are long, thin, vertical red or brown lines beneath the nail. They're caused by blood leaking from capillaries, often after the nail's been damaged, or because of psoriasis or a fungal infection. They can sometimes be a sign of something called bacterial endocarditis - a serious infection of the heart valves.

Horizontal lines (depressions) across the nails, called Beau's lines, can provide a fascinating history of trauma or illness. They rarely represent anything serious, but they're caused by any disease severe enough to disrupt nail growth.

Knowing that nails grow at a rate of 1mm every six to ten days, you can estimate the timing of the disease by measuring the distance from the line to the nail bed. Children and healthy adults commonly have one or more white lines or spots on one or more nails. These can appear in different places on different nails, they don't span the nail and are nothing to worry about. They're thought to be due to random trauma to the nail bed. All of which explains why your GP might take a close look at your hands.

The Miracle Effects of Green Tea

As green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. But the beverage green tea is a true tea that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. As green tea is popular in China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Morocco, and the Middle East now it has become more widespread in the West, where traditionally black tea is consumed. Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times. Nadine Taylor wrote in her book green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years. They use treat everything from headaches to depression.
Green tea has many benefits according to Japanese study people who drink at least a pint of green tea each day have a lower risk of death because it reduce the risk of heart disease.
Green tea's ability to fight cancer is even more potent and varied than scientists suspected. According to BBC that scientists already know that green tea contains anti-oxidants which may have a protective effect against cancer. But now they have discovered that chemicals in the tea also shut down a key molecule which can play a significant role in the development of cancer.

Scientific research in Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long connected with intake green tea. Like The Journal of the National Cancer Institute issue research that indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women about sixty percent. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

Therefore green tea may helpful medical condition like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular disease, infection, impaired immune function. Green tea contains EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) which is a powerful anti-oxidant. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol.

EGCG acts in a way that it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue and inhibiting the development of cancer cells. EGCG act to lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.
Some other benefits that green tea can even help stop tooth decay. Just as its bacteria destroying abilities can assist to prevent food poisoning, Green tea is believed to help boost metabolism, produce fat and calorie-burning effects, it mean it has also good choice for weight loss. Green tea can also kill the bacteria that cause dental plaque. In the same time green tea can be for use for preparations skin products from deodorants to creams.

The only side effect of green tea is that it contains caffeine which causes insomnia but green tea contains less caffeine as compare to coffee. Overall green tea is the best herbs give us so many benefits.

Main causes of liver damage

Main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
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 coloring , and artificial sweetener.
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 adopt 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 PM : 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 an unrelaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on health.

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

Tomato paste may protect skin

Consumption of tomato paste may help boost the skin’s protection against harmful ultraviolet rays, which can lead to premature aging and skin cancer, British researchers say.

The study included 10 people who consumed about 55 grams of tomato paste and 10 grams of olive oil a day, and 10 others who consumed just the 10 grams of olive oil. After three months, an analysis of skin samples showed that those in the tomato paste group had 33 per cent more protection against sunburn and higher levels of a molecule called procollagen, which gives skin its structure and keeps it firm,.
The study was presented at a meeting of the British Society for Investigative Dermatology. The researchers believe the antioxidant lycopene was behind the apparent skin benefit. “These weren’t huge amounts of tomato we were feeding the group. It was the sort of quantity you will easily manage if you were eating a lot of tomato-based meals,” said Professor Lesley Rhodes, a University of Manchester dermatologist.

4 Fun Ways to Fight Fat

The Monkey Bar Gymnasium, a Madison, WI, health club specializing in playground style routines that incorporate running, jumping, crawling, and climbing, proves you don't need cardio machines to slim down. Of its members, 85% work out 3 times a week — triple the national average — and they drop an average of 17 pounds of fat in 2 months. Try these grownup versions of favorites from your youth.
1. IF YOU LOVED: HULA HOOPING
Try: HOOP DANCING
Slightly oversized fitness hoops are easier to keep aloft than a kid's version as you twirl your way to a sculpted midsection.
Get started: Find hoops (about $30) and workout DVDs at hoopgirl.com.
Burn: 306 calories/hour*
2. IF YOU LOVED: CLIMBING TREES
Try: ROCK CLIMBING
Indoor walls challenge balance, strength, and coordination to keep your brain and body in top shape.
Get started: Search for local climbing centers at indoorclimbing.com, and take a class to learn the basics.
Burn: 528 calories/hour*
3. IF YOU LOVED: JUMPING ON A TRAMPOLINE
Try: REBOUNDING
Bouncing on a minitrampoline blasts fat without putting stress on joints.
Get started: Find classes or buy a home kit ($100 for trampoline and 3 DVDs) at urbanrebounding.com.
Burn: 567 calories/hour*
4. IF YOU LOVED: SCAVENGER HUNTS
Try: ORIENTEERING

20 tips for permanent weight loss

Weight maintenance is much like weight loss. The principles are essentially the same: Eat healthy foods, control your portion sizes and exercise regularly. And to keep the pounds off permanently, you need to incorporate the new, healthy behaviors into your routine so that they become a natural part of your daily life.
Here are 20 ideas to reinforce your healthy lifestyle and to keep you committed to permanent weight loss.
Exercise 30 to 60 minutes each day. If time is limited, exercise for several brief periods throughout the day — for example, three 10-minute sessions rather than one 30-minute session. Eat three healthy meals during the day, including a good breakfast. Skipping meals causes increased hunger and may lead to excessive snacking.
Focus on fruits and vegetables. Top off your morning cereal with sliced strawberries or bananas. Stir berries or peaches in yogurt or cottage cheese. Liven up your sandwiches with vegetables, such as tomato, lettuce, onion, peppers and cucumber.
Weigh yourself regularly. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you detect small weight gains before they become even larger.
Don't keep comfort foods in the house. If you tend to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods when you're upset or depressed or bored, don't keep them around. Availability of food is one of the strongest factors in determining how much a person eats.
Plan a family activity. Get the family together to go for a bike ride, play disc golf or kick the ball around in the yard.
Eat healthy foods first. Eat foods that are healthy and low in calories first so that when it comes time to enjoy your favorites — sweets or junk food, for example — you won't be so hungry.
Pay attention to portions. Serve meals already dished onto plates instead of placing serving bowls on the table. Take slightly less than what you think you'll eat. You can always have seconds, if really necessary.
Create opportunities to be active. Wash your car at home instead of going to the car wash. Bike or walk to the store. Participate in your kid's activities at the playground or park.
Sit down together for family meals. Avoid eating in front of the television. TV viewing strongly affects how much and what people eat.
See what you eat. Eating directly from a container gives you no sense of how much you're eating. Seeing food on a plate or in a bowl keeps you aware of how much you're eating.
Vary your activities. Regularly change your activity routine to avoid exercise burnout. Walk a couple of days, swim another and go for a bike ride on the weekend. Seek out new activities — karate, ballroom dancing, cross-country skiing, tennis or Pilates.
De-stress your day. Stress can cause you to eat more. Develop strategies that can help you relax when you find yourself becoming stressed. Exercise, deep breathing, muscle relaxation techniques and even a good laugh can ease stress.
Eat at home. People eat more food in restaurants than at home. Limit how often you eat at restaurants. If you do eat out, decide what and how much you're going to eat before you start and have the rest boxed to go.
Plan healthy snacks. The best snacks include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Fruit smoothies, sliced fresh fruit and yogurt, whole-grain crackers, and carrot and celery sticks with peanut butter are all good choices.
Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal, such as bran flakes, shredded wheat or oatmeal. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
Walk for 10 minutes over your lunch hour or get up a few minutes earlier in the morning and go for a short walk.
Plan a week's worth of meals at a time. Make a detailed grocery list to eliminate last-minute trips to the grocery store and impulse buys.
Look for a distraction when you're fighting a craving. Call a friend, put on music and dance or exercise, clean the house, pull weeds in your garden, or run an errand. When your mind is occupied with something else, the cravings quickly go away.
Reward yourself. Losing weight and keeping the pounds off is a major accomplishment. Celebrate your success with nonfood rewards, such as new clothes or an outing with friends.

12-Week Treadmill Workout

12-Week Treadmill Workout

Even avid exercisers find excuses to skip workouts in winter. So we asked Norma Shechtman, the American Council on Exercise's Group Fitness Instructor of the Year for 2003, to develop a lower-body fitness walking routine that burns fat, builds muscle, is at least a little fun — and can be done indoors.
She surprised us by bringing up an old standby that's probably sitting in your basement: a treadmill. "Many people think of treadmills as monotonous," she says. "I wanted to prove that you can have 3 whole months of fitness walking treadmill workouts with so much variety you'll never get bored." The treadmill is the most popular piece of home exercise equipment, and for many walkers and runners, it's the only way they can stick with their fitness walking workouts during the cold winter months.
Below you'll find a 12-week treadmill workout program for fitness walking that includes challenging power mixes, hill climbs to keep things interesting, speed intervals to crank up your calorie burn, and unique strength moves to get your legs as ready for shorts season as you probably are.
12-Week Fat-Burning Workout
Weeks 1 to 4 Weeks 5 to 8 Weeks 9 to 12
Monday Cardio Walk Cardio Walk

Strength Moves Cardio Walk

Strength Moves
Tuesday Speed Intervals Speed Intervals Speed Intervals
Wednesday Cardio Walk Cardio Walk Cardio Walk
Thursday Incline Intervals Incline Intervals Incline Intervals
Friday Rest Cardio Walk

Strength Moves Cardio Walk

Strength Moves
Saturday Power Mix Power Mix Power Mix
Sunday Rest Rest Cardio Walk

Essentials
Warm up (5 minutes)
Walk slowly (1.5 to 2 mph) for 1 minute. Slow your speed (to no more than 1.8 mph), and walk on your toes for 30 seconds, then switch to your heels for 30 seconds. Repeat the toe and heel walking one more time. Raise your incline to 6, and stretch your legs by taking longer strides for 1 minute. Lower the incline to 0, and speed up to 2.5 to 3 mph for 1 minute.
Cool down (5 minutes)
At the end of your walk, reduce your speed to 2.5 to 3.5 mph, and walk for 3 minutes. Then slow down to 1.5 to 2.5 mph, and walk for 2 more minutes.
Stretch
To avoid tight calves, try this stretch: Standing on the edge of a step, gently lower one heel. Hold for 45 to 60 seconds, then switch legs.

Cardio Walk
After warming up, walk between 3 and 4 mph. Choose a pace that has you breathing harder but still allows you to talk without gasping. Remember to cool down afterward.
Weeks 1 to 4
Walk for 20 minutes. Total workout time: 30 minutes
Weeks 5 to 8
Walk for 30 minutes. Total workout time: 40 minutes
Weeks 9 to 12
Walk for 40 minutes. Total workout time: 50 minutes

Speed Intervals
After warming up, walk at a moderate pace (3 to 3.5 mph) for 5 minutes. Now you'll begin your intervals: Increase to a fast walk (3.5 to 4.5 mph; see below for durations), followed by a 5-minute moderate pace (3 to 3.5 mph). You'll repeat the fast/moderate intervals a total of three times. Finish with the cooldown.
Weeks 1 to 4
Do 1-minute speed intervals. Total workout time: 33 minutes
Weeks 5 to 8
Do 2-minute speed intervals. Total workout time: 36 minutes
Weeks 9 to 12
Do 3-minute speed intervals. Total workout time: 39 minutes

Incline Intervals
After warming up, walk for 5 minutes at 3 to 4 mph with your treadmill at a 0 or 1 incline. Then increase the incline (see below for specifics) for 5 minutes. As you raise the incline, you may need to slow your speed to maintain good form. You'll repeat the flat/incline sequence a total of two times. Then walk for another 5 minutes at 0 or 1 incline before cooling down.
Weeks 1 to 4
Increase your incline to 4 or 5. Total workout time: 35 minutes
Weeks 5 to 8
Increase your incline to 6 or 7. Total workout time: 35 minutes
Weeks 9 to 12
Increase your incline to 8 or 9. Total workout time: 35 minutes

Power Mix
After warming up, try this sequence. Always cool down afterward.
Speed
Pyramid Walk for 30 seconds at 3.5 mph; increase to 4.5 mph for 30 seconds. Walk for 45 seconds at 3.5; increase to 4.5 for 45 seconds. Walk for 1 minute at 3.5; increase to 4.5 mph for 1 minute.
Incline
Pyramid Start at an incline of 4, and walk for 1 minute. Elevate to 5 for another minute. Continue to increase the incline every minute up to an incline of 8, and then decrease the incline every minute, back down to 4. Try to maintain 3 to 4 mph throughout.

Recovery
Walk at 3 to 4 mph (0 incline) for 5 minutes.
Weeks 1 to 4
Do the workout one time through. Total workout time: 28.5 minutes.
Weeks 5 to 8
Do the following sequence: speed pyramid, incline pyramid, recovery, speed pyramid, recovery. Total workout time: 38 minutes
Weeks 9 to 12
Do the workout two times through. Total workout time: 47 minutes

Strength Moves
Walk at a very slow speed (about 0.5 to 1 mph) for the first two exercises, then stop the treadmill for the third. If you have time, repeat the whole 3-minute sequence. As you get fitter, you can increase the speed, but we recommend staying at or below 2 mph.
Side Stepping

With the treadmill moving slowly and your right hand on the console, turn to the left so your right shoulder is facing forward. As the belt moves your feet to the left, step your right foot to the right, and then step your left foot to the right. Continue side stepping for 30 seconds. Repeat facing the right side for 30 more seconds. (Works inner and outer thighs and hips)
Lunge Stepping

Holding the front rail, let the belt take your feet back until your arms are extended, then take a large step forward with your right leg. Bending your right knee, lower your left knee toward the belt, then press off with your left foot and stand back up. Continue by stepping forward, alternating legs, for 30 seconds. (Works thighs and butt)
Squats Stop

The treadmill, and straddle the belt so you're standing on the frame. With your hands lightly resting on the front rail, sit back as if in a chair, but don't extend your knees past your toes. Press into your heels, and stand back up. Repeat 12 times. (Works butt and thighs)

12-Week Treadmill Workout

Even avid exercisers find excuses to skip workouts in winter. So we asked Norma Shechtman, the American Council on Exercise's Group Fitness Instructor of the Year for 2003, to develop a lower-body fitness walking routine that burns fat, builds muscle, is at least a little fun — and can be done indoors.
She surprised us by bringing up an old standby that's probably sitting in your basement: a treadmill. "Many people think of treadmills as monotonous," she says. "I wanted to prove that you can have 3 whole months of fitness walking treadmill workouts with so much variety you'll never get bored." The treadmill is the most popular piece of home exercise equipment, and for many walkers and runners, it's the only way they can stick with their fitness walking workouts during the cold winter months.
Below you'll find a 12-week treadmill workout program for fitness walking that includes challenging power mixes, hill climbs to keep things interesting, speed intervals to crank up your calorie burn, and unique strength moves to get your legs as ready for shorts season as you probably are.
12-Week Fat-Burning Workout
Weeks 1 to 4 Weeks 5 to 8 Weeks 9 to 12
Monday Cardio Walk Cardio Walk

Strength Moves Cardio Walk

Strength Moves
Tuesday Speed Intervals Speed Intervals Speed Intervals
Wednesday Cardio Walk Cardio Walk Cardio Walk
Thursday Incline Intervals Incline Intervals Incline Intervals
Friday Rest Cardio Walk

Strength Moves Cardio Walk

Strength Moves
Saturday Power Mix Power Mix Power Mix
Sunday Rest Rest Cardio Walk

Essentials
Warm up (5 minutes)
Walk slowly (1.5 to 2 mph) for 1 minute. Slow your speed (to no more than 1.8 mph), and walk on your toes for 30 seconds, then switch to your heels for 30 seconds. Repeat the toe and heel walking one more time. Raise your incline to 6, and stretch your legs by taking longer strides for 1 minute. Lower the incline to 0, and speed up to 2.5 to 3 mph for 1 minute.
Cool down (5 minutes)
At the end of your walk, reduce your speed to 2.5 to 3.5 mph, and walk for 3 minutes. Then slow down to 1.5 to 2.5 mph, and walk for 2 more minutes.
Stretch
To avoid tight calves, try this stretch: Standing on the edge of a step, gently lower one heel. Hold for 45 to 60 seconds, then switch legs.

Cardio Walk
After warming up, walk between 3 and 4 mph. Choose a pace that has you breathing harder but still allows you to talk without gasping. Remember to cool down afterward.
Weeks 1 to 4
Walk for 20 minutes. Total workout time: 30 minutes
Weeks 5 to 8
Walk for 30 minutes. Total workout time: 40 minutes
Weeks 9 to 12
Walk for 40 minutes. Total workout time: 50 minutes

Speed Intervals
After warming up, walk at a moderate pace (3 to 3.5 mph) for 5 minutes. Now you'll begin your intervals: Increase to a fast walk (3.5 to 4.5 mph; see below for durations), followed by a 5-minute moderate pace (3 to 3.5 mph). You'll repeat the fast/moderate intervals a total of three times. Finish with the cooldown.
Weeks 1 to 4
Do 1-minute speed intervals. Total workout time: 33 minutes
Weeks 5 to 8
Do 2-minute speed intervals. Total workout time: 36 minutes
Weeks 9 to 12
Do 3-minute speed intervals. Total workout time: 39 minutes

Incline Intervals
After warming up, walk for 5 minutes at 3 to 4 mph with your treadmill at a 0 or 1 incline. Then increase the incline (see below for specifics) for 5 minutes. As you raise the incline, you may need to slow your speed to maintain good form. You'll repeat the flat/incline sequence a total of two times. Then walk for another 5 minutes at 0 or 1 incline before cooling down.
Weeks 1 to 4
Increase your incline to 4 or 5. Total workout time: 35 minutes
Weeks 5 to 8
Increase your incline to 6 or 7. Total workout time: 35 minutes
Weeks 9 to 12
Increase your incline to 8 or 9. Total workout time: 35 minutes

Power Mix
After warming up, try this sequence. Always cool down afterward.
Speed
Pyramid Walk for 30 seconds at 3.5 mph; increase to 4.5 mph for 30 seconds. Walk for 45 seconds at 3.5; increase to 4.5 for 45 seconds. Walk for 1 minute at 3.5; increase to 4.5 mph for 1 minute.
Incline
Pyramid Start at an incline of 4, and walk for 1 minute. Elevate to 5 for another minute. Continue to increase the incline every minute up to an incline of 8, and then decrease the incline every minute, back down to 4. Try to maintain 3 to 4 mph throughout.

Recovery
Walk at 3 to 4 mph (0 incline) for 5 minutes.
Weeks 1 to 4
Do the workout one time through. Total workout time: 28.5 minutes.
Weeks 5 to 8
Do the following sequence: speed pyramid, incline pyramid, recovery, speed pyramid, recovery. Total workout time: 38 minutes
Weeks 9 to 12
Do the workout two times through. Total workout time: 47 minutes

Strength Moves
Walk at a very slow speed (about 0.5 to 1 mph) for the first two exercises, then stop the treadmill for the third. If you have time, repeat the whole 3-minute sequence. As you get fitter, you can increase the speed, but we recommend staying at or below 2 mph.
Side Stepping

With the treadmill moving slowly and your right hand on the console, turn to the left so your right shoulder is facing forward. As the belt moves your feet to the left, step your right foot to the right, and then step your left foot to the right. Continue side stepping for 30 seconds. Repeat facing the right side for 30 more seconds. (Works inner and outer thighs and hips)
Lunge Stepping

Holding the front rail, let the belt take your feet back until your arms are extended, then take a large step forward with your right leg. Bending your right knee, lower your left knee toward the belt, then press off with your left foot and stand back up. Continue by stepping forward, alternating legs, for 30 seconds. (Works thighs and butt)
Squats Stop

The treadmill, and straddle the belt so you're standing on the frame. With your hands lightly resting on the front rail, sit back as if in a chair, but don't extend your knees past your toes. Press into your heels, and stand back up. Repeat 12 times. (Works butt and thighs)

Your Brain on Laughter

A couple of years ago, my wife and I were visiting her mother, Mimi, who is now 90 years old. Mimi was demonstrating her remarkable memory for names by identifying everyone in her high school yearbook from many decades ago. When she was done, Mimi turned to my wife and said, "Well, that was fun, but I guess you and... what's his name... will have to be going now."

The story is now a comic standard in my family, and the first one I thought of when preparing this column. Like most funny anecdotes, the Mimi story has elements of surprise, tension, and resolution leading to laughter. But here's what you may not know: Humor is not just a silly diversion. It also yields important neuropsychological benefits — improving your mood, exercising your brain, masking pain, even strengthening your bonds with those who share a good chuckle with you.

What happens in your brain in response to a sidesplitting bon mot? Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers at the University College London Institute of Neurology found that as study subjects tried to understand verbal jokes, areas of their brains important to learning and understanding were activated. This means that as your brain wrestles with the meaning of a clever punch line, it's getting the same kind of workout it would from a brainteaser.

A good knee-slapper also produces a chemical reaction that instantly elevates your mood, reduces pain and stress, and boosts immunity (suppressed by both stress and pain). A recent fMRI study by Allan L. Reiss, MD, and colleagues at Stanford University traced this activity to a region called the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), which rewards behaviors such as feeding and sex (and laughing) by releasing dopamine, a natural opiate.

Laughter promotes good health in another way, too — by strengthening connections. We use laughter to deflect anger and aggression and to communicate goodwill. In fact, a good sense of humor is consistently rated by women as among the most desirable attributes of a potential partner.

Here are some ways you can reap the benefits of humor every day:

Keep an eye out for the unexpectedly silly side of daily life to combat negative thoughts. For example, at the end of a recent worry-filled day, I turned on a news channel that referred to its meteorologists as "the Weather Team That Tells the Truth." I thought the implication that other weather teams lie was hilarious. I laughed and immediately felt my worries melt away.

Make sure you don't go to bed stressed-out — keep your evening entertainment light by reading a comic novel or watching a funny show. My wife and I were latecomers to Seinfeld, so we purchased DVDs of the early seasons, which we now watch at night.

Reframe unpleasant situations with humor. For example, I once heard a flight attendant deal with a surly, complaining passenger by saying: "You know, Sir, on every flight I try to pick one passenger and ignore him or treat him poorly. Today, you are the passenger I chose." The result was laughter by both parties.

Why Men Should Be Concerned About Bone Loss

Osteoporosis, in which bones lose density and are more prone to fracture, has long been thought of as a woman's disease since the condition is particularly common post-menopause.

But men also are at risk. Though it's often under-diagnosed and under-treated, the prevalence of the disease in men is expected to rise.

To address this concern, the American College of Physicians released a new clinical practice guideline on screening for osteoporosis in men. We talked to Dr. Amir Qaseem, senior medical associate in ACP's Clinical Programs and Quality of Care Department, about the need for the new guideline and what men should know about their risk factors.

Forbes.com: Osteoporosis is traditionally thought of as a woman's disease. Why is that?

Dr. Qaseem: Most of the research being done is in women, that's what we felt. There's a large body of evidence on women but we need to understand if the risk factors in women apply to men as well.

How prevalent is osteoporosis among men?

The prevalence is estimated to be around 7% in white men, 5% in black men and, I think, 3% in Hispanic men.

How does osteoporosis affect a man's overall health?

All bones are always getting replaced with new bones. When this equilibrium gets altered, bone loss starts occurring, resulting in an increase [in the risk of] fracture. That's the main thing we need to be worried about.

When bones become more fragile they're more likely to break [while you're] performing the activities of daily living. [Fractures] can be associated with morbidity, mortality and costs. Once you have a fracture, your quality of life starts getting affected, you're less likely to exercise. All of those issues start coming into play.

What do the new guidelines say about screening osteoporosis in men?

What we are saying is that clinicians need to perform individualized assessments for risk factors for osteoporosis in older men. Factors include older age, low body weight, (and) if there's low body weight, weight loss, a lack of physical activity and a previous fracture.

Risk assessments should be repeated in men who decide they don't want to be screened. Clinicians should address it again with patients. Although the appropriate age to start risk assessment is uncertain--not enough studies have been done--by age 65 would be reasonable.

The second thing is further testing for osteoporosis should be done in men who are at increased risk. You can measure bone density with a test called Dexa [Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry], a painless, non-invasive test. It uses X-ray beams to measure bone thickness.

Not everyone recommends screening for osteoporosis in men--e.g. the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Why does the ACP think screenings are so important?

I think osteoporosis in men is a major public health issue. It's significantly under-diagnosed, under-reported and under-treated. With the aging population, rates are expected to increase by 50% in the next 15 to 20 years. The [U.S. Preventive] Task Force doesn't have a guideline at this point. There was a kind of shortage of guidelines on this topic. That's why we decided to take this up.

The most important thing is to make people aware that clinicians need to perform individualized assessments. There are no massive generalizations. Not everyone has the same risk factors. Everyone is different.

Take a Pass on Gas

Avoiding the embarrassing side of healthy eating

It's true. Beans, beans, are good for the heart. The rest of that silly childhood poem is unfortunately true too. And not just with beans, but also cabbage, onions, apples, and many other fruits and vegetables loaded with the vitamins, minerals, fibers and phytochemicals we're all urged to get more of. So what can we do to bypass the gas, short of giving up some of nature's most nourishing foods? A few cooking and lifestyle changes can go a long way, say experts.

According to Karen Collins, R.D., nutrition advisor for the American Institute for Cancer Research, many people suffer gas because their digestive tracts aren't used to a high-fiber diet—and avoiding fibrous foods like beans, broccoli and salads just worsens the problem. Rather than steering clear of the offending foods, advises Collins, gradually add them in, giving the body time to adapt. "It's important not to make the jump overnight. The body can't handle a dramatic makeover." Add one daily serving of high-fiber foods each week, she advises, aiming for a goal of 7 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily and several servings of beans weekly.

What causes the noxious vapors, anyway? It begins when carbohydrate is not completely digested by the army of enzymes in the small intestine. Once the undigested sugars, starches and fibers reach the large intestine, friendly bacteria break down and ferment them—giving off gas in the process.

Increasing your fiber intake not only helps your intestinal bacteria adapt, but it also moves food and waste through your intestines faster. The quicker the transit, the better, says Collins. "The longer food sits there, the longer the bacteria act on it," she explains—which translates to more gas production.

To help speed foods through your GI tract, stay regularly active and drink plenty of fluids, adds Collins. That's good advice to heed, no matter what's in the air.

Averting a Gas Crisis

Gradually phase in high-fiber foods, chewing them well to start digestion.

Drink plenty of fluids.

Get regular physical activity (like a daily "constitutional" walk).

If certain fruits or vegetables give you gas, try cooking and/or peeling them to help make them more digestible.

When cooking dried beans, soak them first, then discard the liquid to get rid of some of the difficult-to-digest carbohydrate. Likewise, drain and rinse canned beans before using.

Flavor your foods with seasonings used throughout the world to make problem foods less gassy, such as ginger, fennel seeds, turmeric and coriander. Scout ethnic groceries for epazote—an herb frequently paired with beans in Mexico and the Caribbean—and asafoetida, a spice common in East Indian cooking.

Lastly, consider an over-the-counter aid, such as Beano®, which supplies an enzyme to digest some of the gas-inducing carbohydrates.

Insulin boost for early diabetes

short course of intensive insulin treatment may delay disease progression in people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a Chinese study suggests.

Patients who had an initial course of insulin injections did better a year later than those given a short course of oral diabetes drugs.
All 380 patients in the Lancet trial were later managed with the standard diet and exercise regime.

Diabetes UK said the approach may be useful for some patients.

There are 2.35m people with diabetes in the UK, the vast majority of whom have type 2 diabetes - where the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin that is produced does not work properly.

Normal management of the condition includes making lifestyle changes, with the addition of medication as necessary.

However, previous research has suggested that initial intensive therapy to get blood sugar levels under control could change or delay the natural course of the disease.
Patients aged 25 to 70 taking part in the trial were given an infusion of insulin, daily insulin injections or oral anti-diabetic tablets.

The treatment was only given for two weeks after normal blood glucose levels were achieved.

Most of those given insulin were able to meet blood glucose targets in four to five days compared with nine days in those given oral drugs.
But only 27% of those who had initially been treated with oral drugs still had good blood glucose control.

The researchers reported that the early insulin treatment seemed to have restored the function of insulin-producing beta cells in the body.

Tests showed the cells had a better response to insulin after treatment and the effect was sustained after a year.

Study leader, Professor Jianping Weng, said good diabetes control, especially early intensive blood sugar control, can eliminate the damage caused by high blood sugar levels and rescue injured beta-cells.

Pav Pank, care advisor at Diabetes UK, said achieving good diabetes control is key to diabetes management and also helps prevent people with the condition from developing life-threatening complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, amputation and blindness.

"The research shows that considering using insulin early when people are first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes might be an additional way to achieve good diabetes management.

"Nevertheless decisions about treatment need to be made on an individual basis for each patient."

Professor Rury Holman, head of the Diabetes Trial Unit at Oxford University, said the research was "important" but more information was needed on different measures of diabetes control before a change in practice could be advocated.

Why Do You Run?

Anyone who has trained for a marathon knows that it's not always the best way to lose weight. With the added muscle and post-20-mile-run hunger pangs, it's not uncommon to finish training a pound or two heavier than you began.

That's fine for runners driven by the overall experience of running 26.2. But it also explains why people with weight-loss goals can become frustrated with distance events. In fact, a 2006 study of first-time marathoners found that those who were in it to drop pounds were more likely to drop out. The lesson? Pick the right plan for your goal. If your priority is stress relief, for example, you shouldn't follow an overly ambitious training plan, which could create more anxiety than it alleviates.

"Some people will go out and run without a plan that's appropriate for what they want to achieve," says Jeffrey Brown, Psy.D., a Harvard Medical School psychologist and member of the Boston Marathon medical team. "When they don't get the results they want, they become discouraged with running." Brown says many experienced runners get stuck on tried-and-true training programs. "A football team wouldn't use last season's playbook — why should you use a recycled running plan?" What follows are four of the most common running goals with expert advice on how to achieve each one.

1. What You Want: To Lose Weight

Running is one of the most effective weight-loss activities (it burns about 100 calories per mile). Plodding — sticking to a slow pace day in and day out — is not. "A lot of people train in the gray zone — every workout becomes the same," says Shawn Dolan, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of kinesiology at California State University, Long Beach. "When your body becomes used to a routine, it doesn't need to expend as much energy."

How to Get It: Train for a Half

"To burn the most calories, go shorter and faster one day, longer and slower the next to prevent your body from getting accustomed to one kind of workout," Dolan says. A half-marathon training program with speedwork and long runs could be the ideal plan. Shorter, more intense runs use up more calories and boost your afterburn, the calories you keep burning after a workout. Runs lasting 90 minutes or more put you in a fat-burning zone, where your body uses stored fats as a fuel source. The time frame is also ideal. "5-K plans are short — race day may arrive before your goal weight does," says Dolan. "Marathon programs may be too long and too big of a commitment for those whose main goal is weight loss."

2. What You Want: Stress Relief

When you're juggling kids' soccer games, social engagements, and a tiring work schedule, finding time to exercise can be tough. But not working out can be even more destructive to your psyche. "A run helps get you reenergized," says former 1500-meter Olympian Missy Kane, who now coaches in Knoxville, Tennessee. "After only about a month of starting to run, my clients tell me they are better able to cope with life." That's because exercise improves mood and lowers anxiety while giving you an opportunity to work out your problems or escape them.

How to Get It: Use Any Opportunity

A Northern Arizona University study found that mood lifts and fatigue decreases after only 10 minutes of exercise. If you're facing a hectic day, and a 50-minute run seems impossible, split your workout in two. Do a short run in the morning and cap off your day with another. Kane also encourages her clients to use a log to record how they feel during runs. "On those days when you're tempted to skip it, you can remind yourself how great you felt on a similarly busy day when you made time to run," she says.

3. What You Want: To Build Endurance

Endurance goals are appealing for midpack runners who aren't wired for speed. "If your 5-K PR won't budge, move on to a different goal," says Brown. Indeed, running coach Greg McMillan says that many a marathoner is born from a frustrated 5-Ker. "Building endurance is one of the best ways to see progress because mileage goals are very straightforward and easy to track," he says.

How to Get It: Go Long—Even on Off Days

Most runners need a reason to push beyond distances of eight miles, and a half-marathon or marathon can keep you motivated for months as you build mileage. Create a plan that increases your mileage by 10 percent a week so you don't risk injury, and build in two or three active (cross-training) or passive (total rest) recovery days each week. To build psychological strength, go longer when you cross-train. "If you go for a three-hour hike, it'll make a 90-minute run seem easy," Dolan says.

4. What You Want: To Run — and Live — Forever

A review in the Canadian Journal of Public Health summarized that "physical activity reduces the risk for over 25 conditions, in particular heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis." And a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded that regular exercise increases life expectancy by up to two years.

How to Get It: Train Consistently

"You need to do 'the little things' that help you recover, such as eating well, caring for injuries, sleeping enough, and maintaining a strong immune system," McMillan says. Adding strength training, cross-training, and flexibility work to your routine will help your body stay strong and balanced and prevent mental burnout so that you can continue to run for years to come.

Smart Goal Setting

"When it comes to staying motivated, running is a mind game," says coach Rick Morris of runningplanet.com. "Setting goals helps you monitor your progress on a regular basis, and as you see results, you'll want to stick with your program."

1. Be specific

"Run better" is too vague. Set a measurable goal, such as besting your time in a race by 30 seconds.

2. Set ambitious but realistic goals

Unrealistic goals lead to frustration; too-easy goals are boring.

3. Give yourself a deadline

No set end point leads to procrastination. Run that 5-K this June.

4. Keep track

On low-motivation days, review your progress in your logbook to help you get out the door.

How Much Food Counts as Breakfast?

The brain- and body-boosting benefits of breakfast have been widely publicized. A healthy morning meal provides energy and helps fuel your brain, allowing you to be more alert. Eating breakfast is associated with better cholesterol levels and helps regulate how much you eat all day. (People who skip breakfast are more likely to be obese.)

Breakfast simply means “breaking” the “fast.” The fast is the period of time from when you last ate the evening before until your first bite in the morning. Technically, breakfast refers to the first calories you consume, whether it’s eight hours or 15 hours after your last meal the previous night.

When you fast you deprive your body of energy. One reason people can go 12 hours or so in the evening without eating is because most of that time they are in low-energy mode, sleeping or doing very sedentary activity. Cells are always active, even during deep sleep, so the body still uses energy. But it can rely on body-fat stores and carbs from the liver.

In the morning, after a night of not eating, the liver glycogen (carbs) is low. Breakfast replenishes these.

The longer you fast, the sooner you need energy, and the more energy you may need—especially if you lead an active life (waking up and walking the dog, exercising before work, running around at your job or after the kids).

Even when you’re not fasting, if you are using your body in a way that requires more energy (long, hard exercise, for example), you need fuel to meet those excess energy demands.

Many people can skip breakfast without feeling hungry. Depleted glycogen stores in the liver produce a state of ketosis, the early stages of the body’s starvation response. One of the side-effects of ketosis is a lack of hunger. If the body was truly starving, this is thought to be a way to preserve precious energy that might be wasted looking for unavailable food.

But not feeling hungry does not mean that you don’t need breakfast, or won’t benefit from eating it.

How long you can go all depends on when you last ate and how much you ate, and how active you are in the morning. Basically, the longer your evening fast lasted, or the more energetic you are in the morning, the sooner you should get some calories in your body.

A smoothie with fruit and/or yogurt and/or juice is a good start to the day. If you don’t have time to make one, prepare something fast like peanut butter on whole-grain toast. Or keep quick, easy snacks on hand to nibble on in the car (nuts, a prepackaged energy bar or shake, fruit).