Nepalese Lion Dogs

Regular Health Mistakes

Regular Health Mistakes

All of us make little health mistakes that cause damage to our bodies in the long run - simply because we are unaware we are doing something wrong. Here are some of the most common mistakes made by many of us.

Crossing our legs
Do you cross your legs at your knees when sitting? Although we may believe that this is the lady-like elegant way to sit, sitting this way cuts down circulation to your legs. If you don"t want varicose veins to mar the beauty of your legs and compromise your health, uncross your legs every time you realise you have one knee on top of the other. The best way to sit is to simply place both legs together on the floor, balancing your weight equally. If you feel like changing position, instead of crossing your legs, simply move both legs together to one side. As an alternative, you could also consider crossing your legs loosely at the ankles. This is a classically elegant way to sit, and is far better for your legs and your health than sitting with your legs crossed at your knees.

Not changing our toothbrush
How often do you change your toothbrush? Most of us wait until most of the bristles have either fallen off, or are in such bad shape that we"d be embarrassed to pull out our brush in public. However, since not many of us need to pull out our brush in public, we carry on with our frayed one until we lose it. Replace your toothbrush often. Damaged bristles can harm the enamel, and don"t massage your gums well. If you find brushing your teeth a pain like I do, but know you must do it, you might as well be doing it right. Imagine going through the annoyance of brushing your teeth twice a day only to find out that you"re damaging your enamel every time you clean your teeth. Also, use a brush with soft bristles unless your dentist has advised otherwise.

Eating out often
There are oils that are high in cholesterol, and oils that cause little harm and are better for your heart. However, no matter how light the oil is, it is never a good idea to eat too much of it. Avoid fried foods.Remember that in all probability your favourite Indian food restaurant throws a huge, HUGE chunk of butter in a tiny bowl of dal. Rita, who worked in the kitchen of a 5 star hotel, was shocked when she saw the cook chop a 500gm butter slab in half, and throw half into a Paneer Makhani dish. No wonder the customers left licking their fingers. And no wonder they felt so stuffed and heavy afterwards. Limit outdoor eating unless you know that you"re getting served light and healthy food.

Skipping breakfast
Never, ever skip breakfast. Remember, when you wake up in the morning it"s been around 10-12 hours since your last meal. Your body needs food now, more than at any other time.. Eat a heavy breakfast. You will then be busy through the day, and the calories will get expended quickly. If you are trying to diet, eat a light dinner. Here are some more common health mistakes we make. Being informed and making a few changes can help make us feel a whole lot better.

High heels
High heels sure look great, but they're murder for your back. This however doesn't mean you should steer clear of stilettos. Wear them, but not when you know you will be walking around a lot. Wear them when going out for lunch or dinner - when the only walking you will be doing is to your car, to the table, and back. Avoid high heels when you are going somewhere on foot. If you are constantly tempted to wear your heels, take a good look at your flats. Is there something about them you dislike? Invest in a new pair of beautiful flats or shoes with a low heel. Buy something you love, that you will enjoy wearing. If possible, get a matching bag. You will then enjoy your flats as much as you do your heels.

Sleeping on a soft bed
You don't have to sleep on the floor be kind to your back, but do make sure you have a firm mattress. Although a mattress on springs is soft and lovely to sink into, it's bad for your back. If you already have an old bed with springs, you don't need to invest in a new one - simply get a thick wooden plank put over the springs, and place the mattress on the plank. Similarly, if your mattress is old and lumpy, throw it out and get a new one. Your neck and your back will thank you. The same rule applies to sofas. If you will be spending hours on a sofa, get a firm yet comfortable one. Sofas you completely sink into are not the best idea.

Pillows
No matter how comfortable sleeping with ten cushions is, have pity on your neck and resist. Sleep with one pillow, and make sure it is not too thick. If your pillow gets lumpy, discard it and go for a new one. Get a thin pillow if you sleep on your stomach, and something a little thicker if you sleep on your back, to give your neck adequate support

Not exercising
So all of us know we should exercise more, but many of us don't. This is a health mistake we consciously make! And why is that? Simply because we refuse to admit the damage we are causing to our bodies by not working out. A number of people only start working out once they've experienced a warning signal. Don't wait for a heart attack to strike before you decide to opt for a lifestyle change. Make the change now. You don't need to train for the marathon to be in top shape. Half an hour of brisk walking three to four times a week will make a world of difference to your health. You could then increase this to forty minutes, four times a week - and you're all set. If you haven't exercised for a week, you're making a mistake.

Top Ten Horror Movies

28 Days Later… (2002)This is number 1 on this list for several reasons. First, great character development. With so few characters throughout most of the film, it makes the people involved seem very real and interesting. Secondly, it has plenty of action and gore, but also intelligently examines what the apocalypse may indeed be like. Third, great direction and chilling shots of an empty London coupled with superb acting and story compel this one high above all the others.

The Descent (2005)This is one of the scariest movies that I have ever seen. It combines darkness and claustrophobia with carnivorous cave dwelling creatures. It scares the hell out of me time after time and really shows what darkness mixed with a desperate situation can do to a person’s decisions. Plenty of gore and scares put this one firmly near the top of the list.

Grindhouse (2007)While in theaters, this one was sadly a large disappointment financially which made them cut the fantastic 3 hour experience into 2 separate DVDs (Death Proof and Planet Terror), but I still consider it to be a singular experience. It is two great films rolled into one by two of the better action directors of this generation (Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino). If you haven’t seen this one check it out for sure – I don’t think you’ll be dissapointed.

Shaun of the Dead (2004)This is the 2nd movie that successfully blends comedy and horror, and is the favorite movie of all time for many. It is somewhat of a spoof movie on the zombie genre, but not in the horrific ways that those rogue scary movie writers have been passing off. It has a great amount of affection for what it is spoofing along with some good action and gore thrown in.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)Some may disagree with this being on the list given that it is a remake of one of the most revered horror movies of all time. It does stay faithful to the original – only giving zombies some well-needed updates on their abilities. Zach Snyder shows a lot of talent with this movie, which is a lot of fun along with being scary and suspenseful. He needs to be applauded for reinvigorating the genre.

28 Weeks Later (2007)This was a film that I really wanted to hate. I thought of it as a bad idea because Danny Boyle would not be directing again, and that there was no need for a sequel to the almost perfect 28 Days Later. I was quite surprised that this was almost as good while being completely different than the first. It goes for big action sequences and a large cast of characters rather than the very small feel the first film had. Nonetheless, it is a creepy film that should be commended. Read our review.

Zodiac (2007)Zodiac was another that was tough to categorize but given the suspense, the true life aspect and the fact that this is one of the best mystery movies I have ever seen, I consider it in some ways horror. It completely covers all of the investigations of the Zodiac murders along with showing them. Twists and turns throughout, along with some really original action sequences make this a movie everyone should see if they have three hours to kill. Read our review.

Slither (2006)Slither was one of two movies on this list that successfully blended horror and comedy. It was a great sort of alien movie that didn’t take itself too seriously, but instead had fun with the things that were going on. Some good action and suspense coupled with some laughs make this a film that any horror fan should check out.

Saw (2004)This is a movie that succeeds on many different levels. First of all, it was a huge financial success that let Lionsgate make some different and great movies soon after. Also, it was genuinely suspenseful with a great twist and some very good scares. We, the viewer, were much like the characters, in that we were thrust into a situation that we didn’t understand and figured out things as they unfolded. It is a shame that they abandoned the template of the first film and instead decided to make haunted house ride kinda movies where it became just one room of gore to the next. If you haven’t had the chance, make sure you check out the one that started it all.

The Sixth Sense (1999)I was tentative in putting this movie on the list because of the fact that it is more suspense than anything else (plus it was PG-13, which in my mind is a big no-no). None of this can take away from the fact that it is a fantastic movie with a great twist and some nice scares. I personally believe this movie is somewhat of a blessing and a curse considering the hordes of PG-13 horror movies it spawned after its success. This is still a movie that no one will really forget (unless you got the ending spoiled like most people did).

All About Blood Pressure

What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the force created by the heart as it pushes blood into the arteries and the circulatory system. When the heart pumps, it causes blood to flow through the arteries and into the arterioles. As the blood goes through the arterioles, the arterioles either contract or expand altering both the amount of blood flow and the resistance to blood flow. If the arterioles remain in a contracted form, they create high blood pressure. The heart must then pump harder because the arterioles are exerting a greater resistance to blood flow.
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High blood pressure is often called the "silent killer". High blood pressure is called this because there are usually no symptoms. Very high blood pressure can also cause arteries to bulge (aneurysm) or burst (hemorrhage) .
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Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
High blood pressure is a risk for both heart disease and stroke. Unfortunately, high blood pressure usually has no specific symptoms and no early warning signs. It directly increases the risk of heart disease. High blood pressure is a risk for heart disease because the heart is working harder than normal thus putting the heart and the arteries under a greater strain.

When the heart is forced to work harder for long periods of time, the heart becomes enlarged. A heart that is slightly enlarged may function okay but a severely enlarged heart has a hard time pumping a sufficient amount of blood. High blood pressure is also a risk for strokes.
It is estimated that over 60 million Americans have high blood pressure. Of this 60 million, about 35 percent don't know they have it.

Blood pressure and Kidney disease
High blood pressure and kidney disease are closely related. High blood pressure is a common cause of kidney failure in Australia . One mechanism for this is the production of a hormone called 'renin' by the kidneys. If the kidneys aren't functioning properly, renin can be produced inappropriately, raising the blood pressure.

If high blood pressure is left unchecked, it can cause blood vessels in the kidneys to become thickened and narrowed, possibly leading to reduced blood supply and reduced kidney function.

Blood Pressure as a Tool
Blood pressure is an important diagnostic index, especially of circulatory function. It is an important diagnostic index for many reasons. Firstly, any condition that dilates or contracts the blood vessels or affects their elasticity, affects the blood pressure. Secondly, any disease of the heart that interferes with its pumping power, affects the blood pressure. In a healthy animal, the blood pressure normal for its species is maintained within a certain range with great constancy. Thus if blood pressure is abnormally low or high, it usually indicates that greater health problems are present.

How is Blood pressure Measured?
Blood pressure is measured at two points, a high point and a low point. The high point is the point at which the heart contracts to empty its blood into the circulation, called systole. The low point is the point at which the heart relaxes to fill with blood returned by the circulation, called diastole. Pressure is measured in millimeters (mm) of mercury by an instrument called a sphygmomanometer.

In humans, blood pressure doesn't vary greatly. In healthy persons, blood pressure increases from about 80/45 in infants, to about 120/80 at age 30, to about 140/85 at age 40 and over. Blood pressure increases with age because the arteries loose elasticity.

Abnormally high blood pressure (hypertension) is considered a contributory cause of arteriosclerosis. Abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension) is observed in infectious and wasting diseases, hemorrhage, and persons who have collapsed.

Causes of High Blood Pressure?
In about 10 percent of patients, the disease can be traced to specific causes: heredity, kidney abnormalities, adrenal gland tumors, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, hormone abnormalities, use of birth control pills, pregnancy or a congenital narrowing of the aorta. This is called secondary hypertension. In the other 90 percent of patients, the cause is unknown and is referred to essential hypertension.

Does Blood Pressure stay the same?
No. Your blood pressure varies all the time to meet your body's needs. The pressure will be different when you get up in the morning, to when you are relaxing, exercising or sleeping. Blood pressure is usually at its highest when we exercise, and lowest when we sleep. Blood pressure can also rise due to anxiety, excitement, activity or nervousness. . In general, blood pressure remains fairly constant throughout the day.

How to Decrease Blood Pressure
There are many ways to decrease blood pressure. Blood pressure can be decreased if a person exercises, doesn't smoke, limits salt intake, limits alcohol intake and if obese, loses weight. Individuals who are very active have a lower risk of getting high blood pressure (20 to 50 percent) than people who are not active.

Medications for Blood pressure
Please note: Medications for blood pressure should be prescribed by and taken under the direction of a doctor.
Diuretics: Commonly called "water pills," they lower blood pressure by reducing the body's sodium and water volume
Vasodilators: These drugs relax the muscles in the blood vessel walls, causing them to dilate, or widen

How is Blood pressure controlled?
Blood pressure is regulated largely by the nervous system. Hemoglobin, the iron-protein compound that gives blood its red color, also plays a role in regulating blood pressure. However, hemoblobin's affect is usually localized and is not very useful when trying to control blood pressure on a large scale. Hemoglobin contains nitric oxide, a gas that relaxes the blood vessel walls, thus increasing blood flow. It controls the expansion and contraction of blood vessels, and thus blood pressure, by regulating the amount of nitric oxide to which the vessels are exposed.
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Individuals with high blood pressure can be given medication to lower their blood pressure. Mild cases of blood pressure can be treated through behavior modification like changing diet and increasing exercise. More severe cases of hypertension require medications like diuretics and beta blockers. Diuretics rid the body of excess fluids and salt. Beta blockers reduce the heart rate and the heart's output of blood.

Blood Pressure Statistics
As many as 50 million Americans aged 6 and older have high blood pressure.
One in five Americans (and one in four adults) has high blood pressure.
Of those people with high blood pressure, 31.6 percent don't know they have it.
People with lower educational and income levels also tend to have higher levels of blood pressure.
Non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure than are non-Hispanic whites.

Who is at risk for High Blood Pressure?
In the early and middle adult years, men have high blood pressure more often than women. But as men and women age, the reverse is true. Unfortunately, more than half of all Americans over age 65 have high blood pressure.

Garlic and Your Health

Garlic and Your Health

Garlic (allium sativum) is packed full of health-promoting power. It's famous for being one of our most powerful natural health allies. It can be used in poultices and teas or in direct applications. Or you can enjoy more of it in all your favorite foods. In fact, nearly everyone would benefit from a generous boost of garlic in the daily diet, because it...

* is a potent antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and immune-boosting herb

* can be used to treat wounds, infections and sties

* improves circulation * treats ulcers

* attacks cold germs and flu viruses

* prevents and treats respiratory and throat problems, such as chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, sore throat, tonsillitis and pneumocystis pneumonia

* alleviates allergy symptoms

* retards inflammatory reactions

* can be used directly to treat burns and insect bites and stings

* treats earaches and ear infections

* helps prevent altitude sickness

* is effective at treating breastfeeding- related mastitis with the added bonus of not introducing antibiotics into baby's milk

* helps babies nurse better

* reduces high cholesterol levels

* helps control blood sugar levels

* lowers high blood pressure

* helps prevent ischemic stroke (If you're concerned about hemorrhagic stroke, avoid anti-clotting herbs.)

* helps prevent heart disease and heart attacks

* helps prevent angina and congestive heart failure

* reduces ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation of cardiac arrhythmia

* treats athlete's foot and other fungal infections

* treats vaginal yeast infections (candidiasis) , thrush and vaginitis

* helps prevent some types of cancer

* helps prevent migraines

* helps treat both types of herpes virus

* treats pinworms, roundworms, giardia (an amoeba) and other parasitic infections

* contains more blood-thinnning anticoagulants (9) than any other herb

* may help slow physiological aging and age-related memory loss

* helps prevent opportunistic infections of AIDS, and may inhibit spread of HIV in the body

* helps reduce the leg pain associated with peripheral vascular disease

* fights tuberculosis and enhances the action of standard antibiotics in fighting off tuberculosis bacteria

Cute Rabbits

2012 End Of World ! What are your predictions ?

There are many 2012 end of the world predictions. We will just identify a few.

1. What about the biblical PROPHECIES OF ARMAGEDDON - we have already had two world wars, will the world end with the ultimate war between good and evil in the year 2012? Biblical prophecies have been right before.
One example is the birth of Christ which fulfilled about 300 prophecies. Before Armageddon comes however (and December 21 2012 is not predicted in the Bible as "Armageddon Day"), biblical prophecies speak of a great time of GREAT TRIBULATION on the earth. Having said that, the Bible not only prophecies about a battle of Armageddon on earth but also increased earthquakes, floods, famine, disease, wars and rumours of wars. There will be things happening in the heavens far beyond our control. These are not end of the world 2012 dooms day predictions. But the Bible does say God will use cosmic events as means of his judgement on earth before the final day of judgement. If there is a dooms day, that's it. But before that day, Revelation 16:21 speaks of catastrophic disasters like 50 kilo hailstones. Matthew 24:29 says, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the SUN be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:" But while the Bible speaks of judgment on earth before the ultimate "day of judgement", it also speaks of hope and describes very clearly how to escape the coming wrath. This is not about escaping any December 21 2012 doomsday prediction... but something more fearful!

CLICK HERE to read more about Armageddon

CLICK HEREto read more about Bible prophecy

CLICK HEREto read about escaping the wrath of God and why you need to

2. There are theories about ALIENS FROM OUTER SPACE - but is this December 21 2012 end of the world idea a result of too much time sitting in front of the box and not enough actual facts? And how did they come up with this 2012 prediction about an alien invasion when there is no widely accepted proof that aliens even exist!
This unlike, the next theme, does not deseve any serious attention.

3. Then there are stories surfacing about SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS along the lines of splitting the atom - will the earth be blown up by a mad scientist?
Apparently there is an experiment on a very large scale planned for the year 2012. Could this bring about an end of the world 2012 dooms day? In a long very tunnel, particle physicists plan to collide electrons and positrons (the opposite of electrons). The tunnel may be up to 50km long and they will use energies of up to a trillion electron volts. This will hurl these particles at close to the speed of light. No one knows what will happen if antimatter is created. Could it destroy a delicate balance in the universe?
Will December 21 2012 end of the world predictions be fulfilled through scientific a experiment?

4. On an ancient MAYAN CALENDER 2012 is an IMPORTANT DATE The Mayan Calendar runs out on December 21 2012 and it has been suggested that they knew something we don't. This is the basis of what has been called the Mayan 2012 Prophecy. However, just because an ancient Mayan calendar ends on December 21 2012 it does not mean that the world will end then too, especially as the Mayan's did not actually speak of a doomsday, much less a 2012 doomsday. True, on the Mayan Calendar 2012 was important and you can find out more about this by clicking the link below the next paragraph. STRANGE MAYAN BELIEFS. While the Mayan's had some interesting beliefs and insights about life and the cosmos and while some of them reflect scientific observations today, there are other things you may not have heard of. For example, the Mayans also believed that our sun is a god powered by blood from human sacrifices - this and other beliefs were influenced by hallucinogenic drugs which were used, among other things for autosacrifices (yes, suicide). So be careful what you believe.

CLICK HERE to read more...

5. A very real possibility is DISEASE - we have seen how quickly it can spread and devastate human life on earth. And there has been talk of the threat of pandemics for several years now. Including the recent Swine Flu pandemic. But is it reasonable to say that the world will end this way on exactly December 21 2012 with an earth wide pandemic? No!

6. Will SOLAR FLARES snuff out the earth on December 21 2012 - solar flares seem to come in cycles and NASA have said that the sun is due for a big one around 2012. How big and if it will really happen or bring about an end of the world 2012 doomsday are unknown. What we do know is that our life on earth is deeply affected by the activity of the sun. And as mentioned in the section above on Armageddon, the sun WILL play a role in end time biblical judgments on the earth. However, while solar flares and other solar activity may affect us more in 2012 than other years, no one can predict that solar activity will bring about the end of the world on December 21 2012.

CLICK HERE to read more...

7. BIOLOGICAL WARFARE has been suggested as a means to earth's end. But again, how can one predict that the world will come to an end in this way on exactly December 21 2012? The threat of biological warefare will always be here as long as we have insane and / or hateful world control freaks. However, biological warfare cannot be seriously considered as and end of the world 2012 prophecy, let alone the exact date of December 21 2012. This must be seen as scaremongering and not worthy of attention

8. One prediction is of a GIANT METEOR OR ASTEROID. Meteors have struck the earth before. Could a giant meteor or comet bring and end to the world? Some predict we are overdue for a strike and give 2012 as a possible date for a giant meteor strike on earth.

9. Others believe that a PLANET X: NIBIRU, two thirds earth's size, will pass through our solar system around 2012 causing polar axis shifts on earth. A process, if it actually happens, that would apparently take up to 5,000 years. So, it would not happen on December 21 2012. Planet X has also been linked to some VAGUE prophecies suggesting that for NOSTRADAMUS 2012 end of the world predictions are true. However, more than once Nostradamus predictions have been "tweaked" to fit with world catastrophies. And while Nostradamus was a clever man, he was no prophet.