For March 09, 2010

• Beat Nicotine Cravings
  Beat Nicotine Cravings

  (From Prevention Magazine, August 1999) - A relaxing, 2-minute hand or ear self-massage cut cigarette cravings significantly in a month-long study of 20 men and women at the University of Miami's Touch Research Institute in Florida (Preventive Medicine, Jan 1999). Those who performed this simple technique reduced daily cigarette use from 16 to 1, and reported better moods, less anxiety, and fewer and less intense nicotine cravings.

  

  Self-massage alone won't help smokers quit, but it would be an excellent addition to other treatments such as the nicotine patch, says Maria Hernandez-Reif, PhD, director of research at the institute and lead study author. It may also help ex-smokers curb cravings. The best part? It's free; you can do it anywhere; and all it takes is your hands.

  Anticraving Ear Massage

  1. Pinch your ear, working from the top down to your earlobe.
  2. Using your index finger, stroke the inside of your ear, around the outside of the canal, and along the grooves. (Do not put your finger in your ear canal.)
  3. Gently tug your earlobe.
  4. Stroke the back of your ear with your index finger.
  5. Massage the upper and outer areas of the front and back of your ear with your thumb and index finger.

  Anticraving Hand Massage

  1. With your thumb, massage the palm of your other hand with circular motions.
  2. Using your thumb and index finger, massage each finger of the opposite hand from base to fingertip.
  3. Stretch your fingers by gently pushing them up and back with the palm of your other hand.
  4. For 30 seconds, firmly press the webbing between your thumb and index finger, using the thumb of your other hand on top and your index finger underneath.
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• Headaches: Your Nutrition Prescription
  Headaches: Your Nutrition Prescription

  (Phys, August 1999) - Eliminating tyramine-containing foods is the first line of treatment for migraine headaches. If headaches persist after following a tyramine-free diet, then other foods thought to aggravate the condition should be eliminated one at a time to determine the source of the problem. This type of elimination diet should be monitored closely by a physician and/or a dietitian.

  For other headaches, you should avoid CAFFEINE-containing beverages, alcohol, and tobacco smoke; eat frequent, small, NUTRIENT-dense meals throughout the day; and obtain regular and adequate sleep. Finally, effective coping skills are also helpful to reduce the stress associated with headaches. Make sure your diet contains at least recommended dietary allowance levels of all VITAMINS and MINERALS. chronic trouble with headaches should be reviewed by a physician.

  Additional information on services and educational materials can be obtained from the National Headache Foundation (www.headaches.org) and the American Council for Headache Education (ACHE) (www.achenet.org).

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• Exercise As An Antidepressant
  Exercise As An Antidepressant

  Exercise is being touted as a viable component for treating depression, schizophrenia and alcohol addiction, according to a report published in the American Psychological Association.

  This is a review of studies going back to 1981, so it�s not new research. One thing that�s interesting is this review finds non-aerobic exercises such as weight lifting to be just as effective in treating psychological ailments as aerobics.

  The researchers say most regular exercises, including simply going for a 20-minute walk three times a week, is apparently more effective than placebo pills in reducing symptoms of anxiety in some patients.

  In my view, this study almost nailed it, but not quite. In my book, drawing on the best research, I contend exercise is a placebo. And while it makes you feel better, let�s not give it more curative power than it deserves.

  Just taking the time off to go exercise is something that can be psychologically good for you � because you�re taking a break from what�s bothering you.

  If you enjoy exercising, do it, and you�ll probably feel better. But this isn�t true if you hate it. The main point in my book, "Eat, Drink and Be Merry," is to embrace those activities that you have fun doing because, ultimately, they�ll be the most beneficial.

  Source: Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, June 1999.

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• Weight Lifting Combats the Effects of Aging
  Weight Lifting Combats the Effects of Aging

  When it comes to fitness, investing in a set of weights might pay dividends just as big as a pair of walking or running shoes, researchers say. Indeed, research has shown that weight training (often called resistance training) can slow and even reverse the declines in strength, bone density and muscle mass that accompany aging.

  The American College of Sports Medicine's fitness guidelines now recommend weight training for people over 50 in addition to aerobic activity and stretching. Muscle fibers shrink in number and in size as you grow older. They also become less responsive to messages from the central nervous system. Together, these factors contribute to decreases in strength, balance and coordination.

  "Generally, sedentary people lose about 10 percent of their lean muscle mass for each decade after age 30," says Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and co-director of the Sports Medicine Center at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

  "If you don't do anything to replace that, you're losing muscle and increasing fat," says Dr. Laskowski. "But, if you do strength training, you don't lose as much. It's like having a V-8 engine instead of a 4-cylinder. You have a bigger engine to burn more calories because it takes calories to keep that engine running."

  Aerobic exercises like running, walking and bicycling strengthen your heart � also a muscle � by forcing it to adapt in a positive way. Similarly, weight training, done properly, challenges other muscles, forcing them to adapt to the stress and become stronger, according to Dr. Laskowski. Resistance training does more than just build muscle. It also can stimulate and strengthen bones � good news for those concerned about osteoporosis. Weight training also can help older people maintain their independence by keeping them strong enough to do routine tasks.

  A University of Alabama at Birmingham study found that older women who lifted weights regularly during the study were able to carry bags of groceries with 36 percent less effort and to get up from their chairs with 40 percent less stress on their leg muscles than prior to the training. The 14 women in the study ranged in age from 60 to 77 and worked out for an hour, three times a week, for 16 weeks.

  "No matter what your age, you can combat lean muscle loss by weight training," says Dr. Laskowski.

  Copyright 1999, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

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• Hypertension
  Hypertension

  Approximately one in four adults suffers from hypertension, or high blood pressure. Commonly called "the silent killer" because it often produces no symptoms, hypertension is responsible either directly or indirectly for about 900,000 deaths per year. It is a major risk factor in developing stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure. There are several ways you can help prevent high blood pressure through your diet. Perhaps the most important way is to watch your weight--obesity is a key risk factor of high blood pressure. The best way to help prevent high blood pressure through diet is to stick to a low-fat, low-cholesterol regime. Alcohol consumption is second only to excessive weight as a predictor for hypertension. Doctors recommend no more than two drinks a day.

  Some studies also suggest that potassium-rich diets may reduce the risk of stroke if you are being treated for hypertension. One of potassium�s greatest benefits is its ability to rid the body of sodium. The more potassium you eat, the more sodium your body gets rid of--boosting your system which needs to keep sodium under control in order to keep blood pressure at reasonable levels. Although too much potassium can cause trouble, it�s almost impossible to overdose on this mineral if you�re getting it from food. You would have to eat the dietary equivalent of 21 baked potatoes every day to experience such negative effects as cardiac irregularities. That�s why naturally increasing potassium through diet is the best idea. An ideal potassium target is 3,500 mg--the Daily Value set by the Food and Drug Administration and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

  Along with increasing your intake of low-sodium, high-potassium natural foods, such as fruits and vegetables, you should also reduce your intake of high-sodium, low-potassium processed foods. Good low-salt, high-potassium sources include dried beans, lentils and peas; fruit juices and fresh fruits, especially apricots, bananas, cherries, cantaloupes, honeydews, kiwi, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, peaches, raspberries and tangerines; milk and yogurt (remember, you can get the potassium without the fat in skim and fat-free version); fresh vegetables, especially artichokes, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, collards, corn, mushrooms, parsley, parsnips, plantains, potatoes, pumpkins, seaweed, spinach, tomatoes, turnips, water chestnuts and squashes; and whole grains like rye, barley, buckwheat, wheat bran and whole-grain breads.

  There�s also evidence that magnesium and calcium may help to regulate blood pressure. Magnesium can be found in unprocessed whole grain foods, leafy green vegetables, nuts, fish and seafood, dried fruits and poultry. Strong sources of calcium include broccoli and raw cabbage, cooked collards, soy milk, milk and milk products (remember to choose skim or low-fat products), salmon, sardines, raw oysters and tofu.

  Although the issue of whether a high-salt diet causes or aggravates the onset of high blood pressure is still under debate, most doctors and nutritionists agree that Americans get too much salt in their diets: on average, we eat 2 teaspoons full of salt per day; our bodies need less than half a teaspoon. There is no question, however, that once hypertension develops, sodium is off limits. (Salt is about 40 percent sodium, and is our major dietary source of it.) Unfortunately, once you have high blood pressure, a moderate reduction of salt in the diet alone will not usually be enough to lower blood pressure back to normal levels. Along with medication, most doctors recommend a very low sodium diet for people with hypertension.

  Many high-sodium foods are obvious, such as salt-heavy pickles or potato chips. But reducing the salt in your diet is often more difficult than you can imagine, because only about a third of your salt intake depends on how heavy you lean on the salt shaker. Another third is added during the processing of foods, and the last third is found naturally in foods.

  Aside from the obvious high-salt content of foods like olives and sauerkraut, other high-sodium foods to avoid include biscuits and pancakes, pastries and cakes made from self-rising flour mixes, soy sauce, catsup, commercially prepared or canned soups and vegetables, bouillon, ham, sausages, bacon, hot dogs, smoked meats or smoked fish, canned tomato juice, frozen lima beans, frozen peas and fast foods. Also, many carbonated soft drinks are high in sodium; make sure you read the labels and check before drinking them. For example, club soda is fairly high in sodium�30 to 65 mg. per 8 ounces; cola contains about 15 mg. of sodium per 12 ounces; ginger ale has about 26 mg. of sodium per 12 ounces; and seltzer water contains 0 mg. of sodium. Most animal foods have a high content of natural sodium. Even when prepared without added salt, meat, fish, poultry, milk or milk products and eggs have high amounts of sodium and should be minimized

  From John Hopkins Health
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• Weight Lifting Combats the Effects of Aging
  Weight Lifting Combats the Effects of Aging

  When it comes to fitness, investing in a set of weights might pay dividends just as big as a pair of walking or running shoes, researchers say. Indeed, research has shown that weight training (often called resistance training) can slow and even reverse the declines in strength, bone density and muscle mass that accompany aging.

  The American College of Sports Medicine's fitness guidelines now recommend weight training for people over 50 in addition to aerobic activity and stretching. Muscle fibers shrink in number and in size as you grow older. They also become less responsive to messages from the central nervous system. Together, these factors contribute to decreases in strength, balance and coordination.

  "Generally, sedentary people lose about 10 percent of their lean muscle mass for each decade after age 30," says Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and co-director of the Sports Medicine Center at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

  "If you don't do anything to replace that, you're losing muscle and increasing fat," says Dr. Laskowski. "But, if you do strength training, you don't lose as much. It's like having a V-8 engine instead of a 4-cylinder. You have a bigger engine to burn more calories because it takes calories to keep that engine running."

  Aerobic exercises like running, walking and bicycling strengthen your heart � also a muscle � by forcing it to adapt in a positive way. Similarly, weight training, done properly, challenges other muscles, forcing them to adapt to the stress and become stronger, according to Dr. Laskowski. Resistance training does more than just build muscle. It also can stimulate and strengthen bones � good news for those concerned about osteoporosis. Weight training also can help older people maintain their independence by keeping them strong enough to do routine tasks.

  A University of Alabama at Birmingham study found that older women who lifted weights regularly during the study were able to carry bags of groceries with 36 percent less effort and to get up from their chairs with 40 percent less stress on their leg muscles than prior to the training. The 14 women in the study ranged in age from 60 to 77 and worked out for an hour, three times a week, for 16 weeks.

  "No matter what your age, you can combat lean muscle loss by weight training," says Dr. Laskowski.

  Copyright 1999, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  Read More...