Kicking Out the Smoking Habit

Heart disease has been pinpointed to be the leading cause of death among women, and smoking is one of the things that can adversely affect the heart. Women who smoke can stop the habit by taking FDA-approved drugs like Zyban as well as using skin patches.

Eating a Healthy Diet and Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Diet can positively or negatively affect the health. Thus, women should start making wise and healthy food choice so that their body receive the necessary amounts of vitamins, minerals and nutrients needed.

To get started in making better food choices, Doyle recommends recording everything you eat  during the day as doing so can help you determine just how many calories you are consuming. The next step is identifying and analyzing your eating habits, which includes asking yourself how frequently you eat high calorie foods, how much dressing you put on your salad, how many sodas or sweetened beverages you drink every day, and such.

Once you identify your eating habits, you can start cutting back on the sugary drinks and high calorie foods. According to Doyle, one of her obese clients lost 17 lbs in 30 days after she stopped drinking sugary drinks and sodas alone. Sugary beverages and sodas are truly high in calories so if you cut back on how much you drink can and will make a difference in your waistline — and on your general health — in just a few weeks. So if you want to lose weight, avoid sugary drinks; and if you’re already at the weight you want, you can maintain it by not consuming high sugar drinks and unhealthy foods.

Increasing Physical Activity

Being physically active not only helps women lose weight, but also reduces their risk of developing a number of diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, women who are physically active have a lower risk of developing breast cancer and colon cancer. This is actually supported by research: physical activity lowers the risk of breast cancer by 10% to 25% and colon cancer by 25% to 50%.

What type of physical activity is most effective? It differs from one woman to the next. You can try out several physical activities and see which one works for you. Some physical activities you can try include jogging, biking, yoga, pilates or brisk walking. Exercising at least 10 minutes a day three times a week can do wonders for your health.

Reducing Stress Levels

Stress, when unmanaged, can lead to strokes. It is important that women find some “me” time for themselves. This is the time when they can relax and pamper themselves for a few minutes. Women who stay at home taking care of the children and keeping the house well run tend to be under a lot of stress. Some of the things you can do to take away some of the stresses you are feeling include taking warm baths, window shopping, meeting with a friend once a week to chat, lounging around and reading a good book.

But what is cholesterol? Cholesterol is that fatty substance in the human body. There are two kinds of cholesterol: HDL (the good cholesterol) and LDL (the bad cholesterol). According to studies, women who have not yet had menopause tend to have higher levels of HDL since these women have high levels of estrogen (female sex hormone). It has been found that estrogen increases the levels of HDL. As women approach the menopausal stage, their estrogen levels begin to drop, causing the HDL levels to drop too. Women are at risk of developing heart disease and stroke after menopause because their LDL levels increase.

In addition, two risk factors have been identified to increase heart disease in women: diabetes and smoking. Thus, it is vital for women to see their doctor for regular cholesterol tests, especially if they are 40 years or older. Regular cholesterol testing can help women find out if they are at risk for developing cardiovascular diseases, and if they are, they can then take the necessary steps towards lowering their risk. In addition, women who smoke need to seriously think about kicking the habit as a connection between smoking and heart disease has been established and that giving up smoking can lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Women whose LDL levels are extremely high are often prescribed medication designed to lower cholesterol to safe levels. Most doctors recommend their patients to stay on the medication (as a precautionary measure) even after their cholesterol levels have gone down to normal. It is vital that patients follow their doctor’s advice when it comes to medication.

Women who are in the pre- and post-menopausal stages tend to be the ones with high cholesterol levels. Thus, it is important for women to learn how they can control or manage their cholesterol levels in both stages. According to Dr. Kristin Newby, associate director of the Cardiac Care Unit at Duke University Medical Center, the liver manufactures cholesterol and it can also come from the food we consume. As we age, our cholesterol levels increase, and it is particularly crucial for women to watch their diet and have regular cholesterol testing.

You can show your support to a loved one with breast cancer by taking the time to listen to her about her thoughts and feelings as well as discussing and respecting the choice she makes regarding her choice of treatment or doctor. Avoid undermining the choices she has made concerning her diet, treatment and other related issues. Build up her confidence by letting her know you support the decisions she makes. Assure her that you are always there for her whenever she needs your help. Offer to do chores like cleaning the house, cooking meals and running errands.

Keep in mind that she her doctor or a health professional is likely to have recommended to her that she join a cancer support group. So unless she asks you about it, don’t mention it. It is very likely that her doctor has already given her a referral. Another thing you should avoid is asking questions such as how your loved one feels about losing her hair or the possibility of dying. If she doesn’t ask for your opinion on these things, refrain from asking these questions and giving your opinion. Let her start any discussion regarding these issues because she’ll discuss those with you if she is ready or if she wants to. The last thing you want is to force her to think and talk about things that are stressful for her and may only contribute to make her depressed.

If, however, she is ready to talk or initiates conservations with you regarding hair loss, dying or any other breast cancer related issues, it pays to be prepared. The American Cancer Society has many programs and information you can check out. The organization has licensed cosmetologists who are trained specifically to help cancer patients with hair loss and make them look their best.

Interestingly, women who do not exercise have a higher health risk than women who smoke. According to a study conducted jointly by the University of Hong Kong and Department of Health, 28% of women who do not exercise are likely to die from cancer. Results of the study also showed that about 75% of women who do not exercise have a higher risk of dying from respiratory ailments, and about 28% have a higher risk of dying from heart disease.

With these results, it should get women signing up for a gym membership and exercising. However, gym memberships can be expensive and time consuming. Likewise, buying home exercise equipment can be prohibitive for most women. Women can start exercising by going on brisk walks or by jogging on a regular basis. These are simple physical activities that only require a few minutes each day and no cash outlay. Women who want to lose weight should exercise at least 30 minutes every day. For best results, 60 minutes of exercise is recommended.

It is important that women wear the proper exercise attire. This includes wearing comfortable running or walking shoes. It is also important to start slowly. It can be more detrimental to jog or walk ten miles on the first day. It is best to start off any physical activity slowly and gradually increase the distance or intensity as endurance is built. Women can reap the health benefits of exercising by doing it consistently. It may be a good idea to find an exercise buddy to make exercising more enjoyable. Having someone to exercise with can also serve as motivation.

Women who exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight have a lower risk of developing breast cancer. Studies have shown women who do weight and strength training have stronger bones and have a lower risk of developing osteoporosis. According to Dr. Barry A. Franklin, a physician at William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan, weight training also lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and improves cardiovascular health. Fitness experts recommend starting off with 2 to 5 pounds of light weight and doing a few repetitions, and then increasing the reps gradually.

•    Every year, there is an approximately 438,000 lives wasted due to smoking-related diseases.  This number includes premature babies of mothers who are smokers, and non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke.
•    The United States have recorded around 92 billion dollars of loses in productivity due to deaths caused by smoking.  There is also an estimated 75.5 billion dollars excess in medical expenditures for smoking-related diseases.
•    An estimated 8.6 million Americans suffer from one serious smoking-related illness.  Comparing this to the number of people dying due to smoking-related diseases, there are about 20 people suffering with a smoking-related illness for every person who dies because of smoking.
•    About 73% of the smoking-related illnesses are diagnosed as chronic lung disease.  Then, 90% of lung cancer deaths and 80-90% of COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis) deaths are due to smoking.  Aside from this, the Surgeon General now considers pneumonia as a disease that can be caused by smoking.
•    Smoking is also the perceived cause of about 30% of low-birth weight babies and 10% of deaths among infants.  This is because a cigarette smoke is estimated to have more than 4,800 chemicals, of which 69 chemicals were proven to cause cancer.

With the horrifying smoking facts above, there is no corner left to defend the habit of smoking.  There is now an increased awareness of the health risks brought by smoking.  Many workplaces have been declared to be smoke free.

In fact, in 1999, about 70% of the American workers stay in a smoke-free environment.  Even employers impose a no-smoking policy.  This is because essentially, a person will have to choose between his health and his smoking habits.  And for most people, the correct choice is obvious.  The person must quit smoking.  In a 2003 survey, around 32 million out of 44.5 million smokers have declared their intention to quit smoking.

However, quitting is not a walk in the park.  A smoker, deciding to quit, will suffer from withdrawal symptoms.  Thus, to quit smoking, a person must have a dual approach.  First, he must use tools such as nicotine patches, nicotine gums, nicotine lozenges, and nicotine pills to help his body adjust to the absence of smoking.  And second, he must join a “behavior change program” that will psychologically aid him in controlling the urge to smoke.

When that happens, we will tend to burn ourselves up. We become too pressured that something has got too give. We will eventually feel stress. Stress is a prolonged period of time if not managed properly could affect our well being. Stress can affect our emotional, physical and psychological aspects.

Because we live in a fast paced world, we tend to forget that we need to pace out. Here are some simple activities that we can still do on a very hectic day to lessen the feelings of stress.

Quick-release exercise:
Be comfortable as possible. You can do certain simple exercises while waiting and you’ve got nothing to do. Next, try to be passive. Whatever thoughts come into play just let it happen. Don’t think about it too much.  Also let all the distraction such as noises in the environment pass; let them be. Finally, try to do inward breathing.

Whole Body Tensions:
If your whole body feels tense, hold the body part that feels most tense. Stay with the body part and hold with as long as you can without feeling the pain. Then slowly release the tension. Gradually feel the pain leave your body. Do this activity three times.

Visual Imagery:
Be imaginative and focus on your inward breathing. Let your breathing become calmer and regular. As it happens, imagine the air coming to you as a cloud. Also imagine that it is filling you and also goes out.

Eye Fixation:
Relax your head and body and pick a spot to focus on. Then count five breathes backward and close your eyes gradually with each breathe. When you reach number one, the eyes should be closed. You should now be able to focus on the feeling of relaxation.

Counting Ten Backwards:
You should allow yourself to feel indifferent and passive while counting backward from 10. As you count backwards you should also breathe slowly. As each count passes by, you should feel heavier and more relaxed. As you exhale, let the tensions leave your body.

Shoulder Shrug:
Raise your shoulders up to the level of your eyes. Hold it till the count of four and then drop it. Do this activity four times.

Shoulder Rotation:
Just rotate your shoulders in every which way possible. Do one shoulder at a time and then do both at the same time. This exercise is also good for the back, neck and arms.

Cat Stretch:
Stand with your feet slightly apart and then take a deep breathe as you stretch your arms over your head. As you lean forward slowly exhale and bring your arms and head down. Do this gently five times.

Meditate:
Find a quiet place, close your eyes and just focus on one thing to escape all the chaos of the real world.

Let’s try to explain stress in a scientific standpoint of things. Stress happens when we feel threatened during a certain circumstance or event. This then results in the person needing to do things to adapt to the change.

Stress on humans can be compared to that of a rubber band. A person can stretch out to meet the demands of certain environmental factors, tasks, and demands of your lifestyle. However when stretched too much the pressure will be intensely great and the rubber band breaks.

When that happens to a person, it will manifest itself in a person’s life. It will manifest itself through mentally, physically and emotionally.

Stress is really the amount of internal pressure we give on ourselves from all the external factors. What the results of the stress varies from person to person. It all depends on a person’s stress levels. It also depends on how much a person can be ready to move forward with it and how he or she deals with it.

As stated above, there are some people who do better when stress comes their way. There are also people who immediately balk at the slightest pressure. The stress levels of a person really depend on a person’s attitude and upbringing.

A person who has been living a harder life ever since childhood will definitely know how to handle stressful situations more. A person who has been sheltered will obviously not know how to handle problems that come his or her way. Making the person who has been sheltered more susceptible to stress.

The current changes in the world don’t help minimize stress as well. As the world progresses with technology and modernization, there will be more things to do, more jobs we could be capable of doing. However, the time in a single day does not become more.

This makes our lives become more challenging. We would need to learn to manage our time better. We would need to learn more to adapt from all the changes and pressures present.

Too much stress could even lead to a person burning out. Burn out happens when you have been stressed for a prolonged period of time already.

It is important to learn how to prevent stress and burning out. Instead of considering stress as something bad. Use it as a factor to motivate you to do more stuff better.

Family, relationships, work and even the way we think are the common sources of stress. In some situations having a churning stomach can be stressful too. Here are some advices that we may be able to put too use when being stressed out by such things.

Family:
A family is always supposed to be there to help us out when we have problems. Blood has always been thicker than water. However, there are times when blood spills over. We all know how nasty it is when blood spills.

Family members could be a great source of stress because of the closeness of each member. If one member of the family is sick, other members will be so distraught and feel worried. There are just times that a family member can be so annoying for pressuring a person to do certain decisions. A family member that’s also an alcoholic or had bad mood swings can cause terrible stress to others.

To prevent family members create a very stressful situation and eventually a dysfunctional family, its best to seek help. Seek help from family consultants or psychologists.

Relationships:
Being in a relationship is always stressful. That’s why I always wonder why people want to be in one. To be in a relationship means a whole lot of compromising and understanding of each other. Both parties will have to continually understand each others side to prevent fighting and have harmony.

Think about it as two different people having different values and beliefs being meshed together. It’s like putting together Bush and Saddam.

The most stressful thing about relationships is not the different beliefs. It’s more likely because of the different expectations. Other factors such as emotional things that affect the well being of another mat also impact the relationship. I.e. death of pet, having bad days at work could trigger some things in a relationship.

Occupation:
Working has got a whole lot stress to provide. In work, a person always feels that he or she needs to do the best to get that cash flow going. If a person does not perform to expectations he or she may get fired. There are also times a person may feel stress because the boss is always looking over his or her shoulder. Plus there is always the thought of layouts.

Instead of being stressed out of these things at work, try to make your work seem fun. It helps to relax yourself when you see things in a much brighter way.

How we think:
Stop making small problems big. The small problems you have may be nothing compared to the person next to you. Try to be optimistic.

However, the HSV remains underneath the skin where the sores once dominated.  Sometimes, the virus remains dormant forever, but sometimes, the virus is triggered to produce more viruses and cause another round of itchy swollen blisters.  This is called a “recurrent outbreak” or “symptomatic recurrences”.  A person may have about five recurrent outbreaks within a year.  Normally, these are less painful and heal faster than the primary outbreak.  Except when an infected person has an impaired immune system, such as those with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).  A recurrent outbreak may be triggered by stress, illness, menstruation, or a new sex partner.  They also become less frequent as time goes by.

What is genital herpes?. click here to find out Genital Herpes

The HSV 2, is the virus that causes genital herpes, but it may also affect the mouth.  This viral infection also produces the same characteristic sores, but this time these clumped tender sores occur in the genital area.  The first time these sores appear, they will take about a month to be cured.  Then, the next outbreak will take a shorter period of time to heal and the sores will be more tolerable.  Genital herpes may remain in a person’s body for many years.  This is why some people will experience an outbreak only once in their lifetime, and some will have several outbreaks, that fortunately become less severe.