Health and Fitness
March 10th, 2010 at 04:28pm
Under Health and Fitness
While most people would agree that meditation techniques are a mental practice, the objectives of different people and different religions vary.
In this article, we will discuss the benefits of meditation, the differences among major religions on how they view the practice of
meditation.
1. Hinduism
- this religion probably has the oldest texts that deal with how to meditate. While there are several types of
meditation in Hinduism, they generally focus on achieving a calm state of mind.
This is one of the more popular perceptions of guided meditation techniques.
2. Buddhism
- founded by Buddha in 500 BC, the buddhist meditation technique aims to attain enlightenment just like its founder.
3. Christianity
- this religion treats meditation as a prayer. Thus practices such as praying the rosary can be considered as
meditation in the Christian world.
Another form of meditation practiced by Christians is by pondering upon a certain religious passage. It has a
striking difference against
Eastern religions since Christian meditation involves an active mind while the opposite is true for Eastern
practices.
4. Judaism
- what is referred to as Jewish meditation is in fact a collection of practices that revolve around practices such as contemplation, visualization, analysis and gaining intuitive insights.
5. Taoism
- while most religions practice meditation while remaining still, Taoism takes a physically active take on this. It is evident in the practice of Tai Chi wherein practitioners do what is called ‘meditation in motion’.
As you see, there are basic differences among religions on how they approach meditation. However, a common thread that keeps them together is that they treat meditation as a mental practice. The trick with learning how to meditate for beginners is to pick one technqiue to get started with, and work out from there.
By Kym
March 9th, 2010 at 11:33am
Under Health and Fitness
My forehead is all spotty but I don’t have acne anywhere else. Why is this?
It is difficult to give you the right answer without seeing you but it is helpful to think about what is different about your forehead. Below are two likely reasons.
One problem can be your hairstyle. Ordinary hair across the forehead does not cause any problems but if you use greasy hair products, including hair waxes and gels, to keep your hair in a particular style it could cause acne. Greasy things can block up the pores and lead to the formation of comedones - we therefore call them ‘comedogenic’. If this is your problem, stop using the grease and your acne should clear with or without needing a simple topical acne treatment. If your hair is naturally greasy, wash it as often a necessary with shampoo designed for greasy hair.
There is a type of acne called pomade acne, which is a direct result of using pomade hair products, more commonly used on African-Caribbean hair styles. If you wish to continue using these, there is no need to find a suitable acne remedy - you just need to keep it off your hair-line and wipe away the excess from the surrounding skin with a towel or damp cloth and keep your hands away from your face until you have washed them thoroughly.
Is it just me or are all burger restaurants staffed by kids with acne?
This is a bit of an urban myth but one that may have a little truth behind it. A hot sweaty face leads to more blocked pores and more acne. So the combination of heat and humidity in poorly ventilated kitchens where a lot of frying goes on and where everything gets a fine coating of grease can make acne worse.
Also, these types of fast food outlets tend to employ students looking to boost their pocket money and therefore you have more teenagers - the classic age for developing acne. The worst cases of acne triggered by heat and humidity occur in soldiers on jungle training where the added friction from their packs can cause an extensive and serious flare-up of acne. This type of acne is easily resolved with simple acne remedies from the pharmacy.
By Kym
March 9th, 2010 at 09:48am
Under Health and Fitness
My doctor told me I would grow out of my acne but I am now 15. If it is true that I will grow out of it, please can you tell me when?
Your acne will get better with time but no one can tell you when that will be and it is certainly not a reason to stop you finding the best acne treatment. Acne starts when hormone changes occur around and after puberty. These new levels of hormones stay the same for many years - until the menopause in women and longer for men.
It is surprising that people do grow out of it but many more people seem to carry on having problems well into adult life. You need to find some acne remedies to deal with your acne as a ‘now’ thing so that when it does stop happening you won’t be left with scars to remember it by.
Help! Every month, just before my period, I get spots around my chin. They don’t even come to a head; they just sit there and hurt. Do I have acne?
Yes, you probably have. Acne is triggered by the skin’s abnormal reaction to hormones, so the changing levels of hormones at the time of your period cause acne even though your skin doesn’t react to different levels at other times of your cycle. This is a good example of needing to see your doctor when the spots appear, as there will be nothing to show if you have to wait a week for an appointment. It also illustrates how important it is for people with acne to be able to tell their own story about the pattern of spots and when they get them, rather than just being looked at quickly. Your history of getting spots at the times of your periods will suggest a different approach to treatment, and consequently a more tailored acne remedy, than if you had spots all the time. You could also think about taking a photo of yourself with spots to show the doctor how bad it can be.
I have heard that there might be a problem with my ovaries which is why I get acne. If that is the case, what is it, why do boys get acne, and are there acne remedies for it?
You might have a condition called polycystic ovaries. This means that your ovaries have lots of fluid-filled lumps (cysts) on them. If this is the case, your ovaries won’t be producing the right balance of hormones and, in particular, too much of the male hormone testosterone.
If this is the case, you are then quite a bit more likely to have very bad acne, grow extra hair on your body and perhaps also have light or even no periods at all. In later life you could find it harder than normal if you want to get pregnant. It is very important to have tests for this condition as soon as you can; they include blood tests for the hormone levels and ultrasound scans of your ovaries.
This is one of the few times when detailed medical tests are needed for your specific case of acne. Your acne will need different and stronger acne treatment, and you might also be offered treatment for your ovaries. They are a lot bigger with all the cysts, so an operation to remove some of the cysts can lead to more normal levels of hormones.
Although girls also have some testosterone, boys’ testes - the male equivalent of ovaries - normally produce high levels of this hormone, which is why they are often more affected.
By Kym
March 5th, 2010 at 09:41am
Under Health and Fitness
Natural Menopause Diet Tips - Try Eating More Foods Rich In Phytoestrogens
Here’s some facts about natural hormone replacement therapy and other herbs for menopause. We don’t need pumping full of drugs just because our bodies are changing - we need to take control and learn how to manage our symptoms with natural alternatives.
Foods rich in phytoestrogens are a very healthy addition to any menopause diet as they can help relieve and alleviate a lot of the menopause and perimenopause symptoms.
Here’s some specific foods you can include in a menopause diet to help relieve the symptoms and signs of menopause, and improve your overall health:
Green Soya Beans (Edamame)
Fresh soya beans in pods are harvested when they are young and tender. When steamed and salted they make a delicious snack. Green soya beans are available from Chinese supermarkets.
20 mg isoflavones per 100 g
Canned Soya Beans
These can be added to salads or casseroles or pureed with olive olive, lemon juice and garlic to make a dip similar to hummus.
80 mg isoflavones per 100 g
Tofu Or Bean Curd
Made from pureed, pressed soya beans, tofu is low in fat and is a good source of protein. There are three basic types: firm, soft and silken. Firm tofu has a texture similar to cheese; it can be marinated and used to make kebabs or cut into cubes and added to stir-fries. Soft tofu is used in recipes that call for blended tofu or in Oriental soups. Silken tofu has a texture similar to set yogurt; it can be used to make dips, salad dressings, sauces or desserts.
11-30 mg isoflavones per 100 g
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
This is a meat substitute made from soya-bean flour It is low in fat and rich in protein. It is available as dehydrated chunks, as a ground beef substitute or incorporated into prepared foods such as burgers or sausages. The ground beef substitute can be used in dishes such as spaghetti sauce or lasagne.
114-245 mg per 100 g (dry weight)
Soya Milk
This is available unsweetened or sweetened and in a variety of flavors. Look for one with added calcium. Soya milk is cholesterol-free and available in low-fat varieties. It is also lactose-free. Soya milk can be used in the same way as cow’s milk, as a drink, on cereals, in cooking or to make smoothies.
A 250 ml glass provides 10-20 mg isoflavones
Tempeh
A thin cake made from fermented soya beans, it has a mushroomy slightly smoky flavor It can be grilled and used as a meat substitute or added to stews, casseroles or pasta sauces.
35-19 I mg isoflavones per 100 g
Isolated Soya Protein
This powder can be mixed into drinks and sauces or added to baked goods such as bread.
46-100 mg isoflavones per 100 g
Soya Flour
Made from ground, roasted soya beans, it comes in full-fat or low-fat versions. It can be used as a substitute for white flour in recipes such as muffins and cakes. It has quite a strong flavor so it is best mixed with another type of flour; try substituting 20-30 percent wheat flour with soya flour.
188-276 mg isoflavones per 100 g
Miso
Made from fermented soya beans, miso is used mainly as a seasoning or condiment. It is very salty and should be used sparingly.
8-28 mg isoflavones per 15 ml (1 level
Soya Desserts
There are many different types including yogurts and ice creams. Isoflavone content will vary according to brand.
Soya ice cream - 4-5 mg isolfavones per 100 g
Soya custard - 5 mg isoflavones per 100 ml
Soya yogurt - 16 mg isoflavones per 100 ml
Soya and Linseed Bread
contains around 7 mg isoflavones per slice.
It’s also worthy to note that soy sauce, soya oil and soya margarine contain no isoflavones, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include them as part of a menopause diet, as they offer other health benefits including helping to lower cholesterol.
By Kym
March 4th, 2010 at 06:28am
Under Health and Fitness
‘What we have here is lower back pain that has traveled north,’ said a doctor to a warehouse foreman who couldn’t move his neck without feeling severe pain.
There may be some truth in what you say,’ replied the foreman, who had never suffered low back pain. ‘But what should I do about it?’
‘A good question,’ the doctor said, reaching for his prescription pad.
It is a good question. The answer, believe it or not, has almost nothing to do with viewing neck pain as a bad back problem that just happened to land higher up on the spine.
There are similarities, of course, between neck and low back pain. But mostly there are differences - major differences in self-help therapies (including the kinds of back pain exercises to do), in practitioner effectiveness, and in the success rates of a wide variety of neck pain treatments.
Pretty much everybody has had neck pain at one time or another: a stiff neck when they woke up, a painful neck after painting a ceiling, a ‘crook’ in the neck after holding the telephone in an awkward position during a long conversation.
About one-third of people who suffer with chronic pain injured their necks in accidents. And they usually suffered years of pain before learning how to improve their conditions.
‘My problems stem from a minor car accident at which time I was rear-ended while stationary in my vehicle,’ a human resources director reported. What happened to her reflects the experiences of many people with neck pain: ‘I felt fine at first, but the next morning I could barely move my neck.’ After trying manipulation, physical therapy, prescription drugs and acupuncture, and after ‘a period of being totally immobile due to the most excruciating pain I have ever felt,’ she finally found the support and back pain treatment she needed.
A construction worker’s injury also typifies the traumatic origins of most neck pain. ‘I was hurt on a construction job and was in the hospital forty-one days,’ the worker wrote. ‘I saw many doctors. Most had different opinions on the extent of damage done to my back. All I know is that I have suffered severe pain.’
In a recent international survey of back and neck pain sufferers, almost one-third of survey participants attributed the onset of neck pain to emotional stress. For example, a television personality suffered neck pain while two members of her immediate family were gravely ill. A teacher linked her neck pain to working with highly disturbed and disabled children. An executive experienced severe neck pain while going through a painful divorce.
The remaining survey participants just ‘found’ themselves with a pain in the neck one day. Some had had the pain for years, but at a nuisance level. Others found that it seemingly struck full blown out of the blue.
‘I woke one morning and, for no apparent reason, could not raise my head or move it from left to right,’ said a family therapist. Other participants who echoed her words endured pain for months or years before obtaining back pain relief.
By Kym
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