The Mediterranean diet is getting some good press these days. This is a diet that originated in European countries Italy and Greece. The diet consists of fish, olive oil, whole grains and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry are not consumed regularly, and neither is dairy, although they are not prohibited in small amounts. This diet is thought to reduce risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, obesity and inflammation. What’s interesting about the Mediterranean diet is that it contains wine, usually consumed with a meal. Wine, in moderation, has been shown to have some benefits because of the component in it called resveratrol. Resveratrol improves heart health, and can lessen the effects of saturated fat.
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Gene therapy is the delivery of genes to cells to replace missing or ‘bad’ genes, which left unchecked lead to diseases like cancer. Cancer is caused by gene mutations so the theory is that gene therapy could help to replace some nonexistent function or make the damaged gene work. Tumor suppressor genes in cells stop cancers from forming but cancer cells carry defective copies of these genes. So by replacing these defective genes the cancer can be prevented.
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Morning sickness amongst pregnant women is a common experience of discomfort. It’s actually one the most talked about and unpleasant aspect of being pregnant. People believe in different things about morning sickness. Some think it’s a sign of healthy pregnancy while others trash it saying there is nothing to confirm the fact. Studies have been conducted by leading medical research groups and it has been found that morning sickness, nausea, and vomiting during pregnancy is a sign of lower chances of miscarriage.
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When you were diagnosed with cancer, the only thoughts in your mind revolved around the biopsy, the treatment, the chemotherapy, the surgery. You went through all that and the interminable hospital stays. And then one fine day the verdict is a positive one and you have been given a clean chit. This then is where it all begins again. What is it that you are expecting life to bring you? Do you want everything to be as it was before? That may not be possible, given the changes in your body and all the stresses that you have coped with mentally and emotionally. You may feel different from the way you were before, you may not be able to do things that you found easy earlier—all these are changes you have to deal with.
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The obesity epidemic does not just apply to adults – children and adolescents also have obesity rates at an all-time high. For adolescents, the rate is 30.4 percent overweight and 15 percent obese. Children who grow up overweight are much more likely to become overweight or obese as adults – so, the search for non-invasive solutions is constant. Now a procedure called lap-banding may be an effective way to control obesity. A new study at NYU Medical Center revealed that, for patients under the age of 17, lap-banding was very effective, resulting in about a 50 percent loss of excess weight over the time frame of a year.
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Actually it’s an incomplete headline. Not only does cycling aggravate back pain, it also sometimes is the sole cause for it! For people who think cycling is the best form of exercise, it helps all body parts to get their share of exercise and movement, helps breathing etc are thinking right but partly so. Cycling does all the above but when its done correctly. In correct rhythm, in correct posture and for a short time. Honestly, how many of us really know the difference between the right ways of cycling from the wrong?
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Most of us may never connect gum disease and heart. But it has been confirmed by The American Dental Association, that gum disease goes beyond oral health. According to them “There is evidence that bacteria in the mouth which are associated with gum disease may be linked to heart disease, artery blockages and stroke.” I have collected a several more such eye opening facts about dental health that I want to share with as many people as I can through this article.
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When you are in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with cancer you must understand that they will go through a whole gamut of emotions; from depression to bitterness, shock and anxiety, anger and fear. Their feelings of vulnerability and loneliness will increase as will their mood swings. They can talk through their fears to reduce them and that is where you come in. Listen well to what they say and let them say whatever they like.
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Welcome to the January 23, 2007 edition of health carnival. (This carnival is published with delay because of some technical problems.)
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Wearing braces to align crooked teeth is an automatic thing in today’s cosmetic era. People put their children through the procedure to wear braces as a routine without giving any thought whatsoever. We assume that people will tease our kids for having crooked teeth, which may affect their self-confidence. But in reality it’s not so. Research has confirmed that not wearing braces does not make life any less happy.
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