General Health Tips

NUTRITION

The full discussion is beyond the scope of this guidebook.  As some say we become what eat. Food is more than calories -  it could harm us or keep us healthy. Most of us lead a sedentary life – we can not live on a menu of bacon and steak meant for hardy life with heavy physical. Work. Some foods harbor many  ingredients that have preventive powers.  Time magazine         (1/21/2002) selects the best 10 foods for their potential benefits.

            * phytochemicals : chemicals produced by plants

One should also curtail salt consumption, because it is the best way to prevent and lower high blood pressure.

Weight Control

Genetics (obesity genes) play a significant role in controlling our body weight. Some of us who are borne with “bad” genes need to try harder to control weight with diet and exercise. Even a few calories of over intake/ a day would eventually result in  a significant weight gain. Studies have shown that short term weight loss programs are not effective. One needs to go on a long term program that includes an appetite control approach.

•        Eat plenty of fruits and vegetable especially the one listed above.
•        Good source of protein: nuts, soy, fish, chicken and turkey.
•        Good source of fat: unsaturated fat such as olive oil.
•        Use fillers such as celery and carrot sticks.
•        Avoid junk foods such as cookies, chips, etc.
•        Learn to control appetite by; meditation, positive thinking, acupuncture, etc.
•        Exercise every day; Walk for an hour a day: Please read exercise section below.

Excercise

Time magazine (1/21/2002) lists walking as the perfect exercise, quoting Dr. Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Harvard, “ If everyone walks in the US were to walk briskly 30 minutes a day, we could cut the incidence of chronic disease 30 to40%.”

Some of the areas where health benefits are demonstrated are;

• Heart disease: Exercise lowers blood pressure and decrease coronary heart disease.
• Stroke: One study showed those walking more than 20 hrs/wk decreased their risk of stroke by 40%.
• Weight control: Waking not only consumes calories but also boosts the metabolic rate for the rest of the day.
• Weight loss: Walk at least an hour a day:  Exercising too intensely can work against you by interfering with the body’s ability to pull energy from fat cells.
• Diabetes: Walking may be more effective in preventing diabetes than some medicines.
• Osteoporosis: Walking during young age can prevent osteoporosis later in life.
• Arthritis: You may need to exercise every other day to give  joints time to recover.
• Depression: Walking  may prevent relapse of depression for those on medication.
• Cancer: May lower the risk of colorectal cancer by facilitating bowel wall movement.

Smoking Cessation

• Best result is obtained when one stops smoking on will power alone.
• Nicotine patches may be helpful and are available over the counter.
• Zyban, oral anti-depressant, is also shown to be effective.
• Chantix (Varenicline), a new drug, has been also used with success.
• Facilitator devices such acupuncture needle insertion may be helpful to some people.

Mental Health

Many studies have shown that mental relaxation and happiness bring good physical health. 

• Studies have shown that relaxation program can lower blood pressure.
• Nervous and immune system are shown to be communicating at various levels.
• Emotion can trigger many chronic diseases including asthma.
• Prayers and religious experiences have shown to have a healing power
• We are borne with tremendous healing powers, which can be augmented by positive thinking.