It's finally here! You can "see" with your tongue

I've read about this back in 2003 from Discover, it's good to see this in action.

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ED and your heart

Erectile Dysfunction is a predictor of mortality and cardiovascular disease. The study was published yesterday in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. 1549 cardiovascular patients underwent a double-blind in 13 countries, they reported 16.2% of ED patients died from cardiovascular problems, suffered heart attacks or strokes, or were hospitalized for heart failure. Only 10.3% of men with no or mild ED had similar outcomes.

ED is closely associated with conditions that occur in atherosclerosis and vascular problems, such as plaque buildup, which often precedes heart attacks and strokes.
photo credit: Nevada Tumbleweed

A Fashion Accessory That Could Save Your Life

SpaFinder is an advocate of skin cancer awareness. They have an industry-wide campaign that focuses on understanding sun damage, self-examination, sunscreen use, and yearly full-body check-ups at the dermatologist. Over 65,000 people every year are diagnosed with melanoma, and 11,000 of those die. It is important to know when your skin is being damaged by the sun. SpaFinder is selling “I Will Reflect” bracelets to help raise awareness of skin cancer. The bracelet is white, but turns lavender when you have had enough harmful ultraviolet rays. It’s an easy and fashionable way to be reminded to go into the shade or reapply sunscreen. You can find the melanoma bracelet for $4.95 at
www.spafinder.com

The Spice of Life: Cinnamon

• Just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon sprinkled on your food can help prevent an insulin spike. This spike normally occurs after a meal and signals the body to store fat instead of burning it. It could help in your battle of the bulge!
• Because cinnamon helps regulate insulin, it may also be beneficial for diabetics.
• Studies have also shown that eating half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day may lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Cinnamon has been found in some studies to reduce the proliferation of cancer cells in both leukemia and lymphoma.
• Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on blood.
• A study done at Copenhagen University found that arthritis patients who consumed cinnamon mixed with honey daily had significantly reduced pain after a month.
• It inhibits bacteria growth in food and drinks.
• The smell of cinnamon may boost cognitive function and memory.
• Cinnamon is a good source of fiber, manganese, iron and calcium.
photo credit: Lady AnnDerground

Walnuts May Keep Cancer at Bay

A study done by Marshall University School of Medicine found that eating walnuts every day may help curb breast cancer. The study done on mice found that those that ate walnuts had fewer and smaller tumors than those who didn’t. Walnuts contain antioxidants and significantly higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids than other nuts. They also contain phytosterols, which bind to estrogen receptors and inhibit the growth of breast cancer tumors. The study suggests eating two handfuls of walnuts a day to receive benefits. More research needs to be done with human subjects, but the results are promising. Scientists estimate that eating walnuts every day may push off the development of tumors by up to nine years. Walnuts may also help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and improving blood vessel elasticity. They also reduce C-Reactive Protein, which is an independent marker and predictor of heart disease.

photocredit:FotoosVanRobin

Alcohol and Depression

Alcohol is connected to depression in two ways—either a person drinks too much and as a result feels depressed or a person drinks to relieve anxiety and depression. Either way, alcohol affects the chemistry in the brain, which increases the risk for depression. Hangovers create a vicious cycle of waking up feeling sick, anxious, jittery and guilty. Life can become depressing because of the problems alcohol creates—relationship difficulties with family and friends, problems at work, memory issues and sexual problems. For many depressed drinkers, cutting out alcohol consumption can drastically improve their mood. Most start to feel better within a few weeks of cutting out alcohol. The best idea is stop drinking first to see whether that is what is causing the depression. Friends and family may find it easier to get along with a sober person. If after four weeks of not drinking, the depression has not lifted, a General Practitioner may suggest cognitive therapy or prescribe medication. Some of the symptoms of alcoholism include using alcohol as a way to cope with anxiety, anger, frustration, depression or a lack of self-confidence; relationships are negatively affected; feelings of guilt, depression or self-loathing; large amounts of time spent drinking; drinking early in the day and hiding the amount being consumed from friends and family. If this sounds like you or someone you love, you can contact your local Alcoholics Anonymous for help.
photo credit:PTRA

Coffee Alternatives

Most people drink coffee for the morning pick-me-up, but if you are wanting to cut down on your jitters or just your caffeine intake, you have choices.
• Herbal coffees are an option, such as Teeccino. It contains no caffeine, but it may provide a natural alertness. Its main ingredient is chicory root. People who are trying to give up coffee for health reasons often turn to Teeccino. It tastes a lot like coffee, but a little sweet and smoky. It contains heart-healthy potassium and inulin that helps aid digestion. Teeccino is safe for even kids to drink and comes in a variety of flavors.
• Yerba Mate is made of South American holly tree leaves. You can find it in brands such as Guayaki, which a very environmentally friendly company that is focused on restoring the rain forests. Guayaki has less than half the caffeine of coffee. Its flavor is very herbal. It has high levels of antioxidants and heart-healthy potassium.
• Morning Matcha is made of green-tea leaves ground into powder. It also contains about half the amount of caffeine of coffee. It tastes similar to steeped green tea, but has more of a kick. It has about three times the antioxidants of bagged tea, giving you extra protection from heart disease and cancer. It is pricey, though. One jar, which contains 15-20 servings, costs $33.
photo credit: Chris Owens

Bumming a Cigarette Bums out Your Heart

If you think you’re beating the bad effects of cigarettes because you don’t smoke regularly, but still bum one now and then on a night out—you’re kidding yourself! Every puff you take increases your potential for arterial damage. A University of Georgia study found that sporadic smokers who smoked two cigarettes after two days of not smoking were 36 percent less responsive to blood flow changes than nonsmokers. After four cigarettes the arterial response was even worse. Impaired arterial response is the first step to heart disease. Cigarette smokers also have more build up of fatty deposits in their arteries. In fact, the Surgeon General has declared smoking “the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the United States.” Secondhand smoke will cause these same effects, so try to avoid it if possible. Smoking also decreases you HDL (good) cholesterol. And don’t forget—it’s bad for your lungs, too!

photo credit: vramak

Calorie Bomb for Breakfast

Having a big breakfast can help carry you through the day and can even aid in weight loss. Make sure you get the most out of the calories you have for breakfast, or it could backfire on you. A breakfast that includes carbs and lean protein and comes in around 600 calories is the best for losing weight.
A sausage, egg and cheese sandwich with a latte packs 1,140 calories and 54 grams of fat. These are the culprits:
• Medium vanilla latte: 330 calories
• Bagel with cheese baked in: 340 calories, 6 grams fat
• Sausage: 210 calories, 20 grams fat
• Butter: 100 calories, 12 grams fat
Healthy alternatives for a big breakfast:
• 2 Kashi GoLean Strawberry Flax waffles with 2 tbsp. peanut butter on them, 1 banana, 8 ounces of skim milk: 539 calories, 20 grams fat
• Mexican omelet (2 eggs, ¼ cup shredded mozzarella, 4 tbsp. chunky salsa), 1 whole wheat English muffin, 1 orange, small nonfat cappuccino: 527 calories, 17 grams fat
• Parfait (6 oz. nonfat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup Bear Naked Apple Cinnamon granola, ¼ cup raw almonds, 1 cup berries), coffee with skim milk: 535 calories, 24 grams fat

Source: Beware the 1.140-Calorie Breakfast! Glamour Magazine, September 2009
photo credit: orangeacid

Sleepless in Seattle—or anywhere else?

The reason you’re having trouble sleeping may be that your bedroom is not a healthy sleeping environment. In fact, The Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that behavioral changes may treat insomnia better than drugs. Try making your bedroom a sleep only zone. Some adjustments you can make to sleep better are:
• Adjust your schedule so you get go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Regulating your biological clock is important for sleep cycles.
• Create a “wind down” routine. Don’t work right up until bedtime. Try writing out a list of things that are worrying or stressing you, so you don’t have to think about them until tomorrow.
• Banish the TV or video games to another room.
• If you don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes try getting up and reading until you feel sleepy.
• Don’t drink caffeinated beverages or alcohol close to bedtime.
• Exercise well before bedtime—strenuous exercise right before bed can keep you awake.
• Take a hot bath.
• Meditate before bedtime.
• Don’t stare at the clock—it will just make it worse!
• Don’t eat in bed.
• Don’t discuss emotional issues in bed.
• Minimize the light, noise and temperature changes in your bedroom.
• Avoid naps.
photo credit: peasap

Olive Oil: Good for Your Heart

A lot of research has been done on the benefits of olive oil for healthy people. It lowers the chances of having a heart attack or stroke. New research is suggesting that it may benefit those who undergo heart bypass surgery by decreasing the chance that they will die in the month following surgery. It has been found that those who ate less than 1 tablespoon of olive oil a day were four times more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke than those who ate 3 or more tablespoons of olive oil a day. It is especially beneficial when it is used to replace other fats, such as other vegetable oils, butter and margarine. Out of all the oils, olive oil has the most heart-protecting antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties. Extra virgin olive oil is the most beneficial. It is best to buy it in dark bottles, if possible and keep it in a dark cabinet since light and heat can cause it to become rancid. The Journal of Food Science found that after six months of storage, the antioxidants in olive oil are 40 percent less effective at fighting cell-damaging free radicals. The highest quality olive is imported from Greece, Spain and Italy, so check the label.
photocredit:horaceko

Having a Bad Attitude Can Hurt Your Heart

In one of the largest studies on the impact of personality on health, it was found that attitude really does make a difference. Not only does optimism have a positive impact on heart health, pessimism has a negative impact on it. Women who were the most hostile and cynical were more likely to die than those who had the cheeriest dispositions. The study included 162,000 post-menopausal women and was conducted over a 15-year period. Women who were most optimistic had a nine percent lower risk of developing heart disease and a fourteen percent lower risk of dying of any cause than those who were least optimistic. Among the pessimistic women, they had a sixteen percent higher risk of death than those women who scored lowest for hostility and cynicism. People who have negative attitudes tend to make poorer health choices than positive thinkers. But don’t despair if you see the glass as half empty! You can learn how to think more positively. A study at Duke University found that heart patients who attended a workshop that taught them coping skills for dealing with hostility and anger had lower blood pressure and less depression than those who didn’t. Changing your attitude can change your health and may even save your life!

Pets With Benefits

Pets are lots of fun, but did you know they also provide health benefits? Pets can increase your opportunities for exercise and socialization. They can also lower your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels, not to mention keeping you company and reducing loneliness. Having a pet can even increase survival rates among those who have had a heart attack. Pets can help you deal with stress, sometimes even better than a friend or spouse. Having a pet isn’t for everyone—they’re a lot of responsibility, but for most people the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. For more information on how pets can positively impact your health visit: http://stress.about.com/od/lowstresslifestyle/a/petsandstress.htm
photo credit: OakleyOriginals

Got Ear Wax?

When was the last time you clean your ear? If you've experienced pain in the ear, hearing loss that tends to worsen over time, feeling plugged or clogged, may be it's time. The Waxy oil is called cerumen, it actual helps protecting your ear from dust, germs and other foreign objects.
photocredit:jessicafm

Product Review: Neutrogena Men Invigorating Face wash

I have never been a fan of facial products, growing up I only knew about 3 things: Shampoo, Soap and hair gel. So life after marriage is an experience, there were times where my wife insisted on me testing certain products with her, I never quite got into it simply because they all make you smell like flower afterwards.

After lots of trial and error, I've finally settle on a product that I can recommend. Neutrogena Men Invigorating Face Wash, this stuff rocks, it cleans your face, if you leave it on for a minute, you'll really feel refresh and it doesn't  dry up your skin like other products do. Price is $5 and you don't smell like a girl. Share your favorite product in the comment area.

Free baseball tickets + Prostate blood test?

I personally have not done one, but I'm going to do it. My wife's grandfather was at the ICU for 1 week because his prostate swelled up so big that he was not able to pee for 4 days! His urine was backed up and his lungs started collecting fluid and having difficulty breathing. So yes, I'm going to do something about it and prevent myself from ever getting there.

Illinois' public health chief Dr. Damon Arnold is a prostate cancer survivor and he is urging men to get free prostate cancer screenings. The first 250 men who show up will get two free tickets to a White Sox home game. SCORE :)

Have you done a prostate exam or blood test? What's your experience? Lets share them in the comments area.  photo credit: Kevin.Ward