Recent Blog Posts
Bad Posture at the Desk Can Lead to High Blood Pressure and Other Risks
Bad Posture at the Desk Can Lead to High Blood Pressure and Other Risks If you spend long hours sitting at a desk each day, listen up — or, more precisely, straighten up. Bad posture at your desk, what has also been called “Sittosis”, has been found to raise your blood pressure. The muscles in your neck are linked directly to a brain region that regulates your heart rate and blood pressure. The discovery was made by researchers at the University of Leeds, UK, who found that muscles in your neck have a direct connection to your nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) -- a part of the brainstem that helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure. "The pathway exists for bad posture to really have an effect," said researcher Ian Edwards. Of course, high blood pressure is only one of the unsavory side effects of a day-long slouch marathon. Sitting improperly at your desk can lead to: Increased risk of neck and back problems Abnormal wear and tear on your joints, which can lead to arthritis Improperly aligned bones and [...]
Garlic: The Five Top Health Benefits of the Delicious but Pungent Natural Miracle
Garlic: The Five Top Health Benefits of the Delicious but Pungent Natural Miracle It’s the subject of countless festivals, ancient folklore and entire cookbooks, and is a flavor that people either love or hate. Garlic — the beloved small vegetable, or “stinking rose,” that’s been cultivated for over 5,000 years — is not only tasty, it’s incredibly good for you. It may be stinky, but the compounds that give garlic its characteristic smell are also what make it so healthy. A Bit of Garlic Lore Garlic has long been considered a food of strength. Ancient Egyptians put it in Pharaohs’ tombs and gave it to the slaves who built the pyramids. In ancient Greek and Roman cultures, athletes ate garlic before events and soldiers did so before going off to war. Cultures in China and India are also known to have taken advantage of the therapeutic effects of garlic. The Top Five Health Benefits of Garlic […]
Dermal Filler For Men
Is dermal filler treatment right for you? As our skin ages, it loses the collagen that helps shape and support a youthful appearance. Natural lines and subtle wrinkles develop into deep lines, age defining wrinkles, and sunken cheeks when the face begins to lose volume. Dermal filler treatment is a non-surgical option to achieve a smoother, more natural and youthful looking skin. As our skin ages, it loses the collagen that helps shape and support it. Natural lines and wrinkles deepen. Sun exposure, smoking, air pollution and even stress can all age your appearance. The face can also begin to lose volume giving sunken cheeks and a ‘dragged down’ appearance. Dermal fillers for men at a glance Our range of premium dermal filler treatments – including Juvederm®, Restylane® and Sculptra® – can address all these problems, without the need for surgery. These are the best products available to achieve a smoother, more natural and youthful looking skin. A personal treatment plan created in consultation with your practitioner might include a combination of dermal filler techniques. Alternative treatments like line and wrinkle smoothing, skin [...]
Do You Have Sciatica Symptoms
Do You Have Sciatica Symptoms Pain that begins in your lower back and radiates to your buttocks and down through the back of your leg is the characteristic sign of sciatica. If you suffer from sciatica symptoms, you may already know that conventional treatments only offer short-term relief. Over-the-counter medications, prescriptions drugs, steroids and surgery all have their own side effects with minimal, temporary benefits. None of these treatments offer a long-term solution to the problem. Left untreated, sciatica may lead to permanent nerve damage, loss of bowel and bladder function and even loss of feeling and use of the affected leg. What Causes Sciatica? You may find it interesting to know that sciatica is not a disorder on its own. It is actually a symptom of a damaged or compressed sciatic nerve. The compression can be caused by various things. For example, it may be due to a slipped disc, herniated or swollen disc, or degenerated discs in your back. Spinal disc conditions can also cause the piriformis muscle in the buttock to irritate the sciatic nerve to create [...]
How to Stop Overindulging
How to Stop Overindulging Most people overindulge in an attempt to improve their mood. Experiencing the continuing effects from past months overindulgence? Why do we tend to overindulge, even though we know it will probably end up making us feel lousy? Researchers from the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan say people often overindulge in an attempt to improve their mood. It can happen when you’re happy — and trying to prolong the happiness — or when you’re sad and trying to get rid of the blues. “People strategically manage their actions both to accomplish their long-term interests and to attain immediate pleasures. If they believe they need to take action to regulate their feelings in […]
U.S. Lyme Disease Cases on the Rise
U.S. Lyme Disease Cases on the Rise: How to Avoid This Dangerous Tick-Borne Illness Most cases of Lyme disease occur in the late spring and summer months, when ticks are most active and people spend the most time outdoors. Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that can cause rash, body aches and even temporary paralysis, has been growing in the United States. In the most recent year for which data is available, 27,444 cases of Lyme disease were reported compared to under 9,000 in 1993. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which is carried primarily by black-legged ticks (also known as deer ticks). If an infected tick bites you (ticks feed on blood and will attach to a host, including mice, cats, dogs or humans), it can transfer the bacteria through your skin and into your bloodstream. Though anyone can get Lyme disease, you are most at risk if you spend a lot of time in wooded or grassy areas where ticks thrive. In the United States deer ticks in particular are most common in the Northeast [...]