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Busting teeth whitening myths told by dentists

A perfect set of white teeth is an important part of any appearance and can change the look of any person. Some people’s teeth whiten better than others. Anatomy, strength of enamel, age, teeth condition, how clean they are kept, etc., all play an important role in the results of teeth whitening. A white, flawless set of teeth flashed when you smile, makes a great impression not just socially, but also improves your self-confidence and image.

“There are simple and safe procedures available today, which offer teeth whitening in quick time and are used frequently by well-groomed men and women and celebrities all around the world. While home remedies, toothpastes and other dental products promise to brighten smiles, the process can be tedious and time consuming,” said by Dr Viraj Kakade, dentist.
People believe that teeth-whitening damages the enamel, but that is not entirely true said by experts.”The bleaching material used these days is mild, so it does not cause any significant damage to the enamel,” said by dental surgeon Dr Ather Wani. There are most popular cosmetic treatments in the city, while teeth whitening procedure is one and there are various myths surrounding it.

Teeth with yellow and brown stains whiten better than teeth that have grey shading. The grey discoloration is usually from Tetracycline or some other type of medication.

Here are a few facts that are listed out by dental surgeons.

Visit a dentist to have satisfactory results

Now-a-days, one can obtain teeth whitening treatment without too much of a hassle at a convenient local teeth whitening facility or dentist’s clinic. The treatments offered in the city are quick and hassle free. Usual teeth whitening treatments offer customers teeth up to eight shades whiter in just 15 minutes.

Harms the enamel

Unless, the wrong proportions are used during the treatment, teeth whitening treatments are absolutely safe and do not harm the tooth enamel.

Teeth whitening facilities these days use US FDA regulated gels which assure customers of complete safety as it goes through rigorous testing procedures.
“Scientific studies have shown that using peroxide to whiten teeth is both very effective and safe. The dental industry has used it for over 20 years during which much advancement has taken place, making the bleaching gel absolutely safe in terms of change or damage to the structure of teeth; it merely makes teeth whiter and brighter,” said by Dr Kakade.

May lead to mouth cancer

The effect of whitening will last for lesser time in smokers, betel nut (pan) chewers and those who drink a lot of tea/coffee. There is no scientific proof that teeth whiteners cause cancer.

It is painful

Teeth whitening treatments are safe and painless, why because the bleaching agent may cause discomfort if it touches the gums. Gingival barrier gel is applied between the gums and teeth by the dentist to prevent the solution from touching the gums. In exceptional cases some customers may experience a minor ache in the first 10-12 hours following the treatment. Taking an over-the-counter pain medication can help resolve this discomfort.

Makes your teeth sensitive

The teeth may become temporarily sensitive for a few patients who already have a history of sensitive teeth during the process of bleaching. However, dentists have different gels that prevent the sensitivity during and after the treatment.

The dentist will prescribe a desensitizing gel or mouthwash which will take care of sensitivity that lasts for 24 to 48 hours.

After completing the procedure, you must follow the instructions that your dentist lists out for you for secure teeth. Do not take them for granted, because in the long run it may turn out to be detrimental to your dental health.

High milk consumption may not cut risk of bone fractures

Milk is rich in calcium; a key component of bones may increase risk of fractures by over consumption.

A study in the British Medical Journal suggests, drinking lots of milk may not lower the risk of fracturing bones

The research, conducted in Sweden, found that women who drank more than three glasses of milk a day were actually more likely to break bones than those who had less consumption of milk.

The researchers cautioned that their work only suggested a trend and should not be interpreted as proof that high milk consumption caused fractures.

Factors such as alcohol and weight were likely to play a role, they said.

Twice the chance

Milk has been recommended as a good source of calcium for many years, but studies that looked into the link between milk and fewer fractures had conflicting results.

A team of scientists in Sweden examined the dietary habits of 61,400 women in 1987 -1990 and 45,300 men in 1997 and then monitored their general health for years afterwards.

Participants were asked to complete questionnaires on how frequently they consumed common foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheese over a one-year period.

Participants were asked about how frequently they consumed common foods such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese over a year period.

In the 20-year follow-up period, the women were monitored; those who drank more than three glasses, or 680ml, of milk a day were more likely to develop fractures than those who had consumed less milk.

The high-intake group had a higher risk of death too.

“Women who drank three or more glasses a day had twice the chance of dying at the end of the study than those who drank less than one glass a day,” said Prof Karl Michaelsson, lead researcher at Uppsala University.

“And those who had a high milk intake also had a 50% higher risk of hip fracture.”

The men surveyed showed a similar, but less pronounced, trend, 11 years after the initial survey.

Opposite pattern

When fermented milk products such as yoghurt were considered, the opposite pattern was observed – people who consumed more had a lower risk of fractures.

Prof Michaelsson says the findings could be due to sugars in milk, which have been shown to accelerate ageing in some early animal studies.

“Our results may question the validity of recommendations to consume high amounts of milk to prevent fragility fractures.”

“The results should, however, be interpreted cautiously given the observational design of our study.”

He also said “Dietary advice should not be changed until more research had been conducted.”

The study was of limited use. “We do not have a feel for the influence of physical activity or other lifestyle habits important to bone or overall mortality,” said by Prof Sue Lanham-New, from the University of Surrey.

“And the effect of increasing body mass index has not been fully investigated in this study.”

“Milk and dairy products in the UK provide 50-60% of the calcium in our diet.”

“We know that low calcium intake (less than 400mg a day) is a risk factor for osteoporosis.”

“Individuals should still be encouraged to consume a balanced diet from the five key food groups of which milk and dairy are key.”

Research found that shift work dulls your brain

A study at the University of Swansea and Toulouse has found that working a decade on varying shifts can age the brain by more than six years. Because many of us work irregular hours it could be doing serious harm. A new study has suggested that working odd hours can have a seriously damaging effect on the human brain.

In a French study, researchers assessed 3,232 adults using a variety of cognitive tests and tests and compared the results between people who reported they had never performed shift work for more than 50 days per year with those that had. They analyzed the results, comparing the number of years of rotating shift work performed and how long ago the shift work had stopped.

According to the study, those who do shift work for more than 10 years seem to have the equivalent of an extra 6.5 years of age related decline in memory and thinking skills. The good news is that when people in the study quit shift work, their brains did recover, even if it took five years.

There are more chances of developing breast cancer for long term shift workers. According to research, shifts are linked to increased risk of heart attacks, obesity, strokes. There may be a possibility of major accidents during night shifts.

“It was quite a substantial decline in brain function, it is likely that when people trying to undertake complex cognitive tasks, then they might make more mistakes and slip-ups, maybe one in 100 makes a mistake with a very large consequence, but it’s hard to say how big a difference it would make in day-to-day life” said by Dr Philip Tucker, who is part of the research team in Swansea.

There was some good news because shift workers were able to reverse the damage by changing their working hours, although it could take as long as five years.

He also said “There are ways to mitigate the effects in the way you design work schedules and regular medical checkups … should include cognitive performance tests to look for danger signs”.

“The reversibility is a really exciting finding because no-one else has shown it and no matter how compromised a person may be, there’s always hope of recovery,” said by Dr Michael Hastings, from the UK Medical Research Council’s laboratory of molecular biology.

You can ameliorate one of the consequences that if you can keep the sleep-wake cycle as solid as possible you are unlikely to reverse the neuro-degeneration.

Prof Derk-Jan, from the Surrey Sleep Centre, cautioned that retired shift worker still had lower sleep quality than people who had never done night shift.

He said “So some of these effects may not be so readily or rapidly reversed”

And also he added a few words for this as “we now accept that shift work may not be good for your physical health, but this shows your brain function is affected, and I think that finding will surprise many people.”

The foods that fight against diseases

New research is uncovering the age-defying, disease-fighting, fat-blasting superpowers of common foods you already love. Highly colored vegetables and fruits tend to be your best bet, like the lycopene in tomatoes and pink grapefruit, the anthocyanins in berries, the isoflavones in legumes, carotenoids in carrots and flavonoids in chocolate. Prevention is key when it comes to taking care of your health. This means going to regularly scheduled doctor and dental appointments, but it also means getting plenty of exercise, fruits, and vegetables.

Most naturally occurring fruits and vegetables contain disease-combating antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Together, these three types of nutrients are called micronutrients and are known to promote immune health and protect against cancer. Some plant foods have benefits beyond fighting cancer.

Turmeric

The research on turmeric is too extensive to leave out. This tropical Asian spice is used heavily in curries and Indian cuisine, lending a yellow color to food. Before the Western world got a hold of it, herbalists used turmeric for centuries as a natural remedy for several ailments.

Turmeric contains an antioxidant called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties, so it may be beneficial for such diseases as arthritis and ulcerative colitis. In addition, turmeric has anticancer properties. Curcumin has shown promise in preventing and treating several types of cancers, including prostate, skin, and breast cancer.

Fatty Fish

Omega 3 fatty acids are what make fish like salmon and mackerel true super foods; experts recommend three servings per week and for good reason. Fish oil has been known to be protective against heart disease for years and is recommended as part of any heart-healthy diet. Fish oil was discovered to help improve memory and is being studied in Alzheimer’s disease patients.

But the anti-disease benefits don’t stop there. In clinical trials, fish oil has proven to be beneficial for patients with ulcerative colitis, making the disease less painful. In those with autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s or rheumatoid arthritis, fish oil reduces relapses.

Spinach

Like many dark, leafy vegetables, it’s also a great source of several vitamins and minerals that keep the immune system in top shape. It seems like Popeye was on to something. Thanks to high concentrations of the antioxidants lutein and beta-carotene, spinach is a nutritional powerhouse. Research has credited spinach with anticancer benefits in addition to heart disease protection for those who eat it regularly. Lutein is also great for the eyes and can help preserve healthy vision.

Blueberries

Blueberries are one of the most famous super foods available because they are densely packed with antioxidants and vitamins. Many of those antioxidants are known to be protective against cancer, but the benefits of blueberries don’t stop there.

Blue berries, which are the most commonly consumed in America, can also help to lower blood pressure and stimulate your metabolism. They’re also a brain food and may have protective effects against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, which are neurodegenerative, according to new research.

Broccoli

Like all cruciferous vegetables, broccoli has several anticancer components. Research shows that lung and breast cancer patients eat significantly fewer cruciferous vegetable servings than people who have never had cancer, and the results have been mixed for similar studies involving prostate and pancreatic cancer patients. Many researchers believe this point to a protective effect of cruciferous vegetables against cancer.

But broccoli seems to have a greater protective effect against cancer than other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. It has been studied more extensively in humans, and several components in broccoli and broccoli sprouts have been pinpointed as anticancer agents.

The antioxidants in broccoli also appear to lower the risk factors for heart attack and stroke in men and that fight against cancer.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes have anticancer benefits due to naturally occurring antioxidants found in all varieties of the fruit. The major antioxidant in tomatoes is called lycopene, and it has shown the most promise in protecting against prostate cancer in trials.

But lycopene also has a sunscreen effect that helps to correct the damage done to skin cells after UV exposure. That means that not only can it help prevent skin cancer, but it may also protect against premature aging.

These are the diet that fights fine lines, fatigue and heart disease and helps you to fight against cancer.

Eight Ways to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Eyes are literally our windows to the world, but some people take the time to care for the body part that imparts the precious gift of sight. There are many easy ways to treat your eyes with the respect they deserve. Dr. Scott Greenstein, an ophthalmologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, offers these suggestions to keep your eyes healthy:

Get an Eye Exam, No Matter Your Age

Greenstein recommends all children get a full eye exam before beginning kindergarten and every few years after. Going to see an ophthalmologist is not just for the people who are having glasses, but also adults should get their eyes checked, even if there is no problem.

“There are many people that think if they can see reasonably well, that’s the end of the story,” he says. “They may have some ophthalmic condition that’s undiagnosed.” Headaches are due to a vision impairment that is forcing the eye to strain.

Greenstein says the eye damage has so many causes, but computer screens are not one of them. “There is no evidence that you can overuse your eyes,” he says. Eyestrain from staring at a screen is not a disorder that causes any anatomical or structural damage; eyestrain may be due to other problems, so if there is any change in vision or change to the eye, he recommends seeing an ophthalmologist.

Manage Your Diabetes

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition where high blood sugar damages blood vessels behind the retina. That blood then can leak out into the retina, causing vision problems. Anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes should receive an annual eye exam. “Poor blood sugar control increases your risk, and better control lowers your risk,” Greenstein explained. Even so, diabetics who are controlling their blood sugar still can develop eye problems.

Carrots Are Not Enough

Despite dinner time advice dished out by parents, eating fruits and vegetables will not save or enhance your vision, according to Greenstein. For some people with unhealthy optic nerves or a very dry cornea, diet can make a difference, but those cases are rare.

That does not mean that a balanced and varied diet of fruits and vegetables will not contribute to eye and overall health. A balanced diet, for instance, is a key to control diabetes, which can cause eye damage.

For certain macular degeneration patients, vitamins A, C, E and zinc have been shown to reduce the risk and severity of this condition. But for the majority of macular degeneration patients, Greenstein cautioned, a supplement of these vitamins will not cause any harm — but will also not improve vision.

Check Your Medication

Flomax, a medication for male urinary symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia, can complicate cataract surgery, Greenstein noted, and men should consider whether they are going to need cataract surgery before beginning this medication.

Prednisone, a synthetic corticosteroid drug used to treat a range of autoimmune diseases, also has been shown to increase the risk for glaucoma and cataracts when taken for long periods of time. It is best to tell your ophthalmologist about any medications you are taking at each visit.

Wear Sunglasses

It may seem obvious, but “if you spend any time outdoors, you should wear a hat and sunglasses,” Greenstein says. This is not just an issue of comfort.

Studies have shown that repeated sun exposure could increase the incidence of cataracts, which cause cloudy vision as well as macular degeneration, a condition that reduces vision in the central part of the retina.

Obviously, the bigger the lens, the more of the eye is protected, but any style with ultraviolet protection is sufficient. For those who are looking for maximum protection, Greenstein noted yellow and orange tinted lenses have been shown in some studies to absorb the wavelength of light that increases the risk for cataracts and macular degeneration.

But if the idea of a lemon-tinted world turns you green, that’s fine, he says. The best protection from sunglasses comes from having a pair you will want to wear for any and all sun exposure.

Eye Protection: Not Just for Welders

Many high-risk occupations, such as welding, require eye protection because the cornea can be severely burned from a stray spark. Greenstein says he also has seen that same degree of damage from skiers who were not wearing goggles.

Besides skiing, the backyard can be a potential danger zone for eyes. Weed whackers and Lawnmowers can send debris flying, and even raking or pruning can shoot a stray branch into the cornea. Not only should goggles be worn for a range of gardening activities, Greenstein says, but also for racquetball, squash and even basketball, which can produce many fingers straight into the eye.

Take Your Contacts Out

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves some contacts for “extended wear,” that is not a free pass to leave them in as long as you want, Greenstein says. Leaving contacts in too long, especially overnight, can lead to infection. “Even if it is approved for extended wear,” he says, “I do not recommend it.”

Do Not Wait to Get Cataract Surgery

Greenstein says many patients who have a cataract wait years after an initial diagnosis to get surgery because they are waiting for the cataract to be “ripe,” but “The longer you wait, the higher the risk to get it out,” he says. “The eye is not a piece of fruit.”

How to keep your eyes healthy

Now-a-days most of the computer users suffer from the symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). An expert says that it is important to take breaks and blink regularly and get relaxed for every 20 minutes.

According to a recent study, continues sitting at your desk can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke, reports.

But that’s not the only thing at work that poses a risk to our health. The good news is that it’s not difficult to maintain eye health.
Around 70 percent of computer users regularly leave work suffering from the symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome. It is important to follow a few easy steps to ensure sitting at a desk doesn’t take its toll on your health:

It is necessary to stay clear of CVS. It’s possible, now-a-days, to spend most of your waking hours surrounded by screens, from checking your emails and texts first thing in the morning, working nine to five in an office, and then catching up on some evening TV or computer games, finally, checking your trusty mobile again as you drift off to sleep.

Although this technology has many positive effects on our professional and social lives, what is it doing to your health? One significant effect of constant screen use is CVS.

“When we use a computer for long periods, we only blink around 4 – 7 times per minute. Our usual rate of blinking is more like 18 – 20 times per minute, so this is a significant reduction – it can cause symptoms such as dry eyes and blurred vision, “said Professor Dan Reinstein of the London Vision Clinic.”

Other common symptoms of CVS include red eyes, eye strain, double vision, headaches and difficulty refocusing the eyes.

Spending a lot of time in front of a computer screen can damage the muscles in your eyes. This can lead to eye strain or eye fatigue. Symptoms include:

Difficulty focusing (blurred vision)
Double vision (diplopia)
Headache
Soreness
Eye dryness.

Reinstein provides his top tips on how to prevent CVS, and keep our eyes healthy and comfortable.
Take a short break from your computer screen at least once every hour; ensure that you move and look away from your computer.

Keep your computer screen clean at regular intervals to remove dust.
Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
Be conscious of blinking regularly.
Ensure that your computer screen is not flickering.
Optimise the angle, height and distance of your screen. Being the wrong distance away from your screen can increase muscle strain and visual discomfort.
Avoid ‘glare’ from windows and overhead lights.
Be aware of environmental factors. Air-conditioning and fans can worsen the dry-eye symptoms of CVS.
If contact lenses make your eyes feel dry, avoid wearing them when using a computer. CVS is particularly common in contact lens wearers; at the London Vision Clinic, we often see patients who are choosing to have laser eye surgery because they find they can no longer wear their contact lenses for long periods, especially while using computers.
And, most importantly, have an eye examination twice in a year.
Anti glare devices can also be useful.

Nuts – The fact that fats may help reverse heart risks, even after weight gain

Seeds and nuts are indispensable for cardiovascular health. If you’re going to overindulge and gain weight, at least try to make sure the extra calories come from unsaturated fats, a new study suggests.

Heart disease risk factors in the bloodstream change —some for the better if the excess food contains unsaturated fats, versus saturated fats, researchers found. When lean people pack on even a few extra pounds.

An author Dr. Ulf Riserus of the Unit for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism at Uppsala Science Park in Swede said that even a moderate weight gain of about three pounds for lean, young people clearly increased markers of heart disease risk factors like insulin resistance as well as signs of impaired vascular function.

But unsaturated fats in the diet improved cholesterol levels despite the extra calories and weight gain, which is surprising, Riserus told Reuters Health by email.

For seven weeks, two groups of healthy, relatively lean adults ages 20 – 38 we’re told to keep to their habitual exercise level and daily diets by just adding 3 – 4 muffins to their diets each day.

The researchers provided the 240-calorie muffins, with half their energy from fats. One group of 19 adults received muffins made with sunflower oil, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), while the other group of 20 people ate muffins made with palm oil, a saturated fat. The muffins were otherwise identical.

After seven weeks, each group had gained between 2-3 percent of their body weight, about 3.5 pounds (1.5 kilos) each, and waist girth increased by about one percent, but blood pressure did not change significantly.

This level of weight gain in the short term is probably not dangerous at all, Riserus said, but if weight accumulates over time, especially abdominal fat, there can be health consequences.

Based on blood tests, the sunflower oil group had lower cholesterol and lipid levels at the end of the study than they had at the beginning of the study. According to the results in the Journal of the American Heart Association, for the palm oil group, cholesterol went up.

Both groups showed signs of increased insulin resistance, a diminished ability to process blood sugar that can be a warning sign of diabetes onset.

Riserus and his team had previously found that the type of fat in the diet determined how much of the excess calories were stored as abdominal fat and liver fat, he said.

“If the high-caloric diet was based on unsaturated fats rather than saturated fats, very little fat was stored as liver and abdominal fat, whereas the opposite was true for the diet high in saturated fats”. Saturated and unsaturated fats have different molecular effects on the liver. Unsaturated fats signal the liver to take up cholesterol from the blood, he said.

Riserus said, “We believe our results are very relevant considering that a large part of most populations are in caloric excess and gradually gain weight over time,”. “Although weight gain should be avoided, the results basically tell us that we may benefit from having enough unsaturated fats in our diets, irrespectively of how many calories we eat.”

The results support the American Heart Association recommendation to replace some saturated fats in the diet, like fatty beef, butter and cheese, with unsaturated fats like vegetable oils and nuts, he said.

Ursula Schwab, an associate professor of nutrition therapy at the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio said “I do not think people usually plan for weight gain, but, as we know, it just happens quite commonly”.

“So, by following the guidelines regarding dietary fat, unintentional weight gain can be less harmful than in cases when the recommendations on the quality of dietary fat is not followed,” Schwab told Reuters Health by email. She was not involved in the new study.

All dietary polyunsaturated fats are beneficial, she said, but that is not necessarily the case for supplements.

In addition to sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and canola oil are good sources of polyunsaturated fats, Riserus said.

India’s free HIV/AIDS program is set and that will run out of critical drug

India’s HIV/AIDS program that distributes free critical drugs might have a shortage in three weeks. According to a senior government official, the program is set to run out of drugs due to bureaucratic bungling and will leave more than 150,000 patients untreated for roughly one month.

Drugs in the open market are expensive. In India, more than one-third of the 2.1 million people infected with HIV/AIDS get free antiretroviral drugs from the government with free antiretroviral drugs that are procured from pharmaceutical companies via a tender process.

A delay in approving such tenders has left the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) scrambling to secure supplies of tenofovir/lamivudine tablets which are given to patients during the initial stages of treatment.

“We are also fed up. What to do? There are so many bureaucratic hurdles. The file goes to so many comments,” NACO Deputy Director General A.S. Rathore told Reuters. NACO had raised the demand in January, Rathore said.

According to Reuters, a tender for medicine appeared to have been approved last week. Since it takes about 60 days to get the drugs to the patients, patients will not have proper treatment for about a month.

Missed dosages for long durations can increase patients’ drug resistance and result in faster spread of the virus, while changes in medication regimens expose patients to side effects.

Patients and activists complained of shortages of several HIV drugs in September, forcing one group to send a legal notice to India’s health secretary, Lov Verma. Verma directed NACO to take stock of the program and told Reuters on Sept. 4 that the situation was not as grave as activists described.

However, Rathore said that the program had only 1.6 months of tenofovir/lamivudine tablets in stock on Sept. 4. That means, supplies will run out in about 20 days from now.

As of Sept. 24, 10 Indian states had less than a month of stocks of such tablets, data available on NACO’s website showed.

NACO is now leaning on companies – including Aurobindo Pharma, one of the manufacturers that have been awarded the contract – to help avert a crisis.

India had the third-largest number of people living with HIV in the world at the end of 2013, according to the U.N. In 2012, 140,000 people died in India because of AIDS.

The government has been providing free antiretroviral drugs for HIV treatment since 2004, but only 50 percent of those eligible for the treatment were getting it in 2012, according to a report by the World Health Organization.

‘WORKING AGAINST TIME’

Other than bureaucratic delays, Rathore said poor coordination between NACO and the state centers that dispense the medicines had made it difficult to collate data on the real supply-demand situation.

Documents reviewed by Reuters showed the government officials referring to the situation as a “crisis” several times in September and were seeking emergency donations to fill the gap.

“In the long run it (the tender approval) is going to help, but in the immediate term, it’s already too late,” said Loon Gangte of the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition, South Asia, who has been tracking the nation’s HIV/AIDS drug status.

While NACO is confident it will be able to secure supplies before stocks go dry, companies are not committing.

Aurobindo Pharma: A senior executive at Aurobindo Pharma confirmed on Tuesday that his company had received the approval five days earlier, but said the manufacturing process – which usually takes a minimum of 60 days – would only begin on Wednesday or Thursday.

“As per the books we can only supply by November-end, but we are trying to do something by which we can supply earlier to meet the urgent demand,” the official, who had direct knowledge of the matter, said on condition of anonymity.

“We are trying to work against time.”

Hetero Drugs: A senior company executive at Hetero Drugs, another company that has been awarded the contract to supply tenofovir/lamivudine tablets under the latest tender, blamed NACO for a lack of planning and delaying the approval process.

“I have all the respect for our ministries, but when you’re looking at HIV patients, who can’t be deprived even for a single day, this is not an effective way of handling the system,” said the executive, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Side effects caused by consuming energy drinks

Energy drinks are energy enhancing beverages that contain a blend of stimulating herbs and nutrients. There are many dangers of drinking energy drinks from coffee to carbonated fruit flavored beverages. Energy drinks can help to prevent unnecessary problems while helping you get the most benefit from the drink. Some of high powdered energy drinks that are available in market are pimp juice full Throttle, rock star, monster energy, rage, cocaine and red bull. They promote beverages containing ingredients, but may be unfamiliar to many consumers.

Energy drink side effects include energy drink heart attack and even energy drink death. Energy drink lawsuits are on the rise as consumers report energy drink heart problems due to caffeine overdose and other ingredients such as dimethylamylamine. They are linked to cardiovascular problems, such as high blood pressure, heart palpitations cardiac arrest and death. They may cause cancer by the amounts of folic acid consumed.

Energy drinks are simple beverages that contain some form of vitamins & other chemicals which boosts your energy for a very short span. These energy drinks have lots of sugar & caffeine which provides energy for you. They are being sold in the market as other drinks, but can be dangerous due to the ingredients from which they are made of in comparison of those typical drinks that we all take. The amount of caffeine, ephedrine, Guarana and ginseng depends on the content of each bottle and if you will ask for a big punch you can get the bigger bottles.

Feeling nervous

Nervousness and jitteriness are common side effects of caffeine. Nervousness may be characterized by excessive sweating, tremor, nausea and racing thoughts.

Stomach Irritation

Nausea is a common side effect of caffeine ingestion. Additional gastrointestinal symptoms that may result from drinking energy drinks include vomiting, frequent defecation, diarrhea and gas. Caffeine triggers hydrochloric acid production in the stomach, if you have gastric ulcer you may be at an increased risk for digestive side effects.

Insomnia

Insomnia is an inability to fall or remain asleep due to their high caffeine content. Energy drinks may interfere with sleep for hours after ingestion. Caffeine is a stimulant that speeds blood flow to organs like the brain, thereby causing feelings of energy and alertness that can prevent sleep. Stop drinking six to seven hours before going to bed.

Headaches and migraines

Too many energy drinks can lead to severe headaches from the caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Changing the amount of caffeine you ingest daily can cause more frequent headaches.

Irritability

Irritability and other negative mood changes have been observed in caffeine users. Caffeine can over stimulate the nervous system, leading to anxiety and depression when taken in high doses or by people who are sensitive to the substance. If you experience mood swings, irritability, emotional symptoms after consuming energy drinks, it is necessary to reduce your caffeine consumption or avoid the substance altogether.

Type 2 diabetes

Many energy drinks are also very high in sugar, they can eventually wear out the insulin producing cells of the pancreas, which leads to type 2 diabetes.

Cardiovascular effects

Tachycardia is also known as rapid heartbeat that can occur with caffeinated products. Cardiovascular symptoms can also occur when modest amounts of caffeine are consumed by sensitive individuals. Missing caffeine with other stimulants like pseudoephedrine or prescription amphetamines increases the risk for cardiovascular side effects.

Vomiting

Too many energy drinks can lead to vomiting. This causes dehydration and acid erosion of teeth and esophagus if frequent.

Liver and nerve injury

Heavy consumption of energy drinks may result in excessive consumption of B vitamins, such as niacin or pyridoxine and may result in liver or nerve injury.

Developmental problems

Adolescent consumption of caffeine has been linked to dependence, poor sleep and possible developmental problems.

Self harm

Alcohol mixed with caffeinated energy drinks puts adolescents and young adults at serious risk of self harm.

Other possible symptoms include; low blood pressure, edema, palpitations, tachycardia, cerebral arteritis, vertigo, headache, insomnia, mania, vaginal bleeding, amenorrhea, fever, appetite suppression, pruritus, cholestatic hepatitis, mastalgia, euphoria, sleeplessness and miscarriage.

Energy drinks do not provide more energy than other soft drinks, but they do have an “energizing” effect related to the stimulation provided by caffeine. The concentration of caffeine (32 mg/100 ml of product) present in energy drinks provides a total of 80 mg of caffeine per 250 ml can.

6 Healthy Eating Tips for Glowing Skin

We strive for glowing, radiant skin is constantly on our minds. To help your skin look its best with six simple habits that can definitely help you to get your skin glow.

Fruit and veggie rich diet

A UK study found that photos of subjects who ate a fruit and veggie rich diet were rated as more attractive than those with suntans! Scientists say antioxidants are the key, because they improve circulation, and alter skin pigment. Those thought to have the greatest impact are lycopene, which gives tomatoes their red color and watermelon its pink hue, and beta-carotene, found in carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, broccoli, and leafy greens. Polyphenols, which cause blood to rush to the skin surface, also play a role. They’re found in dark grapes, cherries, plums, apples, blackberries, and blueberries.

Include “good” fat in every meal

Today most of people don’t know that not all fats are created equal, but many don’t realize the beauty benefits of consuming enough good fat i.e., cells in the top layer of your skin only live about 30 days, and while you don’t feel or see it happening, you shed up to 40,000 skin cells every minute of the day. Healthy fats help you absorb more antioxidants – up to 13 times more according to some research. Include a moderate amount of plant-based fat in every meal, like a tablespoon of extra virgin coconut or olive oil, a quarter of a ripe avocado, or two tablespoons of nuts or seeds.

Eat to fight age-promoters

Nasty substances called advanced glycation endproducts or AGEs are produced when food is cooked to high temperatures using dry heat, like roasting, baking, broiling, and grilling. Studies have found that AGEs lower the body’s ability to control inflammation; a known trigger of premature aging, so minimizing your intake is a smart strategy for maintaining youthful skin. To slash them, whip up more “naked” veggie dishes, like summer slaw, marinated cucumbers, and sliced vine-ripened tomatoes dressed with fresh basil and balsamic. And when you do cook, use lower temperatures, even if it takes a little longer. One study found that scrambled eggs cooked over medium-low heat contained about half the AGE levels of those prepared over high heat.

Nix dehydrators

Ms. Perry reportedly became a teetotaler, and traded coffee for green tea; two changes that may help your skin stay better hydrated, since alcohol and caffeine are both diuretics. In addition to its toxic effects, beer, wine and liquor interfere with sleep, and lead to water retention (i.e. puffy eyes and face). As for coffee versus tea, an eight ounce cup of brewed java packs 100-200 mg of caffeine, compared to just 20-40 in the same sized serving of green tea. After one cup of coffee, switch to green tea or water, and for every 12-ounce beer (bottle or can), 5-ounce wine (a little smaller than a single serve yogurt container), or 1.5-ounce serving of distilled spirits (shot glass), drink a full glass of H₂O.

Choose collagen-building foods

Fortunately, a healthy diet can help defy gravity, at least a bit. One study led by researchers at Manchester and Newcastle Universities found that consuming a combo of cooked tomatoes and olive oil led to much higher levels of pro-collagen, a molecule that gives skin its structure and keeps it firm. Other foods known to support collagen and improve skin stability include citrus fruits, peppers, tea, and berries.

Reach for foods that fight UV rays (including chocolate!)

In one recent study, a group of women added hot cocoa with either high or low flavonoids content to their daily breakfasts. After exposing the ladies’ to UV light, researchers found that the skin of those who drank the flavonoids-rich cocoa experienced up to 25% less reddening, compared to no change in the low flavonoids group. In addition, after 12 weeks, the skin of the flavonoids-rich drinkers was 16% denser, 11% thicker, 13% moister, 30% less rough, and 42% less scaly than at the start of the experiment. The foods scientifically shown to fight sun damage include green leafy vegetables, and fatty fish like salmon and sardines. Both work by reducing inflammation and inhibiting the DNA damage that leads to sunburns.

The 20 weirdest celeb beauty secrets – Celebrity beauty tips

We’ve tried everything when it comes to our beauty routines. And we do mean everything from a Clarisonic for your lips to a blush made out of beets. There is no secret that celebrities go to great lengths to look. For better or worse, many of these trials have come from the celebs we search for beauty and style inspire. While some of these tips may seem a little strange, we can’t argue with the results.

1. Wash your face with apple cider vinegar – Scarlett Johansson’s

Scarlett Johansson’s use to go face wash is actually a pretty logical with all-natural option. It works like a toner for the oily and breakout-prone, and it restores your skin’s pH balance for a glowing complexion.

2. Curl your eyelashes with a spoon – Miranda Kerr

In our rush to get to that weekend away, we’ve definitely been guilty of forgetting a few essentials. Luckily, Miranda Kerr has taught us that in a pinch, a spoon can serve as a makeshift eyelash curler.

3. Mix eye cream into your cover up – Lauren Conrad

As the reigning queen of summer style, LC knows we’re all about going lighter when it comes to our beauty regiment as the weather warms. She mixes some eye cream into her cover up for sheerer coverage + extra moisture.

4. Mix foundation into your body lotion – Christina Hendricks

Foundation is used to look bright. On the converse, some occasions call for a little more coverage. Big events or a lot of photos mean a need to banish unsightly bruises or scrapes. Christina Hendricks swears by this trick.

5. Whip up an avocado hair mask – Denise Richards

We’ve envied Denise Richards gorgeous tresses for longer than we’d care to remember. Turns out her secret was in our fridge all along.

6. A Mayo one does wonders, too – Zoë Saldana

If it’s good enough for Zoë Saldana’s mama, it’s good enough for us.

7. Splurge on a bee venom facial – Duchess Kate

We love that Duchess Kate aims for fashions us commoners can afford, but obvi her big day called for something special. And that something special was bee venom. We’re jotting that down in case we ever marry a prince.

8. Remove glitter with scotch tape – Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga definitely gets our glitter woes. Bey saved our nails, and now Gaga is saving our face.

9. Use preparation H to get rid of wrinkles – Congeniality

Miss Congeniality throwback! And Prep H is our new fave pageant beauty secret.

10. Brace yourself with an ice facial – Kate Hudson

Even Kate Hudson has those mornings when she looks tired and a bit blah. Her solution? Dunking her face in ice water. It might take some courage, but it helps restore blood circulation for rosy cheeks.

11. Mist your face with milk – Cindy Crawford

This age-defying goddess’s beauty secret is another one hiding in the fridge. Cindy Crawford mists her face with milk throughout the day for hydration and a boost of lactic acid.

12. Banish cellulite with coffee grounds – Halle Berry

We’re no strangers to DIY-ing our own scrubs. It turns out neither is Halle Berry.

13. Brush your hair with a loofah – Gwyneth

Well, we’ve used a brush on our bodies, so a loofah on our hair isn’t too far of a stretch. If Gwyneth swears it fights frizz, we believe her.

14. Rinse your hair with beer – Catherine Zeta-Jone

The secret to Catherine Zeta-Jone’s shiny locks is your fave cold one. Bonus? It’ll brighten up your highlights.

15. Take a placenta pill as a part of your post-natal regimen – Betty Draper

Admittedly, this might not be for everyone, but it worked for Betty Draper. Benefits include aiding in postpartum depression and breast milk production and helping replenishing nutrients lost during the pregnancy.

16. Try oil pulling – Shailene Woodley

Shailene Woodley is one of our fave all-natural goddesses. She practices the ancient Ayurvedic technique of oil pulling, which both cleans your teeth and detoxifies you.

17. Keep your face fresh with aquaphor – Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu protects her mug with Aquaphor when shooting in cold temps. She also swears by acupuncture as preventative medicine.

18. Remove your makeup with vaseline – Rach

We hate that most commercial skin care products are too harsh for sensitive skin. Rach uses vaseline, which removes makeup without drying your delicate eyes.

19. Put neosporin + visine on a pimple – Cameron

We get the purpose of antibiotic Neosporin on a popped pimple, but Cameron insists it’s the combo that really does the trick.

20. Wash your face with grape seed oil – Emma Stone

Oil cleansing works because like dissolves like (chemistry, anyone?). It’s also great for smooth, moisturized skin, as Emma Stone well knows.

Fruit and vegetable intake improves your mental health

We all know that eating fruits and vegetables is healthy. Now, scientists say that this healthy eating habit can improve your mental health too. A new research has found that a healthy nutrition, with increased consumption of fruits and vegetables taken five times a day, has a substantial positive effect on mental health.

Research focused on fruit and vegetable intake improves mental health. It has linked increased consumption with better physical health, but a new study published in the British Medical Journal found that it also influenced mental well-being.

Researchers at the University of Warwick’s Medical School used data from the Health Survey for England to assess mental well-being in relation to factors such as fruit and vegetable intake. That the study include 13,983 adults (56% female) ages 16 and older. The survey responses from 2010 and 2011 were analyzed using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale to estimate low and high mental well-being.

“Mental well-being is more than the absence of mental illness or psychiatric pathology,” the study said. “It implies ‘feeling good’ and ‘functioning well’ and includes aspects such as optimism, happiness, self-esteem, resilience, agency autonomy and good relationships with others.”

The research found that 33.5% of participants with high mental well-being consumed five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Only 6.8% of the respondents who consumed less than one portion a day showed a high mental well-being.
In addition, 31.4% of the respondents with a high mental well-being ate 2 to 4 portions and 28.4% consumed 1 to 2 portions.

The data suggests that an individual with a higher fruit and vegetable intake will have a decreased chance of having a low mental well-being, which may lead to a later development of a mental or physical illness. Fruit and vegetable intake was consistently associated with better well-being in both men and women.

“Fruit and vegetable consumption might also be acting as a proxy for a complex set of highly correlated dietary exposures, including fish and whole grains, which might contribute to the observed associations,” the researchers said. “Our finding is, of course, in line with a large body of epidemiological and trial evidence on the beneficial role of fruit and vegetable intake in general well-being and prevention of major chronic disease across several populations and age groups.”

The study is the first comprehensive analysis of behaviors associated with mental well-being in a large, nationally representative sample of a general population.

Benefits of Eating Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain a wide variety of different nutrients that have many different effects on the body. These nutrients include carotenoids, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, flavonoids and various other phytochemicals.

It controls your weight
Lower your risk of stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes
Lower your risk of cancer

Tips to fight against cancer – Cancer preventing food

Diet is most effective offense and protection when you come to cancer. The midst of therapy or caring for a cancer individual, it can be complicated to uncover additional time to sort as a result of, purchase and prepare a whole bunch of new foodstuff for a most cancers nutrition system. That’s not necessary for good things. Tips of Better Nutrition Simplified (BNS) for cancer nutrition are good nourishment suggestions for us. We are combating whether to know a person who is or just wanting to eat greater for prevention.

Be a qualitarian

Give the body what it recognizes easily for better quality foods as optimal efficiency. Avoid artificial sweeteners and colors where the colors in real food are actually cancer fighting and they provide nutrients for overall health.

BNS Tip: USDA organic is the best choice.

Get the biggest nutrient bang per bite

Select the food that is closest to the way they exist in nature to get the more nutrients for each chunk/bite.

BNS Tip: Select organic whole grains instead of refined white flour products.

Build the best defense

Select the food that can strongly support your immune and digestive systems.

BNS Tip: Usual dose of organic cruciferous vegetables like berries, ginger and turmeric, broccoli leaves, shiitake mushrooms, fermented foods (like tempeh and cultured veggies) for probiotics, and Symbiotics*.

How sweet it is, naturally

Limit your excess added sugar that you intake where it can add unwanted pounds and works against a healthy immune system.

BNS Tip: Select organic cereals that don’t have high amounts of added sugar that it should be greater than 5grams per serving and add your own organic fruit or a small amount of organic sweetener if you need it a little sweeter.

Try quality liquid nutrition

As your regular diet changes the body function also changes. Sometimes your body has to do so much that from digestion to recovery to fight against disease. That seems your body is overwhelmed. High quality liquid diet necessitates significantly less digestive energy and can pack a nutrient punch.

BNS Tip: Choose a power smoothie like Qi’a* power smoothie.

**Ingredients for Qi’a* powerhouse smoothies preparation**

Two cups of coconut water/ water / unsweetened organic non dairy milk (like almond or coconut or rice)

1/4 cup of Nature’s Path* Qi’a-Orginal, divided

1/4 cup freshly squeezed organic orange juice or 1 organic orange peeled

One cup of packed stemmed and chopped organic kale or organic broccoleaf* (frozen works if drained)

One cup of packed baby organic spinach (frozen works if drained)

One frozen banana slices

One ripe organic pear that is peeled, cored and chopped

Two tablespoon organic honey

Preparation

Prepare a mixture of coconut water with 2 tbsp Qi’a* and orange juice in a blender. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Add kale and spinach to that puree until smooth. Add peaches, banana pear and agave syrup to that puree until it get into smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and garnish each smoothie with 1 tbsp remaining Qi’a*.

Anemia drug – First treatment for anemia of inflammation

Anemia is the most common blood disorder affecting 3.5 million people including children, women as well as elderly persons. The impact on quality of life leads to fatigue, weakness and decreased immune function. People of anemic produce insufficient red blood cells in order to deliver oxygen to tissues throughout the body.

Anemia is a condition that occurs when red blood cells are in short supply or do not function properly. An individual has anemia when the body does not get enough oxygen, as there are fewer red blood cells to carry the iron-rich protein hemoglobin that helps distribute oxygen throughout the body. Thus it can result in weakness and fatigue.

The most common form of anemia is anemia of inflammation, which occurs when the body’s immune response is activated during illness or infection. When the body fights a disease, it deploys an inflammatory response that triggers increased secretion of a hormone called hepcidin which reduces the amount of iron available in the bloodstream. As iron is needed for the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow, many patients develop anemia.

The only current treatment strategy for anemia of inflammation involves targeting the underlying disease or infection; however, recent research has sought to explore additional options for patients whose inflammation is difficult to control. As the principal regulator of iron, hepcidin has become a target for researchers developing novel therapies for blood disorders.

One hepcidin inhibitor, called lexaptepid pegol (lexaptepid), has demonstrated efficacy in treating anemia of inflammation in animal studies.
Lexaptepid inactivates hepcidin, thereby maintaining the transport of iron to the bloodstream.

In order to evaluate lexaptepid’s potential in humans; investigators induced a safe and temporary model of anemia of inflammation in 24 healthy male adults and randomized them to receive lexaptepid or placebo. Volunteers received a low dose of Escherichia coli (E. coli) endotoxin to induce controlled inflammation and received either lexaptepid or placebo 30 minutes later. After nine hours, iron in the blood stream had decreased in the placebo group, whereas this decrease could be prevented by treatment with lexaptepid.

Determining whether lexaptepid interfered with hepcidin production, researchers also sought to determine whether the drug influenced the immune response. All volunteers experienced similar flu-like symptoms, increased body temperature and white blood cell count, and higher concentrations of inflammatory and signaling proteins, demonstrating to investigators that lexaptepid did not interfere with the immune response process.

“It is quite encouraging that lexaptepid helped maintain appropriate levels of iron in the bloodstream of healthy volunteers without compromising the immune response,” said lead study author Lucas van Eijk, MD, of Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, Netherlands. “We are hopeful that, with further study, this first-of-its-kind therapy could significantly improve quality of life for patients suffering from chronic illnesses.”

Walking is the super food of fitness – Expert says

Recent research reveals that the simple exercise is even better than you thought and is easier than doing exercise. Fitness experts said that walking is a “super food” when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. Many people believe that walking is a great way to stay fit.

Walking gives every movement of a body. It’s easier to get movement than it is to get exercise. Many researchers said that altering physical activity with inactivity is more damaging to heart disease than physical activity alone. Walking will get rid from stress i.e., daily movement over workouts and an active lifestyle over weekends of warrior games. This is to suggest you that combined physical activity and inactivity may be more important for chronic disease.

“Actively sedentary is a new category of people who are fit for one hour but sitting around the rest of the day,” Bowman said. “You can’t offset 10 hours of stillness with one hour of exercise.”

Median training time was six-and-a-half hours per week, while median total sitting time was eight to 10.75 hours a day. This suggests that even these dedicated runners are both highly sedentary and highly active.

Leslie Sansone, creator of the “Walk at Home: Mix & Match Walk Blasters” DVD, said too many people believe that spending grueling hours at the gym is the only way to fitness.

Sansone recommends starting with three miles of walking in an hour, increasing to four miles. She also said that in a week, one should get involved with a minimum of 150 minutes of activity. ‘There’s this ‘Biggest Loser’ idea out there that if you’re not throwing up and crying you’re not getting fit,’ she said, referring to the popular television weight-loss show.

She added that a small study of non-obese men published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise by scientists at Indiana University suggests that three five-minute walks done throughout three hours of prolonged sitting reverses the harmful effects of prolonged sitting on arteries in the legs.

Dr. Carol Ewing Garber, president of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), notes that fitness-walking guidelines of 10,000 steps per day may be too much for many.

Garber, a professor of movement sciences at Columbia University in New York says that walking is great for overall health, but recognizes that it is less beneficial for your bones than running. He also suggests that even one bout of exercise causes beneficial physiological effects.