Causes of High Blood Presssure !

hey peeps,

So this is sharing and edcuating month..... so the lesssons continue. Yesterday my blog explained the causes of Diabetes type 2. Unfortunately High BP ( Blood Pressure ) is a very close relative of type 2 and the causes are almost similar

Lowering your blood pressure isn't always as simple as eating fewer high-sodium foods. The fact is that multiple factors combined affect your blood pressure. There are two main categories of risks that contribute to hypertension--those that you can't change, and those that you can.


Uncontrollable Risk Factors


These variables are out of your control. Although you can't do anything to change them, it's important to know whether you fall into any of these higher-risk categories.


• Your age. Your risk of developing high blood pressure increases as you age. Men over 45 and women over 55 are more likely to have high blood pressure.


• Your gender. Up to age 55, men are more prone to high blood pressure than women. After menopause, a woman's risk increases. By age 75, high blood pressure is more prevalent among women than men. Women who take oral contraceptives are also at a higher risk for hypertension.


• Your family history. Your risk doubles if one or both of your parents had high blood pressure.


• Your race. In the U.S., African Americans (especially women) are more likely to develop high blood pressure, along with other minorities (Hispanics, American Indians and Alaskan natives).

Until da next Tyme !

Causes of Type 2 Diabetes

Hey peeps,

Following my blog last week the education continues .

Preventing diabetes isn't as simple as eating less sugar. The fact is, a combination of factors contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. There are two main categories of risks--those that you can't change, and those that you can.

 Uncontrollable Risk Factors


These variables are out of your control. Although you can't do anything to change them, it's important to know whether you fall into any of these higher-risk categories.


• Your age. Your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases as you age. Diabetes most often affects people over age 40, and people over 65 are at even higher risk.


• Your family history. There is some evidence that diabetes runs in families. If your parent or sibling has diabetes, for example, your risk of developing diabetes increases.


• Your race. Certain ethnicities--African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islander Americans--are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.


• Your health history. Women who had gestational diabetes during pregnancy are 50% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years. Giving birth to a baby over nine pounds also increases a woman's risk. Other risk factors include illnesses and conditions such as pancreatitis, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, metabolic syndrome, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and vascular disease (such as stroke).

My diabetes was more to do with my familty history and my race, but hey , you still live and make the most of your life.

Until da next Tyme !

Types of Diabetes!

Hello peeps, 

As most of you know I suffer from Diabetes, so following the mountainous of questions that ~I have been asked as to how I cope, I thought it best that I explained what Diabetes is, as I suffer from Type 2

Under normal circumstances, the glucose (sugar) levels in your blood rise after you eat. In response, the body produces a hormone called insulin, which converts the glucose in your bloodstream into usable energy. But if insulin isn't available, or if the body isn't using it correctly, your blood glucose will remain elevated, and that can be harmful to your body. The latter describes diabetes mellitus, a serious health condition that affects millions of people. There are actually a few variations of this disease, but all characterized by abnormally high levels of glucose in the bloodstream.

• Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, meaning your own immune system attacks and destroys the only cells in the body that manufacture insulin. Type 1 diabetes used to be called "insulin-dependent" or "juvenile-onset" diabetes. With no cure, type 1 diabetics must manage the disease for the rest of their lives.
• Type 2 Diabetes begins with insulin resistance, during which the pancreas is still manufacturing insulin, but the cells of the body are not using it properly. In response, the pancreas produces more and more insulin, wearing itself out and eventually losing its ability to produce insulin. High levels of blood glucose result, making it difficult for the body to use this glucose as fuel. Type 2 diabetes used to be called "non-insulin-dependent" or "adult-onset" diabetes, but more and more cases are being diagnosed in children. Between 90% and 95% of diabetes cases are type 2.
• Pre-Diabetes almost always occurs before a person develops full-blown type 2 diabetes. People who have higher-than-normal blood glucose levels that aren't quite high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes are considered pre-diabetic.
• Gestational Diabetes can occur during pregnancy when the body still manufactures insulin, but the cells don't use it properly. Treatment is necessary to prevent injury to the fetus.

Until da next Tyme !

Instant Ab Flatteners!

Hi there all,

We all have the dream of achieving a toned, sexy tummy ,and it might seem like a pipe dream this time of year. Baggy sweaters abound,  tea  is served and frosty and windy weather doesn't offer much in the way of flat-belly inspiration. But getting a sleek, sexy stomach is easier than you think. Spend just five minutes a day on toning your abs and you'll get an amazing middle.

We rounded up five of the most effective tummy toners around. Work three or four of these exercises into your routine (easing them in will minimize soreness). Do the number of reps indicated, resting one minute between moves. The only equipment you will need is a hand towel. Washboard abs, here you come!

Pike 90
Lie faceup; raise legs until perpendicular to floor, feet flexed. Lower right leg so it hovers 1 or 2 inches off floor and place hands lightly behind head. In this position, do 15 crunches, lifting chest toward ceiling and lowering. Switch legs and repeat.

Crunchy frogSit with knees bent, feet flat. Keeping legs together, raise feet several inches and bring knees toward chest. Wrap arms around knees without touching legs. Extend legs and stretch arms to sides, palms forward. Return to wrapped-arm position; repeat. Do 15 reps.

Tornado
Stand with feet hip-width apart, right leg in front of left, right foot turned out. Bend elbows and raise arms out to sides at shoulder level (like goalposts). In one motion, raise right knee to lowered right elbow. Return to start; switch sides and repeat to complete one rep. Do 15 reps.

Corkscrew
Lie faceup. Press legs together and raise them toward ceiling until they're at a 90-degree angle, with knees slightly bent and toes pointed. Raise butt and legs off floor using ab muscles; twist legs slightly to left. Repeat, twisting to right, for one rep. Do 15 reps.

Side arm balanceStart on floor on knees. Lean to left and place left hand on floor under shoulder; extend right arm up and to left, palm down. Straighten right legs out to right with foot on floor, resting on left knee. Hold for 5 breaths. Return to start; switch sides. Repeat twice per side. 

Until da next Tyme!

Tips for better Sleep !

hey peeps, 

So spring is almost here and if like millions of other Americans, I often have trouble with insomnia — either I can't fall asleep, or I awake prematurely and am unable to get back to sleep. The following sleep tips, compiled from various sources, may prove helpful to some of my fellow insomniacs.

• Only use your bed for sleeping or having sex, not for reading, doing paperwork, watching TV, snacking, or making phone calls.
• If you've been lying in bed but are beginning to fear you're not going to drop off, try some of these techniques: Count sheep or count backwards from 100 (one of my favorites) to stop yourself from thinking about the problems of yesterday or tomorrow; breathe deeply for awhile; or visualize some peaceful place.
• If you can't get to sleep after lying in bed for 30 minutes or more, get up for awhile. What to do? Try reading something incredibly boring.
• Develop a bedtime routine.
• Keep regular bedtime hours.
• Before bedtime, avoid tobacco and caffeinated beverages (not just coffee, but other drinks like tea, cola, and Dr. Pepper).
• Avoid alcohol right before bedtime — a nightcap might get your mind fuzzy enough to put you to sleep, but such sleep may be interrupted by periods of awakening. By contrast, the stress-lowering effect of a drink with dinner may help to promote sleep later.
• Avoid naps 
• Try to get up at the same time every day rather than sleeping in on weekends.
• Exercise every day, but not shortly before bedtime since exercise gets the adrenaline going.
• If you use an illuminated clock for a wakeup alarm, place it where you can't keep looking at it to check the time.
• Buy a firm mattress and keep your bedroom well ventilated (a cool temperature works best for me).
• And you might also try some of these: a warm bath, warm milk, light bedtime snack, massage, or quiet music (which turns itself off automatically).
• Use earplugs for extreme quiet.
• If you have a painful joint or a headache, take a pain pill before bedtime (but be sure it doesn't contain caffeine).
• Avoid stimulating reading or television shows late at night.

Until da next Tyme

Pointers to lift a bad mood !

hey peeps,

Sometimes do you ever just feel in a bad mood...... a feeling that you cant seem to lift No one can live a long and healthy life without the will to go on; sometimes mood swings can make us feel that life is too much for us.

A bad mood not only gives you a gloomy outlook, it also lowers your immune function, leading the way to illness. Here are some suggestions to lift your mood, your spirit, and your health. 

1. A Laughing Matter
"Laugh Therapy," pioneered by Norman Cousins, has turned out to have real substance. Research has discovered that laughter and joy boost immune functions, especially the production of the natural killer cells that help defend the body from illness and cancer.

Laughter also increases the release of endorphins - compounds that give you a sense of well-being  - in your brain. Without a doubt, joyful people liver longer and healthier lives. So read your favorite comics, watch your favorite comedies, and laugh it up!

2. Amino Acid for Restored Mindset
When an imbalance or deficiency is creating a bad mood, the Europeans use supplements of a natural compound found in human cells to regulate mood and restore a healthy mindset. SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine) is produced from methionine, an amino acid that plays a role in the production of uplifting neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.

One study indicated that SAMe worked on patients who had unsuccessful results with conventional antidepressants. To get a boost from SAMe, take a supplement combining it with vitamins B6 and B12.

3. Hands-On Healing
Human touch increases the production of endorphins, growth hormone, and DHEA, all of which lengthen your life span and lower the negative impact of stress. Studies have found that patients who are regularly touched recover faster than those who are not touched. So give someone a hug and feel both of your moods improve.

4. Boost Your "Youth Hormones"
You don't need pills to flood your body with a rejuvenating flood of growth hormones. Research has found that doing squats and leg presses will greatly increase your natural production of the "youth hormone". Increased growth hormone translates to an elevated mood, among other physical benefits. Keep it up with weight training, knee bends, push-ups, and rowing.

5. Take a Bracing Breath
Breathing correctly is important for dispelling the toxins and wastes from your body; in fact, it is estimated that we expel only about 30 percent of toxins in our bodies through the bowels and bladder-the rest is all respiratory. Breathing is also a great way to clear your mind, boost your energy, and improve your mood. Practice deep, slow, rhythmic, breathing daily with mind-body disciplines such as tai chi, yoga, qigong, and meditation.

6. Smell the Joy
Research has shown that smell has a definite impact on our bodies and minds. When you stimulate the olfactory nerves inside your nose, you activate the limbic system of your brain, which is associated with moods and memory. This concept is instrumental to aromatherapy, a natural  health tradition that makes use of the healing powers of plants with strong scents.

Aromatherapy recommends treating depression with jasmine, eucalyptus for exhilaration, and grapefruit to increase alertness and joy. Just put a dab of the essential oils from these plants on your temples, back of your neck, or acupressure points. Another option? Boil the herb in water and inhale the steam through your nose. 

7. Feel Fine with Flowers
There is a reason that flowers are the traditional get-well gesture. Colorful flowers have a powerful influence on moods; they can uplift a patient's mood and even combat stress. One study found that during a five-minute typing assignment, people sitting next to a flowering bouquet were more relaxed than those who sat near foliage-only plants. 

Until da next Tyme!

Weight loss tricks !

Hey peeps, 


I have been off the grid for a while but wanted to touch on a familiar topic that haunts us .... especially the ladies.Just  few things that may help, let me now if they work for you 


The advice for losing those stubborn extra pounds seems so simple: Eat less, and exercise more . But as anyone who's ever tried to lose a few pounds knows, putting that advice into practice is very tough. Cut back on calories too much, and you're overwhelmed by hunger and your metabolism may slow. Exercise like crazy, and the hunger pangs you feel a few hours later may trigger you to eat back all you've burned off-and then some.

1. Eat hot soup before a meal. Research suggests doing so before lunch or dinner helps people eat less. "That's probably because you can't eat hot soups fast, which gives your digestive tract time to send satiety signals out to your brain" before you begin the next course, says Fugh-Berman. She recommends eating a soup that is not cream based to save on fat and calories.

2. Don't eat heavily just before bed. Sure we've all heard the credo that body weight is all about calories in, calories out, but it turns out it may also matter when you eat. Fugh-Berman says she has seen preliminary research suggesting that taking in sweet, high-fat foods (ice cream, anyone?) right before bedtime appears to decrease calorie burning and increase fat storage during sleep. "Consuming that same snack earlier in the day doesn't appear to have the same effect," she says.

3. Live like a city dweller. People who live in cities weigh less than those who live in the suburbs probably because of "incidental walking " says Fugh-Berman. "Those few blocks that you walk to grab lunch or run an errand really do add up," she says. Plus, the daily activity is incorporated into your life so it doesn't feel like exercise. It's easy to do and not like a workout that you can skip or quit altogether. Don't live or work in a city? You can mimic the effect by parking a few blocks away from the drugstore, dry cleaner, or post office. Fugh-Berman says she has a slim friend whose only exercise is using the stairs instead of the elevator to get to his office on the ninth floor. Going up and down once or twice a day gives him a fairly good calorie burn.

4. Try a dash of chili pepper. If you can stomach it, try a chili-laced appetizer right before your meal. It "appears to have appetite suppressant activity," says Fugh-Berman. "One study found that those who ate a chili-pepper-spiced food right before their meal ate less at the meal." Mix a teaspoonful of chopped chili pepper into mashed avocado, or sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of chili powder into chopped tomatoes for a predinner dip.

5. Limit caloric beverages. Drink 260 calories in a Starbucks grande caffè mocha (or a smoothie, or any other sweetened beverage) before lunch, and you'll still eat the same number of calories at your meal. But eat a bagel or handful of jellybeans containing 260 calories, and you'll actually consume less at lunch, according to one study. It's not clear whether our stomachs actually feel fuller from solid food or whether we trick ourselves into thinking that we haven't actually "eaten" if we're drinking calories rather than chewing them, says Fugh-Berman.

6. Weigh yourself once a day. This certainly helps me maintain my weight because I make a point to cut back on snacks if I've gained a little. And research backs me up. A 2006 study from Cornell University found that college freshmen instructed to weigh themselves every morning gained almost no weight during the school year compared with a 7-pound gain for those who weren't given a scale. Though I'm not sure how much the scale helps me personally. I find that every time I've lost a few pounds, I give myself a little permission to indulge-and the pounds come right back on.

Until da next Tyme!